New Orleans Travel Guide
Sitting pretty at the mouth of the Mississippi River, New Orleans is one of America’s most astonishing cultural melting pots. It’s a little bit French, a little bit Spanish-Creole, a little bit Caribbean and a whole lot New Orleans – there’s nowhere quite like it, even in the American South.
Tucked between the Mississippi and Lake Pontchartrain, New Orleans sprawls across low-lying swampland, with the floodwaters held at bay by enormous levees, which broke with devastating consequences in 2005 as Hurricane Katrina surged ashore.
The good news is that many neighbourhoods have burst back to life, and little evidence of the disaster remains in the areas most frequented by tourists – though deprivation and crime still blight live in some quarters of the city (most notably the Ninth Ward).
Known as the Crescent City for the curving shape of the Mississippi as it snakes through town, New Orleans is truly cosmopolitan. Settlers from as far afield as France, Spain, Africa and the Caribbean washed up here during New Orleans’ heyday as the principal port of the American South.
Each group lent something to the mixing pot. The French left their language, and the Spanish their flamboyant architecture. Africa donated the rhythms that morphed into jazz and the blues. The Caribbean left a love of celebration and a touch of voodoo magic, while Cajun Americans pulled all these influences together to create one of America’s most eclectic cuisines.
The attractions of New Orleans are the same as they have always been – riding rattling streetcars and the Algiers ferry, snapping your fingers to hot jazz in colonial cafes, seeking out occult relics in ancient cemeteries, or just admiring the stately architecture in the French Quarter, Bywater, Faubourg Marigny and Tremé.
Then of course there’s the greatest-show-on-earth that is Mardi Gras, held in late February or early March. If you miss it, don’t panic; there are few weeks in the year when there isn’t some festival or other filling the streets with crowds and music. As the locals say: “Laissez les bons temps rouler!” (“Let the good times roll!”).
New Orleans was founded in 1718, at the swampy foot of France’s huge Louisiana territory, and named after the Duc d’Orléans. Despite hurricanes, mosquitoes, disease and floods, settlers came and the city prospered, mainly thanks to its position at the mouth of the Mississippi River. In 1762, the territory was secretly ceded to Spain.
Drawn by rich plantations and a thriving port, the Americans came seeking their fortunes. During the 19th century, New Orleans boomed with cotton and sugar trade, and by 1860 it was the wealthiest city in the country.
The region’s fortunes were to be dealt a fierce blow after the Civil War (1861-65) as the area’s slave-based, agricultural economy declined.
Regeneration was not far away, though, and the 1890s saw the introduction of an advanced public transport system. The city was seen as having a progressive, liberal society with a relatively well-educated black population.
The turn of the century also saw the glory days of Storyville, the semi-legal red light district that ushered in New Orleans’ reputation as an entertainment hub. Its legacy is still evident in the glitter and neon of Bourbon Street, where strip clubs have replaced brothels but the air of decadence still hangs heavy.
The various nationalities that once occupied the city never really left, and even in the early 20th century, the population still had a sizeable proportion of Francophones. By the 1920s, Storyville had been shut down, and vigorous efforts were made architecturally and socially to modernise the city.
Despite hurricane season having periodic effects on the city, with floods in 1927 and 1947, the metropolitan sprawl still grew nonetheless and the population continued to expand.
Present-day New Orleans has unarguably been shaped by the effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The levee system failed, and it became one of the largest disasters in American history. A huge chunk of the populace was displaced, and even some years later, the city is still under populated.
However, tourism has once again reached pre-Katrina levels, and new businesses and attractions appear every year as the city enjoys a period of development and innovation.
After ceding New Orleans to Spain, the city belonged to the French for just 20 days in 1803 before they sold it to the US as part of the Louisiana Purchase.
Built in 1955, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge is the world’s longest bridge over a body of water.
When Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne founded New Orleans in 1718, he chose the spot as he thought it would be safe from hurricanes and tidal surges.
The subtropical weather in New Orleans means it is generally hot and humid from June to September with
summer bringing intense afternoon thunderstorms, although
winter can be chilly and damp. The most popular time to visit is between February and May, when the city comes alive with the Mardi Gras festival and other special events.
Spring temperatures range between 18°C (65°F) to 28°C (84°F). October-January is also a good time to visit, with warm temperatures and less crowds.
Getting around New Orleans
New Orleans Regional Transport Authority (RTA)
Telephone: +1 504 248 3900
Website: www.norta.com operates the city’s streetcars and buses. Streetcars and major bus routes operate a 24-hour service, though during night hours, the services are less frequent.
The New Orleans streetcar system is the oldest in the USA and is an excellent, good-value way to travel that coincidentally takes in many of the most picturesque neighbourhoods. There are three lines. The streetcars are used by commuting locals as much as tourists, and are an integral part of the city’s transport network rather than just a novelty. Buses run throughout the city.
Tickets for both forms of transport are available upon boarding. For unlimited travel, you can buy a one-, three- or 31-day Jazzy Pass online at local shops. One-day passes are also available from bus drivers or streetcar conductors.
New Orleans Steamboat
Telephone: +1 504 569 1401
Website: www.neworleanssteamboatcompany.com operates a ferry service between Canal Street and the suburb of Algiers across the Mississippi river.
The trip takes 10 minutes and leaves every half hour. It is free for foot passengers. Car drivers can buy tickets upon boarding. Note there are no toilet facilities or refreshments available in the terminals or on the ferry. This is not a 24-hour service and there are usually crowds of well-refreshed locals travelling back to Algiers on the last ferry of the night. There’s also a ferry between Lower Algiers and Chalmette.
Taxis in New Orleans are plentiful and easily found at major hotels, all over the French Quarter and along Riverwalk. At peak times and during major festivals, the fares go up and cabs often stop on the street to pick up extra fares even if you have already hired them.
NOLA Pedicabs
Telephone: +1 504 274 1300
United Cabs
Telephone: +1 504 522 9771 is the main company, but there are a number of local firms that you can flag down on the street. If possible, have a cross street as well as the address of your destination.
A car is unnecessary in downtown New Orleans. Parking space is minimal, traffic is very slow moving and you can reach most places on foot or by taxi. In the French Quarter especially, streets are narrow and are on a one-way system, with some streets being closed at certain times and complicated parking restrictions.
The streets are also crowded with visitors (who pay little regard to what is roadway and what is the pavement) and at Mardi Gras, the entire French Quarter is closed to motorised traffic.
The most relaxing cycling is away from the French Quarter in places such as Audubon Park, City Park and by Lake Pontchartrain. To hire a bike, call:
Flambeaux Bicycle Tours & Bike
Address: 626 N Rampart St, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 3211 505
Website: www.flambeauxtours.com
Bicycle Michael’s
Address: 622 Frenchman Street.
Telephone: +1 504 945 9505
Website: www.bicyclemichaels.com
City buses are equipped with bike racks.
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Things to see in New Orleans
Attractions
Also known as the Vieux Carré (Old Square), the French Quarter covers a grid of 98 magnificent square blocks. Dating from 1718, it is one of the oldest districts in the country, with superb 18th- and 19th-century architecture. The handsome buildings erected after this time, with their arches, fanlights and filigreed wrought-iron balconies, are actually Spanish in character. The focal point of the French Quarter is Jackson Square, arguably the loveliest square in the USA, and Bourbon Street, the neon-tinged tourist hub lined with daiquiri bars and strip joints.
Address: French Quarter, New Orleans.
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Completed in 1835, the Old US Mint manufactured Confederate money during the Civil War and continued to mint US coins until 1909. Its thick walls also served as a prison when Union troops captured the city. Today it houses the excellent New Orleans Jazz Collection, which features music, artefacts and instruments, such as Louis Armstrong’s first cornet.
Address: 400 Esplanade Avenue, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 568 6993
Opening times: Tues-Sun 09:00-16:00.
Website: www.nolajazzmuseum.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
The simple yet elegant facade of St Louis Cathedral is a focal point of Jackson Square. Named after the former King of France, this is the oldest cathedral in the United States. It is the third church built on this site: a hurricane destroyed the first in 1722 and a fire the second in 1788. Dedicated as a cathedral in 1794, the present building was extensively remodelled between 1849-51. Pope Paul VI designated it a minor basilica during his visit in 1964.
Address: 615 Père Antoine Alley, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 525 9585
Opening times: Daily 09:00-16:00.
Website: www.stlouiscathedral.org
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Designed in 1791 as a rectory for the priests of St Louis Cathedral, the Presbytère was finally completed in 1813. By then, New Orleans had become part of the United States and the church rented the building to the city for use as a courthouse. It was sold to the city in 1853. Today, it houses a dazzling collection of Mardi Gras memorabilia, from masks and costumes to videos and interactive displays about the history of the event.
Address: 751 Chartres Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 568 6968
Opening times: Tues-Sun 09:00-16:00.
Website: www.louisianastatemuseum.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
- New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA)
This excellent museum displays exhibits from the museum’s large art collection and hosts major travelling exhibitions. Highlights of the permanent collection are on the upper two floors and include the pre-Columbian collection, Native American art, the Asian wing, American and European paintings, and one of the largest glass collections in the country. There is also an attractive sculpture garden.
Address: 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 658 4100
Opening times: Tues-Thurs 10:00-17:00.
Website: www.noma.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
New Orleans is famous for its Cities of the Dead (cemeteries) because the high water table made underground burial difficult, so people built ornate marble tombs and vaults above ground instead. Decorated with statuary, mosaics and other ornamentation, St Louis Cemetery No 1 dates back to 1789 and is the oldest of the city’s many such burial grounds. It is also one of the most atmospheric, with crumbling tombs and the graves of some of the city’s historic personages, including the voodoo queen Marie Laveau.
Address: 425 Basin Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 596 3050
Opening times: Mon-Sat 09:00-15:45.
Website: www.cemeterytourneworleans.com
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Built between 1795 and 1799, this handsome building takes its name from the Spanish council, or cabildo, which met here in colonial times. It is a fine example of the Spanish colonial style with its wrought-iron balcony railing arguably the most outstanding work from that period in the city. In 1803, in a room called the Sala Capitular on the second floor, France signed the Louisiana Purchase, which ceded a huge territory west of the Mississippi, including New Orleans, to the United States. Today, it houses a museum of Louisiana history, and exhibits include the colony’s founding stone and Napoleon Bonaparte’s death mask.
Address: 701 Chartres Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 568 8975
Opening times: Tues-Sun 09:00-16:00.
Website: www.louisianastatemuseum.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Built in 1831 for a wealthy merchant named Samuel Hermann this Federal-style house is among the best examples of American architecture in the Vieux Carré. The highlight is the Creole kitchen, where cooking demonstrations take place over the open hearth, all day on Thursdays from October to May. There are also period rooms and a restored stable.
Address: 820 St Louis Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 525 5661
Opening times: Wed-Mon 10:00-16:00.
Website: www.hgghh.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
Stretching from St Charles Avenue to Magazine Street and between Louisiana and Jackson Avenues, the Garden District is an elegant National Historic District of pre-war homes. Originally a separate city called Lafayette, which was annexed by New Orleans in 1852, the Garden District was first laid out in the 1820s and was settled by wealthy American businessmen. The handsome Greek revival mansions are still private residences and are not open to the public. One of the grandest homes is the Robinson House, 1415 Third Street, which resembles an Italian villa and was possibly the first house in the city to have indoor plumbing. Author Anne Rice’s former home, Rosegate, is at the corner of First Street and Chestnut Street.
Address: Garden District, New Orleans.
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- National World War II Museum
Celebrating the accomplishments of the Americans who participated in WWII, the museum gives a fascinating political and economic overview of the build-up and mobilisation of the Allied Forces’ 17 different amphibious invasions during D-Day. Crammed with maps, filmed narrations, artefacts and photographs, it puts a face on the war.
Address: Warehouse District, 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 528 1944
Opening times: Daily 09:00-17:00.
Website: www.nationalww2museum.org
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
- New Orleans & Company-Association / Organization
Address: 2020 St Charles Avenue, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 566 5011
Opening times: Daily 08:30-17:00.
Website: www.neworleans.com
With knowledge local staff dispensing advice on what to do, where to stay and where to eat, the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau should be your first stop. There is also a
Address: 701 Canal St, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 528 7767
Opening times: Daily 08:00-21:00.
Tourist passes
- The New Orleans Power Pass
Website: www.sightseeingpass.com allows free admission to many of the city’s attractions. You can purchase the pass online for one, two, three or five days.
Things to do in New Orleans
- Climb in a kayak for a history tour
Leave the madness of Bourbon Street and the French Quarter behind and explore New Orleans’ serene side from a kayak. Bayou St John runs through the city, so paddle along with
Kayak Iti Yat
Telephone: +1 985 778 5034
Website: www.kayakitiyat.com past St Louis Cemetery and the charming Spanish Custom House, whilst guides explain the local history.
- Glide over the Louisiana swamps
Flanked by lakes, swamp and sea, there are plenty of water-based activities to be enjoyed in New Orleans.
Joe Rugs Water Adventures
Telephone: +1 504 621 3858
Website: www.joerugswateradventures.com offer the most, from airboat swamp tours and fishing trips, to kayaking and sunset cruises.
They also operate a convenient shuttle service to and from the French Quarter.
- Have one for the road with a cocktail tour
With Hurricanes, Brandy Milk Punch and the pleasingly potent Absinthe Frappé, New Orleans is as famed for its libations as much as its food. Slurp your way through a selection of the best, with
Drink and Learn
Telephone: +1 504 578 8280
Website: www.drinkandlearn.com as your guide. Be warned though: you have to find your own way home.
- Play chef at a Louisiana cookout
Whatever you enjoy about Louisiana food, whether it’s the Cajun hit in a crawfish dish, a traditional Creole jambalaya (meat, vegetable and rice dish) or just the lively names, a cookery school can help the holiday linger even longer. At the
New Orleans School of Cooking
Telephone: +1 800 237 4841
Website: www.neworleansschoolofcooking.com pupils can get hands on with a gumbo or just watch an open demonstration.
- Take a paddle steamer back in time
A dying sight, take a cruise on one of the Mississippi river’s few remaining paddle steamers.
Steamboat Natchez
Telephone: +1 504 569 1401
Website: www.steamboatnatchez.com departs from the French Quarter for a two-hour cruise of the Port of New Orleans. Passengers can see inside the engine room as well as enjoying live jazz and even dinner.
New Orleans tours and excursions
New Orleans tours
The bayou is part of the Louisiana charm and a swamp tour is a must. Most are done on the Northshore, on the other side of Lake Pontchartrain. Dr Wagner’s Honey Island Swamp Tours in Slidell probes the Honey Island cypress swamp. A resident naturalist is available to answer wildlife questions about the flora, fauna and various reptiles that frequent the swamp. Or, head 29km (18 miles) south of New Orleans to
Barataria Preserve ( Website: www.nps.gov )
Telephone: +1 985 641 1769
Website: www.honeyislandswamp.com
New Orleans Paddlewheels operates several boat tours, departing from the Aquarium of the Americas Dock, South Peters Street. The Cajun Queen Riverboat runs 90-minute harbour cruises, while the Creole Queen Paddlewheeler runs a Battlefield Cruise to the spot where Andrew Jackson defeated the British. In the evening, the Creole Queen offers a two-hour dinner and jazz cruise, with or without dinner.
Telephone: +1 504 529 4567
Website: www.creolequeen.com
New Orleans excursions
About 200km (130 miles) west along I-10 from New Orleans is Lafayette, the gateway to the Cajun country. The Acadian Cultural Center traces the origins and culture of the Cajun people, who relocated from Nova Scotia, Canada, to the Mississippi Delta in the 18th century, as well as other cultures of the region. There are several attractive Cajun towns and plantations north of Lafayette on the Cajun prairie. The town is also a good base from which to explore the swamps and bayous of the Atchafalaya basin.
Telephone: +1 337 232 0789
Website: www.nps.gov
No fewer than 28 ancient oak trees line the entranceway of this stately, pre-war plantation home. When completed in 1839, the Greek revival-styled, 10-room mansion was considered a modest plantation home. The grounds and home are so picturesque, that they have been the setting for scenes from such films as Primary Colors, The Long Hot Summer and Hush… Hush Sweet Charlotte. The site grounds also have a bed and breakfast, gift shop and restaurant. Oak Alley Plantation is open daily 09:00-16:30 and admission is charged. It’s situated 97km (60 miles) east of New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 225 265 2151
Website: www.oakalleyplantation.com
Shopping in New Orleans
Shopping in New Orleans is very much geared towards the tourist, with an abundance of shops selling souvenirs. You can’t walk more than a block in the French Quarter without hearing the blaring zydeco music of the gift shops, though outside the main tourist areas are opportunities to pick up items which are a little less populist.
In among the plethora of glitzy T-shirt and plastic bead shops that blast out bad zydeco music, the French Quarter has plenty of unique craft shops, galleries and other stores. It houses art galleries and antique shops on Royal Street, and boutiques and gift stores on almost every other street.
The Central Business District (CBD) and Uptown are also good shopping areas, with most of the high-street chains having branches in and around the local businesses. For more upmarket items, there are the many antique shops on Royal and Magazine Streets.
Magazine Street is one of the city’s most thriving neighbourhoods, and has a mixture of fashionable and funky shops, hip boutiques and galleries. You can grab a cup of coffee and a pastry at a local café before rummaging through antique stores for trendy boutique purchases, toys and chocolates.
Running for several blocks along Decatur and North Peters Streets, the historic French Market, open daily 08:00-18:30, has been one of the most colourful spots in New Orleans for centuries.
The large covered sheds house the Farmers’ Market, where fresh produce is sold, and the Flea Market, with clothes, jewellery, hot sauces and other souvenirs. There are also a number of food stalls, from local favourites such as po boys to organic stalls with smoothies and salads.
The Shops at Jax Brewery is a large, newish mall on the waterfront in the French Quarter. Other shopping centres include the upscale Shops at Canal Place, where local artisans such as high-end jeweller Mignon Faget have outlets.
The Riverwalk Marketplace is large but never seems to attract a high enough footfall to make it seem lively, though the food court has some good choice. New Orleans Shopping Center and Lakeside Shopping Center are a couple of other options for mall shopping.
French Quarter shops and galleries generally have the longest hours of operation, from Monday to Saturday 10:00-22:00, though on Sundays many close at 17:00. General shopping hours in the city are daily 10:00-17:00.
The vast majority of out-of-town visitors are mainly interested in the (fairly tacky) T-shirts, carnival beads and New Orleans-branded souvenirs that permeate the hundreds of gift stores. There’s also a strong market for local produce, such as hickory coffee, hot sauce and rum.
New Orleans’s sales tax is 9.5% and refunds for that percentage of the price of goods purchased in tax-free stores are available to overseas visitors at the international airport’s LTFS (Louisiana Tax-Free Shopping) Refund Centre.
The LTFS voucher and sales receipt are required, as well as your passport and international air ticket. Refunds under US$500 are paid in cash, otherwise a cheque will be posted.
New Orleans Food And Drink
Food In New Orleans
With a heritage claiming both French and West African roots, gumbo is a thick stew served over rice and made with a roux (a mixture of butter and flour) and a wide variety of ingredients such as celery, peppers, okra, onions chicken, sausage and/or seafood.
The word étouffée (pronounced eh-too-fey) comes from the French word“to smother.” The best way to describe this dish is a very thick stew, seasoned to perfection and chock full of delicious, plump crawfish (or shrimp) served over rice.
Jambalaya is both a culinary staple and a storied dish in New Orleans. The dish has been a part of New Orleans cuisine since Colonial Spanish settlers tried reconstructing their native paella from locally-sourced ingredients. Today, the dish is comprised of a mix of chicken, seafood, sausage–or all three.
Red beans and rice – traditionally simmered all day Monday while the household catches up on laundry duties – is as common a pairing here as bacon and eggs are anywhere else. The key to its success is its flexibility and ease of preparation. Practically any meat – from ham hock to sausage to pickled pork — is placed in the pot along with red or kidney beans and spices like bay leaves, thyme cayenne pepper and sage and set to simmer on the stove for two hours or six. Every family has got a favorite variation, and many of the city’s best restaurants keep it on their menu. Have it on Monday or any day of the week.
- The New Orleans Muffaletta
A muffaletta is a famous italian sandwich invented in New Orleans with cured meats (ham and salami), provolone cheese, olive dressing and great bread. The olive dressing sports chopped green and black olives with onions and olive oil and spices, and the bread is a round sesame-seed roll big enough for sharing.
- Traditional New Orleans Food: Beignets
Beignets were first introduced to the city by the French-Creole colonists in the 18th century. The concept is simple – dough is fried then covered with mounds of powdered sugar – but the result is extraordinary.
Piled with lettuce, tomato and pickles and filled with roast beef, fried shrimp, oysters–or whatever you choose–po-boys are stuffed and slathered with sauce or mayonnaise, and then served between two long pieces of French bread.
Bananas are sautéedin butter and sugar and cinnamon and then bathed in rum, which is set aflame in a fiery burst. The fire burns off the alcohol in the rum, leaving just a smoky taste and rum flavor. This delicious concoction is usually created tableside to impress and then served over vanilla ice cream.
Drink In New Orleans
Considered the official drink of New Orleans, the Sazerac gets its name from the popular brand of Cognac named Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils that was first used to make the drink. The Sazerac dates back to the 19th century.
Though Brennan’s restaurant in New Orleans claims to be the originator of the daytime cocktail, most popular establishments offer the drink. The true origins of the cocktail point toward an Irish medicinal milk drink made with whiskey, honey, cinnamon or nutmeg, Scáiltín.
The name “Vieux Carré” translates to “old square” in French, which refers to New Orleans’ historic French Quarter neighborhood. The drink was first created in the 1930s by Walter Bergeron, a talented bartender at the Carousel Bar, which was then known as the Swan Room, inside the iconic Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans.
Among this sweeping list of classic New Orleans libations is the French 75, an effervescing tipple that’s a favorite among locals.
The Grasshopper is a green blast from the past featuring green creme de menthe, white creme de cacao and heavy cream. Creme de menthe is a liqueur made by adding mint leaves or extract to neutral alcohol, after which it’s filtered, sweetened, lightly aged and bottled.
Spirits like rum, gin, vodka and Bourbon are made in Louisiana distilleries using homegrown ingredients like sugarcane, corn and botanicals.
Put simply, New Orleans coffee is coffee that is infused with chicory root. The chicory root adds a little boost of flavor to the coffee, making it a bit richer, earthier, and nuttier. The chicory root is roasted and ground, much like coffee.
Restaurants in New Orleans
There is too much food in New Orleans, a city renowned for its famous chefs and fabulous fare, and too little time to try it all. All restaurants closed after Hurricane Katrina have reopened, along with notable new ones. The old institutions still rule the roost, but new waves of innovative places are also worth seeking out. The New Orleans restaurants have been split into three price categories:
Expensive (over US$70)
Moderate (US$20 to US$70)
Cheap (up to US$20)
These New Orleans restaurant prices are for a three-course meal and the equivalent of a half-bottle of wine per person. The 10% sales tax is not included, nor is the customary 15-20% tip.
Expensive
Cuisine: Modern New Orleans
One of New Orleans hottest chefs, John Besh, orchestrates the delicate dishes at the August, located in the Central Business District. Amid lavish brocades and crystal chandeliers, cuisine like Moroccan spiced duck with polenta, halibut with shrimp, citrus and fennel and seared fillet of prime beef with marrow-stuffed morels and oxtail jus are elegantly presented.
Address: 301 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 299 9777
Website: www.restaurantaugust.com
Cuisine: Louisiana Creole
For 125 years, Commander’s Palace has been a New Orleans gastronomic favourite, and with such treats as shrimp Cognac with andouille grits, poached oysters in cream or spicy turtle soup, how can it not be? Dine in the blue and mahogany dining room or on the second floor Garden Room where huge windows reveal the patio’s giant oak trees. The weekend jazz brunch is good value. A jacket is preferred at dinner.
Address: 1403 Washington Avenue, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 899 8221
Website: www.commanderspalace.com
Cuisine: French
Not much has changed here in the last 100 years. Even now, brass chandeliers and bentwood chairs fill the narrow downstairs dining room and it is still a joy to just chat with the waiters. Most have been here forever or are second generation. Let them recommend the specialities that have made this place famous – crab canapé Lorenzo, oysters en brochette and lamb chops with béarnaise sauce.
Address: 209 Bourbon Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 525 2021
Website: www.galatoires.com
Moderate
Cuisine: Louisiana
This restaurant, along with neighbouring sandwich shop Cochon Butcher, is the brainchild of star chef Donald Link and a mecca for, as the name implies, all things pork. Expect down home-style cooking with flair, such as Louisiana pork with cabbage, cracklins & pickled turnips, or, at the sandwich shop, pork belly with mint and cucumber.
Address: 930 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 588 2123
Website: www.cochonrestaurant.com
Cuisine: Italian
John Besh is a chef and TV personality with 12 acclaimed restaurants, most in New Orleans. Sitting at the front of the renovated Roosevelt Hotel, this elegant restaurant offers regional Italian cuisine, including wood-fired pizzas. Be sure to jump on anything involving shaved truffles. The late afternoon deals are incredibly good.
Address: 123 Baronne Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 648 6020
Website: www.domenicarestaurant.com
Cuisine: French
Upscale French & American fare in an airy space with St. Charles Avenue views & outdoor seats. Chef Donald Link’s restaurant group is heavy on the James Beard awards, bestowed upon loads of chefs that have passed through his flagship restaurant. This Central Business District favorite is consistently packed with a mix of the after-work business crowd, local families and tourists. Local farmers and fishermen are well represented on the seasonal menu that combines French, Southern and rustic Italian influences. Daily lunch and dinner specials always impress alongside standards like house-made spaghetti with a poached farm egg or duck confit with dirty rice, all enhanced by an eclectic wine list.
Address: 701 St Charles Ave, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 524 4114
Website: www.herbsaint.com
Cheap
Cuisine: Café fare
A visit to the Big Easy is not complete without a stop for mouth-watering beignets and chicory coffee au lait. Since 1862, these square, deep-fried fritters doused in mounds of powder sugar have titillated the taste buds of its patrons. There is not much more on the menu except juice, tea and milk, but who would desire anything else? Located in the French Market across from Jackson Square. The Café du Monde shop is across the street.
Address: 800 Decatur Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 587 0833
Website: www.cafedumonde.com
Cuisine: American
The last of the classic New Orleans dining spots to reopen post-Katrina, this solid diner has regained its position among the tried-and-true spots in the city. Found in a Greek Revival-style building at the end of the St Charles streetcar route, it’s a destination that almost always has a line of people waiting to be seated – even very late at night.
Address: 626 South Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 309 2679
Website: www.camelliagrillnola.com
Cuisine: Barbecue
Locals will tell you that the best spot in town for New Orleans barbecue is this out of the way neighbourhood joint in the Bywater. Run by Jenny and Peter Breen, the restaurant’s motto is ‘always smokin’ and indeed, their barbecue always is. The menu is simple but with intense flavour, and includes ribs, brisket, pulled pork and sausages.
Address: Bywater, 701 Mazant Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 949 3232
Website: www.alwayssmokin.com
New Orleans Nightlife
New Orleans has a nightlife that is as diverse as it is abundant. It draws people from around the world, in some measure because the bars and clubs are permitted to remain open 24 hours and it is one of the few places in the USA where you can consume alcohol on the street provided it is in a plastic container.
The French Quarter (known locally as ‘The Quarter’) is the main hub, with Bourbon Street at its centre. Bourbon is a brash, neon-lit street full of bars, restaurants and (towards the west side) strip clubs. The locals are more likely to go to neighbourhood bars on Decatur Street.
Jazz is generally considered to be a New Orleans’ creation and the city is constantly buzzing with music. There are dozens of live venues, as well as numerous jazz trumpeters and other buskers on the streets. Those in the know head to Frenchman Street, where some of the city’s best musicians play informal bars and clubs, often for a small cover.
Listings are available from the daily newspaper
Times-Picayune ( Website: www.nola.com )the free monthly publication
OffBeat ( Website: www.offbeat.com ) as well as from free weekly Gambit and the monthly
New Orleans Magazine ( Website: www.neworleansmagazine.com )
Gambit’s affiliated online outfit ( Website: www.bestofneworleans.com ) also posts weekly cultural events and performances.
In preparation for your trip, listen to the live stream of
WWOZ ( Website: www.wwoz.org ) to get to know the local music scene. Tickets are available from the venues or from which levies a surcharge per ticket.
Bars in New Orleans
This uptown bar attracts many accolades for its inventive cocktails and laid-back vibe. Using fresh juices and innovative techniques, the friendly, unpretentious staff serve a young, sophisticated clientele. It is housed in a converted fire station and is more New York in style than traditional New Orleans. Give the bar staff dealer’s choice for a tasty surprise.
Address: Uptown, 4905 Freret Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 302 2357
Website: www.curenola.com
Opened in 1806, this is one of the oldest bars in town, but is youthful for a historical artefact. It’s also one of the few bars on Bourbon Street that isn’t completely touristy, and if you want to avoid weirdly coloured daiquiris, then it’s a step up on the scale. Go on a Friday afternoon to watch New Orleans high society file in from their boozy lunches at neighbouring Galatoires.
Address: French Quarter, 240 Bourbon Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 524 0113
Website: www.oldabsinthehouse.com
A compact cocktail bar located on the edge of the Quarter, Tonique gets good foot traffic thanks to its position and inventive drinks menus. The bartenders here serve up classic local cocktails as well as their own contemporary creations, and many of the ingredients (the tonic, for example) are made in-house fresh each day.
Address: 820 North Rampart Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 324 6045
Website: www.bartonique.com
Clubs in New Orleans
This Bourbon Street institution is regularly voted the city’s best dance club and attracts a mostly gay clientele. During Mardi Gras, it is one of the most popular spots in the city, and to get on the balcony there is considered a major achievement. As well as a dance floor, there are paid (male) dancers on the bar tops.
Address: 800 Bourbon Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 593 9491
Website: www.ozneworleans.com
Set in a converted storefront dating from the 1800s, this jazz venue has three rooms: a wood-and-brick bar, a restaurant serving Creole food and an intimate performance space with mezzanine seating. Book in advance to hear top-notch jazz in an enthusiastic backroom of aficionados.
Address: 626 Frenchmen Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 949 0696
Website: www.snugjazz.com
Live music in New Orleans
The city’s largest regular music venue (stadium acts play at the Superdome) covers many musical genres, from blues and funk to rock and country. It is now one in a chain of restaurant-clubs, owned in part by comedian Dan Aykroyd. Headline acts are usually nationally touring names or at least local legends.
Address: 225 Decatur Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 310 4999
Website: www.houseofblues.com
Held as one of the most authentic venues in the city, ‘Prez Hall’ attracts music fans in some number. Come early and queue for entrance to the legendary hall itself, where guests sit on the floor, if they must, to catch musicians trained in the ‘Louis Armstrong school’. The Preservation Hall band is a collection of the city’s fine musicians.
Address: 726 St Peter Street, New Orleans.
Telephone: +1 504 522 2841
Website: www.preservationhall.com
