New Orleans · United States
The New Orleans food cheat sheet
One page from Chef Amazing · November 2026
The dish to eat
A dark roux stew with the 'holy trinity' (onion, celery, pepper), andouille and chicken or seafood, over rice.
Best at Dooky Chase's Restaurant, Orleans Avenue, Tremé. Get: Gumbo and the fried chicken
Five places, and what to order
- Queen Trini Lisafamily-run · Mid-CityGet: Chickpea doubles, BBQ jerk chicken, coco bread fish sandwich
- Tân Địnhinstitution · Gretna (Westbank)Get: Fried frog legs, spring rolls, lemongrass pork vermicelli skewers
- Chicken's Kitchencounter · Gretna (Westbank)Get: Fried chicken, red beans, smothered turkey necks, oxtail
- Central Groceryfor muffuletta · French QuarterGet: Whole or half muffuletta, served cold
- Liuzza's Restaurant and Barfor red beans and rice · Mid-CityGet: Classic red beans and rice
The market
Covered / open-air. Creole snacks, Louisiana specialties
The line worth it
Café du MondeFrench Quarter
Get: Beignets under powdered sugar, and a café au lait
Expect: 20 to 45 min for a table at peak times. Beat it: Go late at night or early in the morning, or use the to-go window out back.
In season this November
White shrimp
How it works here
Tip: Tip 18-22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two a drink at the bar.
Book: Book the hot places on Resy or OpenTable, often the day tables drop (2-4 weeks out); counters and slices are walk-in.
When locals eat: Lunch noon-2pm, dinner 6-9pm; it gets late only in the big cities.