I like good food, I hate tourist traps, and I want people in town for conferences to experience the truly delicious foods my adopted hometown has to offer.  Most of these are located within the CBD and Warehouse District (outside of the French Quarter) since if you want to eat in the Quarter you can just look in a tourist guide.  Since this is NOLA, most places with good food will also likely have good drinks.

Drink Local: Beer brands to look for – Abita – Parish – Nola – Urban South – Courtyard – Second Line

**Nola, Urban South, Courtyard, and Second Line brew in NO…so take an Uber or ride one of the brewery beer buses –> NOLA Brew Bus OR New Orleans Brewery Tour.

SUPER close to the Hyatt/Superdome/CBD

Willa Jean – Best breakfast you’ll ever had, make sure to get some cookies to go

Company Burger – One of the best burgers in the city

Borgne – John Besh in the Hyatt lobby

Herbsaint – Fancy NOLA cuisine, make sure to make a reservation

Not crazy pricey:

Cochon Butcher – my favorite restaurant in the city, order the mac and cheese

St. James Cheese – fabulously sourced sandwiches and salads

Carmo – environmentally conscious (mostly vegetarian) will make a meat eater re-consider their relationship with tofu.  Good for the vegans in your life.

Rebellion – They know how to make a good cocktail here, food is lovely as well

Capdeville – Comfort food with a NOLA twist

Mother’s – Classic, cafeteria style, Beyonce eats here.

St. Roch Market – Like a mall food court, but amazing NOLA food options, ride the Loyola streetcar line to get here.

If someone else is buying:

Peche – Seafood like you’ve never had it before

Cochon – The fancy side of Cochon Butcher

Mr. John’s Steakhouse – Classic steaks cooked to perfection

Swizzle Stick (Cafe Adelaide) – The bar side is a better ambience, but they serve the full menu

Anything John Besh, Borgne is in the Hyatt lobby, my favorite is Luke.

Anything Emril

Drinking that’s not on Bourbon Street:

Avenue Pub – The NOEMS hangout, fabulous beer and bourbon hangout, nice second floor balcony.  Food by Boucherie (amazing!).  They go on a two-week hiatus to Europe June 24th!

Barrel Proof – A bourbon bar to beat all other bourbon bars

Circle Bar – quirky layout, local music

Barcadia – Play old school video games until your thumbs hurt

WINO – Taste wine by the ounce

Rusty Nail – Casual, full of locals, lots of outdoor seating

Coffee that isn’t Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts:

Lower Garden District – French Truck Coffee – Mojo – Krewe de Brew

CDB – Pulp & Grind – Revelator – Stumptown

Quarter – Addiction – Cafe Du Monde – Spitfire

Dessert (they all serve coffee too)

Bakery Bar – doberge cake galore

Sucre – Garden District (dessert only) or French Quarter (dessert, drinks, food)

Cafe Du Monde – the most Instagrammed place in NOLA

Touristy Things

Music – Frenchman Street (I like d.b.a) – Preservation Jazz Band

Sing A Long – Pat O’s Piano Bar – Cat’s Meow Karaoke

Adventures – Airboat Tour – Cemetery Tour – Plantation Tour

Streetcar – Magazine Street (do Washington to Louisiana strip) – City Park

World War II Museum – Ranked in top 10 in country of all museums

Weekend Festivals (Festival food is the best food)

Nola Caribbean Fest – Saturday & Sunday from 5p-10p

Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival – Put on by the same people that make Jazz Fest happen. Saturday & Sunday from 11:30a-6:30p

Have questions?  Feel free to hit me up on Twitter or via email (ccounts@tulane.edu).
Counts