*Best All-Around Dining Experience You Can Have in New Orleans: No surprises here, they’re world-famous for good reason: Commander’s Palace, hands down. At the other end of the spectrum, Café du Monde. Somewhere in the middle: Brigtsen’s and Lilette
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*Best Classic New Orleans Restaurant: Of the three old-line, fine-dining mainstays that have been enjoyed for generations, Arnaud’s is our choice for food; Galatoire’s for the overall experience; Antoine’s for room after amazing room full of history.

*Best Contemporary Creole: Our long-standing, well-deserved favorites are still the lovely Coquette and Herbsaint.

*Best Contemporary Cajun: Popular vote goes to pork-centric Cochon, where you won’t find yo mama’s Cajun, but we’re keen on newcomer Sac-a-Lait’s refined rustic fare. K-Paul’s, the one that started it all, is still a standard-bearer despite Paul Prudhomme’s 2015 passing. 

*Best Italian: Irene’s Cuisine and Marcello’s represent New Orleans’s traditional Creole Italian; Domenica carries the contemporary banner; and we fell hard for the nuovo take by sexy Uptown newcomer Avo.


*Best Neighborhood Restaurants: New Orleans tucks away some shockingly good restaurants on unassuming residential streets. Clancy’s, Elizabeth’s , Gautreau’s , and Liuzza’s by the Track show the range.

*Best Neighbahood Restaurants: In contrast to those above, these are old-school joints, where locals still ask, “Hey, dahwlin’, wheah y’at?” We’ve gotta go wit da Creole Italian oldies at Mandina’s and Liuzza’s.

*Most Innovative Restaurants: Maypop combines superb local ingredients with Southeast Asian concepts that work beautifully. Compère Lapin is up there for blending heretofore uncommon Carribean flavors and ingredients with local traditions; Killer Poboys pushes the sammie boundaries.


*Best Expense- or Savings-Account Blowouts: Restaurant R’evolution, Emeril’s, August will do the job.

*Best Bistro: Tough choice given the richness of this category, but La Petite Grocery, Meauxbar, and Sylvain figure highly.

*Best Outdoor Dining: Start with the pretty courtyards at Bayona, and Café Amelie on starry nights or balmy afternoons; Baccahanl's funky backyard vibe; and Avo’s romantic patio. The second-floor galleries at Tableau and Dat Dog overlook the two entertaining extremes of Jackson Square and Frenchmen Street, respectively.


*Best for Kids: The no-brainers are Café du Monde, for powdered-sugar mess and mania; the counter at Camellia Grill; and a snoball outing. Antoine’s offers a good fine-dining introduction.

*Best Rooftop Bars: They’ve sprung up nearly everywhere, but we’re partial to Hot Tin, at the Pontchartrain Hotel, and Alto, atop the Ace Hotel.

*Best Slightly Offbeat but Utterly New Orleanean Restaurants: Definitely Jacque-Imo’s and Bacchanal. The deli Cochon Butcher also fits the category.

*Best Seafood: Upscale GW Fins sets a high bar, though Peche is a strong contender; Mid-City's Bevi covers the low-key, boiled-seafood angle. For oysters, hit Felix or Casamento's.


*Best Desserts: A meal at Emeril’s is incomplete without its banana cream pie; ditto Commander’s Palace’s bread pudding soufflé or bananas Foster. The pastry chefs at Lilette, La Petite Grocery, and Coquette excel. Or head to a specialist at Sucré, Bywater Bakery, or Angelo Brocato’s.

*Best Brunch: Yay! Brennan’s is back. Ralph’s on the Park or Dante’s Kitchen can’t miss, while the jazz brunch at Antoine’s, Arnaud’s, and Commander’s Palace are great fun. Gotta give love to the drag brunch at the Country Club and to eclectic newbie Bywater Americana Bistro.


*Restaurants with the Best Cocktail Programs: From a looong list, we’ll go with Latitude 29, Vessel, High Hat, Compère Lapin, and Brennan's, with a nod to wacky Turkey and the Wolf.
*Best Wine Lists: The extensive collections at Emeril’s, Arnaud’s, Commander’s Palace, and Antoine’s cover every base. The lists are smaller but smart at Bayona, La Petite Grocery, and Gautreau’s, and well-curated at Bacchanal and Saffron. 
 

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.