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$$ | Carrollton-Riverbend |
Nathanial Zimet's gutsy, down-home cooking, a unique blend of Louisiana and contemporary Southern styles, fits right in at its cozy location in a converted Uptown home. The menu here is updated monthly, but it always kicks off with small plates, including every imaginable iteration of grits: as fries, cakes, and even crackers. Large plates pack big flavors—smoked scallops, Wagyu brisket, and whole hog pulled-pork cake all deliver. Try the Krispy Kreme bread pudding, even if you haven't saved room for it. Next door is Bourrée, the restaurant's casual takeout window, specializing in chicken wings, meat-based snacks, and gourmet daiquiris, like the top-shelf Hurricane and frozen gin and tonic.
8115 Jeannette St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, USA
Known For
- Boudin balls
- Grits of all kinds
- Krispy Kreme bread pudding for dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues., Credit cards accepted
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$ | Uptown |
At the Company Burger, your order is simple: the amazing signature burger comes with two fresh-ground patties, bread-and-butter pickles, American cheese, and red onions on a freshly baked bun. No lettuce and no tomatoes, but you can load it up with homemade condiments like basil or roasted-garlic mayonnaise and Creole honey mustard. Other options include lamb or turkey burgers and hot dogs with franks from Nueske's Meat. A daily burger special adds variety to the menu and there is a daily happy hour from 3 pm to 6 pm. Owner Adam Biderman grew up in New Orleans, but first earned burger fame in Atlanta. He's part of the wave of young transplants and returning natives not beholden to local traditions, who have reenergized New Orleans since Katrina. There is a second location in the CBD (611 O'Keefe Avenue).
4600 Freret St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Quality burgers
- Affordable prices
- No-frills local favorite
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$ | Uptown |
At Dat Dog, the sprawling stand is painted in primary hues, as if the work had been outsourced to a talented kindergarten class, and the Hawaiian shirt–clad staff bustle about with the enthusiasm of amateur actors staging a musical. The menu is all about hot dogs, and frank options range from standard German wieners to Louisiana alligator sausages. Even fish eaters and vegetarians have options (the apple sage "sausage" is deceivingly meaty). The long list of toppings includes guacamole, wasabi, and andouille sauce. And what goes better with a brat than an ice-cold brew? Luckily, the menu offers an exhaustive list of domestic and international beers. There are additional Dat Dog locations at 3336 Magazine Street and 601 Frenchmen Street.
5030 Freret St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Creative hot dogs
- Rowdy crowds
- Local draft beers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Reservations not accepted
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$$$ | Uptown |
This vine-covered neighborhood bistro doesn't have a sign, but that hasn't stopped the national food media from finding it. Lauded chefs cook with elegant confidence in a classic French style, but with surprising bursts of understated creativity, which can be seen in dishes like seared scallops with parsnip purée and pickled chanterelles. At Gautreau's, even the simple roasted chicken satisfies, and everyone should indulge in the caramelized banana split at least once. An older crowd of well-dressed regulars monopolize most of the tables in this dark, quiet space that once housed a pharmacy, but if you can get a reservation, you'll feel like you've gained admittance to an elite club.
1728 Soniat St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Well-heeled locals
- Hidden gem with hard-to-get reservations
- Caramelized banana split for dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch
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$$ | Carrollton-Riverbend |
Oak Street might look like any other sleepy urban thoroughfare by day, but once the sun sets, the half-block stretch containing Jacques-Imo's Cafe feels like the center of the universe. Prepare for lengthy waits (two hours at times) in the festive bar for a table in the boisterous, swamp-theme dining rooms (fortunately, the bartenders are fast), but most agree the wait for the modest-looking but innovative food is worth it: deep-fried roast-beef po'boys, shrimp-and-alligator-sausage cheesecake, Cajun bouillabaisse, and fried rabbit tenderloin with Creole mustard sauce are among the only-at-Jacques-Imo's specialties. Reservations are required for parties of five or more and not accepted for smaller groups.
8324 Oak St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, USA
Known For
- Long lines and required reservations for groups over five people
- Entertaining crowds
- Shrimp-and-alligator-sausage cheesecake
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch, Credit cards accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | Uptown |
Hidden on a quiet residential corner, this bustling bistro could have been transported directly from Provence. The menu continues the French theme, but with a Louisiana attitude. Featured proteins often include crispy quail, mussels in tomato broth, duck confit, and Royal Red shrimp. Chef Aaron Burgau developed close connections with growers and fishermen while managing a local farmers' market, so his kitchen is stocked with the best. He knows what New Orleanians like to eat, and his Uptown neighbors, a mix of affluent young and older couples, have rewarded him with a full house nightly.
6078 Laurel St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, USA
Known For
- Romantic date night
- Local produce
- French delicacies
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner Sun. No lunch Sat., Wed., and Thurs., Reservations essential
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$$ | Uptown |
You may think you’ve been transported to sexy Tel Aviv in this softly lighted but thoroughly modern dining room set on a hopping stretch of Magazine Street. Here, the inventive Israeli cooking shines: picture copper trays bedecked with small plates of classic Israeli foods, like hummus with soft-cooked eggs, red onions, pickles, and harissa; avocado toast with smoked whitefish and pink peppercorns; and grape leaves stuffed with rice and shiitake mushrooms (plus there’s puffy, made-to-order pita from Shaya’s signature wood-burning oven). Don't miss the eclectic wine and spirits list with authentic touches from the motherland, including mint tea and arak (an anise-based spirit).
4213 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Lamb ragu hummus
- Pita bread from the wood-burning oven
- Wine and spirits list with Israeli options
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$$$ | Uptown |
For more than 25 years, this gaily colored cottage filled with a museum's worth of regional art has defined New Orleans Creole bistro fare, combining traditional items like dark gumbo or étouffée with enough elegance to be worthy of white tablecloths. Boisterous regulars know their orders before the cocktails even arrive: perhaps fried green tomatoes with shrimp rémoulade, spicy local shrimp with jalapeño corn bread, or duck with ginger-peach sauce. Order the $48 "Taste of New Orleans" menu to sample seven classic dishes. Owner and local character JoAnn Clevenger presides over Upperline like the hostess of a party, and her work has not gone unnoticed: the resturant has been a finalist for a James Beard award multiple times.
1413 Upperline St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Fried green tomatoes with shrimp
- Historic gem
- "Taste of New Orleans" sampler menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch, Reservations essential
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$ | Uptown |
Every dish on the short menu here shows an obsessive attention to detail. The main attraction are the pizzas, which follow Neapolitan rules and use only flour, water, yeast, and salt for their dough; they enter an 800°F oven—imported from Naples—and emerge a minute later charred and fragrant. The starters prominently feature the sausages and other cured meats that hang inside a glass-walled room in the back. Despite the seriousness of the kitchen, the vibe out front is casual and contemporary. This welcoming pizzeria, like many other places on burgeoning Freret Street, suits the needs of neighbors but turns out food worthy of a visitor's attention.
4508 Freret St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Authentic Italian pizza
- Casual neighborhood vibe
- House-cured meats
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$$ | Uptown |
Even with reservations, expect to wait for weekend brunch at this Uptown institution, but your taste buds will thank you later. Locals tend to linger over sultry Creole creations like étouffée omelets and house-made sausage, a DIY Bloody Mary bar, and jumping live jazz on Saturday and Sunday. At dinner, the food is just as delicious, but the vibe is more romantic. The shrimp and grits are a standout, but there are plenty of other excellent choices. As a bonus, the expertly cultivated wine list shows plenty of options for under $50.
901 Louisiana Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Bloody Mary bar
- Jazz brunch
- Excellent shrimp and grits
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Tues. and Wed., Reservations essential
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$ | Uptown |
Eat in an airy dining room overlooking Audubon Park golf course, or relax with a drink on the veranda.
6500 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Carrollton-Riverbend |
At Bellegarde Bakery, far from the popular tourist sites, Graison Gill and his team freshly mill all of their flour on-site, producing bread and baked goods for some of the top restaurants in New Orleans. A commitment to local and single-origin ingredients embodies the ethos of the whole operation. In 2019, they opened their first storefront and customers can now purchase these baked delicacies for themselves, as well as get a glimpse into milling and baking process as they drink a cup of fresh-brewed coffee.
8300 Apple St., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Known For
- Sourdough bread
- Quality ingredients
- Baking classes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No dinner
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$$$ | Carrollton-Riverbend |
Chef Frank Brigtsen's fusion of Creole refinement and Acadian earthiness reflects his years as a Paul Prudhomme protégé, and his dishes here represent some of the best south Louisiana cooking you'll find anywhere. Everything is fresh and filled with deep, complex flavors, and the menu changes daily. The butternut shrimp bisque defines comfort food. Rabbit and duck dishes, usually presented in rich sauces and gravies, are full of robust flavor. But Brigtsen really gets to unleash his creativity on the "Shell Beach Diet," a nightly changing seafood platter that might include grilled drum with shrimp and jalapeño-lime sauce and shrimp cornbread. Trompe-l'oeil murals add whimsy to the intimate spaces of this turn-of-the-20th-century frame cottage. Ask for a table on the enclosed front sun porch.
723 Dante St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, USA
Known For
- Creative seafood platters
- Whimsical dining room
- Excellent butternut shrimp bisque
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential, Credit cards accepted
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$ | Uptown |
This eatery has been a haven for Uptown seafood lovers since 1919. Family members still wait tables and staff the immaculate kitchen in back, while a reliable handful of oyster shuckers ensure that plenty of cold ones are available for the standing room–only oyster bar. Specialties from the diminutive menu include oysters lightly poached in seasoned milk; fried shrimp, trout, and soft-shell-crab platters; and a must-try fried "oyster loaf" sandwich (two thick slices of white bread stuffed with fresh and greaseless bivalves). Everything is clean, and nothing is superfluous. Even the houseplants have a just-polished look.
4330 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Neighborhood vibe
- Fresh oysters
- Fried seafood and popular oyster loaf sandwich
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. No lunch Sun., No credit cards, Reservations not accepted
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$$ | Uptown |
Set back from Magazine Street in a gorgeous converted town house (eating on the large veranda on warm evenings is especially a treat), the sophisticated menu showcases (mostly) local seafood, as well as the best East and West Coast oysters. The whole roasted fish and anything from the raw section of the menu are always good choices. Non-seafood entrées and sides include roasted carrots, bacon fried rice, and airline chicken.
3607 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Whole fish
- Fresh oysters
- Charming setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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$$$ | Uptown |
Understatement characterizes the mood at locally beloved Clancy's, and the classy but neutral decor reflects this, though the scene can get lively. Most of the dishes are imaginative treatments of New Orleans favorites. Some specialties, like the several renditions of veal on the menu, are exceptional. Other signs of an inventive chef are the smoked soft shell crabs almondine, and a deviled eggs rémoulade. The small bar is usually filled with regulars who know one another—and tourists who wish they were regulars. On more festive nights you may yearn for earplugs. The expansive wine list has many New World and French options, with many bottles available for under $100.
6100 Annunciation St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Local favorite
- Extensive wine list
- Exceptional veal dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Mon.–Wed. and Sat., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$ | Uptown |
If you're trying to find the quintessential New Orleans neighborhood restaurant, look no further: team pennants and posers vie for space on the paneled walls of the low-ceiling bar and dining room, while a jukebox blares beneath them. From the kitchen's steaming cauldrons come boiled shrimp, crabs, and crawfish, piled high and ready to be washed down with ice-cold beer. The daily po'boy roster might feature fried crawfish tails or oysters, meatballs in tomato sauce, or roast beef with gravy, but the fried-shrimp po'boy is Frankie & Johnny's calling card.
321 Arabella St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Fresh boiled seafood, including a classic fried-shrimp po'boy
- Local clientele
- Cold beers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations not accepted
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$$ | Uptown |
French chic for the budget-minded is the style at this welcoming neighborhood bistro, where during peak hours there might be a half-hour wait for a table. Woven café chairs on the sidewalk and awnings that resemble metro-station architecture evoke the Left Bank of Paris, and the Gallic focus is also evident in dishes like the filet mignon, served with a choice of several classic French sauces. Other good options are the pâté maison, moules-frites, and the lavish dessert crêpes. The cheese plate is filled with fromage from beloved local cheese shop St. James Cheese Company. Space is a little tight in the oddly configured dining areas, but the whimsical paintings and profuse greenery combine to create an inviting feel.
1410 Robert St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Tasty crepes and moules-frites
- Intimate, slightly crowded setting
- Classic French vibes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Sat., Reservations not accepted, Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Uptown |
Flower shops sometimes bloom into intimate fine-dining establishments in New Orleans, and this one, with just-bright-enough lighting and a sturdy mahogany bar, has caught on in a big way with the locals. In the kitchen, chef-owner Justin Devillier draws on contemporary American tastes, using Louisiana raw materials whenever he can. He's been quietly developing a reputation across the country (and scored a nomination for a coveted James Beard Award). Signature items include the blue-crab beignets and Gulf shrimp and grits with smoked bacon, though many locals return to the red-leather banquettes for the signature burger and a round of cocktails.
4238 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Blue-crab beignets
- Neighborhood bistro vibes
- Nice cocktail menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Uptown |
Proprietor-chef John Harris uses French and Italian culinary traditions as springboards for Lilette's inspired dishes. Look for Italian wedding soup, roasted Muscovy duck breast, and fresh crudos. A slightly syndicated lunch menu is equally satisfying. The wine list has been thoughtfully chosen. Framed mirrors hang along the maroon walls of the intimate front dining-room-cum-bar, and there are also a few tables filling out a second room and a heated patio.
3637 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Curated wine list
- Intimate setting
- Outstanding appetizers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Mon., Reservations essential, Credit cards accepted
