Where to Eat in New Orleans

Last week, I traveled down to New Orleans for a friend’s wedding and I had an incredible time. I’d been to New Orleans once before but stuck to the very touristy side *cough Bourbon Street cough*. But I absolutely loved the architecture and vibe of the city and knew I wanted to explore more on my next visit. I was traveling alone, which I’d never done before, and my itinerary was completely my own. I prioritized what really matters to me: Food and ghost tours. Both were out of this world. I’ll talk more about the ghost tours at a later post so let’s get down where to eat in New Orleans!

Red Dog Diner: This was a spontaneous decision that worked out deliciously. The original restaurant I wanted to go to ended up being closed and at that point, I was starving. My eyes were bigger than my stomach and I ordered a pimento cheese appetizer and shrimp Caesar salad. The pimento cheese with fresh baguette toasts was placed in front of me within minutes and it took virtually all of my willpower to snap these photos before digging. The pimento cheese was perfectly spicy and I would have eaten it with a spoon if necessary. Thankfully they gave you plenty of baguette toasts for scooping. I also loved the spicy homemade pickles! For my main course, I had the shrimp Caesar salad and guys, they are not messing around when it comes to the shrimp. They were jumbo shrimp! Oxymorons aside, Red Dog Diner gave a very generous amount of seasoned shrimp on a bed of crisp, crunchy romaine. After being up since 3am, this shrimp Caesar salad hit the spot. (Magazine Street)

Cafe Beignet: After shooting outfit photos, I was walking back to my hotel when I came upon Cafe Beignet and decided to pop in for a post-outfit shoot treat. Really any excuse to eat a beignet, right? A single order of beignets (3) was $3.99 and I’ll be perfectly honest and I ate all three in the cafe. With an iced chai, it was heaven. Bonus: I snagged a table right at the front so I had the prime people-watching spot for my beignet fest. After taking a bite, it was no surprise to learn that Alton Brown named Cafe Beignet’s beignets as one of the best things he ever ate. On my last day in New Orleans, I packed another single order of beignets and took them with me on my carryon. They were gone before I boarded the plane. (Royal Street)

Willa Jean: Off the beaten tourist path, Willa Jean is a brightly-lit and cheerful oasis when you need a break from the French Quarter. It’s located in the Central Business District and was my very favorite spot to eat during my trip to New Orleans. I popped in for their happy hour (3-5pm) and let’s be real guys, I went to town. I mean, it was 1/2 off their frozen drinks, appetizers and desserts!! I had a frosé, wild mushroom flatbread with a side of chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk. I’m pretty certain this is how you do adulthood. The frosé was sweet and crisp and after walking around in the hot sun, was exactly what the doctor ordered. I’m normally not a mushroom fan at all but this flatbread was amazing. The sweet burrata, the zesty green goddess sauce and the earthiness of the mushrooms just knocked it out of the park. Willa Jean’s known for their chocolate chips cookies so it would have been a crime not to get them, right? The sprinkle of sea salt on the cookies brought out the chocolate chips, I’ll be adding sea salt to all of my cookies from here on out. And how cute is the beater with cookie dough?!?! A sweet note of nostalgia. Oh, and my total came to $18 (Not including tip). Highly suggest you check Willa Jean out on your visit to New Orleans! (O’Keefe Avenue)

The Standard: I popped into The Standard to take advantage of the AC and was pleasantly surprised to find a spot that looks like a mix between a restaurant/bar and an antique shop. From hand-painted plates arranged on one wall to Jenga at the bar, The Standard was very charming and had a delicious cocktail menu. I went with the “6 Feet Under,” a refreshing blend of watermelon juice, tequila and habanero syrup. Basically my perfect cocktail. I ordered two and I hadn’t been traveling alone, I probably would have had another one. (Magazine Street)

Acme Oyster House: I had to get oysters at least once on this trip and so I headed to Acme Oyster House for lunch one day. My only regret is that I only ordered a dozen. Don’t be dissuaded by the darkly-lit space, these oysters were some of the best I’ve ever had. I also got a fried shrimp po’boy and it was my favorite po’ boy of the trip. I liked that was less bread and more ingredients instead of feeling like you’re eating a huge loaf of bread with a handful of fried shrimp. Plus, they had fun tropical cocktails like “Killer Buzz” and “Acme Sunset.” I naturally had to try both. C’mon, it’s a vacation! (Iberville Street)

Mother’s: I went to Mother’s for breakfast on my last day in the city and waited in line for their famous “debris gravy.” I’ll be honest that while it was tasty, it wasn’t my favorite meal of the trip. However, it’s an institution and fun to check out the framed pictures of famous people who’ve been to Mother’s. I’m glad I went to check it out and if I went back, I’d order something else. (Poydras)

Pat O’Brien’s: You can resist the pull of Bourbon Street for only so long. I mean, it would have practically been a crime to leave New Orleans without getting a Hurricane at Pat O’s. I already have my souvenir Hurricane glass from my last visit so this time I ordered a regular Hurricane and sipped this fruity cocktail while people-watching. Keyword being sipping because Pat O’s makes their Hurricanes strong. I loved seeing all the fun bachelorette group shirts, I spotted my favorite at Pat O’Brien’s. The bride’s shirt said “MRSchief Managed” and her friends’ shirts said “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” Ten points to Gryffindor! (St. Peter Street)