Travel with Rebecca

New Orleans is one of my favorite food cities in the USA. I have been three times for three different reasons and have always enjoyed it. 

Restaurants

The Erin Rose

The Erin Rose isn’t actually a restaurant. It is a dive bar in the french quarter. They have great bloody marys. They also seem to be famous for their frozen irish coffee but I didn’t have one. It does however have a kitchen in the back that Killer Po’boys rents to serve their unique po’boys. We had a braised beef po’boy and shrimp po’boy. The braised beef was the best one but the shrimp was unique and also very good. In addition to the tasty food and drinks, we found that this was a perfect spot for people watching. 

Brennan’s

Brennan’s is a fine dining restaurant in the French Quarter. It is most recognizable by its pink exterior. On Thursday-Sunday starting at 5 pm, they have a champagne themed happy hour called Bubbles at Brennan’s. They offer several bottles at deep discounts and a few cocktails, as well. We ordered a bottle of champagne and their oysters J’aime. The unique part is that they saber a bottle of champagne every day. When we went, the courtyard was closed for a small wedding so we sat at the bar. We ended up being the only couple interested in the champagne sabering so we essentially got a private show. The bar was kind enough to share a glass with us. As an added bonus, we got to watch the wedding parade after we finished our drinks.

Antoine’s

Antoine’s was our anniversary meal. We had a great time in the historic restaurant. It is the oldest restaurant in the city. You can expect a fine dining atmosphere. They are famous for their oysters Rockefeller. I realized that I prefer raw oysters or other cooked styles. There are other similar restaurants like Galtoire’s 

Shaya

Shaya is an Isreali restaurant on Magazine Street. They have a bunch of great appetizers and entrees. Everything was extremely fresh. Upon arrival, the waiter advised us not to fill up on pita. The fresh, warm pita was so good that I couldn’t resist. I was so stuffed that I barely finished my entree. If you go, try to take that advice to heart. 

Acme Oyster

I have gone to Acme Oyster every time that I have gone to New Orleans. It is a great spot for lunch but it is very popular so don’t be surprised if there is a line. I do think that it is worth the wait. The inside of the restaurant has an old pub feel with red checker table cloths. During our last visit, we both ordered Peacemaker Po’boys. The Peacemaker has fried oysters and fried shrimp. I am pretty sure that is what I have ordered every time that I have come. It is also always worth ordering some fresh oysters as a starter. 

Napoleon House

Napoleans is a historic bar and restaurant in the French Quarter. Apparently, this was meant to be a hideaway spot for Napoleon but he ended up passing away before he could take advantage of it. We enjoyed a few rounds of drinks and shared a gigantic muffaletta sandwich. I had their signature Pimm’s cup and really enjoyed it. It was light and refreshing.

Turkey and the Wolf

This small restaurant specializes in mixing low class food with high quality ingredients. I had the collard green ruben and it was shocking that greens could taste that good. I also had a frozen margarita which was delightful on a warm afternoon.

The Ruby Slipper Cafe

The Ruby Slipper Cafe has a bunch of locations and it is worth having brunch there at least once during your stay. It is best to be prepared to wait because it is another popular spot. They have a lot of unique dishes, often with a cajun influence.

Urban South Brewery 

Urban South Brewery is the perfect spot for a group. It is a wide open space with a diverse beer menu. 

Cafe Du Monde and Cafe Beignet

You have to try Beignets when you are in New Orleans. Cafe Du Monde is the more classic option. Cafe Beignet has a few more locations. One is situated in a courtyard and has a bar and live music. I can’t say that I have a favorite but either spot is worth a try!

Things to do

Swamp Tours- The Swamp tour is definitely worthwhile if you have a free morning in New Orleans. It is fun to take some time out of the city and see the local wildlife. I have done two tours with Cajun Encounters. I found that the tour guides are knowledgeable, interesting and funny. The entire trip does take about 4 hours.

The World War II Museum- The World War II museum is a museum with extensive resources and information. The museum is divided between Europe and the pacific. There are tons of detailed videos and exhibits with artifacts. I could certainly see that it is possible to spend an entire day there. We spent the entire morning. I found that it got a bit overwhelming after awhile. My favorite part of the museum is that there is a large atrium with suspended planes. There are different levels of catwalks in the atrium that allow you to get a closer look at the planes and read about them. This is definitely the perfect activity for a history buff!

The Botanical Gardens- The Botanical Gardens are located in City Park. It is relatively small but was not very crowded when we went. It was nice to have the gardens to ourselves for the most part. If you don’t want to spend the extra money to go to the Botanical Gardens, I would still recommend going to City Park. It is beautiful and there is plenty to see and do.

The Garden District- The Garden District is a great spot for a walking tour or to explore on your own. I haven’t done a tour in the past but I could see it being worthwhile. 

Frenchman Street- Frenchman street is a great spot for live music. There’s quite a few bars and clubs in the area. There’s also a night time market which has local artists and artisans sell items and souvenirs. 

Sazerac Tour- 

The Sazerac Tour is worth doing if you are interested in the cocktail history. It was pretty interesting and it is free. It is a relatively quick tour and there are a few free samples along the way. 

Transportation

During our November 2021 trip, We took Ubers to and from the airport. We also took Ubers to Shaya and City park/ the botanical garden. Otherwise, we walked. We would have liked to take the trolley to city park but it was out of service due to hurricane damage. I’ve taken the trolley once during a previous trip. It is worth doing for the experience but likely isn’t the most efficient form of travel. Otherwise, we walked. We stayed about 10 minutes from the French Quarter so it was easy to get there on foot. 

Hotels 

There are many hotels located in the French Quarter and surrounding downtown area. We stayed at the intercontinental. It was nice enough but a bit dated. It was nice to be a few blocks away from the French Quarter from a noise Perspective. I would suggest researching the best deals in the area.