OUR READERS PICKS
A couple of notes: To make the list, a choice had to have a significant number of votes; places without enough votes were eliminated. Categories without enough voters were also removed. Where there was evidence of ballot stuffing (and there wasn’t much) the votes were adjusted accordingly. We know that there are some significant places that didn’t make the list, nevertheless we’re confident that those that are listed are all worthy and are among the tops in their field.
Top Non-Profit
LASPCA
The Louisiana SPCA has been dedicated to saving the lives of animals across the New Orleans metro area for more than 130 years. Headquartered on the West Bank at the organization’s 21,600 square foot campus, the LA SPCA cares for more than 300 animals at one time, with an annual count of more than 70,000 dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, birds and reptiles. In addition to adoption services, the organization provides advocacy and leadership in legislation, clinic services, disaster preparedness, workshops and more.
Top Antiques Store
1. M.S. Rau Antiques
Top Art Gallery
1. Terrance Osborne Gallery
2. Ashley Longshore
Top Bakery
1. Gracious Bakery
2. Haydel’s Bakery
3. Maple Street Patisserie
Top Bed-and-Breakfast
1. Degas House
Top Bookstore
1. Garden District Bookstore
2. Octavia Books
Top Carnival Parade
1. Muses
2. Endymion
Top Chef
1. Nina Compton
Top Children’s Boutique
1. Auraluz
2. Pickleberry
Top Coffee House
1. PJ’s
2. Starbucks
Top Coffee House for Food
1. Caffe Caffe
2. PJ’s
3. HiVolt
Top Craft Brewery
1. Abita Brewing Company
2. Port Orleans Brewing Co.
3. Urban South Brewery
Top Craft Cocktail Bar
1. Cure
Top Day Spa
1. Earthsavers Spa & Store
2. Woodhouse Day Spa
Top Dive Bar
1. Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant
Top Dry Cleaner
1. Young’s Dry Cleaning
2. Russell’s Dry Cleaning Services
Top Food Truck
1. Taceaux Loceaux
Top French Bread
1. Leidenheimer
Top Furniture Store
1. Textures Warehouse
2. Doerr Furniture
3. Hurwitz Mintz Furniture
Top Golf Course
1. Bayou Oaks at City Park
2. Audubon Park Golf Course
Top Gulf Coast Getaway
1. Destin, Florida
Top Gulf Coast Hotel
1. Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
2. The Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort
Top Gym
1. Orangetheory Fitness
1. Franco’s Athletic Club (tie)
Top Hotel
1. Windsor Court Hotel
2. The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans
3. The Roosevelt New Orleans
Top Hotel Bar
1. Carousel Bar & Lounge
2. Hot Tin
Top ice cream/gelato
1. Angelo Brocato
2. Piccola Gelateria
2. The Creole Creamery
Top Jazz Club
1. Snug Harbor
2. The Jazz Playhouse at Royal Sonesta
Top lawn/garden supply
1. Perino’s Garden Center
Top Live Theater Company
1. Le Petit Theatre
2. Southern Rep Theatre
Top Hotel Bar
Carousel Bar
Tucked away in the Hotel Monteleone, the Carousel Bar & Lounge has been transporting patrons on a merry-go-round of top-notch cocktails and bar bites for the past 70 years. A favorite destination for locals and visitors alike, the historied bar has seen countless colorful stories told in its history. The circus-themed rotating bar comes full circle every 15 minutes. Live music provides a jazzy backdrop to the libation and festivities.
Top local actor/actress
1. Bryan Batt
Top Local Charity
1. Louisina SPCA
2. The Al Copeland Foundation
Top Local Jeweler
1. Aucoin Hart Jewelers
2. Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry
3. Boudreaux’s Jewelers
3. Adler’s Jewelry
Top Local Radio Station
1. WWOZ
2. WWL
Top Men’s Clothing Store
1. Perlis
2. Rubensteins
Top Museum
1. National WWII Museum
2. New Orleans Museum of Art
3. Louisiana Children’s Museum
3. Ogden Museum of Southern Art (tie)
Top Neighborhood Restaurant
1. Clancy’s Restaurant
2. Vincent’s Italian Cuisine
3. Katie’s Restaurant and Bar
Top New Orleans Festival
1. French Quarter Fest
2. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
3. NOLA on Tap
Top Outdoor Dining
1. Bacchanal Fine Wine and Spirits
2. Café Degas
Top Place for a Bloody Mary
1. Atchafalaya Restaurant
Top Place for a Margarita
1. El Gato Negro
1. Juan’s Flying Burrito (tie)
Top Place for a Power Lunch
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Galatoire’s
Top Place for a Salad
1. The Daily Beet
Top Place for Asian
1. Five Happiness
Top Place for Barbecue Shrimp
1. Mr. B’s Bistro
2. Pascal’s Manale
Top Place for Boiled Crawfish
1. The Galley Seafood
Top Place for Breakfast
1. The Ruby Slipper Cafe
2. Daily Beet
Top Place for Brunch
1. Commander’s Palace
Top Place for Burgers
1. The Company Burger
2. Port of Call
Top Place for Cajun
1. Fete Au Fete Streatery
2. Mulate’s New Orleans Cajun Restaurant
3. K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen
Top Place for Chinese
1. Five Happiness
Top Place for Creole
1. New Orleans Creole Cookery
Top Place for Fine Dining
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Brennan’s Restaurant
Top Place for Fried Chicken
1. Popeye’s Fried Chicken
2. Willie Mae’s Scotch House
3. Fiorella’s Cafe
Top Grocery Store
1. Rouses
2. Dorignac’s
3. Langenstein’s
Top Place for Gumbo
1. Gumbo Shop
Top Place for Hot Dogs
1. Dat Dog
Top Place for Indian
1. Saffron NOLA
2. Nirvana Indian Cuisine
Top Place for Italian
1. Vincent’s Italian Cuisine
2. Red Gravy Cafe
Top Place for Japanese
1. Tsunami
2. Shogun
2. Little Tokyo
Top Bakery
Gracious Bakery
With four locations across the city, Gracious Bakery has quickly become the way many New Orleans start their day, enjoy brunch and lunch or celebrate special occasions. The menus include coffee, fresh baked breads, sandwiches, pies and cakes, sweet and savory waffles and more. This time of year, we’re ready to pick up one of the bakery’s unique King Cake creations, both traditional and with a twist.
Top Place for King Cakes
1. Manny Randazzo King Cakes
2. Dong Phuong Bakeshop
Top Place for Korean
1. Little Korea BBQ
Top Place for Late Night Dining
1. Hoshun
Best Local Sandwich Shop
1. Stein’s Market and Deli
Top Place for Mexican/Southwest
1. Zocalo Cocina Mexicana & Cantina
2. The Velvet Cactus
Top Place for Middle Eastern
1. Saba
2. Byblos
3. Lebanon’s Café
3. Mona’s Café (tie)
Top Place for Onion Rings
1. Mr. Ed’s Seafood & Italian Restaurant
Top Place for Pizza
1. Pizza Domencia
2. Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza
3. Reginelli’s Pizzeria
Top Place for Poor Boys
1. Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Top Place for Raw Oysters
1. Peche
Top Place for Seafood
1. GW Fins
Top Place for Snoballs
1. Sal’s Sno-Ball Stand
2. Hansen’s Sno-Bliz
3. Plum Street Sno-Ball
Top Place for Steaks
1. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
2. Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse
2. Desi Vega’s Steakhouse (tie)
Top Place for Sushi
1. Rock N Sake Bar & Sushi
2. Sake Café
Top Place for Tacos
1. Juan’s Flying Burrito
2. Taceaux Loceaux
2. The Velvet Cactus (tie)
Top Place for Tapas
1. Baru Bistor & Tapas
Top Place for Thai
1. SukhoThai
2. Banana Blossom Thai Restaurant
3. Café Equator
Top Place for Turtle Soup
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Mandina’s Restaurant
Top Place for Vegetarian Dishes
1. The Daily Beet
Top Place for Vietnamese
1. Mopho
2. Pho NOLA
2. Mint Modern Vietnamese (tie)
Top Place to Buy a Wedding Dress
1. Town & Country
2. Wedding Belles
Top Place to Buy Liquor and Wine
1. Martin’s Wine Cellar
1. Dorignac’s (tie)
Top Place to Gamble
1. Harrah’s Casino
Top Place to Hear Live Music
1. House of Blues
2. Tipitina’s
2. d.b.a. (tie)
Top Restaurant
1. Commander’s Palace
2. GW Fins
Top Restaurant Worth the Drive
1. Middendorf’s Restaurant
1. Mosca’s (tie)
Top Sports Bar
1. Manning’s Sports Bar and Grill
2. Walk-On’s Bistreux & Bar
Top Sweet Shop
1. Angelo Brocato
Top Yoga/Pilates Studio
1. Romney Studios
Top Bank
1. Hancock Whitney
2. Capital One
3. Iberia Bank
Top Women’s Boutique
1. Chatta Box Boutique
2. Hemline
