Best Places to Eat in New Orleans French Quarter (2024)
There are so many great restaurants in the city and this guide to the best places to eat in New Orleans breaks down the top places you need to try.
Before my recent girl’s trip to New Orleans, I wasn’t very familiar with Southern or Creole cuisine. Turns out I’ve been missing out for 25 years because it is delicious.
Southern creole cuisine is a combination of west African and French cooking traditions with local ingredients. This cultural mash-up created the most delicious food.
This guide to the best places to eat in New Orleans shares the top restaurants and bars for every occasion and where to try local foods. Either I have tried these restaurants myself, or they were highly recommended by my local friends.
Keep reading to learn where to find the best beignets, crawfish, po boys, and more in New Orleans Louisiana.
Note: The price per person is a rough estimate based on a food item and drink for each person. It will vary based on what you choose to order.
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Best Beignets in New Orleans
Price Per Person: $5 | Cuisine: Beignets & Coffee
Favorite Menu Item: Classic Beignet Trio – Fluffy, fresh beignets, doused in powdered sugar
Beignets are a staple snack or dessert in New Orleans. Beignets are fried dough puffs, covered in powdered sugar. Picture a super fluffy powdered doughnut.
Café Du Monde is the most popular and the best place to find beignets in New Orleans.
Café Du Monde sells their fresh-made beignets in 3’s. Each beignet is big, so one serving can easily be shared by 2-3 people. They also sell coffee, but its decent at best.
There are many Café Du Monde locations around the city. The most popular is the French Quarter location, with a cute shop and a very long line.
For an equally charming atmosphere and much shorter line, visit the Café Du Monde in the city park. The park is also a great place to explore, so it’s the perfect detour.
Price Per Person: $5 | Cuisine: Café
Favorite Menu Item: Fresh Handmade Beignets
For the ultimate beignet showdown, try beignets from both Café Du Monde (above) and Café Beignet. While I prefer Café Du Monde, its an ongoing debate which shop has the best in the city.
If you are traveling with a group, get an order from each store, then do a side-by-side taste test.
Like Café Du Monde, Café Biegnet serves their beignets in 3’s, great for sharing. In addition to beignets, they serve other food options such as omelets and sandwiches.
If you’ve tried both, comment below with which beignet is best!
Best for Coffee
Price Per Person: $7 | Cuisine: Coffee & Pastries
Favorite Menu Item: Banana Nut Coffee Cake – Classic coffee cake with a banana twist
This Storyville coffee shop is so cute! If you are looking for a place to grab a coffee and quick breakfast, or spend a leisurely morning, this is the perfect place.
Bacaktown Coffee has an extensive pastry case with options such as coffee cake, scones, and muffins. They also offer eggs and quiche. The Backatown beverage menu has all your favorite coffee and tea drinks.
Best Breakfast in New Orleans
Price Per Person: $35 | Cuisine: Southern Brunch
Favorite Menu Item: Chicken and Waffles with berries, sugared pecans, and mint
The Country Club is hands down one of the best brunch options in New Orleans. Its famous for its cute building and weekend drag brunch.
If you have time on the weekend, the Country Club drag brunch cannot be missed. Since its so great and very popular, be sure to get a reservation well ahead of time.
The Country Club has a great brunch menu with decadent items such as shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, and fried green tomatoes. They offer all of the best southern breakfast foods with an elevated preparation.
Price Per Person: $30 | Cuisine: Southern Lunch & Brunch
Favorite Menu Item: Crispy Chicken Sandwich with house made potato chips
Toups Meatery in midtown New Orleans is a great brunch option for more savory items. The menu definitely sways on the lunch side of brunch, but is great, nonetheless.
The menu is very southern and is a great option for sampling some unique southern dishes.
Some of the more adventurous menu items are crispy turkey necks, foie gras torchon, and lamb neck. In addition to these exotic items, they also have great southern classics such as a fried chicken sandwich and seafood gratin.
Where to Get Crawfish Boil in NOLA
Price Per Person: $30 | Cuisine: Bar & Boil
Crawfish boils are a New Orleans staple. During crawfish season from March through June, many bars will have food vendors serving fresh crawfish around 5pm each day.
A crawfish boil typically consists of crawfish, shrimp, potatoes, corn, and andouille sausage.
At a bar like Tracey’s, the boil will be prepared in a large cooler then served to patrons by the pound. I didn’t try the crawfish at Tracey’s, but my friends raved that it was the best they’ve ever had.
Price Per Person: $30 | Cuisine: Crawfish & Casual Southern Food
Clesi’s in midtown is a local favorite for crawfish. The restaurant has a large outdoor deck and patio, packed with tables.
This is where I tried my very first crawfish boil and it did not disappoint! I recommend ordering a pound per person. Be sure to add sausage, corn, potatoes, and garlic to your seafood for the best flavor.
Best Restaurants for Date Night
Price Per Person: $75 | Cuisine: High-End Southern
Favorite Menu Item: Charbroiled Oysters – Broiled oysters with garlic butter & bread
Antoine’s is bougie, historic, and a bit overpriced. It’s the oldest restaurant in New Orleans and was founded in 1840.
Since then, its been passed down through family who have developed the menu over generations. The restaurant is in an old, historic building in the French District, with a unique ambience.
The food at Antoine’s is tasty, but a bit overpriced. The menu has select options of French-Creole cuisine with entrees such as fish and steak. The best part is the charbroiled oysters, and I’d return for just those.
Price Per Person: $65 | Cuisine: High-End Southern
Commander’s Palace is one of the best places to eat in New Orleans. Like Antoine’s, it’s a bit pricey, but worth the splurge. If you are going on a date night or celebrating a special occasion during your trip to New Orleans, Commander’s Palace is a great option.
If you are feeling adventurous, I’ve heard great things about the turtle soup. Otherwise, try any of the classic creole dishes such as pecan crusted fish or seared Muscovy duck. If I had to choose the best restaurant in New Orleans for date night, this would be it.
Best for a Local Dinner
Price Per Person: $20 | Cuisine: Casual Creole
Favorite Menu Item: The Ralph Po Boy
Mother’s is a bit of a dive, but the food is great. Their specialty is their po boys, specifically the Ferdi and the Ralph which are ham, roast beef, and au jus with or without cheese.
They also have southern specialties such as gumbo or jambalaya. Mother’s is a great restaurant to visit for a DIY food tour to taste many local favorites at once. The prices are also affordable and there is a lot of seating for groups.
Price Per Person: $ | Cuisine: Casual Creole
Favorite Menu Item: Chicken Andouille Gumbo
I bet you can guess what this restaurant serves! The Gumbo Shop is a great restaurant in the French Quarter for authentic Louisiana gumbo.
It’s often voted one of the best places to eat in New Orleans and is usually busy to prove it. For the most authentic gumbo, try the seafood okra gumbo. If you aren’t a huge seafood fan, the chicken andouille option is great too.
Unique Bars in the French Quarter
Pat O’ Brien’s
Price Per Person: $11
Favorite Menu Item: Hurricane – Rum with fresh juices
Pat O’ Brien’s is famous for their hurricanes. I highly recommded visit to try one and spend some time in their charming courtyard. The hurricanes can also be taken to go while you explore the surrounding French Quarter.
Carousel Bar
Price Per Person: $15
The Carousel bar is a bit spendy and a bit touristy, but still fun. Where else can you get a drink on a carousel? I recommend this bar for a unique before dinner drink.
Lafitte’s
Price Per Person: $12
Lafitte’s is known to many as the most haunted bar in New Orleans. Due to this haunted fact, we visited as part of our ghost tour. Visit Lafitte’s if you want to go ghost hunting or simply try their famous daquiri.
The Best New Orleans Food Tours
If you are a foodie like me, food is a huge part of travel. In addition to trying these best places to eat in New Orleans, I highly recommend a food tour. The below options are the best in my opinion, depending on what neighborhood you want to visit.
1. French Quarter Food Tour– This food tour in the French Quarter visits a handful of local shops and a market to sample classic creole bites.
2. Garden District Food & History Tour– This Garden District food tour combines a tour of the neighborhood with three food stops and a couple drink stops too. If you don’t have any plans to visit the Garden District, I highly recommend this tour to knock a couple items off your New Orleans must-do list.
3. French Quarter Brunch Tour– This French Quarter brunch tour is unique because it focuses on brunch foods. It also includes a couple cocktail tastings.
Summary of The Best Places to Eat in New Orleans
Honestly, you cannot go wrong with any of these restaurants in New Orleans. If you are still overwhelmed of where and what to eat in New Orleans, stick to this simple food bucket list.
You can try these local favorites by visiting the above restaurants or taking a food tour: gumbo, jambalaya, beignets, po boy, crawfish.
For more New Orleans travel tips, check out my complete guide to a NOLA girls trip.
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