While we gear up for our trip to New Orleans Essence Festival in a few months, we wanted to share a few places to try out when visiting while there:

Seaworthy
A stylish Creole cottage built in 1832, Seaworthy singularly elevates New Orleans’ bar scene. Opened by Ace Hotel and the inspired by the Gulf Coast waterways, Seaworthy features an extensive wine and cocktail list, this bar brings straight to the sea pairing ceviche and fried oyster small plates with their signature Holy Water, a spiced rum blend mixed with cognac, chartreuse, lemon, lime, and grapefruit serving wild-caught and sustainably-harvested oysters.

Willa Jean
Named after Chef Partner Kelly Field’s grandmother who inspired her to live her passion, who heads an acclaimed brunch staple called Willa Jean. Located in the Central Business District, Willa Jean’s menus are categorized by “snacks,” “the biscuit situation,” “sandwiches,” “hot plates,” and “desserts” and showcase everything from fluffy biscuits topped with fried chicken and tabasco honey to cookies + milk served with an eggbeater of fresh cookie dough. “The modern elegance of the dining room lends its charm to Fields’ haven of Southern-inspired dishes and sets the stage for the playful, nostalgic nature of the ever-evolving menu. Heartier favorites include artichoke and cheese business, New Orleans style BBQ shrimp toast, fried chicken + spicy slaw sandwich on a house-made Hawaiian roll, as well as a seasonal-driven skillet pot pie.”

Hot Tin
For next-level cocktails with views of Crescent City, Hot Tin, in the penthouse of the Pontchartrain Hotel, is the place to be. Its interior’s kitschy compendium of knickknacks and racy curtains make for great conversation starters; grab a seat on one of the vintage peacock chairs and order up a tipple or two (we’re partial to the Dibbity, made with bourbon, blueberry hibiscus tea, and ginger). If the weather’s nice, bring your drinks out onto the rooftop terrace to take in views that stretch as far as the Mississippi River.

Cafe Dauphine

Off the beaten path, Cafe Dauphine is a family own restaurant that opened in 2012 and has the locals and even tourists coming back for more. An affordable restaurant, with great portion sizes their signature dishes are southern staples with a mixture of Cajun-Creole cuisine. Once you try these dishes it keeps you coming back for more. It is a charming, firnedly and welcoming atmosphere and is a must visit when you come to New Orleans.

Neyow’s Creole Cafe

A high structure in the mid city, it is an old restaurant in a new building, and fronted by large windows that display a chef grilling oysters behind a garlic-scented plume of smoke in a room full of foodies that is in plain view. Serving Creole food that tastes like home if you were born in New Orleans of fresh seafood and cured pork in a gumbo broth. Crab claws come fried or sauteed and dripping butter either way. Pastas are not meant to compete with the handmade pappardelle around town; they're creamy, satisfying vehicles for crustaceans.

They have a few daily specials such as creamy red beans (cheaper on Mondays, when it's a special, but always on the menu) running across a whole plate, flanked by rice and, should you chose to order it (you should), a long, crisped hot sausage patty; fork-tender smothered pork chops (Wednesday); and smothered okra (Friday) thick with shrimp and ham. Service is friendly but can be very busy so we recommend going in early to avoid waiting for long periods.

Rays on the Avenue

A multi-cuisine creole soul food restaurant that is also a great music venue. It is a casual dine in experience and provides great opportunities to enjoy some great New Orleans music and classic style foods. Another affordable cuisine if you are looking to eat where the locals are, than this is another great place to visit.

Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29

With a menu spanning the complete 80-year history of tiki drinking, it’s no surprise Latitude 29 is considered one of the city’s best cocktail bars. Grab a seat at the wooden bar of this French Quarter outpost, dedicated to reviving forgotten exotic drinks and reinterpreting old classics. Go for inventive cocktails like the banshee, a drink served in a coconut mug and made with coconut milk, fresh banana blended with lime, Jamaican rum, and Aztec bitters.

Antoine’s

One of the greatest excuses for playing dress-up? Planning a fancy dinner with your besties. One of the oldest family-run restaurants in the country, Antoine’s has been serving elevated French-Creole cuisine in the French Quarter since 1840. (Oysters Rockefeller, now a New Orleans classic, was invented here.) Its elegant interiors are like a living museum: 14 separate dining rooms are decked out in gilded accents, low-hanging chandeliers, and portraits of famous past guests. Ask for a guided tour before or after your meal (we just hope you made reservations in advance).

We hope some of these options we have listed here allows you with some variety during your stay in New Orleans. And if you are joining us in New Orleans, than we are excited to connect with you over some great southern cuisine.

Happy Traveling,
The Luxe and Lavish Travels Team

FEATURE | Best food options in New Orleans