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Jewelry Stores in the French Quarter and Nearby

Whether you're looking for a gift or to treat yourself with a new piece of jewelry New Orleans is a good choice for jewelry shopping. It has some of the best antique stores in the world, stocked with exquisite luxury items, plus lots of funky wearable art in the local boutiques that carry local artists and emerging brands. Here are our top suggestions for where you can find the perfect souvenir or a gift for your special someone in the French Quarter and nearby areas.

Wellington & Company Fine Jewelry
Photo courtesy of Wellington & Company Fine Jewelry on Facebook

Whether you’re looking for a gift or to treat yourself to a new piece of jewelry New Orleans is a good choice for jewelry shopping. It has some of the best antique stores in the world, stocked with exquisite luxury items, plus lots of funky wearable art in the local boutiques that carry local artists and emerging brands. Here are our top 10 suggestions for where you can find the perfect souvenir or gift for your special someone in the French Quarter and nearby areas.

Adler’s

722 Canal Street

A New Orleans landmark that is over a century old, Adler’s has been family-run ever since Coleman E. Adler opened its original location on Royal Street in the French Quarter in 1898. Adler’s eventually outgrew its Royal Street space and expanded to its present location on Canal Street. In addition to high-end jewelry Adler’s also carries specialty gifts and home accessories, including watches and crystal. It’s well-known for its New Orleans-specific pieces, like Mardi Gras ornaments and water meter cufflinks.

Bijounola

635 St. Peter Street

Bijou NOLA carries unique jewelry designed by local and international artists. Owner Maria Cottrell hails from New York and has been in New Orleans since the late 70s. Bijou NOLA is not just a store but also a gallery, showcasing elegant and eclectic collections. Some are NOLA-centric, others stand apart because of their global flair, but all are one of a kind. One of the artists represented by Bijou NOLA is Tomasz Prlodowski, a Polish engineer and artist with an eye for contemporary architecture.

Couronne Jewels & Watches

301 Royal Street

This elegant French Quarter store on the corner of Royal and Bienville streets is aptly named for the word “crown” in French. It carries antique jewelry, fine art and antiques, including classic watches and rings. Couronne Jewels & Watches will also repair your broken watch or a piece of jewelry.

Earth Odyssey

306 Chartres Street

This unique French Quarter store specializes in “spiritually focused” jewelry, gemstone beads, and rocks and minerals. You’ll find crystals, fossils, sterling silver jewelry, and aromatherapy items. Earth Odyssey also offers psychic readings and holistic services. Most jewelry pieces are under $100.

French Quarter Gem & Lapidary

527 St. Philip Street

Locally owned and operated, the welcoming French Quarter Gem & Lapidary specializes in minerals, semi-precious and precious stones, and jewelry. The stock appeals to all ages and falls across different price ranges, and you can find gifts for all occasions. French Quarter Gem & Lapidary also repairs sterling and gold jewelry.

Mignon Faget

333 Canal Street, Level 1

The store is the namesake of its owner, a local artist and jewelry designer best known for its elegant takes on New Orleans nature and architecture. Her handcrafted jewelry reflects the city’s environments and is a perfect gift for someone who loves New Orleans, as well as a great souvenir for someone who wants to commemorate a trip to New Orleans with a wearable piece of art. Faget has been designing since the late 1960s and uses skilled artisans and high-quality gold, silver, and precious and semi-precious gemstones. Collections include such ubiquitous local elements as fleur-de-lis and crescents. Many pieces are inspired by the flora and fauna of the Gulf, and what represents Louisiana (for example, pelicans, crawfish and oysters).

M.S. Rau

630 Royal Street

This New Orleans institution has been a French Quarter landmark for over 100 years (since 1912) and had been voted the “Best Antique Store in New Orleans” numerous times. You can get lost in its 30,000 sq. ft. museum-like space overflowing with one of the best collections of 18th-and 19th-century antiques, fine art and jewelry in the country. M.S. Rau remains a favorite among serious and novice antique collectors worldwide. You’ll find important pieces by Renoir and Brueghel alongside pieces by Faberge, Chanel, van Cleef & Arpels, and Tiffany & Co., next to the rare colored diamonds and sapphires of Kashmir. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for chances are M.S. Rau could try to find it for you through their network of contacts around the world.

Porter Lyons

623 Royal Street

Porter Lyons was founded by designer Ashley Porter. The brand began as a collection of exotic skin belts before venturing into fine necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. Each collection is inspired by a specific culture, with a portion of sales benefiting an organization working to preserve the richness of that place. Combined with a unique take on stud earrings for women and other 14K gold jewelry, Porter Lyons puts a signature New Orleans aesthetic on every piece. The store also offers ear piercing.

Valobra Jewelry

333 Royal Street

Valobra Jewelry Atelier has been designing and creating jewelry for world-renowned jewelry houses since 1905. It was the official jeweler to the Italian royal family at some point, and had been commissioned by the House of Savoy to create a number of pieces including royal medals and matrimonial tiaras. The Valobra family expanded the company from its original location in Torino, Italy, to its first U.S. gallery in the French Quarter in New Orleans in 1982. The Valobra creations had been featured in worldwide in fashion magazines like Vogue and W, and had been commissioned and worn by movie stars to the Emmys and the Academy Awards. The Royal Street space is a store but also an impossibly elegant gallery that showcases exquisite antique and estate jewelry, including antique brooches and cufflinks, and Art Deco rings.

Wellington & Co.

505 Royal Street

This alluring French Quarter fixture is owned by Tom and Brandy Whisnant and has a distinctly Parisian vibe. It specializes in fine antique jewelry including engagement, bridal, and estate pieces. You can also find Honora pearls and fleur-de-lis charms and necklaces, vintage cufflinks, and the extensive Tacori collection, among other items.

If you’re planning a stay in New Orleans, be sure to check out our resource for French Quarter Hotels.


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Hat Shopping in the French Quarter and Nearby

Whether you’re looking for a huge, feather-trimmed hat to wear to the racetrack or an understated, sparkling fascinator to complement a slinky cocktail dress, these milliners have you covered.


Photo courtesy of Fleur de Paris on Facebook

Themed weddings. Mardi Gras balls. Thanksgiving at the racetrack. Afternoon tea. New Orleans offers no shortage of opportunities to don your finest hat — and thanks to its costume culture and over-the-top reputation, you can be sure that there’s no such thing as too bold when it comes to toppers. Whether you’re looking for a huge, feather-trimmed hat to wear to the racetrack or an understated, sparkling fascinator to complement a slinky cocktail dress, these milliners have you covered.

Fleur de Paris

532 Royal Street

When it comes to hats, the bigger, brighter and bolder the better. And by these criteria, Fleur de Paris makes the best hats in the business. From candy-egg-hued, ostrich feather-trimmed Easter hats to smart, elegant chapeaus, every hat is made to order in-house and ideally suited to that customer’s face shape, coloring and aesthetic. Hand-dyed silks, purses and dresses round out the merchandise at Fleur de Paris, which is said to be the largest millinery shop in the U.S. Worried that a hat with a pizza-sized brim is too much of a statement piece? Don’t be. It’s New Orleans, after all.

Goorin Bros. Hat Shop

709 Royal Street

You wouldn’t guess Goorin Brothers is a national hat chain — it feels like the kind of bespoke, handed-down-through-the-generations gem that you’d stumble upon tucked away on a quiet city street. And the quality of the hats upholds that impression, thanks to the Goorin family’s 120 years of devotion to hat-making techniques. Launched in Pittsburg in 1895 with a single horse-drawn buggy, the fourth-generation business now boasts 30 shops across the U.S. and Canada.

You’ll find toppers for men (rugged leather wide-brimmed, snazzy plaid flatcaps) and women (elegant cloches, floppy straw hats), as well as accessories. Hat addict? You wouldn’t limit yourself to just one pair of shoes — why not create an equally impressive hat wardrobe?

Meyer The Hatter

120 St. Charles Avenue

If your tastes run to the classic, conservative side, you’ll feel right at home in one of New Orleans’ multigenerational family businesses. It’s the oldest family-owned hat store in America. This long, narrow, fifth-generation enterprise has earned the loyalty and business of New Orleans’ most prominent families over the last 129 years. Meyer the Hatter counts Kermit Ruffins, Susan Sarandon, Eric Clapton, Sylvester Stallone, Elvis Costello, the Backstreet Boys, and many other celebrities as customers.

However, the hats don’t come with A-list price tags: many cost less than $100. Today, you’ll find Stetson hats, Kangol caps, jazz band hats, wool pork pie hats, Maysor fedoras, and more inside the store, which hasn’t changed much since the 1890s — though it has moved its location a few times, it’s never left the block. Some things never change… and with the help of the three generations working at this hat shop, hopefully, neither will Meyer’s. It’s the perfect place to pop in and grab a souvenir you’ll enjoy every day.

Trashy Diva

537 Royal Street, 2048 Magazine Street

Founder Candice Gwinn launched Trashy Diva as a vintage clothing shop in the 1990s. Today, she sells her original vintage-inspired designs, as well as lingerie, jewelry and hats galore at the boutique, a cult favorite for retro lovers worldwide. Lids include cloches, fedoras, berets, fascinators, pillboxes, and cocktail hats. Though they’re specially chosen to complement Trashy Diva’s array of 1920s, ‘30s, ’40s, and ’50s style dresses, these ladylike hats go with almost any ensemble.

If you’re looking to create a show-stopping head-to-toe look, make a beeline for Trashy Diva and its impeccably dressed shop girls, who double as wardrobe stylists. They’ll zip you into an uber-flattering dress and guide you to the hat that perfectly frames your face and tops off the ensemble. Best of all? These classic styles don’t go out of style, and they’re so well-made that you might just be able to hand them down to your grandchildren.

Yvonne LaFleur

8131 Hampson Street

Yvonne LaFleur, the woman behind this eponymous boutique, is known for her custom millinery (and she is rarely sighted outside without a hat topping her signature chignon). Bring in an outfit or let one of the shop girls outfit you in the latest styles, and LaFleur will create a custom hat on the spot. It’s a not-to-be-missed experience and a rite of passage for the generations of New Orleanians who have visited the romantic boutique for everything from fall wardrobes, jewelry and debutante gowns to bridal dresses, handbags and lingerie. Sequined dresses and mink furs hang from the ceiling, and the overall vibe resembles that of a bygone era. Yes, Yvonne LaFleur is in Riverbend, and yes, it’s worth the scenic ride on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar.

Are you planning to spend some time in New Orleans soon? To stay close to all the action, book a historic boutique hotel in the French Quarter at FrenchQuarter.com/hotels today!


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The Best Vegan & Gluten-Free Dishes to Look for in the French Quarter (and Nearby)

Plant-based, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly offerings around town are thriving.


Photo courtesy of Sweet Soulfood on Facebook

New Orleans is a culinary mecca, but one admittedly laden with meat and seafood and swimming in cream and butter. It hasn’t been an easy ride for vegetarians and vegans, especially in the past decade, though this is changing. With the proliferation of exclusively plant-based and gluten-free, vegan-friendly offerings around town the vegetarian culture is thriving, and the vegan scene is getting there.

In other words, it is not a bad time to be vegan in New Orleans, and it’s much easier these days to find glorious vegan fare that goes way beyond the bland afterthought of the years past. Here are our top recommendations for the best vegan and gluten-free dishes, with emphasis on the local cuisine but also spanning the globe, that you can find in the French Quarter and nearby.

Breakfast

Where to get it: Meals From the Heart Cafe (French Market; 1100 N. Peters St., #13, French Quarter), The Daily Beet (1000 Girod St., CBD; has another location Uptown, 3300 Magazine St.)

The French Market gem Meals From the Heart Cafe earns its stripes with the vegan versions of a burger and hard-to-find gumbo, but don’t overlook its gluten-free and vegan pancakes and vegan apple patties. In a city where breakfast is often a decadent, eggs-and-meat-heavy affair, this is a treat.

The feel-good menu at The Daily Beet, which started in St. Roch Market and has since expanded to the CBD and Uptown, has all the makings of a healthy, satisfying breakfast, including smoothies, juices, avocado toast, and quinoa bowls. The Magazine Street location is also offering vegan buckwheat sweet potato pancakes for brunch.

Burgers

Where to get it: Meals From the Heart Cafe

Meals’ popular Beyond Burger is both vegan and gluten-free. The restaurant’s M.O. is “A Healthier Take on New Orleans’ Famous Cuisine,” and it riffs off the New Orleans staples like gumbo with its health-conscious versions. There are also breakfast items like vegan pancakes and apple patties. Delivery available.

Cheesesteaks

Where to get it: Trilly Cheesesteaks (3735 Ulloa St., Mid-City)

Trilly has a whopping five kinds of vegan cheesesteaks on its menu, from the traditional Philly version to chicken, buffalo chicken and Far East (with ginger soy sauce) to BBQ chicken. All are made with steak or chicken seitan and served on an Amoroso’s roll. There are also vegan sides like cheese fries and poutine.

Crepes

Where to get it: Crêpes à la Cart (1039 Broadway St., Uptown; has event popups throughout the city) 

This popular creperie doles out classic, vegan and gluten-free crepes in flavors ranging from sweet to savory. Try the hummus crepe, made with gluten-free vegan batter.

Dessert

Where to get it: Sweet Soulfood (1016 N. Broad St., Tremé/Lafitte), Carmo (527 Julia St., Warehouse District), Breads on Oak (222 Carondelet St., CBD; 8640 Oak St., Suite A, Uptown)

You’ll find all-vegan versions of some of New Orleans’ and Southern traditional desserts like pralines and bread pudding, plus cornbread with rum sauce, and even ice cream at Sweet Soulfood. The tropical-themed Carmo in the Arts District has a whole menu of vegan desserts, including Caribbean banana cake, zucchini chocolate chip cake, house-made cookies, Kahlua chocolate pecan cake, gateau, and more. Breads on Oak offers brioche donuts, cookies, biscuits, seasonal cakes, and more. It’s also a good spot for an all-day breakfast.

Gumbo

Where to get it: Meals From the Heart, Sweet Soulfood

The back-alley French Market Meals From the Heart Cafe is worth the trip for its hard-to-find vegan okra gumbo alone, but its health-conscious menu is full of vegan and gluten-free riffs on other New Orleans classics that usually come only in meat and seafood versions, like the popular Beyond Burger (also soy-free), and the vegan crabcake. Sweet Soulfood also serves a vegan version of okra gumbo.

King Cake

Where to get it: Breads on Oak

Around Mardi Gras, you can score a vegan king cake from Breads on Oak, with or without filling. The traditional version is made with cinnamon, and the fillings include almond cream, cream cheese, pecan praline, tiramisu, and more. Breads on Oak also ships in season.

Hot Dogs/Sausage

Where to get it: Dat Dog (601 Frenchmen St., Marigny; plus two more locations Uptown)

Yes, the menu is full of meat, from duck to alligator, but there are at least four vegan offerings too, including the Italian “dog” made with eggplant, and bratwurst (pea and rice protein, and fava beans). Quite a few among the 30 toppings are also vegan-friendly.

Jambalaya

Where to get it: Sweet Soulfood

Sweet Soulfood is a cafeteria-style vegan haven that is on the border of the Tremé/Lafitte and Bayou St. John neighborhoods of New Orleans. Their jambalaya is served along with many other rotating all-vegan takes on Southern staples.

Where to get it: Blaze Pizza (611 O’Keefe Ave., Downtown; 5001 Freret St., Uptown), Pizza Delicious (617 Piety St., Bywater)

Blaze’s Veg Out pizza comes with either keto or cauliflower crust (both gluten-free), topped with zucchini, red onion, mushrooms, and red sauce. Vegan cheese is optional. There’s also a vegan pizza with vegan regular dough, vegan chorizo, and a slew of veggie toppings. Pizza Delicious’s vegan roasted cauliflower comes with marinara and balsamic red onion. You can add vegan Daiya cheese for an additional price.

Po-boys

Where to get it: Small Mart Cafe (2700 Chartres St., French Quarter)

Small Mart is revered for its wide selection of New York City-style bagels, but its specialties also include vegan po-boys plus Indian and Pakistani street-food fare like the daily curry and vegetarian samosas.

Red Beans & Rice

Where to get it: Meals From the Heart Cafe, Sweet Soulfood, Carmo

The Meals’ version is solid (get the vegan gumbo to go with too), or check out the gluten-free vegan version at Sweet Soulfood. And the “tropical” enclave of Carmo, nestled among the galleries of Julia Street, features vegan beans and rice among its mainstays, along with the daily curry and a plethora of interesting, all-vegan desserts.

Spanning the Globe

Where to get it: Carmo

The health- and sustainability-conscious Carmo in the Arts District features vegan versions of such local specialties as beans and rice, but the menu expands from the Gulf South to the Caribbean, West African and Southeast Asia influences with vegan seviche, curry, house-made Armenian breads, and bright and beautiful salads with mouth-watering toppings.

We’re also excited to share our favorite vegetarian destinations in the French Quarter, so read on!

 Not sure where to stay? We got you covered! Check out our top recommendations for hotels in the French Quarter.


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Where to Score the Best Crawfish in New Orleans

Choose the best spot to enjoy an old-fashioned crawfish boil.

best crawfish in new orleans

Spring means crawfish season in New Orleans, and that means picking the best spot to enjoy an old-fashioned boil. This list is far from exhaustive — in fact, it’s more like a drop in the bucket — and that’s a good thing. We’re lucky to live in a place where boils happen in bars, restaurants and backyards every day this time of year.

Cajun Seafood 

1479 N. Claiborne Ave.

Cajun Seafood opened its original location on S. Broad Street in 1995 and remains, in the words of many locals, “The best smelling corner in the city” (as the company’s website reminds us). Since then, Cajun expanded to three more locations (each family-owned and operated), and the one on N. Claiborne is located in Tremé. The counter service spot usually has a wait, sometimes trailing around the outside of the building on Saturday afternoons and during second lines.

Diverse offerings include po-boys, Chinese food, boiled seafood, ya-ka-mein (also spelled as yaka mein — a magical concoction of chopped beef, noodles, green onions, hard-cooked egg, and broth), and fried chicken, as well as varying fresh seafood options. The boil is moderately spicy, with a pleasant clove and garlic flavor. It’s a middle-of-the-road crawfish — a crowd-pleaser.

Captain Sal’s Seafood & Chicken

3168 St. Claude Ave.

Located on St. Claude Avenue in the Bywater, Sal’s sells inexpensive boiled seafood, fried chicken and po-boys from an inauspicious concrete building. The crawfish are spicy, and that spice carries over into the corn and potatoes for some of the spiciest sides we’ve ever tried.

The crawfish are also buttery and garlicky; they have a particularly rich flavor. As the season progresses Sal’s offers weekly half-price deals, usually beginning around Easter. There’s plenty of space to sit inside, and there’s counter service. Don’t expect much of a wait here.

Captain Sid’s

1700 Lake Ave., Metairie

Located just down the street from Deanie’s in the heart of Bucktown, Captain Sid’s has been around since 1979. Captain Sid’s specializes in fresh and boiled seafood, plus there’s a deli with cooked items like stuffed crabs, crawfish pies, alligator sausage, the bisques, and the etouffees. The place is no frills, there are no tables, so be ready to take your order to go. The original owner, Sidney “Captain Sid” Patrick, came up with a unique seafood seasoning, and that’s what you’ll be tasting in your crawfish.

Deanie’s Seafood Restaurant

Multiple Locations

Deanie’s, around since 1961, is an institution and a recognized name in the city known for its great seafood. The original restaurant and seafood market are located in Bucktown in Metairie (1713 Lake Ave.). There are two more locations in the French Quarter and the Garden District. All three are perfect for dining in.

Mid-City Seafood and Deli

2526 St. Bernard Ave.

This Seventh Ward spot near the corner of St. Bernard Ave. and Broad St. is known for its boiled seafood and fried chicken. The boil has strong hints of clove, and deep, delicious flavor as well as a mild, lingering heat. It’s counter service only — but you come for the food, not the atmosphere. The po-boys are numerous, well-priced, and also well regarded.

Mukbang Vietnamese Street Food

8312 Oak St.

Mukbang specializes in seafood plates with with an elevated Vietnamese-Cajun twist, and offers seafood options less common in New Orleans restaurants, like clams and even all-out seafood towers. When the crawfish is in season, expect Mukbang to have it, though it’s always a good idea to call ahead and check if the restaurant is boiling.

Salvo’s Seafood

7742 Highway 23, Belle Chase

It’s a bit of a trek, but Salvo’s offers delicious boiled seafood at better prices than most restaurants in the city. Their all-you-can-eat seafood specials rotate nightly between crab, shrimp, and crawfish, but crawfish is consistently available by the pound as well during season.

The full-service restaurant has been open since 1984, and also offers sandwiches, steaks and ribs, though most people come for the boiled and fried seafood specials. The all-you-can-eat boiled seafood specials also include all-you-can-eat boiled sides.

Boils at Bars

Crawfish can be found at bars around the city in the spring. The R Bar in the Marigny often doles out crawfish, and the Maple Leaf Bar is known for its boil helmed by Jason Seither (of Seither’s Seafood), which offers a unique boil with carrots, garlic, and sweet potato, among other unusual vegetables sometimes added to the pot. The 24-hour Three Legged Dog in the French Quarter also has weekly boils, and the Mid-City’s Bayou Beer Garden throws an occasional boil on its spacious back patio, during the Saints games in particular.

Are you planning to spend some time in New Orleans this sprint? This is a great time to visit as the temps get higher and the city’s schedule is full of fun events and the annual spring festivals. To stay close to all the action, book a historic boutique hotel in the French Quarter at FrenchQuarter.com/hotels today!


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Vegetarian Destinations in the French Quarter

These restaurants put thoughtful preparation into their meatless fare.

Photo courtesy of Thaihey NOLA on Facebook

Crawfish boils, alligator boudin balls, deep-fried frogs’ legs — if there’s a swamp creature that swims, flies or skitters, chances are a Louisianan has turned it into something delicious. That ingenuity put New Orleans on the culinary map — but as far as the vegetarian radar goes? Not so much.

It hasn’t always been easy to go meat-free in New Orleans, but recent years have seen an influx of vegetarian options that are more than an afterthought. The following restaurants don’t serve plant-based meals exclusively, but they all put thoughtful preparation into their meatless fare. (Which comes as quite a relief for vegetarians who have eaten one too many bland grilled vegetable platters.)

Bennachin

1212 Royal St.

You might have sampled Bennachin’s legendary mburu akara (black-eyed pea fritters and tomato stew on French bread) and jama jama ni makondo (sautéed spinach, fried plantains and coconut rice) at Jazz Fest, where the longtime spot for African fare has a perennial presence. The food tastes even better when consumed in the cozy, colorful French Quarter destination. Bonus: A BYOB policy makes Bennachin an excellent place to affordably wine and dine.

Café Amelie

900 Royal St.

How about an iconic culinary experience in one of the most gorgeous courtyards in the French Quarter (and that’s saying a lot, as the Quarter is full of tropical lushness)? Many items on the menu would pair well with Amelie’s seasonally inspired cocktails, and the locally sourced ingredients speak for themselves. You’ll see quite a few items on the menu marked with “V” for vegetarian that go beyond salads, like elevated roasted vegetables and gnocchi.

Café Cour

520 Royal St.

The Historic New Orleans Collection’s exhibition center includes a museum café. Café Cour, run by Dana and Christina Honn, who also own the excellent Carmo in the Warehouse District, is named for the famous Seignouret-Brulatour Courtyard, where the café is located. The place showcases the region’s multicultural culinary influences and offers gluten-free, vegetarian, pescatarian, and vegan options. Try the veggie muffuletta, muffulettu giardino, or black-eyed pea fritters (calas).

Crêpes à la Cart

Multiple locations

This food truck popup does have a walk-up counter Uptown, but the truck itself can pop up anywhere. There are over 50 varieties of sweet and savory options on the locally themed menu, many vegetarian or vegans. Catch if you can as it will be worth it. The popup often stays open past midnight, another plus.

Cuñada

833 Conti St.

All vegetarian and vegan dishes are marked as such on the menu, like sopa de tortilla, a fiesta vegetariana plate, and more. There’s also a daily happy hour that starts at 11 a.m. and an agave bar. Cuñada (“sister-in-law” in Spanish) is family-owned. Open til midnight every night.

Gumbo Shop

630 St. Peter St.

True to its name, Gumbo Shop serves up several types of classic gumbo laden with meat and seafood. What makes it stand apart from many other excellent restaurants in the French Quarter that serve up mouth-watering gumbo is that it also has gumbo z’herbes. Gumbo z’herbes is not easy to find on the New Orleans restaurant menus, so unless you venture out to Tremé to sample Leah Chase’s legendary version at her restaurant, Dooky Chase’s, the Gumbo Shop might be your only chance to try this veggie version within the confines of the French Quarter. And try you should, as it’s made with green stock and with various delicious greens, such as mustard or collard, turnips, and spinach.

killer Vegetarian Destinations in the French Quarter_poboys_1Photo courtesy of Killer Poboys on Facebook

Killer PoBoys

219 Dauphine St.

Launched as a pop-up inside Erin Rose (the original location is still operating from the rear of that bar at 811 Conti St.), Killer PoBoys has also opened a standalone, counter-serve restaurant. The Killer PoBoys’ rotating menu represents an inventive yet respectful take on the classic New Orleans staple. The veggie versions usually include roasted sweet potato, roasted cauliflower, Thai BBQ tofu, and whatever else is seasonally and locally sourced. The decadent whiskey grilled cheese and pecan butter and jelly po-boys are among the mainstays.

Meals From the Heart Cafe

French Market; 1100 N. Peters St.

The back-alley French Market spot is worth the trip for its hard-to-find vegan okra gumbo alone, but its health-conscious menu is full of vegan and gluten-free riffs on other New Orleans classics that usually come only in meat and seafood versions, like the popular Beyond Burger (also soy-free), and the vegan crabcake and Portobello mushroom po-boys.

Thaihey NOLA

308 Decatur St.

Thaihey NOLA describes its menu as Novel Thai Cuisine. Several regions of Thailand are represented, including vegan and vegetarian dishes such as vegan boat noodle, tofu satay and pumpkin curry. In fact, the vegan menu is listed separately, that’s how serious the restaurant is about it.

The Italian Barrel

1240 Decatur St.

Intimate and candlelit, with brick walls and cozy tables, this corner restaurant with sidewalk seating provides all the romance you’d expect from an Italian spot. The tomatoes and basil bruschetta is mouth-tinglingly fresh, and a creamy truffle and porcini sauce blankets excellent, house-made ravioli, but you can’t go wrong with almost any menu option. (Reservations recommended.)

Are you planning to spend some time in New Orleans soon? To stay close to all the action, book a historic boutique hotel in the French Quarter at FrenchQuarter.com/hotels today!


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The Best Places for Oysters in the French Quarter and Nearby

New Orleans is one of the USA’s great oyster cities, and perhaps the best location for devouring those jewel-like bivalves. Without further ado, here are some of our favorite local oyster spots.

The Best Places for Oysters in the French Quarter and Nearby
Photo courtesy of Acme Oyster House – French Quarter on Facebook

New Orleans is one of the USA’s great oyster cities, and perhaps the best location for devouring those jewel-like bivalves. While other parts of the country may boast more variety of oysters — here, we generally stick to our Gulf Coast local catch — it’s hard to beat New Orleans for its sheer volume of shellfish and variety of cooking methods.

Look, we agree that an oyster is best when served raw, but nowhere else in this country — maybe the world — can beat the Crescent City when it comes to frying shellfish, and that’s to say nothing of tricks like Oysters Rockefeller, which we invented. Finally, the oyster is the supreme food of the hedonist, long believed to stoke both appetite and libido. Any food so closely linked to pleasure must subsequently be linked to the city that indulges epicureanism like no other.

Without further ado, here are some of our favorite local oyster spots.

Acme Oyster House

724 Iberville St.

Many will argue that the Acme was the original oyster house. That’s not to say it was the first restaurant to serve oysters, but the genre of the raw bar — a spot where anyone could rock up and slurp down a quick dozen on the half shell with a beer or a glass of wine — has been meticulously crafted and perfected here for over a century. Those years are a legacy, and no matter how great other oyster houses are, they simply can’t claim that kind of experience.

Antoine’s

713 St. Louis St.

Come to the oldest restaurant in the city for the Oysters Rockefeller, one of the great, decadent dishes of the 20th century, which was invented in this kitchen in 1899. In point of fact, you may not be eating the original Oysters Rockefeller here, or anywhere — rumor holds the dish’s inventor, Jules Alciatore, took the recipe to his grave. But the version here is still as close as we’ll get to fine dining at the turn of the 20th century, and besides, when have oysters with parsley, butter and breadcrumbs ever been a bad idea?

Bourbon House Oysters
Photo courtesy of Bourbon House on Facebook

Bourbon House

144 Bourbon St.

In the heart of one of the most neon-lit, party-heavy corners of Bourbon St, the Brennan family empire has set up one of the most brilliant seafood houses in the city. The whole vibe is classic Parisian; as far as oysters go, this means you can eat at a gorgeous bar offset by art deco art and installations.

Deanie’s Seafood

841 Iberville St.

The loyalists at Deanie’s will argue tooth and nail for their oyster house over the Acme (above). We’re not going to insert ourselves into this fight, other than to say you should definitely try both. Deanie’s is known for cooked and raw oysters; when it comes to the former, we suggest trying the charbroiled version.

Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar Inc

Photo courtesy of Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar Inc. on Facebook

Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar

739 Iberville St.

Another iconic French Quarter oyster house, Felix’s is more than seven decades old and going strong. Their formula is simple and effective: fresh seafood, good times. If you’re not keen on going raw, we also recommend the Oysters Buffalo, the Oysters Bienville, and of course, chargrilled oysters.

Galatoire’s

209 Bourbon St.

One of the great grand dames of Creole cuisine, Galatoire’s is classy, but not so classy that folks don’t like coming here to polish off several bottles of vino and several platters of oysters. That said, they cook their oysters in exceptional Creole style here; as we mention above, Oysters Rockefeller are never a bad idea.

GW Fins

808 Bienville St.

Fins is one of the cream of a crop of restaurants that look to rethink the best of New Orleans seafood while paying homage to the classics. If they’re on the menu, try the cold-smoked oysters, which come out sizzling to your plate — an utterly unforgettable seafood experience.

Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar & Fish House

512 Bienville St.

You can get oysters raw, charbroiled, or served as a spicy shooter here, among other methods. The menu features a half dozen ways of preparing the shellfish. The rest of the menu is rounded out by big portions of Louisiana staples like blackened redfish, jambalaya, and shrimp Creole. If you’re in the Quarter with your kids, it’s worth mentioning that the atmosphere is considerably family-friendly.

The Best Places for Oysters in the French Quarter and Nearby

Pêche

800 Magazine St.

Head into the Warehouse District to eat at one of the country’s great restaurants, a seafood house that has claimed several James Beard awards. The raw bar here is absolutely phenomenal; chef and co-owner Ryan Prewitt takes a lot of time to source only the best bivalves from select oyster providers, which means the shells you slurp here have more flavor and character than the average Gulf Coast specimen.

Royal House

441 Royal St.

We’ve got a lot of love for the Royal House’s elegant, classical dining room, which hearkens guests to Gatsby-esque levels of indulgence. The raw bar here is a brilliant gift from the culinary gods, but you should also give the Oysters Royale (topped with seafood stuffing and baked into little dollops of awesome) a whirl.

Tableau

616 St. Peter St.

This is yet another castle in the Brennan culinary kingdom. Oysters aren’t always a regular feature on the menu, but when this kitchen decides to get creative with bivalves, the innovation they bring to Creole classic recipes is nothing short of mouth-watering. We know folks who have had oysters brochette here that have lodged in their gastronomic subconscious like a delicious fever dream.

Verti Marte

1201 Royal St.

What, you think oysters always have to be served on a plate or at a raw bar? They’re also delicious when wrapped in wax paper and served on two slices of New Orleans-style French bread. We refer, of course, to the fried oyster po’boy — and Verti Marte serves up an exemplary version.

Are you planning to spend some time in New Orleans soon? To stay close to all the action, book a historic boutique hotel in the French Quarter at FrenchQuarter.com/hotels today!


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Try the Best Jambalaya in the French Quarter

Just like gumbo, good jambalaya is not that hard to find on the menus of French Quarter restaurants. Here are a few of our favorite picks.

Just like with gumbo, when you ask a local where the best jambalaya comes from, they’ll likely respond, “My kitchen” (or “My mama’s kitchen”). That’s not very helpful, however, when you have no access to the said kitchen. Luckily, local restaurants serve up top-notch jambalaya if you know where to look. And look you must, because tasting great jambalaya could be a transcending experience. Precede it with a cup of gumbo laced with okra (in season in the fall), and you got bliss.

Jambalaya is a New Orleans staple that has absorbed French, Spanish, African, and Native American influences. Legend has it that it was the result of the Spanish settlers attempting to make paella, but with tomatoes and without the hard-to-find saffron.

It’s a one-pot dish that traditionally incorporates stock, meat, seafood, long-grain rice, and vegetables (like the “holy trinity” also used in gumbo — bell pepper, onion and celery). The main distinction is that the Creole version has tomatoes and the Cajun recipe doesn’t. The frequent inclusion of Andouille sausage is the result of the French influence on this iconic dish.

Just like gumbo, good jambalaya is not that hard to find on the menus of French Quarter restaurants. Here are a few of our favorite picks.

Coop’s Place

1109 Decatur St.

We’ve already recommended this no-frills bar/restaurant for its dark-roux seafood gumbo, but it’s Coop’s Creole jambalaya that is truly outstanding. It’s packed with local seasonings and comes with boneless rabbit, smoked pork sausage, plus tomatoes and the trinity.

You can get a cup or a bowl, but we recommend the supreme version — with shrimp, crawfish and Coop’s own tasso (spicy cured pork used in Cajun cooking and often referred to simply as Cajun ham). Coop’s excellent Cajun fried chicken plate comes in a variety of pieces and is served with jambalaya and coleslaw. Pasta jambalaya also makes an appearance, with shrimp, smoked sausage and tasso.

Coop’s is popular with locals and tourists, so it can get busy and loud. Please also note that it’s 21 and older only, even the restaurant seating area, because of the video poker machines on the premises.

Gumbo Shop

630 St. Peter St.

Gumbo Shop’s award-winning gumbos take the spotlight, including the rarely-seen vegetarian version, but don’t overlook other Creole staples at this French Quarter mainstay. Gumbo Shop’s jambalaya is served as an entree and a side, but also as part of the sweeping Creole dinner package. Pair it with one of the three gumbos, and you’re set.

Evangeline

329 Decatur St.

This relative French Quarter newcomer is family-owned and features fresh, seasonal Louisiana cuisine that’s sourced locally. Evangeline’s traditional jambalaya comes with chicken and sausage cooked in a stock made in-house. There’s courtyard seating, too. And don’t stop at jambalaya either, as the menu is chockful of the iconic Creole and Cajun staples.

Mother’s

401 Poydras St.

Although this legendary eatery is located outside of the French Quarter on Poydras Street in CBD, not including it would do a disservice. You might appreciate Mother’s casual, cafeteria-style approach, and the po-boys and jambalaya are a must. Mother’s had been around since 1938, becoming a famous hangout for the working crowd, and, during and after World War II, the U.S. Marines. For over 20 years, Mother’s also proudly employed a legendary cook, Miss Oda Mae Peters.

“Jerry’s Jambalaya” on the menu was named after one of the owners and chefs Jerry Amato, who had ruled Mother’s in the late 80s. It’s done Creole style, with tomatoes, medium spicy, and you can try it in four size options, from a cup to a heaping plate, or as part of the combo platter with seafood and sides.

Napoleon House

500 Chartres St.

At Napoleon House, the jambalaya comes with a bit of history. The restaurant is housed in a historic landmark on Chartres Street, dating back to the 1700s, with the unique ambiance of old-world New Orleans. The original owner, Nicholas Girod, who was Mayor of New Orleans from 1812 to 1815, hoped to provide refuge for the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte. The 2,300 sq. ft. worth of rooms on the second floor were designated to become Napoleon’s apartments. The unique interior is fit for the emperor indeed, and there’s a spacious courtyard for dining as well.

The spicy Creole jambalaya at Napoleon House comes with chicken and sausage and can be ordered as an appetizer or as a side. Consider pairing with the restaurant’s famous muffuletta and washing it down with its signature drink, Pimm’s Cup.

New Orleans Creole Cookery

508 Toulouse St.

This dark and lovely restaurant, located on a quiet block of Toulouse Street, has exposed brick, a patio, an oyster bar, and live jazz. The menu is classic Cajun/Creole, with lots of boiled seafood and Creole and Cajun versions of gumbo. The charbroiled oysters are some of the best in the city, and the full bar features hurricanes (listed by strength category from 1 to 5) and other signature drinks like bacon Bloody Mary. The chicken and sausage jambalaya is Cajun style (offered both as a starter and an entree). There’s also a vegetarian version, not something many restaurants offer.

The Original Pierre Maspero’s

440 Chartres St.

With its huge, always-open windows, this casual Cajun restaurant on the corner of St. Louis and Chartres Streets is a prime spot for people-watching. The building that houses the restaurant is one of the oldest in the French Quarter, dating back to 1788. Legend has it Andrew Jackson met with the Lafitte brothers here when it was a coffee house, to figure out the plan for the Battle of New Orleans. The blackened chicken and Andouille sausage jambalaya can be ordered as a standalone or part of the Crescent City Sampler. It’s prepared Cajun style and you can substitute chicken with shrimp.

Are you planning to spend some time in New Orleans soon? To stay close to all the action, book a historic boutique hotel in the French Quarter at FrenchQuarter.com/hotels today.


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New Orleans’ Legendary Fried Chicken Joints

This free festival will take place on September 20-22 in Woldenberg Riverfront Park. There will be music, cooking demos, eating contests, activities for kids… and, of course, delicious fried chicken from over 30 local vendors.


Photo courtesy of The Original Fiorella’s Cafe on Facebook

There’s no greater evidence of New Orleanians’ passion for fried chicken than the Fried Chicken Festival. This year, the free festival will take place on September 30-October 1, 2023, at the Lakefront. There will be music, cooking demos, eating contests, activities for kids… and, of course, delicious fried chicken from dozens of local vendors. In honor of the Fried Chicken Festival, here is our shortlist of just a few of the best New Orleans chicken joints.

Brothers Food Mart

Citywide

Gas-station fried chicken is a thing, and Brothers does it really, really well. While the company has many locations across New Orleans, its 148 Carondelet St. location is said to have the best fried chicken. It’s crispy, it’s not greasy, and it’s super crunchy.

Coop’s Place

1109 Decatur St.

One of the French Quarter’s bright stars and mainstays is the always bustling Coop’s, a no-frills bar and restaurant with an extensive and excellent menu that goes way beyond bar-food grub. The hands-down standout is Cajun fried chicken, made with Coop’s own seasoning blend. Pair it with Coop’s famous seafood gumbo, or rabbit and sausage jambalaya, and you’ll understand what we’re talking about.

Dooky Chase’s

2301 Orleans Ave.

This iconic Tremé institution is a treasure and an international destination for many reasons, including its late, great chef and owner Leah Chase’s legacy in the New Orleans culinary world, the unbelievable (and not easy to find) gumbo z’herbes, and its contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. Dooky Chase’s fried chicken is a mainstay, along with shrimp Clemenceau and po-boys, and it’s incredible.

McHardy’s Chicken & Fixin’

1458 N. Broad St.

This tiny, always-bustling takeout spot efficiently churns out even huge party orders of its legendary chicken. It’s crisp, with a touch of peppery heat. Get yours with some classic Cajun/Creole sides like red beans and rice or fried okra.

McKenzie’s Chicken in a Box

3839 Frenchmen St.

McKenzie’s Chicken in a Box is grab-and-go (there are no tables) local favorite. It’s been serving delicious, crunchy fried chicken since 1952, making it a Gentilly institution. Some locals would say it has the best chicken in New Orleans.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

Citywide

Come on, you can’t write an homage to New Orleans’ fried chicken without including the locally founded chain that put this meal on the map. Launched in Arabi in 1972 by the larger-than-life late restaurateur Al Copeland, Popeyes took off when it launched its signature spicy seasoning blend. Now, the multinational chain boasts over 2,600 locations across 30 countries, and its red beans and rice, coleslaw, and biscuits are almost as famous as its chicken. Popeyes is a taste of home, no matter where you are — but it somehow doesn’t taste as spicy at locations outside Louisiana.

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers

Citywide

Is it the soft Texas toast that comes with every order? The slightly pinkish Cane’s Sauce? The tart lemonade? Or the hefty, made-to-order chicken fingers? Nobody knows for sure, but something on the menu of this Baton Rouge-born fast-food chain has won over millions of “Caniacs.” The fast-growing Raising Cane’s is also one of the Fried Chicken Festival sponsors — which means that you can get a taste of the famous Cane’s fare if you’re attending this year.

The Original Fiorella’s Cafe

5325 Franklin St.

The Original Fiorella’s reopened its doors in 2016, after a 17-year absence from the New Orleans dining scene — and it did so with a bang. Hot and tender, with a golden exterior, Fiorella’s signature fried chicken hasn’t changed. Past Fried Chicken Festival winner Fiorella’s is back at the fest this year — so you can taste its gem of a recipe and judge for yourself.

Are you planning to spend some time in New Orleans soon? To stay close to all the action, book a historic boutique hotel in the French Quarter at FrenchQuarter.com/hotels today.


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Try the Best Coffee in the French Quarter and Nearby

This city was sipping on the stuff long before it became popular across the rest of the USA. Here are a few of our favorite coffee spots.


Beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe Du Monde by Selena N. B. H. on Flickr

As befits one of the most European and Caribbean cities in the country, New Orleans loves coffee. This city was sipping on the stuff long before it became popular across the rest of the USA, and some of our oldest cafes remain destinations in and of themselves. Of course, there are some modern coffee houses here as well that you don’t want to pass up. Here are a few of our favorites.

In the French Quarter

New Orleans can be a romantic place for a cup of coffee, but there are parts of the French Quarter where the balconies and street music make for pure caffeinated magic.

Cafe Beignet

334 Royal Street

There’s plenty of ridiculous debate over who serves the better beignet, Cafe Fu Monde or Cafe Beignet (just have both and decide for yourself), but when it comes to the venue, it’s hard not to make the case for the Royal Street location of Cafe Beignet (there are three more across the French Quarter). It’s shady, relatively quiet, and you can get some excellent people-watching in.

Cafe Du Monde

800 Decatur Street

What, you thought we’d let you go without recommending one of the world’s most iconic cafes? If we’re being brutally honest, the lines here can be a little much when they stretch almost a city block, but the chicory coffee and beignets are truly excellent, there’s live music all around, and the service is efficient.

Envie Espresso Bar & Cafe

1241 Decatur Street 

The people-watching at Envie Espresso Bar & Cafe (also referred to as Cafe Envie) is some of the best in the city, and that’s saying something. Pull up a chair at an outdoor table, order a coffee drink (or a drink drink, or both; Envie has good cocktails and can do an excellent Irish coffee), and just watch life in the Quarter: musicians, lovers, poets, rowdy folks on a weekend trip, and everyone in between.

French Truck Coffee

700 Canal Street

French Truck is one of the city’s most well-known brands, with multiple locations across New Orleans. The company roasts its own beans and also has an extensive wholesale operation (you might have seen the products in local stores). The Canal Street location is super convenient if you’re staying in the French Quarter.

Outside of the French Quarter

Many of the best coffee shops in New Orleans are located within easy walking or biking distance from the French Quarter. Here are some of our picks.

Coast Roast Coffee & Tea

2381 St. Claude Avenue (Bywater) 

Located within St. Roch Market, Coast Roast produces some fine pour-over coffee and espresso drinks. With all of that said, frozen coffee is quite simply the best frozen coffee we’ve had anywhere, full stop. That sort of superlative statement gets thrown around a lot in these sorts of articles, but we really will stand by this assertion: Coast Roast frozen coffee is sweet, strong and stupendous. It’s good whatever the external climate is, but on hot, humid days (which, let’s be honest, aren’t unheard of in New Orleans), it’s seriously heaven in a cup.

Coffee Science

410 S. Broad Street (Mid-City)

The business’ motto is: “We’ll brew with science, you enjoy the coffee!” The fact that Coffee Science is helmed by Tom Oliver, who’s been in the coffee business for over 30 years, truly backs it up. The space is generous, there are weekend flower popups from a local vendor, special events are held in the big backyard, and the wi-fi is strong. Coffee Science is located on a busy thoroughfare near the courthouse complex at Tulane and Broad, and there’s plenty of parking.

HEY Coffee Co.

2606 St. Louis Street (Tremé)

The Uptown favorite HEY! Café & Coffee Roastery recently expanded to the edge of Tremé, right on the Lafitte Greenway bike path and park, also moving all roasting to the new location. HEY’s progressive stance is manifested in such touches as the eco-friendly pasta, not plastic, straws — and the coffee speaks for itself.

Flora Gallery & Coffee Shop

2600 Royal Street (Marigny)

The atmosphere can’t be beat. The overgrown lushness of the outside trees, fading paint and cracked walls are like the Platonic ideal of the sort of space where you’d expect to find a local musician or writer.

Satsuma Cafe

3218 Dauphine Street (Bywater)

Whether the owners like it or not, Satsuma is one of the most recognizable icons of the “new” Bywater, which is ironic, as old neighborhood locals and transplants alike tend to congregate here. That’s because Satsuma is simply a lovely place: they’ve got good coffee, excellent breakfast and lunch food, a pretty outdoor courtyard, a cool, airy interior, and they’re totally family-friendly. Bring the kids, and don’t leave without trying the quiche of the day. (Satsuma has two more locations in New Orleans.)

The Bean Gallery

637 N. Carrollton Avenue (Mid-City)

This Mid-City favorite remained popular over the years, while many other coffee shops have come and gone. The reasons, to name a few, are good wi-fi, ample outdoor and indoor seating, staying open till midnight Thursdays through Sundays (it also opens at 6:30 a.m. every day), and a long menu of bagel and croissant sandwiches, panini, specialty teas, and sweets.

The Orange Couch

2339 Royal Street (Marigny)

This spare, minimalist cafe is nonetheless populated with warm, inviting staff. The coffee is made with care and attention, and the menu is more creative than your average espresso outpost; mochi ice cream sits aside a delicate, moist tea bread that makes for a fairly perfect light lunch. This is also a popular spot for those looking to get some work done or just to enjoy the wi-fi.

The Station Coffee Shop and Bakery

4400 Bienville Street (Mid-City)

This Mid-City joint is inviting, with interesting architecture and decor. All baked goods are made in-house with high-quality ingredients, and the coffee menu is varied.

Who Dat Coffee Cafe

2401 Burgundy Street (Marigny)

While there’s not a ton of space to bust out a laptop and be all professional in this little Marigny cafe, if you can score a comfy seat in the little alcove room, you’ve got one of the best little workspaces in New Orleans (or if you’re in a group, an excellent spot for a caffeine-fueled discussion). Bonus: The attached restaurant is pretty excellent; try the corncakes.

Are you planning to spend some time in New Orleans soon? To stay close to all the action, book a historic boutique hotel in the French Quarter at FrenchQuarter.com/hotels today!


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Light My Fire: The Spectacle and Tradition of Café Brûlot

The New Orleans libation known as café brûlot can be considered a special effect, or even pyrotechnics. This is no ordinary drink.

Antoines Cafe Brulot
Photo courtesy of Antoine’s Restaurant on Facebook

A lot of towns have dinner theater, but in New Orleans dinner is theater. This is especially true in the old-line Creole restaurants where locals and visitors partake in dining experiences as cultural and theatrical as they are culinary. In these terms, the New Orleans postprandial libation known as café brûlot can be considered a special effect, or maybe even pyrotechnics.

What Is Café Brûlot?

This is no ordinary after-dinner drink, nor is it readily available at ordinary restaurants. It’s made with specialized equipment, in portions large enough for at least several servings, and it comes with a choreographed tableside preparation sure to temporarily supersede conversation not only at your table but usually at all those within earshot.

The name, of course, comes from the French: café, or coffee, and brûlot, which can mean either “highly seasoned” or “incendiary,” both of which prove apt for this singular drink. A list of ingredients in the classic café brûlot recipe helps illuminate its elaborate nature. Most preparations call for an orange peel cut precisely as one long, intact spiral; a lemon peel cut into strips; sugar, cloves and cinnamon; cognac or brandy and hot, strong black coffee. Most importantly, the drink requires fire.

The Flaming Finale: How Café Brûlot Is Made

It ends up tasting like very thick, sweet coffee with the deep citrus and clove flavors mellowing the sweetness. Many diners say they prefer the second cup to the first, since the concoction has had time to steep a little more. Though the drink is ordered year-round, café brûlot’s hot temperature and rich, bold flavor make it a particularly enjoyable way to end dinner on a cooler winter night. It is especially popular as a finale to a big holiday meal, such as the New Orleans Reveillon feast.

However delicious and reviving it may be, getting there is more than half the fun when it comes to café brûlot.

The recipe is so special, it requires its own exotic equipment to make. This includes a silver bowl, a circular tray and a long-handled ladle. The brandy mixture is poured into the bowl, which is surrounded by a small amount of alcohol in the circular tray. The coffee is brought to the table steaming hot and added to the brandy. In many cases, the lights of the dining room will then be dimmed to accentuate the impending dance of flame that accompanies the final steps of this drink’s dramatic preparation.

The waiter ignites the alcohol with a match and allows the fire to heat up the contents of the bowl, which grows increasingly aromatic. The waiter then dips the long ladle into the mixture, ignites it from the flame surrounding the bowl, and carries the flame back to set off the brandy.

Quickly, while the mixture is still flaming, the waiter will hold the spiraled orange peel over the bowl with a fork and proceed to ladle the flaming coffee mixture down the peel repeatedly. The technique creates a mesmerizing ribbon of blue-gold flame that inspires choruses of oohs and ahhs around the dining room whenever it is done right.

Where to Try Café Brûlot in the French Quarter

The spectacular preparation gives the term mixed drink a whole new meaning, and it is certainly a job best left to experienced professionals. Want to try café brûlot? Here are our top recommendations for the French Quarter.

Antoine’s Restaurant (713 St. Louis St.) lays claim to the invention of café brûlot, and gives the credit to Jules Alciatore, son of founder and namesake Antoine Alciatore, sometime in the 1890s. The drink enjoyed special popularity during Prohibition, when coffee provided cover for the then-contraband alcohol.

Café brûlot also became a house specialty of other old-line Creole restaurants, as it remains today, including Galatoire’s Restaurant (209 Bourbon St.), Broussard’s (819 Conti St.), and Arnaud’s Restaurant (813 Bienville St.), which happened to open for business the same year the federally-mandated deprivations of Prohibition began.

Restaurant lore at Arnaud’s holds that special coffee drinks were also used there to disguise liquor libations. Today, however, ordering a café brûlot with all its attendant ceremony and ritual is one of the worst ways to be inconspicuous in a formal New Orleans dining room. It is also one of the most memorable ways to cap off a glorious New Orleans meal.

Don’t miss out on all the excitement the French Quarter has to offer all year round, round the clock! Book your room at any of these historic hotels today.