As you know, I love spending long weekends in different US cities–and those trips can be surprisingly affordable too! In January this year, we spent a fantastic long weekend in New Orleans, Louisiana. While we enjoyed the architecture, friendly people, warm (to us!) weather, music, and museums (I can see why the WW2 Museum was ranked as the #3 museum in the US on TripAdvisor!), the highlight for us really ended up being the many amazing foods we sampled and the cocktail culture of the city. Read on for 20 must-try New Orleans foods and drinks!
One quick note before we get started–if you’re not sure about the difference between Cajun or Creole cooking and how they relate to the other cuisines of New Orleans, check out this 3-minute video on the topic!
First Up: Entrées
1. Gumbo
Probably one of the first dishes that come to mind when people think of “New Orleans food”, you really shouldn’t leave the city without trying gumbo! We did one better, and took a class on how to make this roux-based stew (and a few other New Orleans classics) at the New Orleans School of Cooking. Learning about New Orleans history and food–and eating a delicious lunch–from Harriet Robin ended up being one of the highlights of our trip! We’ve even managed to make it a few times at home in our crockpot since the trip.
Fun fact: did you know Creole cooking uses their own mirepoix spinoff called “the trinity”? That’s onions, celery and green peppers. And don’t forget to add “the Pope”, too (garlic!).
2. Jambalaya
Jambalaya is another classic New Orleans dish, which is actually quite similar to gumbo. It also uses the trinity, the Pope, and a roux, and can contain a mix of meats, but andouille sausage is most common for its smoky flavor. The main difference between jambalaya and gumbo is the way rice is used. Gumbo is usually served with rice that was cooked separately, but the rice is cooked with the rest of the ingredients in jambalaya. It’s an essential part of the dish, distantly related to Spanish paella.
3. Red Beans & Rice
Red beans and rice is another New Orleans favorite, but one I didn’t know about until I was researching for the trip! Traditionally, red beans and rice was served on Mondays because that was laundry day; the ovens were needed to boil water for cleaning clothes, so restaurants would serve leftovers with beans over rice. Now, it’s a favorite comfort food of many New Orleans locals. Despite its name, red beans and rice is generally not a vegetarian dish, but will also contain sausage, ham, or other meats to lend extra flavor to the red beans.
4. Po’ Boys
Po’ boys first landed on the New Orleans scene in the 1920s during a streetcar union strike. The distinctive version of French bread was created to make more sandwiches out of a longer loaf, which were made to support the workers who weren’t being paid during the stirke. The rest is history! We saw (and ate!) po’ boys all over New Orleans, with many different meats, from crawfish to Chisesi Brother’s ham. A friend who had recently traveled to New Orleans recommended NOLA Po Boys after visiting it on a food tour. We got lunch there and were not disappointed! The restaurant walls are also covered with throws from Mardi Gras’s past, so it was fun to see those there as well.
5. Grilled Oysters
I didn’t think of myself as someone who would willingly eat an oyster, but New Orleans changed my mind! While I’ll probably never be on board with slurping down raw oysters, we had grilled oysters a few times in New Orleans and they were always excellent! It may be due to the local Gulf Coast oysters, which are mild, tender, and “meaty”. It could also be due to the city’s long history with chargrilled oysters–the dish Oysters Rockefeller was invented here in 1899 at Antoine’s Restaurant (still open today!). Whatever the reason, be sure to try some while you’re in NOLA!
6. Shrimp & Grits
The Southern classic shrimp and grits was available at many restaurants we visited in New Orleans, and my husband had the dish–for a side or even breakfast–quite a few times, and said they were always excellent! If you enjoy shrimp, be sure to sample New Orleans’ version of this dish!
7. Muffaletta
Brought to the city by Italian immigrants, the sandwich muffaletta (named after the round sesame loaf it’s made from) has become a popular New Orleans lunch or dinner. This huge sandwich is consists of a mix of cold cuts (often salami, ham, and mortadella) and cheese (provolone and cilantro) with a thick layer of olive salad. Unfortunately, Central Grocery Co. & Deli, often listed as the best place in the city for muffaletta, was closed when we visited, but we found another option close by.
Pro tip: these sandwiches are HUGE. I recommend ordering a 1/4 sandwich for a single person or a 1/2 sandwich for two–even then, you’ll still be stuffed! This also makes it a great budget option if all the seafood dinners and oysters start taking a toll on your wallet! 😉
8. Crawfish
If you’re in New Orleans in the summer, a crawfish boil might be the best way to enjoy this local delicacy! But even on a winter visit like ours, there’s no shortage of ways to eat crawfish! Crawfish etouffee (a thick stew similar to gumbo, but with a sweeter flavor) is another classic, although we didn’t get a chance to try it–next time! Our favorite options were crawfish pie from Trenasse and a crawfish po’ boy from Seaworthy (both restaurants I highly recommend if you’re staying in the CBD)!
Next: Desserts
9. Pralines
We learned from locals that everyone has their favorite praline place in New Orleans, and that these caramel-y, pecan-y treats are best fresh–still warm if you can get them! We purchased four different kinds from Laura’s Candies (multiple locations) and enjoyed trying them all.
Fun fact: Harriet Robin from New Orleans School of Cooking showed us her recipe, although I haven’t yet tried making them at home. She also recommended using Rice Krispies for the crunch if you’re making them for someone with a nut allergy, which I thought was a super helpful tip!
10. King Cake
A popular Mardi Gras treat, king cake tastes something like a cinnamon coffee cake, often frosted or sprinkled with traditional Mardi Gras colors green, yellow and purple. Though they’re mainly eaten around Mardi Gras, you can purchase them year-round at Gambino’s Bakery. If you’re planning to visit Mardi Gras World (and you really should, if you’re not able to attend any parades or if you want a behind-the-scenes look at Mardi Gras floats), you’ll get a free slice with entry into the museum.
Fun fact: If you find the baby in your slice of cake, it means good luck, making you the new Mardi Gras king or queen. Which also means you get to host the next celebration and provide the next cake for everyone!
11. Beignets
I would be extremely remiss not to mention beignets in any post about must-try New Orleans foods! The traditional place to get them is Cafe du Monde, specifically the location at one corner of Jackson Square in the French Quarter. That’s exactly what we did, although instead of waiting for a table, we got them to-go from the walk-up window and ate them while overlooking the Mississippi River. We clearly weren’t the only people with that idea–the river walk area was absolutely drenched in powdered sugar in a few areas! Having had beignets in other cities, I was just not prepared for the amount of powdered sugar heaped on them (at another restaurant where we tried them too), but they were always excellent!
12. Bananas Foster
This is the only thing on this list that we didn’t manage to find during our four days. It is one of the desserts made at New Orleans School of Cooking and pops up on a lot of “best of New Orleans” lists, though, so it’s definitely worth tracking down! Basically it’s flambéd bananas in butter and brown sugar with dark liquor like rum or cognac. Usually served with vanilla ice cream. It was invented at famous and storied New Orleans restaurant Brennan’s.
Finally: Drinks
13. New Orleans-Style Coffee
As a Caribbean port city with so much culture from French and Italian immigrants, New Orleans is bound to have good coffee. Even cooler? It has its own distinct flavor. New Orleans-style coffee actually has chicory root in it, which lends an extra rich, earthy, nutty flavor. Chicory has a long history in France and New Orleans, but it became even more popular during the US Civil War, when trade blockades meant coffee couldn’t get through to the South. Adding chicory to coffee also helped to make it cheaper in later times. Be sure to have a cup (and maybe a delicious pastry too!) while you’re in the city.
14. Sazerac
Claimed to be America’s oldest cocktail, be sure to sip a Sazerac while visiting NOLA! Everyone makes it a little differently, but generally the drink is made with rye whiskey or cognac (especially, of course, Sazerac de Forge cognac which the drink is made for), bitters, a sugar cube or simple syrup, and absinthe or anise liqueur.
15. Vieux Carre
Similar to Sazerac, and named for the French term for the French Quarter, Vieux Carre is an iconic New Orleans cocktail. It contains rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, benedictine, and bitters. The most iconic place to have one? Where they were invented in the 1930s, at Carousel Bar. This is what it sounds like–a bar that’s also a (slowly) rotating carousel housed in Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter.
16. French 75
Though not invented in New Orleans, the French 75 is a popular cocktail in the city nonetheless. The New Orleans version is a little different than elsewhere too, offering cognac instead of gin with the traditional lemon juice, simple syrup, and champagne.
Fun fact: the drink was named “French 75” because it’s powerful kick was said to feel like a blast from the French 75mm field gun used in WW1.
17. Voodoo Daiquiri from LaFitte’s Blacksmith Shoppe & Bar
LaFitte’s Blacksmith Shoppe & Bar has been around since the 1700s, making it one of the oldest surviving structures in new orleans! Come for the cozy tavern feel and pirate/privateer/smuggler history, stay for the Voodoo Daiquiri (also known as “Purple Drank”), a quite strong boozy grape-flavored slushy. You can actually get alcoholic beverages to go in New Orleans, so you could even grab one to go as you continue to wander down Bourbon Street.
18. Hurricane
Invented at Pat O’Brien’s in 1940s New Orleans, the tropical cocktail called a Hurricane has become a tiki bar favorite all over the world. The drink is made with light and dark rum, passion fruit juice, orange juice, lime juice, grenadine and simple syrup.
19. Tokyo Record or Latest from Bar Marilou
While not a well-known New Orleans cocktail, we absolutely loved Bar Marilou‘s Tokyo Record (Japanese whiskey, amontillado sherry, elderflower, lemon, vanilla) as well as the other craft cocktails we tried there. The bar has a very cool vibe too–the walls are red-painted shelves full of books since the bar is in a former library. We liked it so much, we actually visited twice on our trip! It’s in the CBD of New Orleans, and definitely worth a stop, whether for the delicious Tokyo Record or whatever latest cocktail the bar’s mixologists have dreamed up!
Bonus: Hot Sauce!
20. Tabasco & Louisiana Crystal
Okay, okay, this one’s not technically a food or drink, but New Orleans residents love their hot sauce! Tabasco and Louisiana’s Pure Crystal hot sauce are actually both made within a few hours of New Orleans. At most of the restaurants we visited, the tables had both Tabasco and Crystal, so we couldn’t quite tell which one is the city’s favorite (although there is a kitschy Tabasco souvenir store right off Jackson Square), so to be on the safe side, be sure to sample both while you’re visiting!
I hope you enjoyed this quick guide to 20 must-try New Orleans foods and drinks. It’s an amazing city with a wide variety of cuisines, so I’ve definitely only scratched the surface (and 100% plan to return to try some of these again and discover exciting new dishes), but hopefully this is enough to whet your appetite!
Which one would you be most excited to try? Did I miss your favorite New Orleans dish? Share in the comments!