With so many fantastic eating and drinking options available in New Orleans, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Whether you’re heading here for a quick weekend getaway or a major event like the Super Bowl or Mardi Gras, a little advanced planning with these tips from the local pros will help you make the most of the city.

Find | Culinary Antiques

Lucullus

A culinary antique shop located in the heart of the French Quarter, where you can browse for everything from vintage tableware, linens, books, oyster serving dishes and silver bone marrow spoons. Check out the original courtyard of their 19th Century building.

“It’s a view into New Orleans history.” says chef John Besh.

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Find | Farmers Market

Crescent City Farmers Market

Local produce, jams, honey, and flowers are sold on Saturday morning from 8am - 12pm in the Warehouse District. Recommended by chef Adolfo Garcia for the “stellar produce.”

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King Cake

New Orleans loves its traditions, especially when it comes to Mardi Gras. The King Cake is just as much a part of the celebration as beads and doubloons. They are rings of braided Danish pastry baked and covered with bright, festive-colored sugar toppings. Inside every cake is a tiny plastic baby and if you are fortunate enough to receive the slice with the baby, you’ll be hosting next year’s King Cake party or at least bringing the King Cake.

See chef John Besh’s King Cake recipe.

Find | King Cakes

Gambino’s & Haydel’s

NOLA native and DamGoodSweet pastry chef David Guas likes traditional cakes from Gambino's and Haydel's.

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Eat | Breakfast

Satsuma Cafe

Local people eating locally grown food in one of the hippest neighborhoods in New Orleans. French 75’s bartender Chris Hannah stops in for breakfast and pastries. Satsuma is basically a coffee shop with no proper kitchen, exposed bricks walls and a menu that revolves around the seasons.

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Po-boy, Po’ boy, Poor Boy

The Louisiana version of a sub served on French bread. Leidenheimer’s is the gold standard for local French bread. Typically stuffed with fried shrimp or oysters, soft shell crab, crawfish, and roast beef.  You’ll be asked if you want your po-boy dressed, nothing to do with clothing, it just means topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise.

Eat | Po-Boys

Mahony’s Po-Boys

Specialty po-boys made to order. Chef Ben Wicks was a fine dining chef before deciding to elevate the bar for the beloved po-boy. He only uses Leidenheimer French bread and chef Adolpho Garcia loves “the chicken liver po-boy with coleslaw.” Also try the grilled shrimp, fried green tomatoes and remoulade po-boy.

Parkway Bakery

When local chef John Besh was asked about the most essential dishes one should eat when visiting New Orleans, he suggests visiting Parkway Bakery for their po-boys.  Make sure you grab extra napkins to eat their juicy roast beef po-boy. For the indecisive, get the Surf & Turf (slow cooked roast beef  topped with golden fried shrimp and roast beef gravy).

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Eat | Oysters

Casamento’s

It’s all about the seafood at Casamento’s and has been since 1919. Chef Donald Link heads here for oysters, but don’t ignore the oyster loaf, which is a variation on an oyster po-boy, made with their own signature “pan bread.”

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Boudin

A sausage used in Cajun and Creole cuisine. Boudin noir is a dark sausage made from pork and pork blood. Boudin blanc is a white variation made of pork and rice without the blood. Boudin balls are a twist on boudin blanc with the sausage being formed into a ball, then battered and fried.

Eat | Dinner

Restaurant August

This is the flagship of chef John Besh’s New Orleans restaurants and the one that put him on the map. He serves contemporary twists on classic French, Creole, Cajun, and Southern dishes.

Cochon

When chefs visit New Orleans, they stop into Cochon. Chef / owner Donald Link describes Cochon as being “inspired by my childhood and the food I ate growing up, basically my Southern Alabama roots from mom and the Cajun roots from dad.”

Patois

Bartender and owner of Cure and Bellocq, Neal Bodenheimer describes Patois as “Southern food meets New Orleans fine dining. The lamb rib appetizer with green chutney is amazing.”

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Sazerac Cocktail

It’s the official cocktail of New Orleans, just narrowly beating out the Ramos Gin Fizz. Credit for the drink goes to Creole apothecary Antoine Amadie Peychaud. Over time, slight changes have been made to the original recipe he served at the Sazerac Coffee House, but Peychaud’s Bitters is still a key ingredient. The main ingredient changed from cognac to rye around 1870 and when absinthe was outlawed in 1912, Herbsaint took its place.

Drink | Cocktails

Bellocq

The newest bar by the crew from Cure. Located in The Hotel Modern in Lee Circle, they are known for their cobblers, ice-laden fruit cocktails that were all the rage back in the mid-1800s.

Sylvain

A gastropub, located in a historic French Quarter carriage house. Bartender Neal Bodenheimer drops in for their adventurous cocktails. “They’ve got a small, tight list. A little bit stirred, a few sours. Well curated.”

Arnaud’s French 75

Located right in the French Quarter, bartender Chris Hannah is like a magician, taking requests and crafting creative twists on the original classics. Fellow New Orleans barman Chris McMillian says of Hannah, “Chris is one the most celebrated bartenders in America.”

Cure

A craft cocktail bar in a converted 19th century firehouse that is winning the respect of fellow bartenders in the city. French 75’s Chris Hannah says, “Still THE destination in New Orleans and the best bar to wear a costume to for no reason. They welcome costumes.”

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Drink | Bars with Music

Vaughan’s Lounge

Bartender Lu Brow of Swizzle Stick Bar recommends going “on Thursday nights when Kermit Ruffins plays.” Kermit and the BBQ Swingers attract a huge crowd at this Bywater joint. Free red beans and rice between sets.

Maple Leaf Bar

When ever London creative bartender Tony Conigliaro visits New Orleans, his tour guide is his friend barman Chris McMillian. “We’ll always go to the Maple Leaf and those out of the way jazz clubs.”

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Muffuletta, Muffaletta, Muffeletta

It’s not Cajun, it’s not Creole, it’s pure Sicilian, with origins dating back to 1906 in the French Quarter. It’s a large round sandwich comprised of meats like salami, mortadella, capicola, provolone cheese and topped with a marinated olive salad.

Eat | Muffuletta

Traditional | Cochon Butcher

Chef / owner Donald Link takes local food traditions seriously and that point of view isn’t compromised at his butcher shop and sandwich counter. They sell Old World meats, terrines, sausages and sandwiches. But there are some modern twists too.

Un-traditional | Liuzza’s Restaurant & Bar

Since 1947, this Mid-City landmark has been home to the “The Frenchuletta,” an enormous muffuletta served on a sizable French bread loaf. Chef John Besh calls Liuzza’s one of the most authentic places in New Orleans.

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Local Events

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival | April 26 - May 5, 2013

Imagine the world's greatest tailgating party with local eats and live zydeco, gospel, jazz, funk, and rock n' roll. Chef Donald Link says the foods to try are: “Cochon de lait po-boy, Crawfish pie, Crawfish filo, Mango ice (with the vodka you snuck in, not me though), and Natchitoches meat pies.”

The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience | May 21 - May 25, 2013

A five-day food and wine event. Local restaurants feature special dinners, there are grand tastings, seminars and  Look for Drago’s char-broiling their oysters during the Royal Street Stroll, where local stores serve food and wine and food vendors set up on the street.

Oak Street Po-Boy Fest | November 2013

A free one-day event with over 30 po-boy vendors and two stages with live music.

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