As always, New Orleans has so many great things to shout out loud about. Even in a year with so many downs, 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 encouraged to make recommendations too, and suggestions were weighed into the discussion.
To us, our readers remain at the very top.
Note: 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. We know that there are some significaant 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 Place for Doughnuts
Winner: District Donuts Sliders Brew
Finalists: Baker’s Dozen, Blue Dot, Tastee Donuts
Top Place to Buy a Wedding Dress
Winner: Town & Country Bridal
Top Place to Get a Blowout
Winner: Blo Blow Dry Bar
Finalists: Salon M, Southern Shears, Spa Atlantis
Top Antiques Store
Winner: M.S. Rau
Finalists: Lucullus Antiques, Magazine Antique Mall, The Occasional Wife
Top Bakery
Winner: Hi-Do Bakery
Finalists: Antoine’s Famous Cakes, Bellegarde Bakery, Bywater Bakery, La Boulangerie
Top Bed and Breakfast
Winner: Terrell House Bed & Breakfast
Finalists: Canal Street Inn, Chimes Bed and Breakfast
Top Burgers
Winner: Port of Call
Finalists: Beachcorner Bar & Grill, Bud’s Broiler, Desi Vega’s Prime Burgers & Shakes, Three B’s Burger & Wine
Top Children’s Boutique
Winners: Banbury Cross, Zuka Baby
Finalists: Bon Temps Boutique, Pippen Lane, Little Miss Muffin Children-Home
Top Coffee House
Winner: Café du Monde
Finalists: French Truck Coffee, La Boulangerie, Mojo Coffee House, Spitfire Coffee
Top Craft Cocktail Bar
Winner: Cure
Finalists: Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29, Jewel of the South, The Will & the Way
Top Dessert Menu
Winner: GW Fins
Finalists: Commander’s Palace, Couvant, Jack Rose
Top Dive Bar
Winner: Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar
Finalists: Chart Room, Molly’s at the Market, Pal’s Lounge
Top Local Drug Store
Winners: Castellon Pharmacy, Patio Drugs
Finalists: Ciolino Drugs, Majoria Drugs, Uptown Delivery Pharmacy
Top Dry Cleaners
Winners: Liberto Cleaners, Royal Cleaners
Finalists: Russell’s Cleaning Services, Young’s Dry Cleaners
Top Event Planning and Parties
Winner: Z Event Company
Top French Bread
Winner: Leidenheimer Baking Co.
Finalist: La Boulangerie
Top Garden Supply
Winner: Perino’s Home & Garden Center
Finalists: Banting’s Nursery, Charvet’s Garden Center, The Plant Gallery, Urban Roots Garden Center
Top Golf Course
Winner: English Turn Golf & Country Club
Finalists: City Park Golf Courses, Grand Ridge Golf Club
Top Gulf Coast Hotel
Winner: Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
Finalists: The Pearl Hotel
Top Happy Hour
Winner: Couvant
Finalists: The Bombay Club, Chemin a la Mer, Pizza Domenica, Saint John
Top Home Accessories
Winner: Eclectic Home
Finalist: Home Malone
Top Hot Dogs
Winner: Dat Dog
Finalists: Bratz Y’all, Bud’s Broiler
Top Hotel Bar
Winner: The Carousel Bar
Finalists: Chandelier Bar, Hot Tin, Polo Club Lounge, The Sazerac Bar
Top Ice Cream/Gelato
Winner: Angelo Brocato
Finalists: Creole Creamery, Drip Affrogato Bar, Piccola Gelateria
Top Jeweler
Winner: Aucoin Hart Jewelers
Finalists: Lee Michael’s Fine Jewelry, M.S. Rau
Top King Cakes
Winners: Dong Phuong Bakery, Manny Randazzo King Cakes
Finalists: Caluda’s King Cake, Haydel’s Bakery, Hi-Do Bakery
Top Local Grocery Store
Winner: Rouses Market
Finalists: Canseco’s Market, Central Grocery and Deli, Dorignac’s Food Center, Langenstein’s
Top Local Radio Station
Winner: WWOZ
Finalists: WWNO, WWL Radio
Top Local Sandwich Shop
Winner: Cochon Butcher
Finalists: Martin Wine Cellar, St. James Cheese Company, Turkey and the Wolf
Top Men’s Clothing Store
Winners: Perlis Clothing, Rubensteins
Top Museum
Winner: National WWII Museum
Finalists: M.S. Rau, Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, New Orleans Museum of Art
Top Neighborhood Restaurant
Winner: Clancy’s Restaurant
Finalists: Juniors on Harrison, Katie’s, High Hat Café
Top New Orleans Festival
Winner: French Quarter Festival
Finalists: Gretna Festival, Hogs for the Cause, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Top Pet Daycare
Winner: Dogtopia
Finalists: Camp Bow Wow, Pet Paradise
Top Pilates Studio
Winner: SCULPT New Orleans
Finalists: Club Pilates, Romney Studios
Top Place for a Margarita
Winner: Barracuda
Finalists: Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria, Juan’s Flying Burrito, Santa Fe
Top Place for a Power Lunch
Winner: Galatoire’s
Finalists: Commander’s Palace, Luke
Top Place for Barbecue Shrimp
Winner: Mr. B’s Bistro
Finalists: Pascal’s Manale, Red Fish Grill
Top Place for Brunch
Winner: Brennan’s
Finalists: Bearcat Café, Commander’s Palace, The Country Club, Ruby Slipper Café
Top Place for Cajun
Winner: Cochon
Finalists: GW Fins, Mulate’s
Top Place for Casual Breakfast
Winner: Ruby Slipper Café
Finalists: Café Fleur de Lis, Elizabeth’s, French Toast
Top Place for Chinese
Winner: Five Happiness Chinese Restaurant
Finalists: China Doll, Trey Yeun Cuisine of China
Top Place for Creole
Winner: Dooky Chase Restaurant
Finalists: Brigtsen’s, Chez Nous Charcuterie, Neyow’s Creole Café
Top Place for Fine Dining
Winner: GW Fins
Finalists: Commander’s Palace, Galatoire’s Restaurant, Gautreau’s Restaurant
Top Place for Fried Chicken
Winner: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Finalists: Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, McHardy’s Chicken & Fixin’, Willie Mae’s Scotch House
Top Place for Gumbo
Winner: Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop
Finalists: Chez Nous Charcuterie, Gris-Gris, Gumbo Shop, Mr. B’s Bistro
Top Place for Indian
Winner: Mantra Indian Cuisine
Finalists: Nirvana, Saffron NOLA
Top Place for Italian
Winner: Vincent’s Italian Cuisine
Finalists: Irene’s, Rizzuto’s Ristorante & Chop House, Sofia
Top Place for Japanese
Winner: Shogun
Finalists: LUVI, Pearl Sushi Bar & Asian Bistro, Sukeban
Top Place for Local Gifts
Winner: Home Malone
Finalists: Hazelnut, Little Miss Muffin Children – Home, Phina
Top Place for Mexican/Southwest
Winner: El Gato Negro
Finalists: Barracuda, Felipe’s Mexican Tacqueria, Juan’s Flying Burrito
Top Place for Middle Eastern
Winner: Saba
Finalists: Lebanon’s Café, Shaya, Tal’s Hummus
Top Place for Raw Oysters
Winner: Acme Oyster House
Finalists: Casamento’s, Drago’s, Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar & Fish House, Pascal’s Manale
Top Place for Seafood
Winner: GW Fins
Finalists: Saint John, Station 6
Top Place for Steaks
Winner: Mr. John’s Steakhouse
Finalists: Chophouse New Orleans, Desi Vega’s Steakhouse, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Top Place for Tacos
Winner: Barracuda
Finalists: El Gato Negro, Felipe’s Mexican Tacqueria, Juan’s Flying Burrito
Top Place for Tapas
Winners: Barcelona Tapas, Baru Bistro & Tapas
Finalists: Bésame, Costera
Top Place for Turtle Soup
Winner: Commander’s Palace
Finalists: Mandina’s Restaurant, Muriel’s Jackson Square, Ralph’s on the Park
Top Place for Vietnamese
Winner: Pho Bang Restaurant
Finalists: Café Minh, Lilly’s Café
Top Place for Women’s Clothing
Winner: Saks Fifth Avenue
Finalists: Angelique Boutique, Hemline, Indigo Boutique, Monomin
Top Place to Buy Eyewear
Winner: Art & Eyes
Finalists: Eye Wares, Krewe
Top Place to Buy Liquor and Wine
Winner: Martin Wine Cellar
Finalists: Dorignac’s Food Center, Elio’s Wine Warehouse, Vieux Carré Wine & Spirits
Top Place to Buy Saints Accessories
Winner: Black and Gold Sports Shop
Finalists: Citizen NOLA, Fleurty Girl
Top Place to Gamble
Winner: Harrah’s New Orleans
Finalist: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Top Place to Get a Mani/Pedi
Winners: Cindy’s Nail & Spa, City Nails & Spa
Finalists: Essential Salon and NailSpa, MAD Nails
Top Po-Boys
Winner: Parkway Bakery & Tavern
Finalists: Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar, Johnny’s Po-Boys, Mahony’ Po-Boys & Seafood, Mother’s Restaurant
Top Salon
Winner: Root Salong & Studio
Finalists: Keith Noonan Salon, Salon M, Spa Atlantis
Top Sno-Balls
Winner: Hansen’s Sno-Bliz
Finalists: Sal’s Sno-Ball Stand, Williams Plum Street Snowballs
Top Spa
Winner: Woodhouse Spa
Finalists: The Ritz-Carlton, The Roosevelt New Orleans, Windsor Court Hotel
Top Sports Bar
Winner: Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
Finalists: The Avenue Pub, Cooter Brown’s Tavern, Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant
Top Sushi
Winner: Rock-n-Sake Bar & Sushi
Finalists: Tsunami Sushi, Sake Café, Yakuza House
Top Wine Bar
Winners: Copper Vine, Effervescence
Finalists: Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits, Patrick’s Bar Vin, Stained Glass Wine House
Top Yoga Studio
Winner: Yoga Unbound
Finalists: Audubon Yoga Studio, NOLA Yoga Loft
Top Pizza
Winner: Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza
Finalists: Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, Pizza Delicious, Pizza Domenica
Top Local Shoe Store
Winner: Feet First Shoes
Finalists: Orleans Shoe Co., Shoe Be Do, Shoe Carnival
Top Craft Brewery
Winner: Courtyard Brewery
Finalists: Crescent City Brewhouse, Port Orleans Brewing Co., Second Line Brewing, Urban South Brewery
Top Gym
Winners: Ochsner Fitness Center – Harahan, New Orleans Athletic Club
Finalists: Krewe Fitness, New Orleans JCC Fitness Center
Top Florist
Winner: Villere’s Florist
Finalists: Dunn & Sonnier, Federico’s Family Florist, Mitch’s Flowers
Top Furniture Store
Winner: Hurwitz Mintz Furniture
Finalists: Doerr Furniture, Georgian Furnishing
