Orleans

Opened in June 2025, this contemporary Asian restaurant by Chef Ashwin Vilkhu is a love letter to family dinners from his childhood growing up in New Orleans. The Farouki Farouki interiors are inspired by golden hour in his family’s home where he learned to cook, and the restaurant is named after the street his family lived after they moved from New Delhi to New Orleans in the 1980s. The four-course dinner takes guests on a sensory tour of his most cherished flavors, including the crab, brie, and Champagne soup, which pairs beautifully with a crémant.

For an easygoing snack and drink, head for Bar Pomona in the Marigny. The interiors read like a countryside diner (in the best way) and on Mondays they serve up lasagna alongside natural wines from regions such as the Jura and Savoie.

If you’re not already a tiki cocktail convert, this is the place to try it. The founder, Jeff Berry, is credited with reviving vintage tiki cocktails to their original glory in the 1990s, and the menu weaves together premium spirits with compelling flavors like anise, pandan leaf extract, and almond.

Rightfully earning its position on The New York Times’s 2024 Best New Restaurants list, this seafood-driven Mexican spot in the Bywater neighborhood is in a league of its own. Co-owned by sisters and Mexico City natives Ana and Lydia Castro (the former a James Beard Award-nominated chef), Acamaya is one of the most exciting new additions to New Orleans’s storied hospitality scene. There’s no point giving ordering advice here—everything on the menu is just that good.

Caribbean flavors meet Cuban heritage at this French Quarter mainstay that’s helmed by executive chef Alfredo Nogueira. The bar has been open for over a decade, but each visit offers something new thanks to its seasonal approach to ingredients. The cocktail menu is sensational (first-timers should get the classic Hurricane & Table) and flavorful dishes like the sweet plantains and fish rundown complement each other from start to finish.

A New Orleans fine dining classic, Brennan’s has been an institution since opening in 1946. The restaurant is credited with inventing the flaming dessert, Bananas Foster, which is theatrically prepared table side and worth a visit for alone (though it’s worth mentioning the Eggs St. Charles on the brunch menu are to die for).

Perched on a quiet corner along Magazine Street, this uptown restaurant sits in a 19th-century building that once sold provisions like butter, fresh cream, and imported teas. The menu is helmed by James Beard Award-winner Chef Justin Devillier and offers a creative, contemporary spin on traditional New Orleans cuisine. Whatever you do, don’t leave without trying the blue crab beignets.

There are few culinary experiences in New Orleans more stimulating than the tasting menu at Emeril’s. Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse opened the flagship restaurant in 1990 and it’s now deftly guided by his son E.J. Lagasse. Expect it all—a lavish butter cart, Petrossian caviar, the finest and freshest Louisiana meats and produce—all savored within an elegant dining room designed with floor-to-ceiling glass that showcases the kitchen in its entirety, which you get a mini tour of at the beginning of your evening. (Might we suggest opting for the wine pairing with your tasting menu?)

There’s no such thing as the best po’boy in the city—there are too many fine contenders, each offering their own standout style. While Liuzza’s by the Track, Domilise’s, and Parkway Bakery & Tavern are worthy shout-outs for this Louisiana classic, Verti Marte is an undeniable top pick. Don’t expect to be seated—this is a cash-only deli in the French Quarter. But what it lacks in table space, it more than makes up for in flavor.