New Orleans Food Guide: Where To Eat and Drink In The Big Easy… And Avoid the Tourist Crowds

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Living in Baton Rouge, I am only a little over an hour’s drive away from New Orleans.  I love to go for the day most weekends.  The food scene is top notch.  Seafood, soul food, Vietnamese, Creole, the list is endless of amazing eats to find in the Big Easy.

There are so many great lists of restaurants out there about where to eat in New Orleans. For my birthday this fall, I set out to eat my way through New Orleans for an entire weekend.  These are a few of my favorite spots.  They also have the added benefit of not being quite so famous and not so full of the tourist crowds.  If you’re looking for something a little off the beaten path, this is the list for you!

There’s always something yummy to try in NOLA!

Breakfast/Brunch

Start off your day right with a yummy breakfast… or brunch!

Surrey’s

There are two locations, both of them on Magazine St. This place doesn’t offer booze, but they have fresh squeezed juices if you’re looking for something fresh to help replenish those nutrients and recharge after a rough night.

The menu has a huge variety, my choice was the classic New Orleans shrimp and grits. I could eat this all day long!

Surrey’s Shrimp and Grits

Lunch and Dinner

Shaya

Located on Magazine St, I love to come for lunch and then walk around looking in all the cute boutique stores all afternoon afterwards.

Not typical New Orleans food, it’s an Israeli restaurant.  This is my favorite restaurant of all at the moment.  I come about once a month just to eat here. I love that the menu is always changing seasonally.  There is always something new and delicious to try!

Bring a friend and share salatim, hummus, and a couple small plates. The wine list and hand crafted cocktails make it a great spot to grab a drink as well.

If the weather is nice, grab a table outside.  The white stucco walls and vining plants transport you with some strong Mediterranean vibes!

I’ve never had a problem getting a table walking in for lunch on the weekends, but I would recommend a reservation for dinner.

Dat Dog

This place is also located on Magazine.  It’s great when you want to grab a quick bite.  They feature gourmet hot dogs with every kind of sausage you can think of.  The alligator sausage is my favorite! They also have vegetarian options making this a great spot for everybody.

On the weekend, their courtyard also features an art market.  It’s a great spot to shop for unique souvenirs like interesting handmade decor and jewelry.

Rum House

I’m seeing a pattern here, again on Magazine Street!  But it really is the perfect spot to hang out in NOLA during the day.

Rum House is a Caribbean themed restaurant.  Come on a Tuesday for $2 taco deals. The tacos are my favorite and they are all so unique and blend different cuisines.  They feature classics like brisket tacos and unique flavors like Indian curried lamb or Louisiana fried oyster.

Their happy hour deals are always great everyday. Come for the great rum cocktails or try a rum flight.  They have an extensive rum list featuring different rums made all over the world.

La Boca

This is New Orleans’ top Zagat rated steak house so if you’re wanting to splurge on a great dinner, this is the place!

They are located in the warehouse district which is a cool area to walk around in with many art galleries.  It makes for a nice place to wander and have a look while you work up your appetite.

I came here for my birthday dinner and it was the best steak I’ve ever eaten.  This was my first visit to an Argentinean steak house and I loved the experience.  Bring your appetite, it is a lot of food.  The appetizers and empanadas all sounded so yummy, I’d love to go back and try them.  I didn’t get the opportunity to try because I was so full from my delicious steak!

They are only open for dinner and be sure to make a reservation.

Yummy one of the yummy lunch dishes at Shaya!

Drinks

You will never have a problem finding a place to grab a drink in New Orleans, you can’t walk a block without passing several bars.  These are my top three favorite places to grab a drink when I’m visiting.

The Bulldog

There are two locations: one Uptown on Magazine and one is Mid-City on Canal.  I love the Magazine St location for their patio.  It’s the perfect spot to hang out on a nice day.  Added bonus–almost everybody brings their cute dog!

They are a tap-room and have a huge selection of beers with 49 on tap and over a hundred in bottles and cans.  They feature a lot of local breweries as well which is an awesome thing to try while you’re visiting.

The Catahoula Hotel

I stayed at this Central Business District hotel for my birthday and one of the main reasons I chose it was their Pisco Bar.  I found my new favorite cocktail, the pisco sour, while I was in Peru and I was beyond excited to see New Orleans has a pisco bar!

I tried, and loved, their pisco sour of course.  But they also had so many other yummy sounding cocktails.

They also have a rooftop bar, unfortunately it was pretty grey and rainy when I went.. but it’d be the perfect hangout on a sunny afternoon! The rooftop bar also features a great selection of mezcal and tequila.

The decor in the hotel and their bar is also so cool.  It feels very retro-chic. Perfect instagram spot!

Barcadia

This is such a fun bar to hang out with friends.  They have different drink specials each night and good selection of beers on tap.

The best part is they have a room of classic arcade games! If the rain keeps you in on your NOLA trip, this is a great spot to hang out indoors while you wait it out.

Pisco sour at the Catahoula Hotel!

Dessert

Angelo Brocato’s

I have an addiction to ice cream.  Especially gelato.

This classic Italian ice cream parlor was originally opened in 1905.  The shop still has the vintage ice cream parlor vibe and they make all their gelato on site.  I’m still working on trying all their flavors.  My favorites are pistachio and baci, a chocolate-hazelnut dream.

They also have all kinds of different Italian pastries.  Even if you’re just stopping in for some gelato, you should grab one of the fresh-made cannolis to save for later!