USA Guide
Louisiana
Eating
1 Acme Oyster House 724 Iberville St 
504/522-5973 
www.acmeoyster.com . This noisy French Quarter hangout has been the place for raw oysters and cold beers for generations. Tourists, cops, and office workers alike wait patiently in line for these, as well as the inexpensive po-boys, salty fresh crawfish, and gumbo.
2 Bayona 430 Dauphine St 504/525-4455 www.bayona.com . Splendid, romantic restaurant – the lovely courtyard feels more relaxed than the formal dining room. Local staples are given a global twist – the simple garlic soup, sweetbreads, and lamb dishes are fantastic – and there's a 250-plus wine list. Lunch is a real bargain – try the grilled cashew butter, smoked duck, and pepper jelly sandwich for $11. The pricier dinner menu is well worth it.
3 Bennachin 1212 Royal St 504/522-1230 Historically, New Orleans owes a lot to West Africa, including much of its traditional cuisine. And in this tiny, family-run, neighbourhood restaurant, the hefty portions of inexpensive, delicious African food – black-eyed-bean fritters, peanut-infused stews, grilled fish in ginger sauce, spinach with plantains – bring Creole food right back to its roots. The iced ginger-honey tea is a treat on a steamy New Orleans night. BYOB; no credit cards. Opening time: Closes Sun– Thurs 9pm, Fri & Sat 10pm
4 Croissant d'Or 617 Ursulines St 504/524-4663 Tranquil little local place in a pretty, tiled old building. Lines form down the street for the delicious French pastries and stuffed croissants, plus quiches, salads, and steaming café au lait, all at the lowest prices in the Quarter. Opening time: Wed– Mon 7am–2pm
5 Fiorella's 45 French Market Place/1136 Decatur St 504/528-9566 A rough and ready French Quarter classic, this down-home café has long been a local hit for its cheap blue-plate specials, crawfish dishes, and amazing crispy fried chicken. Opening time: Closes 9pm
6 
Galatoire's 209 Bourbon St 504/525-2021 www.galatoires.com Tennessee Williams's favourite restaurant, this grand Creole establishment, with its landmark mirror-lined dining room, is quintessential New Orleans and not at all stuffy. It's best at lunchtime, on Fri or Sun especially, when you can join the city's old guard (gents in seersucker, Southern belles in pearls) spending long, convivial hours gorging on turtle soup, oysters en brochette, crabmeat maison, and filet mignon. No reservations, so expect a wait. Jacket and tie required after 5pm and all day Sun. Opening time: Tues-Sun
7 Mr B's 201 Royal St 504/523-2078 www.mrbsbistro.com Buzzy Creole bistro with dark-wood and etched glass booths, a relaxed, chatty ambiance, and spectacular food. The garlic chicken is the city's finest; the same accolade could go to the signature barbecue shrimp. It can be pricey, but lunch is good value. Walk-ins are welcome. Closes 9.30pm.
8 Napoleon House 500 Chartres St 504/524-9752 This ravishing old bar – all crumbling walls and shadowy corners – exudes a classic, relaxed New Orleans elegance. The eighteenth-century building was the home of Mayor Girod, who schemed with Jean Lafitte to rescue Napoleon from exile, but since 1914 it has been owned and run by the same Italian family. Though their fabulous bistro has yet to reopen post-Katrina, bow-tied waiters continue to serve their nice café menu, including warm muffulettas with melted cheese, gumbo, Mediterranean salads, and antipasto. Currently closed evenings and Sun, but call to check.
9 Tujague's 823 Decatur St 504/525-8676 www.tujaguesrestaurant.com . With one of the loveliest dining rooms in the city, the beloved "Two Jacks," both relaxed and elegant, is a must-visit. Little has changed here over the last 150 years, not least the five-course prix-fixe menu, which always includes shrimp remoulade and tender beef brisket appetizers. If money's tight, simply order the tasty chicken "Bonne Femme" (fried chicken with garlic and parsley) at the beautiful old bar.
10 Adolfo's 611 Frenchmen St 504/948-3800 Locals go crazy for the Italian-Creole food, prepared by an Argentine with New Orleans flair. With its ceiling fans, Christmas tree lights, and brick walls, the cozy room – hidden away above the tumbledown Apple Barrel pub – is a romantic, relaxed setting for robust pasta, fish and seafood. The kitchen is tiny, so service can be slow – BYOB and hunker down for the evening. Cash only.
11 Café Reconcile 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd 504/568-1157 www.cafereconcile.com Something special: a grass roots, nonprofit venture, spearheaded by a Jesuit church, where local at-risk teens are trained for jobs in the hospitality industry. The bustling dining room, in the blighted but slowly recovering neighbourhood of Central City, north of the Lower Garden District, is warm and welcoming, prices are ridiculously low, and the food – fried chicken, catfish, daily specials like pot roast or shrimp Creole – beyond delicious. Opening time: Mon– Fri breakfast & lunch only
12 Casamento's 4330 Magazine St 504/895-9761 www.casamentosrestaurant.com . Spotless and old-fashioned, this uptown oyster bar serves inexpensive ice-fresh oysters, fried crab claws, and overstuffed trout "loaves," or sandwiches (to die for). Cash only. Opening time: Tues & Wed 11am–2pm, Thurs– Sat 11am–2pm & 5.30–9pm. Closed June– Aug
13 Jacques Imo's 8324 Oak St 504/861-0886 Funky, noisy uptown restaurant with a colourful patio. The cooking, a delicious Creole– Cajun take on soul food, is very good value – from the fried oysters and chicken livers to the buttery, blackened redfish. It's a great place to fill up before a gig at the Maple Leaf (see Nightlife), and well worth a trip any time. Dinner only; closed Sun. Reservations only for groups of five or more; you may have to wait a while at the bar.
14 Mona's 504 Frenchmen St 504/949-4115 Popular, no-fuss Middle Eastern restaurant in a handy Faubourg Marigny location. The food – kebabs, flatbread pizzas, meze, split red lentil soup – is fresh, zingy, and inexpensive, with lots of delicious vegetarian options. BYOB.
15 Café du Monde 800 Decatur St 504/581-2914 Despite the hype, the crowds, and the sugar-sticky tabletops, this old market coffeehouse, with a large outdoor patio covered by a striped awning, is an undeniably atmospheric place to drink steaming café au lait with chicory, and snack on piping hot beignets – the city's distinctive sweet donuts – for just a couple of dollars. Particularly fun after a night out. Opening time: Daily 24hr
16 Café Rose Nicaud 632 Frenchmen St 504/949-3300 Friendly, delightfully mixed Faubourg Marigny coffeehouse that's a firm favourite with local academics, artists, and musicians who gather around the marble-topped tables, in the capacious armchairs, or outside. Light meals and pastries are served.
17 CC's 941 Royal St 504/581-6996 Quarterites linger for hours at the counter or in the leather armchairs, chatting or people-watching through the open French windows. Try their Mochasippi, a creamy iced espresso. Free wi-fi. Other branches around town.
18 Rue de la Course 3121 Magazine St 504/899-0242 With its pressed-tin walls, café au lait-coloured decor, ceiling fans, and reading lamps, the Rue coffeehouse has an Old Europe ambiance, buzzing with a mixed local crowd and lots of students.