Style, Flavor and History: Exploring the “Grande Dames” of Creole Dining
By: Ian McNulty
Only in New Orleans — and perhaps only at Galatoire’s Restaurant (209 Bourbon St.) — would people greet with apprehension the news that soon they would no longer need to stand in line on the sidewalk to secure a table for dinner.
Eliminating that line was one upshot of the Creole restaurant’s renovations, completed in 1999, which created a second-floor barroom for patrons waiting to be seated in a dining room with a strict first-come, first-seated policy.
In the end, most of Galatoire’s regulars embraced this and other conveniences brought on by the renovation, but such is the reverence New Orleanians have for their city’s famous old-line restaurants that any change to tradition — even one involving standing and waiting in the outdoor heat — is regarded with suspicion.
Not merely old, historic restaurants, Galatoire’s and the other Creole “grande dames” of the New Orleans dining scene are deeply entwined in both the city’s social history and the traditions of many local families. The chefs and proprietors of these restaurants have made indelible contributions to the local culinary culture, and in the process engendered an almost uncanny loyalty among patrons and intrigue for new visitors.
Part of what makes these grande dames so compelling is how their cooking and service style so often serves as a boldface refutation of modern restaurant trends practiced fervently elsewhere. While many chefs and restaurateurs strive to discover the “next big thing,” these restaurants have grown famous for changing as little as possible over the course of generations.
The epitome of that proud status quo is on display at Antoine’s Restaurant (713 St. Louis St.). Founded in 1840 by the Alciatore family, Antoine’s is not only the oldest restaurant in New Orleans but also the oldest in America under continuous operation.
Formal and elegant, the restaurant is composed of a series of evocatively-named dining rooms (the “Mystery,” “Japanese” and “Proteus” rooms among them), all connected by an almost labyrinthine system of corridors. The restaurant’s ground-level wine “cellar,” visible through a small, barred window on the 500-block of Royal Street, seems to stretch on endlessly.
Antoine’s sprawling menu, written in French, could be a textbook for old-fashioned Creole cooking, featuring dishes like pompano en papillote — a superior local fish cooked in parchment with wine sauce — and grand desserts like baked Alaska. Among the more famous inventions of Antoine’s kitchen is oysters Rockefeller, which with its rich, green sauce was named after the American tycoon.
A Real “Stand Up” Bar
If Antoine’s extensive, French-language menu reflects its long history of serving Creole high society, Tujague’s (823 Decatur St.) origins as a lunch and dinner room for merchants and laborers of the French Market and riverfront show up just as clearly in its own menu.
In fact, there is no printed menu here, but rather a prix fixe selection of five courses recited by the waiter. There is a choice of four entrees, but otherwise, everyone in the restaurant eats the same thing — the same communal dining style common in 19th-century eateries.
Shrimp remoulade is a mainstay, as is a very flavorful boiled beef brisket. And after courses of garlic-laden chicken bonne femme and boozy bread pudding, coffee with chicory arrives served in short glasses.
Founded by French immigrants in 1856, Tujague’s is New Orleans’ second oldest restaurant (only Antoine’s is older) and its ambiance appears virtually unchanged from those antebellum roots. An elegantly simple saloon runs adjacent to the dining room, where generations of locals and visitors have sipped cocktails and quaffed beers. There are no stools at the bar, which perhaps helps concentrate patrons’ attention on the ancient French mirror stretching virtually the length of the long room.
The Lunch Rush
Mirrors also figure prominently in the ambiance of Galatoire’s. While the renovations mentioned above opened new seating areas on the second floor, locals know the real action is just inside the restaurant’s front door in a bustling, brightly-lit dining room lined with mirrors — all the better to scope out the who’s who scene of New Orleans dining.
Regulars jam the room for celebratory lunches that can last for many hours, as plates of crabmeat maison, green salad with garlic, trout meuniere, and shrimp Marguery are washed down by round after round of mid-day cocktails and wine.
Galatoire’s isn’t the only place where regulars convene almost religiously. Just around the corner at Arnaud’s (813 Bienville St.), some more well-to-do patrons actually sponsored tables to help finance a multi-million dollar renovation undertaken at the sprawling establishment in the early 1980s. In exchange for $10,000, a plaque was set above a particular table marking it as that customer’s own, while a $12,000 open tab was credited for him or her to return the investment with interest.
All it takes is a reservation to get a regular table for a meal here today, though the classic ambiance of the tin-ceiling, tile-floor main dining room and expansive lists of wine, cigars and liquors would make anyone feel like a high roller.
The restaurant was founded in 1910 by Arnaud Cazenave, a colorful French wine salesman who later came to be known as Count Arnaud, though the regal title was self-applied. Arnaud’s grew quickly, absorbing adjacent buildings and cottages to form a contiguous palace for dining that includes 12 private rooms on the second floor alone, as well as its own small Mardi Gras museum. The menu features the Creole classics with some updated recipes, and a jazz band performs in the front dining room in the evenings.
Creole cuisine, at its heart, involves the classic cooking traditions of the French, deeply modified by the natural abundance and different cultural influences encountered in their former colony, New Orleans. At Broussard’s (819 Conti St.), that Old World/New World dichotomy is reflected even in the surroundings.
Formal dining rooms set in a 19th-century mansion hark back to the opulence of imperial France, while the restaurant’s cobblestone courtyard with flowering trees and a babbling fountain offers a textbox vignette of the city’s lush subtropical splendor. Meanwhile, the menu mixes old with new as roasted rack of lamb and bouillabaisse share the stage with dishes like sugar-crusted ahi tuna.
Breakfast, Anyone?
The youngest of New Orleans stalwart restaurants is also perhaps its best known. Owen Edward Brennan, the son of a foundry laborer from New Orleans’ Irish Channel neighborhood, was already an accomplished bar owner when, in 1946, he opened a French restaurant on Bourbon Street bearing his family name. Brennan’s Restaurant (417 Royal St.) moved to its present location in 1956, occupying a grand old Vieux Carre building that dates back to 1795 and once housed the first bank to be chartered in New Orleans.
Almost from the start, the original proprietor set out to make breakfast the signature meal at Brennan’s, and indeed the restaurant has long been famous for its decadent morning repasts (which can and do last long into the afternoon). The meal traditionally starts with cocktails, moves through a selection of appetizers and classic egg dishes and wraps up with dessert, often Brennan’s own Bananas Foster.
And while breakfast “eye-opener” cocktails may be the traditional way to greet the morning at Brennan’s, during dinner the restaurant’s wine list takes center stage. With a truly staggering volume at 56 pages, the wine list runs to 3,000 offerings.
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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Exploring St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
Photo courtesy of Cemetery Tour New Orleans at Basin St. Station on Facebook
Former New Orleanian William Faulker famously wrote, “The past isn’t dead and buried. It’s not even past.” Nowhere is this truth more evident than in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. In this storied “city of the dead,” elaborate, crumbling above-ground graves hint at the stories of the larger-than-life personalities entombed within. As is true for many places in New Orleans, the veil between past and present feels very thin here.
It’s no wonder St. Louis Cemetery attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year. Some come to see the final resting place for Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, while others come to tend the graves of loved ones interred within (St. Louis Cemetery remains an active gravesite). Still, others come to experience the city’s living history via a stroll through its oldest cemetery (St. Louis Cemetery was built in 1789). Regardless of your motivation, a trip to New Orleans wouldn’t be complete without visiting St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.
One caveat: Unlike most other New Orleans cemeteries, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is accessible only via the official, guided, licensed tour. That’s because the cemetery has been subject to much vandalism over the years. The tour tickets are $25 for adults and $18 for children. Tickets are available here: https://cemeterytourneworleans.com/.
Photo courtesy of Cemetery Tour New Orleans at Basin St. Station on Facebook
Here’s what to know (and a few things to look out for) before you go.
Dress for success
We’d be lying if we said New Orleans’ hot, humid subtropical climate never got the best of anyone. Any experienced tour guide will tell you they’ve had a tourist overheat. Why? It’s simple: The sun is intense, there’s very little shade in the cemetery, and the oven vaults block any semblance of a cool river breeze.
That’s why proper preparation is key, especially if you’re visiting during the warmer summer months. Bring a bottle of water, dress lightly, and don’t forget the sunblock. You may notice a few savvy tour guides sporting both wide-brim hats and parasols to block the sun. Properly prepare for the heat, and you’ll be able to get the most out of your visit.
It should go without saying that you mustn’t touch or desecrate the tombs, drink alcohol, or smoke in the cemetery. Photographs, on the other hand, are welcome — and your tour guide will be happy to snap a picture of your group.
With that in mind, here are a few things to know and prominent gravesites to watch out for.
Photo by Kathryn Valentino
The story behind the Cities of the Dead
Above-ground burials are just one of New Orleans’ idiosyncrasies, but they don’t exist solely for the sake of uniqueness. The city’s high water table makes in-ground burials impossible — a coffin buried underground simply floats back up to the top.
Once located at the marshy city limits, St. Louis Cemetery is now near the center of the city, thanks to the draining of the swamps, which permitted people to settle beyond the French Quarter.
One of the first things you’ll see when you enter St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is a bank of “oven vaults” or “wall vaults” to your left. These tombs stack gravesites, filing cabinet style, one above the other. Glance at the ground, and you’ll see some graves are only partially visible — the rest are below the earth, evidence that New Orleans is gradually sinking.
Many oven vaults house the remains of countless family members. After a body is interred, it is left undisturbed in the grave for a period of one year and one day. At that point, the remains may be pushed to the back of the tomb, leaving room for another body to be interred. Other families prefer to collect the remains, placing them in a muslin bag.
If you wish to be buried in this famous graveyard, you can make it happen, but it’s going to cost you. It’s not unreasonable though when you consider the people who will become your neighbors for eternity. They include…
“The future tomb of Nicolas Cage” – St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 by Nelo Hotsuma
Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau
Born in 1801 in the French Quarter to a Haitian mother and white father, Marie Laveau gained prominence as a Voodoo practitioner. The beautiful young woman was also a hairdresser to the wealthy, learning many beauty tricks and herbal remedies from her mother.
She was known for her caring and benevolent heart, as she nursed many people who suffered during the yellow fever epidemics of the 19th century. She saved countless lives, and to this day, people think of her with gratitude.
Many believe she continues to work her magic from beyond the grave. That’s why you’ll see faint triple XXXs etched into her grave — a practice that is actively discouraged — or trinkets such as bobby pins left in threes. (Bobby pins and hair clips are an homage to Laveau’s past work as a hairdresser.)
Homer Plessy
In June 1892, Homer Plessy challenged segregation laws when he refused to disembark from a “whites only” train car at nearby Press Street. (A train still runs on those tracks today.) Plessy was convicted of breaking the law, and the case moved to the Supreme Court. In 1896, the “separate but equal” mandate was ruled constitutional, setting the stage for years of segregation and oppression. But the seeds of the civil rights movement also had been planted, thanks to Homer Plessy.
Nicolas Cage
Wait, he’s not dead yet, you might point out. You’re right. Nicolas Cage is 59 years old (in 2023) and seems to be in good health. However, he’s thinking about the future, which is one explanation for why he purchased a gleaming white, nine-foot pyramid inscribed with the Latin phrase “Omnia Ab Uno” (All from One).
The gravesite has baffled news outlets worldwide, whose reporters have come up with many different conspiracy theories. Among them: Cage is a closet Voodoo practitioner; Cage has Illuminati ties; Cage is an immortal who will entomb himself for a century before re-emerging; Cage has stored his wealth in the tomb.
Nobody really knows why he chose a tomb that’s so incongruous with its surroundings, but we do know it’s a very eye-catching construction, and that Cage evidently loves New Orleans.
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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Neighborhoods Near the French Quarter
Photo by Antrell Williams on Flickr
By some counts, there are as many as 73 neighborhoods in New Orleans. They are divided by the lakes, bayous, and the Mississippi River; by the railroad and streetcar tracks; and, sometimes, by arbitrary geographical boundaries.
The city is a culturally rich tapestry of its neighborhoods, with some of the oldest ones clustered around the French Quarter. They make up the core part of what makes the city unique and draws visitors to its architecture, history, food, and magic. Here’s a quick snapshot of the three of the neighborhoods adjacent to the French Quarter, and what to see, do, and eat there.
Photo of South Rampart by Cheryl Gerber
CBD/Warehouse District
Boundaries
The City Planning Commission defined the CBD as a 1.18 sq. mi. area bound by Iberville, Decatur and Canal Streets to the north; the Mississippi River to the east; the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, Julia and Magazine Streets, and the Pontchartrain Expressway to the south; and South Claiborne Avenue, Cleveland Street, and South and North Derbigny Streets to the west.
History
The Central Business District (CBD) was once the plantation of Jean Baptiste LeMoyne de Bienville, founder of New Orleans. The land changed hands until Bertrand Gravier subdivided the plantation after the fire of 1788, and named the subdivision Faubourg St. Marie after his deceased wife. After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the area experienced an influx of Americans, who built brick townhouses and Protestant churches.
What it’s like today
The modern CBD is a long departure from its 18th-century, largely residential ancestor. It’s now home to many office highrises, restaurants, boutique hotels, retail stores, and lots of historic commercial and residential buildings.
What to see and do
The area contains the South Market District, an upscale shopping destination, and Orpheum, Joy, and Saenger theaters. The area around Canal Street, which borders with the French Quarter, is home to numerous retail stores and restaurants, as well as the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, the Insectarium, and Harrah’s casino.
Clusters of art galleries on Julia Street known as the Warehouse/Arts District, host openings on the first Saturday of the month and special annual events like White Linen Night. There’s much to see at the Contemporary Arts Center, the World War II Museum, and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. The Superdome, the Ernest Morial Convention Center, and the Outlet Collection at the Riverwalk are all located in the CBD.
Get a taste of how Mardi Gras is done by touring Mardi Gras World, find a statue of the Confederacy of Dunces hero Ignatius J. Reilly at the site of the now-closed D.H. Holmes department store on the 800 block of Canal St., or walk the trendy Warehouse District, restored to its former industrial glory — to get the feel of what was the “American Sector” of the city.
CBD is remarkably easy to access from other areas of the city too: Cross Canal Street, and you’re in the French Quarter. Several streetcar lines can take you to Mid-City, Marigny, and Uptown. If you walk to the river, you can take a ferry to Algiers on the West Bank.
Where to eat, drink and hear music
The culinary destination hits keep coming, especially in the Warehouse District, so there’s no shortage of innovative restaurants to choose from. Donald Link’s Cajun-Southern Cochon on Tchoupitoulas Street has some of the best pork ribs in the city. Justin Devillier, the chef and co-owner of the New Orleans restaurants La Petite Grocery, is a James Beard Award winner and multiple-year finalist.
The curried goat by chef Nina Compton at Compere Lapin is divine, and draws from the Caribbean culinary influences of the chef’s native St. Lucia. Herbsaint is always a good choice for the upscale-French dining experience, and Domenica has some of the best pizza in the country.
The nightlife in the CBD is best represented by Republic NOLA, a music venue and nightclub in a former warehouse space.
Photo of the Candlelight Lounge by Cheryl Gerber
Treme
Boundaries
The 442-acre Treme is defined by Esplanade Avenue to the east, North Rampart Street to the south, St. Louis Street to the west, and North Broad Street to the north.
History
It’s one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, settled in the late 18th century and heavily populated by Creoles and free people of color. The area was named after Claude Treme, a French hatmaker and real estate developer who migrated from Burgundy in 1783.
What it’s like today
Treme is known for its music clubs and soul food spots (many double as both), Creole architecture, and cultural centers celebrating the neighborhood’s African-American and Creole heritage. It’s a vibrant, diverse neighborhood, home of many a second line parade and the onetime star of popular HBO’s namesake series.
What to see and do
The beautiful St. Augustine Church is the most famous African American Catholic church in the city (though not the oldest). It was founded by free people of color in 1842. Don’t miss the Tomb of the Unknown Slave, a tribute to the victims of the African diaspora, located on the church grounds at 1210 Governor Nicholls Street. Two blocks away, on the same street, is the New Orleans African American Museum of Art, Culture and History.
Treme is also home to the excellent Recreation Community Center. You’ll find an incredible collection of Mardi Gras Indian costumes and other cultural memorabilia at the Backstreet Cultural Museum, founded (and manned for many years) by the late Sylvester Francis.
One of the city’s most famous “cities of the dead,” St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, is located at Basin and St. Louis Streets. (You may remember it from Easy Rider.) Civil rights activist Homer Plessy and voodoo queen Marie Laveau are buried in this cemetery, which was founded in 1789. Across N. Rampart Street from the French Quarter stretches the 32-acre Louis Armstrong Park, home to the Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts, the iconic Congo Square, Armstrong’s statue, and several annual food and music festivals.
Where to eat, drink and hear music
Treme is said to be the birthplace of jazz, and it’s still a great place to hear live music. The Candlelight Lounge is an excellent option for Creole food and brass bands. Kermit’s Treme Mother in Law Lounge on N. Claiborne belonged to the late R&B and jazz legend Ernie K-Doe and his wife Antoinette. When both passed, Kermit Ruffins bought it and continues the tradition with live music and BBQ.
A legendary soul food restaurant is Dooky Chase’s. The late chef Leah Chase’s Creole staples include gumbo z’herbes, which is not easy to find on the restaurant menus in the city. It’s a meatless version of gumbo made with several types of greens.
Not far away on Orleans Avenue, Greg and Mary Sonnier reopened in the fall of 2017 their famous restaurant, Gabrielle, which used to be in Mid-City on Esplanade Avenue, but has been shuttered since Katrina. And, speaking of Esplanade, Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe is a popular choice for a casual soul-food breakfast.
Walking in the Marigny by Cheryl Gerber
Marigny
Boundaries
North Rampart Street and St. Claude Avenue to the north, Press Street to the east, the Mississippi River to the south, and Esplanade Avenue to the west.
History
Marigny is named after Bernard de Marigny, a French aristocrat with well-documented joie de vivre, whose plantation and its subdivisions formed the area in the early 19th century. Just like Treme, the neighborhood was inhabited by a vibrant mix of Creoles and free people of color.
What it’s like today
Faubourg Marigny is one of the city’s most densely populated neighborhoods with an eclectic mix of residents. It’s peppered with excellent bars and restaurants, covetable historic houses, and iconic music venues. It should also be lauded for the lack of retail chains, its walkability, and the fact that it’s one of the oldest gayborhoods in the South.
What to see and do
Just taking a walk down Royal or Chartres streets will be immensely rewarding because of all the Creole cottages, funky little stores, and bars and restaurants. Or take a stroll down Frenchmen Street any time of day. Most music shows start later at night, but you don’t even have to enter any clubs to hear an excellent brass band — it’s often spilling out on the street corners. It’s also home to a sprawling indie record store, Louisiana Music Factory.
On Elysian Fields by Frenchmen is Washington Square, a lovely little park with swaths of green and a small playground. The Healing Center on St. Claude Avenue is a multi-story community center that contains restaurants, a bookstore, a botanica, a performance space, a co-op, and more.
Where to eat, drink and hear music
Frenchmen Street and St. Claude Avenue have the highest concentration of live music venues, including the legendary The Spotted Cat and d.b.a. Though increasingly packed, Frenchmen Street is still an unsurpassed destination for local music and nightlife. Many nightclubs double as excellent restaurants, like the upscale Marigny Brasserie (sidewalk dining!), the popular Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro with its big acts and Creole fare, or the Three Muses (small plates, great music shows).
The cozy and romantic Adolfo’s is not easy to spot (it’s upstairs from the live-music hangout dive Apple Barrel), and has some of the best seafood on its Creole/Italian menu.
Marigny Opera House on St. Ferdinand Street, a popular performance venue with great acoustics converted from the church that was built in 1853, hosts everything from puppet shows to Sunday musical meditations.
Marigny is home to a slew of neighborhood bars you wouldn’t want to leave, like the Friendly Bar, Buffa’s (with live music and bar food), the R Bar, and many more. The bi-level Anna’s (the former spot of Mimi’s in the Marigny) has rotating food popups like tacos, pool, themed nights, and live music upstairs.
SukhoThai is a popular neighborhood restaurant with exposed brick and specialty Thai cocktails, or head to the Bao & Noodle on Chartres Street on the edge of the Marigny for Chinese tapas. The AllWays Lounge & Theatre, Siberia, and the Hi-Ho Lounge on St. Claude are all great choices on any given night for indie bands, DJ nights, burlesque, and experimental music and theater shows.
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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French Quarter Like a Local
Photo by Cheryl Gerber
The French Quarter is without a doubt the most touristy neighborhood in New Orleans — but is it also a place where locals hang out? Are there even French Quarter locals?
Yes and yes. To be fair, the Quarter isn’t the residential neighborhood it once was. Well into the mid-20th century, this was a place where families hung out to do laundry and children walked to school. The famous French Market really used to be the local grocery store, in the sense that it was a spot where you could pick up produce and similar goods.
This dynamic has obviously changed over the years. The Quarter has evolved into a place primarily aimed at visitors, and the residents that remain do not tend to raise children in the neighborhood, with a few exceptions.
This evolution reflects the Quarter’s changing identity — it has shifted, over the decades, more into a place to play as opposed to a place to live. But let’s not forget: New Orleanians like to play. And many locals prefer to play in the Quarter, which has a mind-boggling number of restaurants, bars and shopping opportunities.
Photo courtesy of Mary’s Ace Hardware
Where to Shop
Chi-wa-wa ga-ga
511 Dumaine Street
Chi-wa-wa ga-ga is amazing because it’s not just a pet store — a brand of business where the mom-and-pop outfits are getting rarer and rarer — it’s a pet store specifically aimed at small pets. Yes, visitors often pop their heads in, but the main clientele are those New Orleanians toting around small dogs (and sometimes cats) who are in need of a costume for their little loved ones. Because sometimes, darn it, we just need to emphasize the identity of our wiener dogs by putting them in adorable little hot dog suits.
Speaking of pets, if you’ve traveled to New Orleans with a furry (or scaled or winged) friend in tow and they need some medical attention, try The French Quarter Vet (3041 N. Rampart Street) or the Pet Care Center (938 Esplanade Avenue). Both offices are friendly, helpful, and accustomed to dealing with patients from out of town.
Fifi Mahony’s
934 Royal Street
New Orleanians are serious about their costuming (also known as masking), and those who are in need of a specialized wig or hair piece to set off their outfits head to Fifi’s. It may not be the cheapest wig shop in the city (although the prices are actually quite reasonable), but as far as quality and attention to detail go, you just can’t do better. Plus, there’s always a scene here: drag queens and hair stylists, models and artists, all hanging out and trading the best costuming tips. If you’re into glitter, sparkles, and generally looking fabulous, Fifi’s has got you covered.
Mary’s Ace Hardware
732 N. Rampart Street
Hold up: you’re on vacation. In New Orleans. Why do you need to go to a hardware store? This author had to deal with a Mardi Gras costume emergency a while back with some visiting friends. Who came to the rescue with some Gorilla Glue and random timely advice on how to fix a stain on a hardwood floor? The folks at Mary’s Ace Hardware, a spot where you’ll find almost no tourists, but a bunch of New Orleanians who are doing what they need to do to fix up their homes (or costumes, as the case may be).
Porter Lyons
631 Toulouse Street
What’s neat about Porter Lyosn isn’t the fact that this is jewelry with a Louisiana twist. There’s plenty of that to go around in this state. What’s unique is the way owner and Tulane graduate Ashley Porter utilizes local materials — from agates to nutria fur to alligator skin to labradorite — to form pieces that are truly grounded in the Pelican State’s identity. There’s no shortage of jewelry stores in New Orleans, but you’ll often find locals shopping here simply because they know they can find something heartfelt and unique
The Quarter Stitch
629 Chartres Street
We mentioned earlier that New Orleans is the kind of place where people like to get into costume. That’s another way of saying New Orleans is crafty, and when the crafty folk need to get their DIY on, they often come here. There’s a plethora of needlepoint and yarn supplies at this Chartres Street store, as well as bins of beads, bling, and anything else you need to create a perfect costuming (or otherwise fashionable) statement.
Trashy Diva
537 Royal Street
The Diva is a longtime favorite for New Orleanians who want to glam out in mid-century retro style fashion. You can find gorgeous dresses and funky accessories that come in a wide, inclusive array of sizes for any and all body types.
Photo courtesy of Galatoire’s Restaurant on Facebook
Where to Eat
Acme Oyster House
724 Iberville Street
Acme is one of the more established oyster houses in the New Orleans pantheon, and it remains a favored destination for those locals in need of something delicious on the half shell. There’s something to be said for consistency, and this is what Acme provides: skilled shuckers who work fast to get you a glistening plate of Gulf-sourced goodness. While we tend to prefer our raw oysters straight, you shouldn’t leave town without trying an oyster shooter.
Brennan’s
417 Royal Street
A long, leisurely breakfast, accompanied by plenty of “eye openers” (before-noon cocktails) is a New Orleans tradition, and Brennan’s has been packing locals in for this ritual for years. While it’s been recently renovated, Brennan’s retains an old school, Creole charm, which makes for an attractive atmosphere as you scarf down eggs sardou and turtle soup. This spot is further commendable for its efforts to locally source from area farms and other food providers.
Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House
144 Bourbon Street
It may be located in the very heart of the Quarter, but the Bourbon House is a longtime favorite for workers in the neighborhood and CBD who want some good seafood to accompany a drawn-out lunch (or a decadent dinner). We’re a city that loves its seafood, so you better believe the locals’ stamp of approval goes a long way here.
Felipe’s Taqueria
301 N. Peters Street
While New Orleans is world-famous for its food, not many people come here for Mexican cuisine. But when locals are in need of a quick burrito or taco, many head to Felipe’s. It’s cheap (you can fill up for under $10 a person, especially if you skip a drink), it’s filling, and honestly? It’s really good — this may be a local spot, but we also have friends from South Texas who attest to the reliability and tastiness of Felipe’s.
Galatoire’s
209 Bourbon Street
Galatoire’s doesn’t just attract locals — it attracts a specific cast of the city’s old money and high society, who are particularly known to pack into this iconic restaurant for Friday “lunches” that tend to last until the last bottle of champagne is emptied and everyone is heading to sleep. How local is Galatoire’s? The last time we went, our host brought “his” server a present — a portrait of the server.
GW Fins
808 Bienville Street
It takes a lot to divert old-school New Orleanians from their favored dining institutions, but GW Fins has managed to do so in a neighborhood packed with grand dame Creole restaurants. This spot specializes in seafood, and its version is simply some of the best in the city. The menu changes with availability but be assured that what comes to your plate is consistently fresh and delicious. An enormously popular date-night option for those New Orleanians who are in the mood to splurge.
Verti Marte
1201 Royal Street
There is no shortage of po-boy shops in New Orleans, but there’s a surprising lack of really good examples of the genre within the Quarter. Then Verti Marte raises its hand, as if to say: Hey, we’re open all the time, and we got good grub. And do they ever, particularly the sandwiches, which are several meals packed between two loaves of bread.
Cosimo’s by Cheryl Gerber
Where to Drink
Cosimo’s Bar
1201 Burgundy Street
A true neighborhood bar located within the more residential side of the Quarter, near the Marigny and Treme, Cosimo’s is simply a very nice bar. There’s a great jukebox and potent drinks, plus a cast of locals to keep things interesting as the night goes on.
Erin Rose
811 Conti Street
If you’re a member of the service industry in New Orleans and you’re out for a night in the Quarter — or if you’ve just kicked off of work — chances are you’ll end up in the Erin Rose. This is a small, cozy little dive tended by sassy staff, doling out strong drinks for the people who serve you strong drinks (and food).
Port of Call
838 Esplanade Avenue
To be fair, Port of Call is as much a restaurant as a bar, and locals do love to come here for the excellent burgers. But we’d be remiss to not mention some of the amazingly powerful mixed drinks available here, ranging from the Red Turtle to the Windjammer. All of the above concoctions go heavy on the fruit — and the spirits, so be careful.
If you’re planning a stay in New Orleans, be sure to check out our resource for French Quarter Hotels.
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Classic Cocktails and Modern Thirsts in the French Quarter
Sazerac courtesy of The Bombay Club
If a traditional French Quarter breakfast can end with a dessert, maybe it’s not so surprising that it can also begin with a cocktail.
Indeed, at Brennan’s Restaurant (417 Royal St.), the lavish and almost canonized breakfast menu includes an entire page of cocktail recommendations that the landmark establishment introduces as “eye openers.” Many of these drink selections are as unique to New Orleans as the intricate egg dishes and flaming desserts that follow, with names like sazerac, Ramos gin fizz and milk punch.
Welcome to the rich and distinctive cocktail culture of New Orleans. The city that has a worldwide reputation for good times and hearty indulgence also has its own lore and history for the stuff that helps fuel its many celebrations — even if that celebration is nothing more than a courtyard breakfast.
Bourbon Milk Punch by Patrick Truby
Milk Punched in the Morning
Milk punch is an instructive starting point. Made with milk, sugar, brandy, and a little nutmeg, the drink is a creamy and sweet answer to the more common bloody Mary. It’s the sort of cocktail to enjoy while the sun is shining, and preferably when there are no responsibilities scheduled for the rest of the day. Many of the finer restaurants around the Quarter serve it well, and a surprising number of the smaller restaurants and cafes have a distinctive take on this morning favorite.
Hurricane by Kevin Galens
Hurricane Warnings Nightly
New Orleanians live with a profound respect for the naturally-occurring hurricane — small wonder in a town largely below sea level — but visitors might sooner associate the city with the fruity Hurricane cocktail. Certainly one of the most visible beverages in the French Quarter, this bright red, rum-based drink is the de facto emblem for the bar that created it, Pat O’Brien’s (718 St. Peter St.), and has been widely copied around town. Highly potent, the drink has been known to supercharge a night on the town and brighten up even the most overcast day in the Quarter.
The story of the drink’s origin holds that, due to difficulties importing Scotch during World War II, liquor salesmen forced bar owners to buy up to 50 cases of their much more abundant rum in order to secure a single case of good whiskey. The barmen at Pat O’Brien’s soon came up with an alluring recipe to clear through their bulging surplus of rum. When they decided to serve it up in a tall, jaunty glass shaped like a hurricane lamp, the hurricane cocktail was born.
Today, even the glass itself is a souvenir of New Orleans, and servers at Pat O’Brien’s will helpfully box yours to go when you’re finished.
Sazerac by Krista
Sazerac, the Quintessential Cocktail
The origins of the sazerac are quite a bit murkier, with some sources proclaiming it as the very first cocktail and more than a few local bon vivants naming it as New Orleans’ quintessential cocktail. A combination of rye whiskey, bitters, sugar, lemon peel, and an absinthe substitute (such as Pernod or Herbsaint), the cocktail is rich and complex, an elegant sipping drink to be sure, and is typically served in the finer Creole restaurants and classic barrooms.
A cocktail this intricate deserves careful preparation and proper presentation, which happily are two of the hallmarks of The Bombay Club (831 Conti St.), located in the Prince Conti Hotel. Fittingly, The Sazerac Bar (130 Roosevelt Way) in The Roosevelt Hotel, just on the other side of Canal Street from the Quarter, also serves a commanding version of its namesake drink.
Ramos Gin Fizz by Edsel Little
Drinking a Flower
The same bar lays claim to being the birthplace of the Ramos gin fizz, named for the hotel bartender Henry Ramos who is said to have invented it in 1888. This unique concoction mixes gin, lemon and lime juices, orange flower water, egg white, powdered sugar, and milk, and has a taste that has been described as “drinking a flower.” In the French Quarter proper, the Carousel Piano Bar and Lounge (214 Royal St.) in the Hotel Monteleone is an appropriately elegant setting to sample one, with its slowly revolving bar and plush appointments.
Tropical Isle by Quinn Dombrowski
Bombs Away
Far, far on the other end of the spectrum is the Hand Grenade, truly a Bourbon Street original that proves not all of the city’s distinctive drinks are rooted in the past. The drink is prepared and served at several French Quarter outposts of the Tropical Isle (435 Bourbon St., 610 Bourbon St., 721 Bourbon St., and 727 Bourbon St.), but, since it is often taken to go, its memorable neon-colored, hand grenade-shaped containers can be seen swinging from the happy hands of visitors all over the Vieux Carre.
The drink even has its own mascot, a character dressed in an inflatable grenade costume, who bounces around Bourbon Street encouraging consumption. If he ever encounters a true hurricane on his travels, it will surely be a historic encounter for New Orleans mixology.
Photo courtesy of The Old Absinthe House on Facebook
Absinthe Frappe
Absinthe was once a drink that was considered so dangerous it was outright banned in many countries (including this one, up until 2007). How does New Orleans deal with this potentially dangerous spirit? We make it more accessible by converting it into frappe form. This mint green drink is both refreshing and a little worrying; it’s one of those cocktails that doesn’t let you know how strong it is (strength? Kicked by a donkey) until it’s a little too late.
So where should you settle in for an Absinthe Frappe served right? Most locals will tell you to head to The Old Absinthe House at 240 Bourbon St. (imagine that), a buzzing Bourbon Street bar where locals and tourists rub shoulders and chase the green fairy.
Brandy Crusta by Krista on Flickr
Brandy Crusta
Have you ever had a Brandy Crusta? Neither have we. This early incarnation of the modern sour drink featured heavy use of cognac and Grand Marnier, as well as some other goodies like simple syrup and lemon juice. If all of the above sounds familiar, you’re likely thinking of the Sidecar, a contemporary drink that was invented right here in New Orleans in the 1850s (sadly, the hotel at the heart of that invention is no longer with us).
Brandy Crustas may be tough to find, but any competent New Orleans bartender should be able to serve you up a Sidecar at a moment’s notice. While we don’t have a clear favorite spot for those drinks, the ones fixed up the Kingfish (3337 Chartres St.) have always been top-notch.
Photo courtesy of Antoine’s Restaurant on Facebook
Cafe Brûlot
The café brûlot is no ordinary after-dinner coffee. The name, in French, means either “highly seasoned” or “incendiary/fiery” coffee, and both of those descriptions really get at what you’re about to drink. Drinking café brûlot is a production that requires specialized ingredients and even tools. Waiters bring, per our story on the spectacle, “orange peel — cut precisely as one long spiral; a lemon peel cut into strips; sugar, cloves and cinnamon; cognac or brandy and hot, strong black coffee”.
All of these ingredients are slowly ladled together and — why not — set on fire during an elaborate tableside ritual that forms one of the greatest set pieces of New Orleans gastronomic theater.
Obviously, a café brûlot isn’t some drink you can just rock and order at any old bar — it’s an after-dinner affair best enjoyed in old-line restaurants like Antoine’s (where the drink was supposedly invented; 713 St. Louis St.), Arnaud’s (813 Bienville St.), or Galatoire’s (209 Bourbon St.).
Photo courtesy of Old Absinthe House on Facebook
Frozen Irish Coffee
Was frozen Irish coffee invented in New Orleans? We doubt it, but this city lays claim to some of the best versions of this delicious drink, which is a sweet and sassy way of giving yourself both a caffeine and liquor boost. The drink comes out like a milkshake, and can taste dangerously un-boozy; be careful, a few of these can get to your head. Both Erin Rose (811 Conti St.) and Molly’s at the Market (1107 Decatur St.) are known for their frozen Irish coffees, which are unsurprisingly a hit with service industry workers who need a pick me up even as they take the edge off.
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Cajun, Creole, or Somewhere In Between?
Visitors can be forgiven for some confusion over the difference between Cajun and Creole cuisines. After all, many life-long New Orleanians have trouble articulating just what separates one from the other, while national chain restaurants have long obscured the distinction with vague menu descriptions of “spicy Cajun-Creole” dishes, which may or may not have any connection to Louisiana.
Adding to the confusion are the many similarities between the two cuisines, which both evolved under heavy French influence, often use the same ingredients and sometimes even feature dishes with the same names, though these can appear and taste noticeably different.
Country-style vs. City-style
For the newcomer trying to sort it all out, a key point to remember is that Creole cooking came out of the kitchens of New Orleans restaurants, supplied by the commerce of a rich port and served to city dwellers. Conversely, Cajun cooking came out of the country, using whatever could be trapped, hunted or harvested from swamps and bayous and generally served family style. Indeed, famed Louisiana chef John Folse once explained the difference with the anecdotal quip that Cajuns eat in the kitchen and Creoles eat in the dining room.
One way diners can tell which type of cuisine they’re getting is to take a look at the groceries that went into a particular dish. Cajuns have an abiding love for pork and also use crawfish in large quantities when in season. Creole chefs are much more likely to use oysters, shrimp and crab meat than their Cajun counterparts.
Cajun cooking also tends to be spicy, thanks to healthy doses of cayenne or bottled hot pepper sauces, while Creole dishes are rich and flavorful but generally not spicy hot. Down-home meals of crawfish etouffee, smothered chicken and blackened anything are distinctly Cajun while famous New Orleans dishes like barbecue shrimp, trout meuniere or amandine and shrimp remoulade all come from the Creole side of the family.
Paella to Jambalaya
But it’s not always so easy to distinguish between the two traditions, as is the case with one of the most famous south Louisiana dishes, jambalaya. Considering the Spanish colonial history in New Orleans, it seems a very short leap to jambalaya from the Spaniard’s paella, the rice dish made with vegetables, sausages and seafood.
But there are other influences. The African restaurant Bennachin (1212 Royal St.) is named for a dish that looks and tastes much like an extra-spicy jambalaya. In fact, many of the dishes on the traditional African menu at this small, casual restaurant will look and taste familiar to anyone raised in southern Louisiana, even if the names and some key ingredients are completely foreign.
Bouillabaisse to Gumbo
Gumbo is a similar story. It looks like a relative of the seafood stew called bouillabaisse, which is native to coastal France and a dish the Creole New Orleanians certainly would have known. But a key ingredient in many gumbo recipes is okra, brought to the Americas by Africans, or filé powder of ground sassafras, adopted locally from Indians.
Africans even called okra “kin gumbo,” which is where this famous dish draws its name. Adding to this culturally diverse and tangled bloodline, there are separate Cajun and Creole renditions of both gumbo and jambalaya, with the Creole versions of each more likely to include tomatoes.
The distinctions are becoming increasingly academic when it comes to restaurant dining, however, and there is mounting evidence that Cajun and Creole traditions are evolving together towards one unified southern Louisiana cuisine.
For instance, no one will confuse Brennan’s Restaurant (417 Royal St.) with a Cajun eatery, but even at this Creole grande dame, the menu features dishes that take cues from both traditions, such as the eggs bayou Lafourche, a brunch classic with poached eggs over Cajun andouille sausage topped with Hollandaise sauce.
Similarly, diners can today find oysters Rockefeller, an invention of the Creole landmark Antoine’s Restaurant (713 St. Louis St.), all the way over in Lafayette, the unofficial capital city of Cajun country. Crawfish, which are harvested almost exclusively from Cajun country, are now increasingly common ingredients on Creole menus, where they had been virtually unheard of not long ago.
At their best, both Cajun and Creole cuisines draw from the abundance of Louisiana’s resources and are nurtured by cultures that celebrate the role of good food in family and social life. Compelling and deeply satisfying even on their own, when the two traditions get together they can throw an unbeatable culinary party.
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Guide to How to Plan a Second Line Parade in New Orleans
Photo courtesy of Jazzman Entertainment on Facebook
Second lines are our pride, joy, and what makes us unique. You don’t have to be dead and/or famous to get a second line parade. You don’t even have to live here. Organizing a second line is not hard, though it requires a few hundred dollars and some advance planning. Some things, like acquiring a police escort or a permit from the City of New Orleans, are not optional. Others, like throwing beads or twirling parasols while you strut, are up to you to add on or to skip.
You can organize a second line by either doing it yourself or by using a full-service company that would plan and coordinate on your behalf. The DIY approach is an attractive option if you don’t mind filing the paperwork yourself, know exactly what you want, and have a limited budget.
Jazzman Entertainment has been organizing second line parades for over 20 years, including ones for weddings and bachelor/bachelorette parties. Jerry Embree, the Director, notes the increase in interest in second line parades.
“In the last three years I’d say we average about 100 parades a year,” he says. “That’s just our band.” Embree plays in several, and Jaywalkers is his second line band. He describes it as “not the cheapest band but not the most expensive either.” Jaywalkers come with a grand marshal, who won’t only dance-lead the parade but will coordinate the event.
Outsourcing the detail coordination and knowing what to expect are two points in favor of using a full-service company. For example, Embree points out that his band always offers to play for up to an hour. Some bands that are hired directly, he notes, might only stay for 20 minutes or so. Since the police escort time booked is 45 minutes max, you may want the band to stay for an hour. “Four events a day is our limit,” he says.
So, how viable is it to do everything yourself? “You certainly can do it yourself,” says Embree, “but I think the reason we get a lot of our gigs is because we offer that service… It’s not that it’s hard, but you have to deal with two different departments… One for the permit and another for the detail cops… Most people consider that service charge to be a bargain for that.”
This would also involve hiring the band directly, plus the grand marshal, and any additional musicians, costumed revelers, dancers, and stilt walkers. If you want accessories like parasols, handkerchiefs, beads, or any other throws, they would also need to be purchased from a local vendor or online (parasols could be rented). Finally, if you want to customize the handkerchiefs, go-cups, or any other throws with your name and the date (people often do, especially for weddings), you’ll have to coordinate that too with one of the local companies.
Leaving everything to a professional would cost more but would save you a lot of hassle, especially if you are coordinating your event remotely.
“I would say about 75% of our business is out-of-town clients,” says Embree, also noting, “We’ve done some international weddings.”
Some local companies offer both standard packages and customized options. Either way, they do all the planning for you. Here we explain your options for both the DIY and the outsourcing approaches.
Do It Yourself
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File the paperwork
Determine the date, the route, and the number of participants. You will need this information for the permit application.
Fill out two applications: the Master Special Event Permit Application and Parade Permit Application (Supplement C). The applications must be submitted at least 15 days prior to the event, but the City of New Orleans recommends filing 90 days in advance.
According to the City of New Orleans:
“In New Orleans a Parade Permit, Police escort and City Permitting tax/fee are required for any/all events parading in the streets…
Any cancellation must be done a minimum of two (2) hours prior to the event. Less than two (2) hour notification means that all police fees shall be forfeited for that date…
The parade route, along with the size of the parade, will determine the number of police officers needed for the parade escort. You will consult with the Special Events Commander about the rest of the details and any additional documents needed.”
Some additional paperwork may be required:
— Supplement B: Street Closure/Block Party — If you plan to tow cars from your route or purchase meters
— Supplement G: Safety and Security — If you have any fire-related activity during your parade/race
— Plan/contract to dispose of all waste
You can find all the fees listed here. A parade permit is $200.25 ($100.25 for nonprofits), minimum escort fee is $384.97, but may be higher depending on the length of the route and the parade elements (pyrotechnics, for instance).
For parades with fewer than 200 participants, two officers (usually on a motorcycle) are riding first, and a squad car rides last closing the parade. If you have more than 200 participants more police officers will be required. Police escort fees are structured by the police officers’ rank, number, and whether it’s a holiday. The hourly rates are listed here.
Submit the paperwork at least 15 days prior to the event date to One Stop App, City Hall, 7th floor, 1300 Perdido St., New Orleans 70112.
You can find all applications and descriptions of procedures in the City of New Orleans’ “Special Event Permit Guide and Applications.”
Photo courtesy of Jazzman Entertainment on Facebook
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Hire the band
Many local bands are available for hire for a second line, even the world-famous ones that play regular gigs and tour. The fees and availability depend on how established and in demand the band is, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Some bands, like Storyville Stompers and Panorama Jazz Band, do a lot of second lines.
Panorama, which specializes in klezmer, offers two variations, the 6-7 piece jazz band and 8-10-piece brass band. The fees for both, just to give you an example, are listed as $2,500 for two hours and $500 for each additional hour. In general, band fees vary greatly depending on the time of the week (higher on weekends), the season, and the band’s availability and popularity.
If you’re lucky you may snag one of these excellent choices: Egg Yolk Jubilee, Hot 8 Brass Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, or the all-women Original Pinettes Brass Band. Another option is to look into hiring a high school brass band, they’re likely to command a lower fee.
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Get the accessories and personalize
Most second lines just do with white handkerchiefs and a few parasols, but you can certainly get throws like beads and go-cups. You can personalize those for your second line by custom-printing your initials, for example, or the date of the event.
These local vendors offer the accessories and/or can custom-design to your specifications:
Backyard Printing and Second-line Handkerchiefs
... Or Leave It to the Pros
This option will cost more but it may be worth it to save time and to skip all the steps to the fun part — showing up for your parade. For example, Kinfolk, the local brass band, won’t just walk in your parade but will do full-service parade planning for you: helping you plan the parade route, securing the required permit and three police escorts, and coordinating on-site. They’ll also rent the parasols and will help you get customized accessories. You can also add a grand marshal, dancers, and even Mardi Gras Indians to your parade.
How much in advance should you book the full-service company? “Book your band a year out if you can, or at least six months out,” advises Embree. “We don’t normally book more than 365 days out,” he says, but “we do a lot of bookings six to eight months out.”
Last minutes bookings are OK, too, he says, though not for weddings. Embree says he gets quite a few bookings less than a month in advance, and it could work for bachelorette and bachelor parties.
Timing is essential because so many elements must come together. “The biggest frustration is when the client wants to change the details after we’ve already booked six musicians, three cops, and got them a permit, and now they want to change the time by an hour or 30 minutes,” says Embree. “It’s not always possible.”
However you want to get there, walking in a second line parade will be worth it. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, don’t pass it up,” says Embree (the glowing feedback and the pictures back it up).
Embree says: “One recurring comment is, ‘Oh my god, that’s the most fun I’ve ever had in my life!’ We get that a lot. I mean, you’ve got cops blocking the street, you feel like a big shot. Everyone is videotaping you, you got your own private band… You feel very important. It’s just a lot of fun.”
If you’re planning a trip to New Orleans, be sure to head over to our French Quarter hotels page to find the perfect historic boutique hotel for your stay.
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New Orleans Streetcar Sense
In 1947, Tennessee Williams penned “A Streetcar Named Desire,” effectively immortalizing the public transit line that, from the 1920s, served the rollicking French Quarter as well as the working class Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods, located downriver.
Sadly, the last car to serve the Desire line rattled through town in 1948, a victim of transportation “progress.” It was replaced by a choking diesel bus, which lacked the aesthetic value of the streetcars. Where 235 miles of streetcar tracks once formed a lace across the city’s streets most of the tracks were ultimately paved over, as noxious buses became the standard.
Blessedly, even the Purveyors of Progress could not bear to dismantle the charming St. Charles Avenue streetcar line and its service has remained uninterrupted since its inception in 1893. Spacious olive green 900-class streetcars built by Perley A. Thomas Car Company in 1923-24 still serve the line today. These cultural icons were fully restored and refurbished between 1988 and 1994.
The Historic St. Charles Avenue Line
The St. Charles Avenue Streetcar may very well be the nation’s most pleasant form of public conveyance existing today. The line was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. To maintain this stature, the Regional Transit Authority, which operates New Orleans’ streetcar system, has rejected adding air conditioning and making the streetcars wheelchair accessible. However, the 46 streetcars’ double-hung windows can easily be opened to emit the cooling breezes generated by the moving cars so it’s always a comfortable ride.
For a leisurely exploration of the Central Business District, the Garden District and Uptown, visitors staying in the French Quarter should board the St. Charles Avenue streetcar at the corner of Carondelet and Canal streets (Stop No. 0). Each car stop has a designated number and there are dozens of stops along the line.
The line serves a 6.5-mile run that stretches between Stop No. 0 at the edge of the French Quarter, down St. Charles Avenue to the Riverbend where it turns onto South Carrolton and continues to its terminus at South Carrollton and South Claiborne avenues. The cars turn around at the end of the line and head back in the opposite direction. A one-way trip along the line takes about 45 minutes.
The Riverfront Line
In 1988, when city officials unveiled a new 1.9-mile Riverfront Streetcar Line, they were amazed by the enthusiastic reception it received. What was originally planned as a novelty project to be rolled out in conjunction with that year’s National Republican Convention quickly became a favored means of transportation for both visitors and locals.
It was the city’s first new streetcar line since 1926 and the Powers That Be quickly determined that with regard to public transit in New Orleans, the old ways were, indeed, the best. Plans to reinvigorate streetcar service throughout key areas of New Orleans were soon underway. Seven bright red streetcars now service the Riverfront line, which includes 10 stops between Esplanade Avenue and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
The one car with its doors located at either end is a vintage Perley A. Thomas’ built in 1923-24, like the St. Charles Avenue cars. The remaining Riverfront cars were built by the RTA in partnership with local vendors and craftsmen. Though they are not air-conditioned, like in the St. Charles Avenue cars, the double-hung windows open to emit the river breeze. All of the cars are wheelchair accessible.
The Canal Street Line
In the spring of 2004, streetcar service was joyously welcomed back to Canal Street after a 40-year absence. The new Canal Streetcar Line tied into the existing Riverfront Streetcar Line from Esplanade Avenue to Canal Street and along Canal Street from the Mississippi River to a streetcar terminal at City Park Avenue and the Cemeteries.
A spur line along North Carrollton Avenue connects Canal Street to City Park at Beauregard Circle, making for easy access to the park and the New Orleans Museum of Art. Streetcars run in the neutral ground on Canal Street for the entire 4.13 miles. Tracks for the one-mile spur on North Carrollton Avenue run in the left traffic lane and terminate at Beauregard Circle opposite the New Orleans Museum of Art.
Like the St. Charles Avenue Line, the Canal Line provides French Quarter visitors with easy access to some of the city’s other unique neighborhoods — in this case, Mid-City and the cemeteries.
The Rampart/St. Claude Line
In 2016, the latest addition to the New Orleans streetcar network opened to the public: the Rampart/St. Claude line. This fully air-conditioned route skirts the edge of the French Quarter along Rampart St. (once the literal walls of the city), running from Canal St. past Armstrong Park and the Treme.
At this stage, Rampart St. splits off and the streetcar follows St. Claude Avenue to its intersection with Elysian Fields Avenue. The line provides access to sites within the Treme like St. Augustine Church, Armstrong Park, and the Backstreet Cultural Museum, and gives visitors a glimpse of the French Quarter that is often missed by many tourists.
Like the Riverfront cars, the 24 cherry red cars that service the Canal Line were locally built under the auspices of the RTA. All of them are air-conditioned and provide wheelchair access. Due to the space needed to accommodate wheelchairs, the Canal and Riverfront cars provide seating for 42 passengers, 18 fewer than the St. Charles Avenue cars.
All three of New Orleans’ streetcar lines provide service 24 hours a day with frequent service during the day and hourly appearances from midnight to 6 a.m. The fare for each is $1.25 per person. Transfers cost $.25. Exact change is required. You can get passes online, too.
We hope this will help you get where you need to go, and happy sightseeing while you are at it!
If you’re planning a stay in New Orleans, be sure to check out our resource for French Quarter Hotels.
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New Orleans’ Po-Boy Is A Rich Food Tradition
The name for New Orleans’ most famous sandwich, the po-boy, harkens back to its humble, scrappy origins. That heritage must have given the po-boy some special resilience because, as New Orleans rebuilt from Hurricane Katrina, po-boys were one of the most prevalent local culinary traditions to make it back to the restaurant scene.
Visitors to the French Quarter will find a wide variety of po-boys purveyors serving these classic French bread sandwiches, but first, a short history lesson will set the scene.
Signature BBQ oyster po-boy from Red Fish Grill via Facebook
History of the Po-Boy
As with most elements of New Orleans history, the origin of the po-boy has competing versions flavored over the years by creative storytellers and self-appointed authorities of dubious veracity. But the most widely accepted story holds that the sandwich was invented by Clovis and Benjamin Martin, brothers and former streetcar drivers who opened a restaurant on St. Claude Avenue in the 1920s.
When streetcar drivers went on strike in 1929, the brothers took up their cause and created an inexpensive sandwich of gravy and spare bits of roast beef on French bread they would serve the unemployed workers out of the rear of their restaurant.
When a worker came to get one, the cry would go up in the kitchen that “here comes another poor boy!,” and the name was transferred to the sandwich, eventually becoming “po-boy” in common usage.
Types of Po-Boys
Hot roast beef po-boys dripping with gravy are the close relatives of these originals, but po-boys now come in any variety sandwich makers can dream up. Fried seafood is the most popular version, drawing on the abundant local resources of the Gulf and bayous, but hot or smoked sausage, ham and cheese, and hamburger are also common.
The most unusual is probably the French fry po-boy, which simply pairs French fries, gravy and condiments with the French bread loaf. These are always the most inexpensive sandwich at restaurants that serve them. With all po-boys, remember that “dressed” means a topping of shredded lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and pickles.
Where to Get a Po-Boy
The variety of po-boys is matched only by the wide variety of places to get one in New Orleans. In the French Quarter alone, options range from simple deli counters to dining rooms operated by some of the biggest names in the local culinary scene.
Fried shrimp po-boy from Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House via Facebook
Chief among the latter category are the Brennans. At Red Fish Grill (115 Bourbon St.), the upscale seafood restaurant serves distinctive BBQ oyster po-boys on its weekend brunch menu. The seafood on these is not barbecued at all, but rather fried and tossed with a spicy, buttery sauce known only in New Orleans as BBQ style.
Directly across Bourbon Street, Ralph’s cousin Dickie Brennan serves shrimp, catfish, and BBQ shrimp po-boys at his Bourbon House (144 Bourbon St.) restaurant.
A less refined and more traditional atmosphere for po-boys is found at Johnny’s Po-Boys (511 St. Louis St.), a busy, crammed lunch counter that has been slinging po-boys since 1950. The po-boys here are quite large, and so is the menu.
Even when Johnny’s first reopened after Katrina, it had the largest selection of po-boys then available, from the traditional seafood versions to the meat overload of the Judge Bossetta Special with two types of sausage and ground beef.
Johnny’s has seating available, but when the weather is nice it’s a better idea to get a po-boy to go and eat it in Jackson Square or on a bench facing the nearby Mississippi River.
Shrimp po-boy at Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar via Facebook
Perfectly perched on Iberville Street, Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar (739 Iberville St.) serves up a generous selection of po-boys including shrimp, oyster, roast beef, soft-shell crab, crawfish, and hot sausage sandwiches. Add a side of french fries, sweet fries, sauteed veggies, and coleslaw to create a meal guaranteed to satiate your appetite.
There’s also good variety at Mena’s Palace (200 Chartres St.), a diner that serves sandwiches and plate lunches in a true down-home atmosphere. Po-boys are also served in the attractive dining room at the immensely popular Gumbo Shop (630 St. Peter St.), including a lighter-tasting sauteed shrimp po-boy.
You can get a po-boy with a slice of music history from the deli at Matassa’s Market (1001 Dauphine St.). The tight-packed corner market was started by Cosimo Matassa, the legendary New Orleans record producer who worked with the biggest names in R&B — from Fats Domino and Little Richard to Ray Charles and Aaron Neville — beginning in the late 1940s at his family’s nearby studio.
Next, there’s Stanley (1031 Decatur St.), a casual breakfast and lunch place that had the honor of being the first new restaurant to open in New Orleans following Katrina. At Stanley, get the excellent fried shrimp and oyster po-boy (half and half). Diners can even start the day with a breakfast po-boy here, stuffed with poached eggs, smoked bacon and hollandaise.
In the mood for something a little off the beaten path? At Killer Poboys (219 Dauphine St.), you can tantalize your tastebuds with a glazed pork belly po-boy that features lime cabbage slaw and garlic aioli. Or, there’s the Thai BBQ tofu po-boy, with spiced peanuts and coconut. Killer Poboys also has a location in Erin Rose Bar (811 Conti Street).
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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Famous New Orleans Ghosts
Whether some tour guides intentionally embellish the facts, or legends simply grow grander with time, the fact remains that many ghost stories are just that — stories. But if you believe in ghosts, and if you take into consideration New Orleans’ small footprint and long, sometimes dark history, it seems inevitable that many of its buildings and businesses would have a spirit or two hanging around.
Whether or not you believe in an afterlife, many local businesses come with service and a story. As fantastic as these tales may seem, they are rooted in fact. (Besides, is it really so hard to believe that prominent New Orleanians would want to keep partying even after their deaths?)
Arnaud’s
Arnaud Cazenave, who opened Arnaud’s in 1918, seems not to want to leave his own party — and who could blame him? A paranormal research society investigated the restaurant, where the ghost of Cazenave’s daughter, clad in a Mardi Gras gown, makes frequent appearances. Though the apparitions may be startling, there’s nothing to fear as these ghosts seem very friendly.
Bourbon Pub Parade
The Bourbon Pub is a two-story LGBTQIA+ dance club and a great place to party — for both the living and the dead. “Mam,” the club’s resident ghost, is a small-statured Creole woman. Dressed in a cotton dress and head wrap, she’ll often approach a patron and look them in the eye while muttering to herself before fading into obscurity.
In addition to Mam, regulars and staffers report unusual activity including unexplained footsteps, cups that move on their own, and odd sensations, including the feeling of being struck on the foot. Nobody knows Mam’s real identity, and no one knows exactly what the foot slaps are about, but the mystery is part of any good ghost story’s appeal.
Cafe Sbisa
Opened in 1899, this restaurant’s mahogany bar, George Dureau mural and dim lighting give it the heavy, moody ambiance that suggests an otherworldly presence — even to those who don’t know the building’s history.
Formerly in use as a ship’s chandlery (a place that sold supplies for ships), its second floor housed a brothel. One young girl was sold into prostitution to pay her father’s debts. She became pregnant, gave birth to a daughter, and hoped to leave once his debt was paid.
However, upon learning that she’d incurred further debts via room and board, she became despondent and drowned her daughter in the fountain before hanging herself. Some say she and her daughter’s ghost haunt the property to this day.
Muriel’s Jackson Square
Lots of people save for years to travel to New Orleans and eat at Muriel’s — but one lucky (or unlucky) being gets a reserved seat every night. A compulsive gambler, Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan purchased the building that would become Muriel’s after the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788 and renovated it to become his “dream home,” according to Muriel’s website.
However, in 1814 he lost the building in a poker game. Devastated, he killed himself on the house’s second floor. He continues to make his spectral presence known to employees, moving furniture and smashing the occasional glass.
In tribute to its ghostly former owner, Muriel’s maintains not only his special table set with bread and wine but also a designated séance room where Jourdan can hang out.
Muriel’s is directly next door to the Place d’Armes, a historic French Quarter hotel with its own ghoulish story. Check it out below.
Myrtle’s Plantation
The Myrtle’s Plantation sits on a Tunica Indian burial ground in Saint Francisville, about 85 miles outside New Orleans, but it’s well worth the drive. Not only does the circa-1796 plantation house a number of artifacts, including hand-painted stained glass and gold-leafed French antiques, but it’s also home to a number of ghosts.
Tour guides say 10 murders took place in the house: among them deaths by gunshot and poisoning. Perhaps the most famous ghost is Chloe, a governess who killed her young charges with poisoned cake after their father ended his affair with her. Chloe was hanged, but people bold enough to sleep overnight at the haunted bed-and-breakfast report seeing the turbaned woman peeking into the bedrooms.
Pharmacy Museum
The Pharmacy Museum’s medical artifacts — leech jars, hypodermic needles, bloodletting tools — are cringe-worthy on their own. But those who know the museum’s violent backstory will find the antique collection of medical equipment even more unsettling.
After Louis Dulfiho Junior, the first licensed pharmacist in the U.S., sold his business to a former employee, Dr. Joseph Dupas, things began to go awry. Suffering from a disease that slowly drove him insane before it killed him in 1867, Dupas began losing many of his patients. He claimed they had returned to France, but after his death, bodies were discovered on the property. Were these his victims? Possibly.
The Bombay Club
With its wood paneling, live jazz and ice-cold martinis, The Bombay Club couldn’t be more refined — but according to Fear Dat New Orleans: A Guide to the Voodoo, Vampires, Graveyards and Ghosts in the Crescent City by Michael Murphy, and Paranormal New Orleans, it’s haunted by the ghost of a Storyville madame. The Bombay Club patrons and employees report seeing her curvy figure in the club, where she fits in just fine among the sultry chanteuses and local minxes. What can we say — she’s enjoying the high (after)life.
The Mortuary Haunted House
During most of the year, this 1872 grand Victorian mansion hosts events, parties and weddings for local and celebrity clients. But in October, it switches gears to get in touch with its spooky past, operating as a haunted house attraction complete with live snakes and rates and underground crypts.
Surrounded by cemeteries, the former mortuary is one of the most haunted places in the country, according to multiple paranormal investigative units. Their advanced instruments have measured electromagnetic activity, temperature changes, electronic voice phenomena, and other phenomena that indicate the presence of spirits — and guests to the house have seen far more gruesome apparitions, including the ghost of a mortician doing his bloody work.
If you’re planning a stay in New Orleans, be sure to check out our resource for French Quarter Hotels.
