Tina Walsh
- Mar 5, 2020
- 6 min read

The Best Restaurants in New Orleans, Where I have not Eaten

Updated: Jan 7

When someone says, restaurants in New Orleans, my mind immediately goes to Commander’s Palace and Drago’s. My favorite restaurant in the world is Commander’s Palace. My favorite restaurant dish is Chargrilled Oysters from Drago’s. In February, right before Covid-19 grounded us, a friend asked for some restaurant recommendations in New Orleans. I spent several hours culling through internet sites to develop a list of potential restaurants where I have never eaten, but I want to go. I have since spent some time eating my way through New Orleans in the post lockdown world. I have found some new favorites and I have continued my love affair with many of them. I have added three to my list. I did eat at one that was not on my list and I loved it!

My original list had 60 restaurants I wanted to try. Since writing this post, I have eaten at four of those, plus the one that was not on my list. All five were exceptional. I have revised the Never Eaten At List and added pictures of the ones where I did dine. Please leave me comments on your favorites and other recommendations on where to go. I am headed to New Orleans for a month in November and December. I plan on putting a serious dent in my list.

Lunch and Dinner

As I said, Commander’s Palace is my favorite restraint in the world. I first went there in 1979 when Paul Prudhomme was executive chef. We went for dinner before a dance when I was in college. While I do not remember the name of my date, I have never forgotten Commander’s Palace. Our family has celebrated graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and even a baby shower there. We have lots of pictures of family members in the birthday chef 's hat. Above is our daughter celebrating her 35th Birthday in 2020. Below is a photograph of her celebrating her 16th Birthday in 2001.

Mother’s Day Brunch at Commander's Palace has been our tradition since 1989, when our daughter was three and Emeril Lagasse was executive chef. We had over 20 plus Mother’s Days, until Katrina struck. After the storm, the restaurant came back stronger and more beautiful than ever. Covid-19 cancelled our reservation for Mother’s Day 2020. One of my best memories of Commander’s Palace is celebrating a job promotion at the Chef’s table, in the kitchen. This was when Jamie Shannon was executive chef. What fun it was to watch the action in the kitchen, while enjoying all that delicious food. I am proud to have enjoyed a meal prepared by the brand new executive chef, Meg Bickford. I always recommend a splurge dinner at Commander’s Palace to any visitor to New Orleans. www.commanderspalace.com

The one restaurant I tried that was not on the list was The Mosquito Supper Club. I was absolutely blown away. First, they exceeded all the Covid-19 social distancing protocols. The restaurant is in a small Creole cottage uptown. Tables for two and four tucked into corners of the porches, patios and small rooms of the cottage. The staff was attentive and charming, and owner/chef Melissa Martin stopped by each table. This is a fixed menu restaurant that offers a seasonally based meal from the seafood and produce that is fresh at the moment. Melissa Martin shares many of her recipes in her beautifully written and photographed cookbook for which the restaurant is named, The Mosquito Supper. For visitors to New Orleans, a meal at The Mosquito Supper Club is an indulgent taste of life from the Louisiana waterways. To purchase her cookbook on Amazon, click here, The Mosquito Supper Club.

Vessel was on my top10 restaurants to try for lunch or dinner. I gathered my "Beach Girls" and headed to Mid City for a socially distanced brunch on the back patio. From the bottle service mimosas to the extensive craft cocktail list, from the Boudin Stuffed PorkTenderloin on the Eggs Benedict to the Vegetable Frittata topped with Goat Cheese, there was something for everyone. The main dining room is a renovated church with a long communal table down the middle. We made plans to return and enjoy the indoor space, once we have put Covid-19 behind us. www.vesselnola.com

Listed below are the revised top 10 restaurants I want to try for lunch or dinner in New Orleans. I noted the type of food, location and website so you could check out their menu. The ones with an asterisk only serve dinner.

Barrow Catfish www.barrowscatfish.com

Cajun Carrollton

Carrollton Market www.carrolltonmarket.com

Modern Southern Uptown*

Cho Thai www.chothai.com

Thai Garden District

Compere Lapin www.comprelapin.com

Caribbean Whse District

Costera www.costerarestaurant.com

Spanish Uptown

Coquette www.coquettenola.com

Modern Southern Garden District*

Justine www.justinenola.com

Modern French French Quarter

Kin

Eclectic Asian Mid City

Maypop www.maypopnola.com

Eclectic Whse District

Paladar 511 www.paladar511.com

Italian Marigny*

Breakfast and Brunch

My very most favorite place to get breakfast/brunch in New Orleans is The Ruby Slipper. There is nothing better than a Bloody Mary and eggs covered in hollandaise sauce on the morning after an evening in the French Quarter. I get the Peacemaker which allows me to choose two of their creative Benedicts. Another favorite is the Costa Rican. It is their version of Huevos Rancheros and one of the best I have ever eaten. www.therubyslippercafe.net

Saturday Brunch with the "Beach Girls" has become one my favorite social distancing activities. We marked Atchafalaya off my Never Eaten at List. The uniquely flavored Mimosas were a hit, especially the fall flavored cinnamon and clove. The free form Blue Crab Ravioli, swimming in a citrus beurre blanc sauce received high marks from everyone. We all shared bites of Crabcake Benedict, Duck and Fig Sweet Potato Hash and Pan Seared Rainbow Trout. We all agreed, it was a place we would like to return. www.atchafalayarestaurant.com

Listed below are the revised top 10 restaurants I want to try for Brunch/Breakfast in New Orleans. I noted their location and website so you could check out their menu. Full disclosure, I have enjoyed Saba for dinner and loved it. The brunch menu looks so interesting, I put it on my list.

Bywater American Grill

www.bywateramericanbistro.com Bywater

Cavan

www.cavannola.com Garden District

Hippie Kitchen

www.hknola.com Jefferson

Jack Rose

www.jackroserestaurant.com Garden District

Lil Dizzy’s Cafe

www.lildizzyscafe.net Treme

Lola's

www.lolasneworleans.com Mid City

Molly’s Rise & Shine

www.mollysriseandshine.com Garden District

Saba

www.eatwithsaba.com Uptown

Satsuma Cafe

www.satsumcafe.com 3 locations

Willie Mae

www.williemaesnola.com Treme

Cocktails and Bites

I love oysters, raw, fried, grilled. I love oysters anyway I can get them. My very most favorite oyster dish is Chargrilled Oysters from Drago’s in Metairie. A dozen of those oysters and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and I am in heaven. I am also a huge fan of sparkling wine from any country in the world. When I found Effervesce, a delightful Champagne Bar on Rampart St., I stopped looking for new places to sip. Shame on me. www.dragosrestaurant.com www.nolabubbles.com

Hot Tin and Cure were both on my Bars and Bites list. New Orleans has established very strict Covid-19 protocols for their drinking establishments. Many are reservation only, all tables are distanced and there is no seating or standing at the bar. Many are requiring a purchase of some type of Bite with your drink. All that being said, I was wowed by Hot Tin and Cure. I look forward returning.

A Miss Camille for me, A Cock n Bull for CaptK. Enjoyed on the patio at Cure. www.curenola.com

Sipping on a Ruby Slipper while enjoying the view at Hot Tin. www.hottinbar.com

Listed below are the revised top10 establishments I want to try for Cocktails and Bites in New Orleans. I noted their website so you could check out their menu. A cautionary note, my tastes run towards craft cocktails. I am not a beer drinker. All of these places have extensive craft cocktail menus.

Above The Grid - NOPSI Hotel

www.nopsihotel.com Rooftop

Alto - Ace Hotel

www.acehotel.com Rooftop

Bacchanal Wine & Spirits

www.bacchanalwine.com Patio

Bar Marilou

www.barmarilou.com Warehouse District

Belle Epoque

www.ruebourbon.com French Quarter

Empire Bar - Broussards Restaurant

www.broussards.com French Quarter

Gianna

www.giannarestaurant.com Uptown

Jewel of the South

www.jewelofthesouth.com French Quarter

Palm and Pine

www.palmandpinenola.com French Quarter

St. Germain

www.saintgermainnola.com Bywater

So, that is the list of the top 30 best places in New Orleans where I have not eaten ... yet. If you have been to one, please leave a comment so the rest of us can gain from your knowledge. It you have a favorite that is not on my list, please leave it in the comments. Most of all, have fun sipping and tasting your way through my favorite city in the United States.