The Basque-inspired Dolfy’s on Freret is already a much-lauded addition to the rash of restaurants to open in the lively Uptown neighborhood over the past few years. Chef Adolfo Garcia Jr. and partner (and wife) Sophia Petrou Garcia, who also own nearby Chi Chi’s Chicken & Beer, are behind the restaurant that took over the former Ancora Pizzaria, putting its wood-fired oven to good use. “New Orleans has Spanish roots just as deep as its French ones, but nobody’s really celebrating that food here,” Chef Garcia says in a press release. “I grew up cooking Spanish food with my dad, and now I have the chance to educate people on what Basque cuisine really is. It’s so much more than paella and sangria, and I’m excited to share it with everyone.” Go for the small bites (pintxos), such as chips y jamón Ibérico and spicy mussels and stay for bone-in dry-aged black angus ribeye, wood-fired half chicken, the primarily Spanish wine list and a Spanish gin and tonic ritual that will transport you to the Basque Country. dolfys.com
Good Food, Good Wine, Good Friends
When the iconic Uptown restaurant Upperline shuttered in 2020, its absence and that of its owner, legendary restaurateur JoAnn Clevenger, were notable. Cut to an announcement earlier this year that the husband-and-wife team behind Uptown’s acclaimed La Petite Grocery, Mia and Justin Devillier, would take over the space at 1413 Upperline St. Their new concept, Daughter’s Neighborhood Italian, celebrates both the couple’s daughters and the daughter of Joel Dondis, their business partner. In a press release, Mia Devillier, a third-generation Italian American, says, “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.” James Beard Award–winning chef Justin Devillier and La Petite Grocery’s longtime sous chef, Blake Scherer, will lead the kitchen. The latter was elevated as Chef de Cuisine at Daughter’s. Expect a completely new look when the restaurant opens this fall.
From Friends to Family
Friends and business partners Malachi Dupre and Chef Matthew Nguyen have opened their third restaurant, Kenji Kazoku, in Old Metairie. The Japanese name, which loosely translates to doing business within a circle of friends who feel like family, says it all. Sushi and sashimi are joined on the menu by dry-aged Japanese fish and charcoal-cooked wagyu beef. New Orleans diners are already familiar with the duo’s Kenji Omakase in the International House Hotel, and travelers may have visited their Houston concept, Casa Kenji. Purists will delight that 80 percent of the menu is focused on seafood sourced from Japan. kenjikazoku.com
Hot Italian Summer
The weather is heating up, which means chefs and restaurants roll out their summer menus just as we begin to crave excuses to stay indoors. Enter dinner and a show. We love that you can get both at the Sicilian Italian eatery Pulcinella! without having to go to multiple locations, because upstairs from the restaurant at 1300 St. Bernard Ave., is the Original Nite Cap entertainment venue. This summer, look for Chef Matty Hayes’ seafood cannelloni with Gulf crab and shrimp, ricotta cheese and topped with creamy sauce Newburg and chunky, flavorful Sicillian capuliato, made with sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and herbs. Toddle upstairs after dinner, dessert and drinks for an evening of burlesque (and more drinks, probably). It doesn’t get more New Orleans than that. (P.S. Be sure to visit the comprehensive website for Pulcinella! and the Original Nite Cap to learn about the restaurant and venue’s history. Expect a rabbit hole!) dirtydimeproductions.com/pulcinella
Storied Steakhouse
When the Fairmont New Orleans opens this fall, it will bring two Emeril Lagasse concepts and we are determined not to say the B word. Delmonico Steakhouse, the first spinoff of the 25-year Las Vegas stalwart, and The Café by Emeril, catering to the breakfast and lunch crowd. (The New Orleans iteration of Delmonico is not to be confused with Emeril’s Delmonico, which closed due to pandemic shutdowns in March of 2020, which closed permanently in 2022.) Located downtown in the former Bank of New Orleans Building on Common Street, the Fairmont New Orleans joins a portfolio of 97 hotels, The Plaza in New York City and The Savoy in London. The new steakhouse will feature extensive wine and spirits programs and dry-aged in-house cuts of meat. In a press release, the renowned chef, TV personality and entrepreneur Lagasse says, “We honor the classic American steakhouse, but we do it with our own New Orleans spirit: big flavors, warm hospitality, and genuine care for every guest.” Bam! Sorry, we couldn’t help it. fairmont-new-orleans.com, theemerilgroup.com
