New Orleans is a food town. We love to incorporate food and cooking into almost all of our celebrations, get-togethers, family reunions, festivals and so much more.
Each year the staff of New Orleans Magazine has the tough challenge of selecting some of the city’s best in food and dining. This year’s list is based off of the “Top of the class” – a few of our favorites and their year-end superlative.
This year’s best dressed sandwich trades mayo for marinara. Francolini’s brings Northeastern deli faves to a growing audience that’s lining up – after taking a ticket! – for mouthwatering sandwiches (and locally made desserts).
Co-owners Tara Francolini (a Jersey girl) and Cesar Nunez are proving their tagline that “Not Everything from Jersey Sucks.” Said Francolini, “It’s been interesting because we were ready for the people who live here who are from the Northeast to come on board, but it’s been pretty cool seeing how many people who haven’t had that type of sandwich have it and think it’s awesome.”
Francolini’s gained steam as a popup and opened its own location on Tchoupitoulas Street in July. “Our goal was to bring back that neighborhood corner store vibe where you get a lot of regulars, start knowing people by name, maybe knowing their order,” Nunez said. “Having that brick-and-mortar spot where people can come to get
their sandwich fix has
been really nice.”
The power of the parm is unquestionable – whether chicken, meatball, or eggplant, all on seeded sub rolls from Ayu Bakehouse. But the owners have their own best-dressed picks. Francolini votes the Lang (grilled chicken with the works on house made focaccia). For Nunez, it’s the Roxy (their take on a white meatball pie). 3987 Tchoupitoulas St., francolinis.com – RF
Partners Taylor Hoffman, Jonathan Rhodes and Joel Brown say they opened Wonderland & Sea earlier this year to foster equitable employment, cultivate radical kindness and implement ethical and transparent business practices. The fast casual, family-focused restaurant serves only fried free-range chicken and fried Gulf fish, served as plates or sandwiches. For a meat-free version substitute fried chickpea-flour planks in the style of French panisse. Selections are cooked to order with either spicy or mild seasoning. A virtuous kale salad comes with celery seed dressing, shaved root vegetables, toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds, pickled onions, and queso fresco. Protein or “vegetable tenders” can be added for a few extra bucks. The biggest section on the menu is the sides. They include grilled collards, crispy rice fritters with roasted mushrooms, fried smashed potatoes with Huanciana (a sauce of queso fresco, spices, and turmeric), and a few more.
With both indoor and outdoor seating to accommodate a total of 100, the shop recently rolled out “Group Gobbles” featuring mains and sauces to feed from 10-30. This seems destined to become a go-to for large gatherings from trim-the-tree to Mardi Gras house parties. Frozen drinks are offered both alcohol-free and otherwise and there’s a nice selection of cold beers, too, with daily happy hour from 4-6 p.m. 4842 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-766-6520, eatatwonderland.com – JB
Executive chef/partner Tom Branighan and sommelier/partner Molly Wismeier bring stellar professional pedigrees to this neighborhood jewel (in the former site of Meauxbar). Since opening in November 2022, MaMou’s exquisite French brasserie fare has attracted a loyal following among industry and media folks as well as regulars from around the corner.
Earlier this year, MaMou made “Bon Appétit’s” Best New Restaurants list and “The New York Times’” annual list of the top 50 restaurants in the U.S. – not bad for a spot dreamed up on a modest scale in the middle of the pandemic. “With the reception we’ve received from the community and the press, it seems like our task is well accomplished,” Branighan said.
A lush floral motif and jewel tones envelop the space. The menu is packed with winners, like braised celery hearts with smoked beef tongue (get a warm pretzel baguette for dunking), Poisson a la Florentine, and the extravagantly presented Baba au Rhum. The wine and cocktail lists seem a perfect reflection of the restaurant’s soul.
Though the MaMou team appreciates the warm reception they’ve received from critics, they’re hardly resting on their laurels. As Wismeier said, “We’ve got to now prove it to the people that come in that this is why we’re on that list.” 924 N. Rampart St., 504-381-4557, mamounola.com – RF
New this year, Gris Gris to Go Go offers chef Eric Cook’s greatest hits from restaurants Gris Gris (chicken and dumplings) and Saint John (smothered turkey necks and baked macaroni pie) as well as some creations only found here to grab for lunch, dinner or at-home entertaining. House favorites include Cook’s dark-roux gumbo as well as “Stairway to Heavenly” chicken salad made with dried cherries and toasted pecans; savory puff pastry with fillings that change weekly to include things like smoked boudin or pot roast.
Customizable charcuterie boards and party platters make any occasion easy—football parties, tailgates, a Mardi Gras ball or feeding the masses who show up at your house for parades. Some signature items are available for shipping. 804 Magazine St., 504-354-1520, grisgrisnola.com – JB
Following a year-long meteoric rise in his first miniscule, six-seat sushi spot on Veterans Boulevard, late last year chef Huy Pham moved on to exponentially roomier, sexier digs on Severn Avenue. Pham now has an izakaya (tavern) room, a 16-seat sushi bar with additional table seating, and an omakase room for chef-driven specialty dinners and private events.
Central to the main room is a wrap-around sushi bar where Phan and his team execute culinary theater with razor precision using a changing roster of uncommon specimens flown in weekly from Toyko’s legendary Toyosu fish market. Known for “dressed” nigiri, Pham might adorn hotate (seared scallop) with foie gras, unagi sauce, and fried leeks; salmon belly with garlic almond chili oil and chives; fatty bluefin tuna with smoked shoyu and truffle pate; or creamy, rich uni with trout roe.
In the new space the menu of temaki, lovingly crafted handrolls, and sandos has expanded to add donburi bowls and noodles. The izakaya room serves specialty cocktails and snacks/appetizers like Japanese fried oysters with spicy yuzu-koshu aioli; translucent-thin seared beef with onions, and ponzu; bite-sized pieces of savory fried chicken with a sauce of Kewpie mayo, yuzu, and jalapeno; and fluffy bao stuffed with cucumber and cha-shu pork. 2740 Severn Ave., Metairie, 504-345-2031, yakuzahouse.com – JB
Regulars of this 12-year-old local favorite shuddered when news broke in August that the popular, affordable restaurant had changed hands from founders Chip Adderson and Adolfo Garcia to former employees Fredo Noguiera and Ryan Iriarte. The masses were placated when Noguiera and Iriarte assured no changes would come.
The staff, the chef, and the menu remain the same, including numerous Southern-style smothered vegetables and sides from which to craft a personalized vegetable plate with buttery cornbread on the side; pimento cheese served with house pickles, toast points and deviled eggs; fried catfish; fried chicken; and hot plate specials like red beans and rice on Mondays and Shrimp Creole on Fridays. There’s also a killer burger cooked on a flat-top griddle, served with or without pimento cheese.
With a long, welcoming mahogany bar, tile floors, spinning ceiling fans, and picture windows overlooking the busy corner of Freret and Jena streets, High Hat Cafe embodies the southern sense of place while offering a fitting backdrop for the kitchen’s Delta meets NOLA cuisine. 4500 Freret St., 504-754-1336, highhatcafe.com – JB
In January chef Myisha “Maya” Mastersson, founder of Black Roux Culinary Collective, launched SOUL, a bi-monthly supper club series. The series serves Mastersson’s “culinary essay” that examines the lineage of the African diaspora to shed light on the many ways that African slaves influenced the way the world eats as well as the spiritual and cultural impacts the enslaved had on the communities in which they found themselves. Each installment dinner in the series pairs a six-course meal with cocktails, music, history, and performances at a different place each time.
The first dinner explored those foods specifically brought here from Africa with enslaved people to sustain them on their unwanted journey, as well as the culinary culture they developed out of necessity using the scraps provided to them. The second dinner explored the juke joint from common rooms, where enslaved people were allowed to socialize, to underground speakeasies, and the evolution of Blues music. In September, La Alma (Spanish for soul) explored the impact of the slave trade on Cuban food, music, and culture. Last month, Mastersson explored the impact the Black church experience had on the development of communal culinary and musical traditions.
“Each of these dinners is intently curated to be a historically enriching experience,” Mastersson said. “The series is continually evolving. The goal is to have these twice a month while partnering with a production company to have them recorded for a culinary travel and history series. Over the next year we will be developing the series and doing extensive research while moving from bi-monthly to monthly mid 2024!”
Mastersson is planning a juke joint experience for New Year’s Eve, with details set to come, so stay tuned! Black Roux Culinary Collective, by appointment only, 586-224-5466, blackrouxcollective.com – JB
Celebrating its fifth anniversary this month, Molly’s Rise and Shine is a counter-service neighborhood breakfast joint that opened in late 2018. The interior features plenty of nostalgic design elements, including toys from the late 1980s and ’90s, lunchboxes and board games. “The whole place is built around having a good time, especially the team showing each other a good time as much as possible, and extending that fun to the customers,” said Mason Hereford, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Lauren Agudo. “It’s all about fun, nostalgia and people from every age group getting a chance to look around and crack a grin.”
At Molly’s, customers will find a breakfast menu straight from the minds of Chefs Colleen Quarles and Elizabeth Hollinger, served from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. “The food is focused on playful, comforting, flavor-forward dishes that ideally put a smile on our guests’ faces when it arrives and again when they take that first bite,” Hereford said. “We’ve set out to present breakfast offerings that focus … on breakfast sandwiches and burritos, and sprinkle into the menu some less traditional but still craveable dishes. [Options include] collard greens over grits with fiery peanut salsa, roasted carrot yogurt and granola topped with carrot marmalade, and a Thai-style crispy rice salad with a roti scallion pancake and Greek yogurt.” Other popular dishes include the breakfast sandwiches, like the Grand Slam McMuffin, and the spicy fried chicken sandwich. 2368 Magazine St., 504-302-1896, mollysriseandshine.com – MM
Ultimately, even retirement couldn’t keep Shirley Lee out of the kitchen. Following a decades-long run at their beloved Metairie dim sum hotspot Royal China, Shirley and her husband Tang embarked on their next big adventure as retirees. But that was before their daughter Carling, a real-estate attorney, discovered that the building housing the former Jung’s Golden Dragon was for sale. They were in Singapore when she called. “I saw it as an investment and I told them they could have someone else operate it and just collect the rent but my mom told me, ‘Well, I’m not going to let someone else operate my restaurant,” Carling said. And so Miss Shirley’s was born.
It hit the ground running, thanks in part to a devoted fan base as well as a dining public far more knowledgeable about dim sum and Chinese cuisine in general. “When my parents opened Royal China 40 years ago nobody knew what dim sum was,” Carling recalled. “You’d try and explain it, but they would usually say, ‘I’ll just have the Mandarin Chicken.’ Now people are a lot more informed.” Reasonably priced lunch specials as well as a panoply of sharable small plates (like the emerald-hued “Shrimp with Snow Pea Leaf” and savory steamed pork soup dumplings) keep the regulars coming back. Backed by multigenerational ownership and a new home base, look for Miss Shirley’s to continue to succeed in the years ahead. 3009 Magazine St., 504-354-2530, missshirleyschineserestaurant.com – JF
Billy Blatty a local New Orleanian (who also founded Barcadia, Belle’s Diner, Ohm Lounge and Nagomi) opened Sofia in the Warehouse District as an ode to Sophia Loren, an old family friend of his parents. The space features art and design elements that personify Loren’s natural femininity and iconic beauty, including a large, Andy Warhol-style painting of Loren eating spaghetti (commissioned by local artist David Gamble). Other design elements meant to embody Loren’s persona include a dramatic chandelier made of broken plates and cutlery, which hangs above the 100-seat dining room, plus other eye-catching abstract work.
The restaurant serves an authentic Italian menu with a family-style approach, all based on the idea that dining is meant to be communal, and food is meant to be shared. Popular menu items include the Commandetore pizza (topped with garlic oil, Ewephoria gouda cheese, Italian sausage, soppressata and prosciutto), the Arrabbiata pasta (tagliatelle pasta with Golf shrimp, Calabrian chili, capers and heirloom tomatoes) and the Bistecca (New York strip steak with porcini demi and truffle butter). Sofia also offers brunch, with options that include Eggs in Purgatory (made with spicy sauce, baked egg, wilted greens and Parmesan cheese) and banana bread French toast (served with Nutella whip, toasted hazelnuts and bananas). 516 Julia St., 504-322-3216, sofianola.com – MM
The Chloe is a microcosm of Uptown New Orleans culture within an Uptown hotel, restaurant, bar and, of sorts, club. Hotelier Robert LeBlanc and designer Sara Ruffin Costello’s shared vision for the 1891 Victorian Thomas Sully mansion came to fruition in October 2020. The wrought iron gates, expansive brick patio and a front porch are familiar to those who live in the neighborhood as is the heavy tropical foliage surrounding the saltwater pool, which is open to locals for a daily fee. The poolside bar always has a party vibe going with a daily punch, frozen drinks, wine, beer, and snacks.
Nooks and intimate gathering places are scattered throughout the property, all of which offer culinary and cocktail services. The “restaurant” is anywhere you want it to be, and features both light and rib-sticking options like smoked pork belly lettuce cups with peppers, mint, and chili aioli; and pork and shrimp etouffee dumplings. The slow cooked lamb shoulder is just the thing to chase off a winter chill.
Beverage manager Autumn Weimer’s sophisticated craft cocktail menu is served from the poolside bar shaded by tropical palmettos as well as an indoor jewel box lounge carved from a former library. Happy hour is offered daily in the main lounge as well as the pool bar. 4125 St Charles Ave., 504-541-5500, thechloenola.com – JB
The 80’s vibe at this Magazine Street hotspot carries the playful cheekiness we’ve come to expect from the folks that gave us Turkey and the Wolf and 2023 Best of Dining classmate Molly’s Rise and Shine. That said, Hungry Eyes is dead serious about its food and beverage offerings. Since opening in April, chef/owner Phil Cenac, along with co-owners Mason Hereford and Lauren Agudo and team, have been dishing delectable offerings like artichoke hearts on the half shell and smoky eggplant dip along with icy martinis and an intoxicating wine list. From the pink neon to the roti flatbread, it’s all designed to add up to a good time – for guests and staff alike.
As Cenac said, “Working in the hospitality industry is such a hard thing in itself, the people who do it have so much passion for it. If we’re not having a good time while we’re doing this, what is really the point?” That fun-loving spirit has birthed events like Prom Under the Sea, a tasting dinner that toasted an 80s milestone in all its mulleted glory.
“It’s fun whenever people get really into it and come in dressed up in their 80s gear,” said Cenac. “It brings the space to life – whether guests, staff, having a balloon portrait wall… making them feel comfortable having fun in the space is extremely important to us.” 4206 Magazine St., 504-766-0054, hungryeyesnola.com – RF
Costera and Osteria Lupo
Launching one successful restaurant is no small feat, but adding a second – and going gangbusters from the start – is something close to a miracle in the city’s competitive hospitality scene. The team behind Uptown eateries Costera, which opened in 2019, and Osteria Lupo, which launched this April, seems to have found the formula.
“I think a lot of the hard work we did at Costera set us up for a successful launch,” said executive chef/owner Brian Burns. While Costera brought Spanish cuisine to its Uptown neighborhood, Osteria Lupo reaches to northern Italy for its house-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and the best-selling black truffle arancini (Burns estimates the kitchen puts out about 80 orders of those on a typical weekend night).
Burns and co-owner Reno de Ranieri attribute the success of both restaurants not only to the cuisine but also to the atmosphere, a setting these hospitality veterans (both formerly worked with the Link Restaurant Group) create with intention. “It’s a little more communal and convivial,” Burns said. “There is room for people to walk around and visit their friends.” The no-tablecloth vibe, approachable wine lists, popular family-style tasting menu options, and experienced staff all add up to an offering that keeps guests coming back. Costera, 4938 Prytania St., 504-302-2332, costerarestaurant.com; Osteria Lupo, 4609 Magazine St., 504-273-1268, osterialupo.com – RF
Costera and Osteria Lupo
Launching one successful restaurant is no small feat, but adding a second – and going gangbusters from the start – is something close to a miracle in the city’s competitive hospitality scene. The team behind Uptown eateries Costera, which opened in 2019, and Osteria Lupo, which launched this April, seems to have found the formula.
“I think a lot of the hard work we did at Costera set us up for a successful launch,” said executive chef/owner Brian Burns. While Costera brought Spanish cuisine to its Uptown neighborhood, Osteria Lupo reaches to northern Italy for its house-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and the best-selling black truffle arancini (Burns estimates the kitchen puts out about 80 orders of those on a typical weekend night).
Burns and co-owner Reno de Ranieri attribute the success of both restaurants not only to the cuisine but also to the atmosphere, a setting these hospitality veterans (both formerly worked with the Link Restaurant Group) create with intention. “It’s a little more communal and convivial,” Burns said. “There is room for people to walk around and visit their friends.” The no-tablecloth vibe, approachable wine lists, popular family-style tasting menu options, and experienced staff all add up to an offering that keeps guests coming back. Costera, 4938 Prytania St., 504-302-2332, costerarestaurant.com; Osteria Lupo, 4609 Magazine St., 504-273-1268, osterialupo.com – RF
If you are an adventurous eater, you can spend tens of thousands of dollars traveling the world in search of new flavors, or you can simply show up at a funky shack on Tchoupitoulas Street and cede control to chef Sophina Uong, and her kitchen full of merry pranksters, who has already done it for you. Her self-described “Tropical Roadhouse” plays with global influence like Jackon Pollock plays with paint, whipping up an electrifying pastiche of dishes that will confuse, delight and surprise. Japanese, Southeast Asian, Indian and Mexican cuisine collide to create dishes you won’t find anywhere else.
A great place to go with friends, build a shareable feast around the Kashmiri Chicken seasoned with tongue-tingling Szechuan chili, black salt lime cream, ancho and cumin. Cool off with a mound of Ginger Salad, a citrusy slaw textured with seeds and sweetened with currant. The cocktail department borrows from the kitchen’s spice rack, with autumnal drinks like the rum-based Honey Gold redolent with Thai spice, baked apple and fig. And while the culinary toolkit is serious, the food doesn’t take itself seriously. Call it fusion, call it eclectic, call it fun – but whatever you do call it, don’t call it a Chinese restaurant. 4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-345-2056, mistermaonola.com – JF
Save for the seasonal appearance of crawfish in her handrolls (temaki) there’s no inkling of chef Jacqueline Blanchard’s Assumption Parish upbringing at Sukeban, the very decidedly Japanese izakaya she tagged with a name meaning “delinquent girl” when she opened it last year. But there is an abundance of badassery in her masterful execution of the Japanese culinary arts that remain firmly entrenched in the boys’ camp, both here and in Japan. Blanchard’s restrained menu is limited to temaki, a few sides, and specials, such as nigiri, the ingredients for which are carefully sourced internationally for their outstanding quality.
Crisp roasted nori from Japan’s Ariake Sea encloses select fillings and Koda Farms medium-grain rice for the hand-rolled temaki, which are Blanchard’s signature offering. The 16-seat bar in the diminutive Oak Street space is scattered with spray bottles of Sukeban’s house soy sauce, as well as earthy miso from Moromi in Connecticut. The crabmeat used in the most popular temaki is from Higgins Seafood. The remainder of the seafood on the menu comes from other local purveyors who buy directly from fishers. 8126 Oak St., 504-345-2367, barsukeban.com – JB
From a cozy Gretna corner, chef/owner Marlon “Chicken” Williams shares his love with the community through plate lunches and a generous dose of personality. Williams opened Chicken’s Kitchen in 2020 and gained a following – both in person and online – not only for fried chicken, four-cheese lasagna, and the coveted oxtails but for his unfiltered takes on life and business ownership.
“I remember as a kid going to local corner stores and those being owned by people who lived in the neighborhood, so those interactions were special,” said Williams. “I felt safe because the owners had a relationship with my parents or knew where I lived… and I think we as a society are at our best when we are all tied together like that. Everyone is so disconnected today in real life and the only ‘connections’ are in our fake lives on social media.”
Williams describes himself as “very transparent, outspoken, probably overly opinionated” and said the restaurant’s page has become a place to share musings or poke fun at “the world’s current events” while welcoming others to chime in.
“I took the stage to show that behind business, we’re human too,” said Williams. “Through my honest and transparent dialogue, there’s real connection between me and the community.” 629 Derbigny St., Gretna, 504-244-2536, chicken-kitchens.com – RF
At The Tell Me Bar, guests can enjoy themselves in a chic setting while supporting winemakers with methods deeply rooted in tradition. This haven at the edge of the Lower Garden District has made a splash since opening in late 2022, drawing visitors knowledgeable about wine or eager to explore the extensive list.
Said owner/founder Uznea Bauer: “At Tell Me, wine is our medium for collaboration, elevation of mood, sensation, and curiosity. Ultimately, we curate and enjoy serving wines that are foremost pleasurable and have been created with ancestral and/or revolutionary practices. The bar is an approachable and playful, yet elegant, environment: tucked away, dreamy and intimate, both art gallery and dance floor.”
Against a stylish but low-key backdrop that would feel at home in Milan, guests connect and unwind over wines by the glass, bottle, or can (including an enticing selection of sherry). When not serving from their own drink-friendly snack menu, Tell Me Bar hosts a rotating schedule of food popups, showcasing local culinary talent whose fare (like oysters, cheese, and sushi) pairs beautifully with the wine offerings.
It’s all designed to bring people together, according to Bauer. “We hope that between the space and the wine, we can inspire a celebration of community and connection.” 1235 St. Thomas St., thetellmebar.com – RF
It’s hard to nail both cool design and great food. One often comes at the expense of the other. At Pigeon and Whale, a whimsically nautical theme pairs seamlessly with high-quality food and drink (e.g., all the Negronis) from the moment of entry through dessert.
“A lot of restaurants in New Orleans miss out on an opportunity to get an experience that not only encompasses food and beverage but also atmosphere, to make it a transportive experience,” said owner John Michael Rowland. “We wanted to be different.”
From servers in seamen’s uniform to elegant shipboard styling, the atmosphere helps guests get their sea legs. Under the direction of chef Jeremy Latimer (who, like Rowland, also helms Bucktown’s Station 6), Pigeon and Whale offers seafood influenced by East and West Coast preparations, serving up a lobster roll, clams, and a rotating selection of oysters from New England and elsewhere. Desserts by pastry chef Winnie Rubin are a visual and gastronomic treat, from the lemon-styled cheesecakes that look uncannily real to the bathtub brimming with hazelnut-accented chocolate mousse and a protruding whale’s tail cookie.
Said Rowland, “From the drink names to the descriptions on the menu, at every corner you turn… the underlying idea is ‘Let’s have fun.’” 4525 Freret St., 504-249-5487, pigeonandwhalenola.com – RF
Larry Morrow – Sun Chong, Morrow’s, Monday
Restauranter Larry Morrow’s star rises with the opening of his third restaurant. Honoring his grandmother, Sun Chong draws on a winning formula that melds his family’s heritage with contemporary style. And with another project on the horizon – a steakhouse coming soon to Julia Street – Morrow has planted his flag across a large swath of the city. Because of these achievements, we hereby recognize his portfolio as “Most Likely to Take Over the Planet.” Or, at least, the greater New Orleans area.
His first restaurant – Morrow’s in the Marigny – set the initial tone, wrapping its menu of homespun Korean and Cajun mashups in a sleek contemporary package. It quickly because a hotspot, known as much for the long line out front as the chargrilled Korean short ribs.
Monday in Mid-City has more of a neighborhood vibe, with its patio and crowd-pleasing brunch menu (with kid’s choices to boot – parents take note.) With Sun Chong, Morrow shifts more into fine dining. It leans into Korean fare with dishes like Citrus Gochujang Hen, glazed with the inimitable fermented red chili paste which is less a condiment than a foundational flavor in Korean cuisine. But perhaps it is the bulgogi that best rings a bell, a soul-warming comfort dish with an emotional connection akin to Red Beans and Rice.
Ultimately, Morrow’s success stems from his unique ability to connect comfort with style. This knack is turbocharging his growth, leading diners to wonder what is coming next. Stay tuned… Sun Chong, 240 Decatur St., 504-355-0022, sunchngnola.com; Morrow’s, 2438 St. Claude Ave., 504-827-1519, morrowsnola.com; Monday, 4327 Bienville St., 504-581-8900, mondaynola.com – JF
Your guide to the dining, entertainment, lifestyle, culture and people of New Orleans from the trusted editors of New Orleans Magazine, New Orleans Home, New Orleans Bride, and St. Charles Avenue.
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