NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Mia and Justin Devillier, the husband-and-wife team behind acclaimed La Petite Grocery, announced Daughter’s Neighborhood Italian, a refined yet approachable Italian American restaurant set to open in fall 2026 in the historic former Upperline Restaurant space at 1413 Upperline St.
Long considered one of Uptown’s most enduring dining addresses, shaped over decades by restaurateur JoAnn Clevenger, the Upperline space will enter a new chapter under the Devilliers—marking a rare generational transition of a deeply rooted New Orleans restaurant property.
The team shares the restaurant’s name honors the couple’s daughters, along with the daughter of business partner, Joel Dondis, and reflects the heart of the concept: gathering around the table to share good food and create meaningful memories. The guiding philosophy – “Family is our motto” – means every guest is welcomed like family, and every detail is handled with care.
“Daughter’s is both deeply personal and rooted in family heritage,” said Mia Devillier, co-owner and director of operations. “I’m a third-generation Italian American, and in recent years, my family has spent time reconnecting with our Italian relatives. This restaurant is a continuation of that journey — a way to honor and share that history through food and hospitality.”
Chef de Cuisine Blake Scherer, a longtime sous chef at La Petite Grocery, will lead the kitchen alongside James Beard Award–winning chef Justin Devillier, with both shaping the restaurant’s culinary direction. The menu will emphasize elevated technique and high-quality ingredients, drawing from both Italian tradition and New Orleans influence, and will feature a mix of familiar Italian-American classics.
“We’re blending the warmth of Italian American red-sauce traditions with the standards, quality, and creativity that Chef Blake brings to the table,” said Justin Devillier. “These are dishes people know and love, but executed with the same care and refinement we’ve brought to La Petite Grocery over the past two decades.”
