The international recommendations exchange system has long been my travel companion. No, I don’t want to listen to the advice of a blogger who travels for free half the year, things taste different when you don’t have to pay for them. I want real recommendations from paying humans, preferably those who have lived where I’m going or at least try to live as locally as possible while traveling. If I want it, I should offer it too, so here you go: My New Orleans list which I didn’t feel comfortable composing until I’d passed the two-year mark as a resident. These are my personal favorites for those who are traveling to New Orleans. This is by no means a “complete” or “best of” list, as if that could even exist. Have fun. Be safe. Enjoy.
General Rules
Don’t come during hurricane season. I mean, you can if you want, but if you book a trip to New Orleans in August or September that’s your money you’re gambling with, love. Also, regarding the heat, you were warned. If you wouldn’t walk around inside a dog’s mouth don’t come to New Orleans in August or September. Here’s the best part: You don’t have to. The weather can actually be quite pleasant when it’s not the apex of summer. I suggest October/November, Mardi Gras Season, or any time in April or May.
Have an attitude of enjoyment. This is a place of fun, leisure, history, culture, stories, and living life. If you come to New Orleans expecting it to be something other than what it is, you’ll get frustrated. Don’t tell the city how to entertain you, allow it to entertain you, just as it is. A good attitude, a little patience, and a healthy curiosity for life will serve you very, very well in New Orleans.
You must leave the French Quarter. The only major tourist mistake you can make is never experiencing New Orleans beyond it. Please branch out, better yet book an Airbnb or hotel outside of the French Quarter, perhaps in the Garden District, Treme, Marigny, or Uptown, which will expose you to more of the city by default. If you think you’re saving money by staying somewhere 30 minutes outside of the French Quarter however, you’re not. You’ll spend more than you think you’re saving in Lyft rides, parking, or both. I’d get a hotel room in the Garden District, or the Central Business District (CBD), or any of the neighborhoods listed above if I were you.
Be smart about safety. Don’t walk alone at night, anywhere but especially not in the French Quarter. Tourists who are alone (especially those who have been drinking) are targets for theft and they probably won’t ask nicely. Don’t leave your purse hanging on the back of your chair. Keep your eyes on your drink at all times. If something in the French Quarter feels like a scam, it is. Basically any stranger who approaches you on Bourbon Street is trying to scam you. You don’t owe them the pleasure of conversation, keep it moving. If you drove here, please don’t leave any valuables in your car ever, and never leave it running or unlocked while you load or unload it. Car theft is…a thing here.
Be kind to people in the service industry, remember they don’t work for you, and tip them well. Tourism is New Orlean’s biggest industry, respect it please. Be nice to your Lyft drivers as well, and ask them what they love about living here. Don’t get frustrated by traffic, just make conversation. You’ll learn something.
If you want to come for Mardi Gras, book your lodgings OR inquire about a friend’s guest room as early as possible. August would not be an unreasonable time to do this. If you think you can text a New Orleans friend in February about Mardi Gras, they will not text back. From Twelfth Night in early January to Mardi Gras Day which can fall anywhere from mid February to mid March, your New Orleanian friends are, to put it mildly, busy. Have it handled before Christmas, is my suggestion. Research photos of Mardi Gras on Instagram to get a sense of wardrobe. With a little advanced notice, your local friends would LOVE to help outfit you for the fun. Many of us keep costume closets that are more robust than our “regular clothes,” so we have plenty to share. I have a giant bag labeled “wigs and fanny packs” if that illuminates anything for you.
Now onto my recommendations. All the places listed below are VERY Google-able and most are on Instagram. Check out their tagged photos on Instagram to view sort of a visual menu. It helps to see other travelers’ photos to get an idea of who much you’d enjoy something, too.
Fast Breakfast: For when you want to go to museums, parks, shopping, river tours, etc. and you just need a lil something before you begin your day.
Ayu Bakehouse: Try multiple pastries and get them to go or sit outside for a minute and get a feel for the neighborhood. I love walking by places that smell like butter.
Small Mart: Grab an absolutely delightful bagel sandwich before you start your day if you’re staying in the Marigny/Bywater area, but don’t drive out of your way to visit. I say this as a New Yorker and yes it hurts, but only a little: they make a good bagel sandwich here.
French Truck: My favorite local coffee shop, there are many all around the city, and there’s one in the French Quarter so let us please render Starbucks unnecessary. The New Orleans Iced Coffee is my favorite, I’m sorry if you grow attached to this beverage and purchase seven of them while you’re here.
Baldwin & Co.: If you’re staying nearby and actually need to get a little work done while you’re here, this bookstore/coffee shop hybrid is ideal. They also have a podcast studio you can rent and check out their events calendar for book signings!
Slow Breakfast: My personal preference, take your time, enjoy, take a walk around the area after, etc.
Molly’s Rise & Shine: If you could only have breakfast at one place I’d tell you to make sure it’s Molly’s. If what you order doesn’t involve a biscuit, get one on the side. Trust me.
Elizabeth’s: If you’re an early bird you can get an amazing breakfast here without a crazy brunch wait. Fun fact I actually won’t do brunch waits anymore. There are FAR too many yummy places in this city to put yourself through that. This place has a candied bacon situation that is worth waking up for. If you do come up against a crazy line, walk to Bywater Bakery or Alma Cafe nearby instead.
Bearcat: One of those rare places that’s just as beloved by tourists as it is by locals. Go to the one in the Central Business District, aka CBD. This is an incredibly solid breakfast spot, Willa Jean or District All Day are great options nearby as well.
Best Wine Lists: I am a Brooklyn wine snob who moved to New Orleans and panicked a little bit when the wine shops didn’t have anything I like. It’s getting better, but when I really need some good wine, I go to one of these places.
Really Really Nice Wines: If you want to drink outstanding wine with locals, this is my #1 recommendation and my favoite wine bar in New Orleans. The owners are so kind, there are always awesome food pop ups, and it’s in a delightful part of town for taking a stroll before or after. I love meeting friends here for afternoon weekend wine! (A Shani specialty.)
Margot’s: Margot’s is a pizza spot with an extremely small and scrumptious menu and the best wine offerings I’ve seen since I left Brooklyn. Go here if you’re hungry for an early dinner and you don’t want to deal with tourists—Margot’s is very much a local spot. This is ideal before an evening show or if you’re meeting a big group afterward, come here alone or with one other person to start your evening and you’ll be glad you did. They open at 4pm and it’s a small space, so if you arrive at prime dinner hours prepare to wait, and unfortunately there aren’t any good waiting spots nearby, so opt for early evenings here
Bar Brine/Sneaky Pickle: If Margot’s is packed, go to Bar Brine. Incredible food with really solid vegan options if you need ’em, and an outstanding amount of natural wine. It’s a fairly spacious place so if you’ve got a few folks with you this won’t be a problem. There’s an awesome vintage shop across the street, check it out if it’s open. Sneaky Pickle is open at lunch and Bar Brine is what they call themselves in the evening hours. I love both.
Tell Me Bar: It’s not your all night spot, it’s an opener or a closer. Or fuck it, both. This is one of the most stylish spaces in New Orleans with the best staff in the city and a really, really good wine list. There are food pop ups all the time but honestly, I’d do this one before or after dinner and get a full meal elsewhere. It’s going to look like you’re driving to the ass end of nothing on the way here, just trust the process and look for signs that say “wine.” Be nice to Fiano, their feral outdoor cat.
Shani’s Favorite Restaurants: And I do mean my favorites. I’m not sending you where the best-of lists tell you to go, I’m telling you where I go. I think you should also go where I go because I don’t want you getting home and bitching that you didn’t eat any good food in New Orleans. If that happens, it was NOT New Orleans’ fault.
Palm & Pine: The food is just so good. I mean honestly what else do we ever really need to know about a restaurant? I dream about this place it’s so scrumptious, and also quite underrated if you ask me. Sunday brunch is delicious but I’d rather come here for dinner and sit at the chef’s counter in the back. Whatever their pastry chef is making, cornbread, desserts, both, order it all.
Mister Mao: This is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere, actually. Just look it up on Instagram, make a reservation, and enjoy. I don’t want to hear another word out of you. Sit at the chef’s counter if you can and do not skip the fried chicken OR dessert.
N7: Goddamn this place is fantastic. Food people, do this.
Saba: Probably some of the best Israeli/Middle Eastern food I’ve ever had. I like going for lunch and sitting at the bar with a ridiculous amount of small plates and fresh pita showing up like magic. Their hummus is elite. There’s also wonderful shopping on this part of Magazine street so plan to stroll around a bit. You’ll hear this one recommended as much as Shaya, but I prefer Saba TBH.
Peche: I go here alone, I sit at the bar, I order smoked fish dip, I leave happy. Raw bar fans shouldn’t skip this place, it’s a local’s go-to.
Cochon: This is where I take out of town guests to eat to give them an experience of local cuisine that doesn’t involve having to wear a dinner jacket. Absolutely spectacular food but definitely not a light menu. Plan to make this your evening because the only place you’re going afterward is bed.
Jack Rose: I cannot believe I almost left this off the list, how rude. If someone in your group has a birthday, celebrate it here. This is inside the Hotel Pontchartrain, which also has a delightful rooftop bar. It’s consistently some of the best food in the city, in my opinion. Come here for dinner with people you like a lot and then catch some live Jazz in the bar up front afterward.
Jewel Of The South: If you’re celebrating something very special during your trip to New Orleans, this is the place to do it. If you’re here with just one person and can’t work in a dinner here, stop by on the early side for a cocktail at their (very small) bar. They’re known for their cocktails, for very good reason.
Parkway: You can waste time listening to everyone in New Orleans fight about where to get the “best” po’boy, or you can just go to this extremely solid option and eat. This is where I go to get po’boys with my friends. It’s worth the Lyft ride and then some. I love the fried oyster option but if they don’t have it when I’m there I’ll get fried shrimp. Use Crystal Hot Sauce with extremely reckless abandon. Eat here before or after checking out City Park and the New Orleans Museum of Art aka NOMA. If the line to order food is super long, you can also order food at the drinks window and most people don’t know that. Don’t say I never gave you anything.
Sylvain: Sitting at the bar and eating a fried chicken sandwich is one of those things that feeds my mood as much as it feeds my tummy. There’s something about sitting at a local’s spot in the Quarter, watching confused tourists mill about outside, that just makes me feel very lucky to live here and have a local’s perspective. You can experience a little bit of that, if you’d like. Check out their sister spot, The Will & The Way, too.
Shani’s Favorite Bars
Anna’s: This is the kind of dive-but-not-really-a-dive bar I need in my life. I love the atmosphere, the drinks are perfect, and there’s always a good crew of people around between this place and Pepp’s Pub across the street. They have really solid rotating pop-up food options upstairs, but if Tacos Para La Vida is there, get the birria pizza. I’m very sincere about this. You’re also really likely to stumble upon a vintage market happening here too, in good weather.
Fives: The newest spot on the list, Fives is so many of my favorite things all at once. It’s a horseshoe bar, which I’m an absolute slut for, it’s on Jackson Square in New Orleans but it is very much not a tourist spot, and in addition to having incredible cocktails and a small but perfect wine list, its food options are not a pop-up, so they’re consistent, and the menu is simply raw bar items. You need places like these that are visually delightful while fulfilling specific needs. This is another spot I’d say is perfect as an opener/closer.
Swirl: A standout wine shop with spectacular by-the-glass options. My ideal evening is a glass or two here, then walking across the street to Cafe Degas for dinner on their patio. Perfect. (This is an ideal spot to get a bottle of wine for your hosts if you are staying with friends in the Bayou Saint John area.)
Val’s: Val’s is essentially New Orleans’ answer to Chicago’s Big Star, and let me tell you how many of my paychecks used to land squarely in Big Star’s lap. There’s a huge outdoor patio and an open air bar area where I enjoy light beers with lime and various tacos and snacks. Honestly I need to go here more, I love it.
Shopping: I don’t know if I’d consider New Orleans a shopping city, but I can assure you that what you find here you will not find in other places, and isn’t that the entire point of shopping when we travel?
Sassy Magick: I know you want the witchy stuff, so let’s start with that. This is my favorite witchy store in New Orleans, I particularly enjoy their variety of tarot decks and books. This is a really solid stop while you’re in town.
Dark Matter Oddities: I’m not gonna tell you a damn thing. Just go. Both this place and Sassy Magick are in the French Quarter.
The Collective Shop: This is a MUST. Some of my favorite ceramics I’ve ever owned have come from this store, I’ve also bought gifts and incense that I haven’t found anywhere else. Those who collect tree ornaments from their travels will enjoy the ones The Collective Shop sells SO MUCH MORE than the ones you find in the French Quarter. If you’re looking for a locally owned store with amazing finds that isn’t even remotely tourist-centric, this is your store. Do not skip the candles.
Hazelnut: I’ve bought more gifts here than I can count. This place is packed and also brilliantly curated. If you’re staying at a friend’s place while you’re here, get them a thank-you gift at this spot.
Elizabeth Chronicles: If you wear women’s clothing this is an essential stop. This place is SO CUTE and everything is very affordable. If you find yourself in New Orleans without the right outfit (for something normal like a fancy dinner or a party, not costume stuff), go here.
Dirty Coast: If you wear a Dirty Coast shirt anywhere in the world I promise you eventually a stranger will come up to you to give you a compliment. You’re not going to understand a lot of the inside New Orleans jokes on these shirts, but if you do find one that resonates with you, get it—you literally won’t find it anywhere else. I’m partial to their Christmas shirt that says “Happy Almost Mardi Gras,” but that’s just me. This is a really special place for gifts and pretty much every local has at least a tea towel of theirs on display in our homes, if not much more.
She Comes In Peace: Another incredible spot for costume clothing, with a much different vibe, She Comes In Peace is part salon, part store, and again a shopping experience you cannot find elsewhere. If you can’t decide between rave attire or a Halloween costume or a parade wig, that’s not even remotely a problem here.
Merchant House: If you drove here and have room in your car for vintage furniture and housewares, you really should stop by. If you flew here, you’re going to cry over something you find here that you can’t take home. Fair warning. Easily the best curation of vintage furniture in the city.
Fifi Mahoney’s: WIGS, Y’ALL. Fifi’s is THE go-to spot for wigs in New Orleans, and while its French Quarter location might make you think it’s for tourists, locals really do shop here and we’re very grateful for the privilege. The wig designs cover every event and season this city cares about, I own four (or is it five?) and there’s really no reason for me to stop.
Fun Stuff: This is the stuff I do for fun, you might do other things.
Country Club Pool: $20 cover, no kids allowed, full bar and food menu. I would go here every day in the summer if I didn’t also have to earn a living. If you’re going on a weekend, be mindful that the lounge chairs around the pool fill up quickly. I usually get there as early as possible. They open at 10am. This is an everybody, and every body, pool. I have always felt safe, welcome, and at ease here in a bathing suit.
Jazz On Frenchmen Street: You should walk down Frenchmen street at night and when you hear something you like coming out of any one of MANY venues you’ll pass by, go inside and enjoy the local musicians of New Orleans. D.B.A. is my personal favorite spot, I’ve never come here knowing who was playing ahead of time and I’ve never seen a bad show, but honestly so many places on this street are institutions. If the art market is open, take a stroll through. Check out Brieux Carre while you’re down there, it’s my favorite local brewery.
Walk down Magazine Street: There are too many good shops, bars, and restaurants to name on this stretch of the city. I strongly recommend taking a walk down Magazine Street starting at French Truck Coffee (as long as it’s not too hot outside but it won’t be because you’re not coming in August or September, right?).
City Park: It’s gorgeous, it doesn’t look like your average park because our trees love DRAMA, and it’s an amazing way to get some fresh air in New Orleans while seeing a space locals love a lot.
NOMA: While you’re at City Park, check out our art museum. It’s a very nice thing to do. Visiting museums is something I’m much more likely to do as a tourist than a local, and honestly that’s a shame. We’ve got some winners. The Ogden is a museum dedicated specifically to Southern art and it’s one of the most special museums I’ve ever been to.
Go to estate sales: Check estatesales.net to find out if there are any opportunities to dig through other people’s belongings in search of treasure. I do this all the time and I love it, also the homes here are often really spectacular to see. Stick to the Uptown estate sales, there’s no need for you to haul ass out to Metarie. (Our suburbs.)
Tourist Stuff You’re Totally Allowed To Do
Loretta’s Pralines: Please don’t wait an hour for an overcrowded tourist trap. Go to Loretta’s in the Marigny for beignets instead. If you must go to Cafe Du Monde, at least go to the one in City Park, because that way you’ll get to see City Park. Loretta’s however is BELOVED for its beignets and pralines and you won’t have to deal with lines or tourists. Don’t be surprised if these treats inspire you to book a trip back, and soon.
Jackson Square: I mean it’s beautiful and the best photo op in the city. Who am I to roll my eyes at it? If you must eat at a restaurant on the square, make it Muriels, because while it’s definitely a tourist spot, at least it’s also genuinely haunted and an amazing spot for taking photos.
The Streetcar: It’s not air conditioned, it’s not a smooth ride, but my god I love the charm of this thing. Take it down Saint Charles Avenue and back and again, hop off anytime you see a bar or a restaurant that catches your eye. The fee is $1.25 so you’ll get to use up your loose change.
Giant, old, institutional restaurants. I’d pick Friday lunch at Commander’s Palace if I were you, or Brennan’s. Antoine’s is also beloved. Friday lunch is very much a thing here, with lunch often ending at sunset, but feel free to opt for dinner instead. If you do Commanders Palace and the cemetery across the street is open, stroll through. I personally don’t feel the need to take a guided tour, but those are available.
Arnaud’s French 75: I’m speaking specifically of the bar, not the restaurant. When you walk in, make a left the host stand and you’ll be in the bar. I like taking visitors here because it’s a beautiful space and such a good way to get a little taste of a LOT of New Orleans. There is a slightly hidden Mardi Gras museum upstairs that will take you five minutes to walk through, I highly recommend it. It’s free.
Hansen’s Sno-Bliz: It’s a snow cone shop. Best in the city. Actually the world. There will be line. Wait in it.
Valuable Information
You don’t have to finish your drink before you leave a place, you can walk around with it outside. Ask the bartender for a go cup, they all have them. Just don’t try to take an open drink in a Lyft, that’s rude.
I probably didn’t specifically say this enough: Always check to see if the place you’re going for dinner takes reservations and if it does, book one. If you suddenly can’t make the reservation, call to let them know.
Inform yourself of any major events such as festivals or parades before you come to New Orleans. This will massively affect your ability to get around in car or Lyft. There is almost always a street shut down in the French Quarter for one reason or another. You will often save time and sanity by walking an extra block or two, that’s a lot easier than taking a 20 minute detour in a Lyft.
People really do live in the charming neighborhoods you’re about to see, including me, so please be respectful of your surroundings and our neighbors.
Ghost tours are very hit or miss, so much so that it isn’t just the company you go with, it’s also the host you happen to be assigned. Grab a big to-go drink before your tour and I doubt you’ll give much of a shit either way. DO NOT take photos of or around the LaLaurie mansion. I won’t even walk on the same side of the street as that place. You can Google why.
Don’t buy Mardi Gras beads. We don’t do that. Either catch ’em off a balcony by chance or just come during Mardi Gras and catch more off a float than you’ll have any desire to take home in your suitcase. Also, don’t wear Mardi Gras beads when it’s not actually Mardi Gras season. That is hands down the best way to look like a tourist and a gullible one at that. ALSO: We don’t show body parts of any kind for beads. That’s tourist shit. Stop it.
No King Cake before Twelfth Night or after Mardi Gras. And if you are here during Mardi Gras and someone offers you a slice of King Cake from Dong Phuong bakery, TAKE IT AND SAY THANK YOU. PROFUSELY.
