I recently got to visit New Orleans for the second time and of course the food there is something to love… Rich, often fried, and a fantastic drinking companion, the food you can get in New Orleans speaks to the combination of cultures in the area. Here a few of the spots I tried during my trip.
NOLA Poboys at 908 Bourbon St. in the French Quarter is close to Lafitte’s Blacksmith shop and open late. Just look at that extensive menu! The food was so good that we found ourselves back there for a second round. The etouffe and gumbo were deemed some of the best we tried. They aren’t messing around with portion sizes either, the 16″ poboys are more than enough for 2 people. I didn’t love every poboy that we tried but I will vouch for the “Who Dat” which is fried shrimp or oyster smothered in bisque. You must try the etouffe, gumbo, and boudin balls (fried sausage and rice balls).
Chartres House is close to Jackson square at 601 Chartres St. and a nice little spot with options to sit on their upstairs balcony and watch the foot traffic. (New Orleans is fantastic people watching, I recommend hanging out on a few balconies.) We tried the spinach artichoke dip that was served with crispy bowtie pasta instead of chips, an idea I never would have come up with but thoroughly enjoyed. We also had to have a sampler plate with the red beans and rice, jambalaya, and chicken and andouille gumbo each of which were fantastic!
The Original Pierre Masperos at 440 Chartres St. was one of our day drinking pit stops where we tried their Cajun bloody mary. Made with house infused vodka it packed a punch and the bar provided a nice respite from the outside hubub. Our bartender was fantastic, great hospitality here! Take in some history as you enjoy your cocktail as this is also one of the oldest buildings in the French Quarter. In it’s early days as a coffee exchange it was the meeting place of men such as Andrew Jackson and Jean and Pierre Lafitte.
Expect to wait for a table at Coop’s Place located at 1109 Decatur St. The fried chicken here is fantastic and also comes with a side of their super tasty jambalaya and coleslaw. The other bonus to Coop’s is if you come here on a slower night (our first visit was a Thursday) you get a lot of local color.
Cafe Envie and Espresso Bar is part breakfast place and part cafe on the edge of the French Quarter near the Marigny at 1241 Decatur St. You can get your latte, pastries, a full breakfast or just op for this breakfast in a to go cup. Sausage, bacon, hash browns, eggs, and grits all in a convenient Styrofoam cup make for the perfect portable hang over meal.
My one regret is that we didn’t get back to Napolean House for a second meal. Located at 500 Chartres St. they serve up Pimm’s cups and NOLA food favorites. Their muffaletta was one of the best things I had the entire trip and even beat out some of the other muffaletta I had. The muffaletta sandwich was conceived in New Orleans by Sicilian immigrants and the name comes from the bread of the same name. Our group also gave rave reviews to Napolean House’s red beans and rice and the duck poboy.
This is only a small selection of the fabulous food we tried in New Orleans and an even smaller look at all that is available there. I look forward to trying more places in future trips and traveling further beyond the French Quarter! What is your favorite place in New Orleans that I should try next time?
