In a year that has been down in so many ways, we appreciate more than ever those places and things that rise to the top. Here is our list of the Tops of the Town as selected by our editorial staff. Readers were also encouraged to make recommendations and their suggestions were weighed into the discussion. To us, our readers remain at the very top.
Note: All listings in every category are in alphabetical order.
CATEGORIES
Top Burgers / Top Hot Dogs / Top Place for Gumbo / Top Place for Turtle Soup
Top Place for Steaks / Top French Bread / Top Place for Casual Breakfast
Top Place for Brunch / Top Fried Chicken / Top Local Grocery Store / Top King Cakes
Top Local Sandwich Shop / Top Onion Rings / Top Pizza / Top Poor Boys
Top Sno-balls / Top Sushi / Top Place for Tacos / Top Place for Barbecue Shrimp
Top Place for Raw Oysters / Top Place for Seafood / Top Bakery / Top Coffee House
Top Dessert Menu / Top Ice Cream & Gelato / Top Place for Cajun / Top Place for Chinese
Top Place for Creole / Top Place for Indian / Top Place for Italian / Top Place for Japanese
Top Place for Mexican & Southwest / Top Place for Middle Eastern / Top Place for Tapas
Top Place for Thai / Top Place for Vietnamese / Top Craft Brewery / Top Craft Cocktail Bar
Top Dive Bar / Top Happy Hour / Top Hotel Bar / Top Place for a Margarita
Top Place to Buy Liquor and Wine / Top Wine Bar / Top Sports Bar / Top Neighborhood Restaurant
Top Place for A Power Lunch / Top Place for Fine Dining / Top Drug Store / Top Gym
Top Pilates Studio / Top Place to Get a Blowout / Top Place to Get a Mani/Pedi / Top Salon
Top Spa / Top Yoga Studio / Top Antiques Store / Top Furniture Store / Top Garden Supply
Top Home Accessories / Top Dry Cleaners / Top Florist / Top Local Radio Station
Top Pet Daycare / Top Children’s Boutique / Top Jeweler / Top Local Shoe Store
Top Men’s Clothing Store / Top Place for Local Gifts
Top Burgers
- Beachcorner Bar & Grill
- The Company Burger
- Port of Call
Top Hot Dogs
- Dat Dog
- Lucky Dog
- Ted’s Frostop
Top Place for Gumbo
- Commander’s Palace
- Dooky Chase
- Emeril’s
Top Place for Turtle Soup
- Commander’s Palace
- GW Fins
- Mandina’s Restaurant
Top Place for Steaks
- Crescent City Steakhouse
- Desi Vega’s Steakhouse
- Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse
Top French Bread
- La Boulangerie
- Leidenheimer
- John Gendusa Bakery
Top Place for Casual Breakfast
- Molly’s Rise and Shine
- Ruby Slipper Café
- Wakin’ Bakin’
Top Place for Brunch
- Breakfast at Brennan’s
- Commander’s Palace
- Red Gravy
Top Fried Chicken
- Krispy Krunchy Chicken
- Popeye’s
- Willie Mae’s Scotch House
Top Local Grocery Store
- Dorignac’s Food Center
- Langenstein’s
- Rouses
Top King Cakes
- Antoine’s Famous King Cakes
- Duong Phuong
- Manny Randazzo’s King Cakes
Top Local Sandwich Shop
- Dimartino’s
- Stein’s Market and Deli
- St. James Cheese Company
Top Onion Rings
- Joey K’s
- Mr. Ed’s Seafood & Oyster House
- Ye Olde College Inn
Top Pizza
- Pizza Domenica
- Reginelli’s Pizza
- Sofia
Top Poor Boys
- Avery’s on Tulane
- Domelise’s
- Parkway Bakery & Tavern
Top Sno-Balls
- Hansen’s Sno-Bliz
- Pandora’s Snowballs
- Sal’s Sno-Ball Stand
Top Sushi
- Poke Loa
- Rock-n-Sake Bar & Sushi
- Tsunami Sushi
Top Place for Tacos
- Barracuda
- El Patron Mexican Grill
- Juan’s Flying Burrito
Top Place for Barbecue Shrimp
- Liuzza’s by the Track
- Mr. B’s Bistro
- Pascal’s Manale
Top Place for Raw Oysters
- Grand Isle Restaurant
- Peche Seafood Grill
- Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar
Top Place for Seafood
- GW Fins
- Mr. Ed’s Seafood House & Oyster Bar
- Peche Seafood Grill
Top Bakery
- Gracious Bakery
- La Boulangerie
- Maple Street Patisserie
Top Coffee House
- The Bean Gallery
- District Donuts Sliders Brew
- PJ’s Coffee
Top Dessert Menu
- Commander’s Palace
- Lilette
- Willa Jean
Top Ice Cream/Gelato
- Angelo Brocato
- Creole Creamery
- Piccola Gelateria
Top Place for Cajun
- Cochon
- Mulate’s
- Toups Meatery
Top Place for Chinese
- Blue Giant
- Dian Xian
- Five Happiness
Top Place for Creole
- Dooky Chase
- Mandina’s Restaurant
- New Orleans Creole Cookery
Top Place for Indian
- Nirvana
- Saffron NOLA
- Taj Mahal
Top Place for Italian
- Gianna
- Red Gravy
- Sofia
Top Place for Japanese
- Lotus Bistro
- Mikimoto
- Tsunami Sushi
Top Place for Mexican/Southwest
- Casa Borrega
- El Gato Negro
- Zocalo
Top Place for Middle Eastern
- 1000 Figs
- Saba
- Tal’s Hummus
Top Place for Tapas
- Baru Bistro & Tapas
- Claret Wine & Cocktail Bar
- Effervescence
Top Place for Thai
- Mama Thai
- Poseidon Oyster Sushi Bar
- Sukho Thai
Top Place for Vietnamese
- Mopho
- Pho Bang
- Pho Orchid
Top Craft Brewery
- NOLA Brewing
- Port Orleans
- Urban South
Top Craft Cocktail Bar
- 12 Mile Limit
- Cure
- Justine
Top Dive Bar
- Ms. Mae’s The Club
- Rusty Nail
- Snake & Jake’s Christmas Club Lounge
Top Happy Hour
- Domenica
- Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar
- Vessel NOLA
Top Hotel Bar
- The Carousel Bar at the Monteleone
- The Columns
- Hot Tin
Top Place for a Margarita
- Barracuda
- Casa Borrega
- Superior Grill
Top Place to Buy Liquor and Wine
- Brady’s Wine Warehouse
- Dorignac’s Food Center
- Martin Wine Cellar
Top Wine Bar
- Bacchanal
- Bayou Wine Garden
- Claret Wine & Cocktail Bar
Top Sports Bar
- Finn McCool’s Irish Pub
- Manning’s Sports Bar and Grill
- Walk-Ons Sports Bistreaux
Top Neighborhood Restaurant
- Joey K’s
- Katie’s
- Mandina’s
Top Place for a Power Lunch
- Commander’s Palace
- Galatoire’s
- Luke
Top Place for Fine Dining
- Antoine’s
- Commander’s Palace
- Galatoire’s
Top Drug Store
- Avita Pharmacy
- C&S Family Pharmacy
- Patio Drugs
Top Gym
- Body Shoppe
- Ochsner Fitness Center Harahan
- Orangetheory Fitness
Top Pilates Studio
- Club Pilates
- Maple Street Pilates Studio
- Romney Studios
Top Place to Get a Blowout
- Bleu, A Blowdry Bar
- Blo Blow Dry Bar
- H20 Salon & Spa
Top Place to Get a Mani/Pedi
- City Nails & Spa
- EarthSavers Spa + Store
- Vive Nails Spa
Top Salon
- H2O Salon & Spa
- Paris Parker Salon & Spa
- Salon M
Top Spa
- The Ritz-Carlton Spa
- Spa at Windsor Court
- The Woodhouse Day Spa
Top Yoga Studio
- Freret Street Yoga
- Swan River Yoga
- Wild Lotus Yoga
Top Antiques Store
- Keil’s Antiques
- Moss Antiques
- M.S. Rau
Top Furniture Store
- Disco Warehouse
- Tara Shaw
- Textures Warehouse
Top Garden Supply
- Perino’s
- Plant Gallery
- Urban Roots Garden Center
Top Home Accessories
- Home Malone
- Modern Market
- Textures Warehouse
Top Dry Cleaners
- Liberto Cleaners
- Russell’s Cleaning Services
- Young’s Dry Cleaning
Top Florist
- Fat Cat Florist
- Harkins, The Florist
- Villere’s Florist
Top Local Radio Station
- WWL
- WWNO
- WWOZ
Top Pet Daycare
- Camp Bow Wow
- Canine Connection
- Dogtopia of New Orleans
Top Children’s Boutique
- Auraluz
- Little Miss Muffin
- Pippen Lane
Top Jeweler
- Diamonds Direct
- Aucoin Hart Jewelers
- Boudreaux’s Fine Jewelers
Top Local Shoe Store
- Feet First
- Orleans Shoe Co.
- Shoe Be Do
Top Men’s Clothing Store
- Jos. A Bank
- Perlis Clothing
- Rubenstein’s
Top Place for Local Gifts
- Hazelnut
- Home Malone
- Little Miss Muffin
Top Place to Buy a Wedding Dress
- Bliss Bridal
- Linen Jolie Bridal
- Town & Country
Top Place to Buy Eyewear
- Art & Eyes
- Krewe
- Warby Parker
Top Place to Buy Saints Accessories and Apparel
- Black & Gold Sports Shop
- Dirty Coast
- Fleurty Girl
Top Golf Course
- Audubon Golf Club
- Bayou Oaks at City Park
- TPC Louisiana
Top Museum
- National WWII Museum
- New Orleans Museum of Art
- Ogden Museum
Top New Orleans Festival
- French Quarter Festival
- New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest
- Voodoo Music Festival
Top Place to Gamble
- Harrah’s Casino
- New Orleans Fairgrounds
- Scarlet Pearl Casino
Top Bed and Breakfast
- Degas House
- Top Gulf Coast Getaway
- 30A
- Henderson Park Inn
- Scarlet Pearl Casino
Top Gulf Coast Hotel
- The Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa
- Henderson Park Inn
- White House Hotel
