The city of New Orleans has gained the reputation of one of the biggest party cities on this side of the Atlantic. The Mardi Gras celebrations which occur once a year, usually in February, have built a global perception of the city connected predominately with these events. Moreover, while New Orleans Mardi Gras is a spectacular event many other New Orleans staples get overlooked. After all this city is the birthplace of jazz, cocktails and is one of the must visit foodie destinations in the United States.
A day in New Orleans cannot start without a warm cup of freshly brewed chicory blended coffee and a beignet. Beignet, a deep-fried pastry made with choux pastry dough, is similar to a fritter. The choux pastry causes the beignets to be very light and fluffy which makes them a great item for a light breakfast. Beignets originated from France, however New Orleans has really made them their own by serving them with a large amount of powdered sugar you can use for dipping. By far the most famous location for beignets in the city is Café Du Monde. The coffee shop is located on the banks of the Mississippi River next to Jackson Square in the French Quarter. There are not many things better than starting your day off with coffee and a beignet enjoying the vast outdoor space of the café and looking over the river on one side and the city’s main square on the other. Another location to satisfy your sweet tooth in the morning is Café Beignet on Royal Street. This restaurant however has a full menu and an intimate atmosphere. Often at night there is a life musician adding to the ambience.
If you are looking for somewhere to recover from a late night, you should take the St. Charles Avenue tram and head to the Uptown area of the city. The tram is an experience on its own but also passing the Garden District and the famous Lafayette Cemetery No.1 are an added bonus. At the last stop of the tram on St Charles Avenue is the famous The Camellia Grill. The location opened in the forties and the atmosphere has not changed much since. You might think this is just another diner, but wait to pass judgement until you have their Turkey BLT or one of their famous omelets. All your doubts will disappear.
New Orleans breakfast is delicious, but you should not forget to try some amazing Creole and Soul food for lunch. Creole cuisine in New Orleans is a mix of many different types of styles but most notably French and US southern cooking. There are two restaurants, Willie Mae’s Scotch House and Dooky Chase Restaurant, which are beloved by locals and visitors alike. Willie Mae’s has had its doors open since the fifties and has received the James Beard Award for an American Classic Restaurant. The restaurant is not very big and the menu is equally as short and straightforward. However, you definitely do not need a large menu or a fancy décor if everything you do prepare comes out amazing. Try the tenders with a cornbread muffin and some sweat tea for the most authentic soul food experience. Dooky Chase on the other hand is a more sit-down type of a restaurant. It has been a staple in the city for decades and it was used as a meeting spot for civil rights activists and musicians. Recently two US Presidents have made it a point to stop in the restaurant and to try the famous Gumbo prepared with the recipe of Leyah Chase, the Queen of Creole Cuisine.
The food scene in New Orleans is always growing and adapting. So, while there are numerous historic locations that have earned high praise through the years there are new location that have diversified the food scene. One such restaurant is Shaya, bringing upscale cuisine from Israel, Bulgaria, Turkey and the rest of the Mediterranean. Most of the food is shareable and the cocktails are excellent as well. The real highlight of this James Beard Award winning restaurant however is the freshly made pitas, which are made to order. Add on some feta, oil and hummus and you will not need much more to satisfy your hunger.
If you thought that, your day was ending once you were done with dinner you must have not realized that you are in New Orleans. The city is also famous for its cocktails of past and present. In fact, Antoine Peychaud invented America’s first cocktail over a century ago in the French Quarter. The Sazerac cocktail includes rye whiskey or cognac mixed with a small amount of Absinthe and bitters. One of the unique places to enjoy this and other cocktails in the city is the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone. As the name suggests the main bar rotates and looks like a classic carousel. However if you like some music with your cocktails the place for you is Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub. Fritzel’s is another classic New Orleans location, which is known for being the oldest operated Jazz club in the city. Yet Sazerac is not the only cocktail that brings fame to the city. More recently, the drink of choice for visitors has become the Hurricane. This mix of rum, lemon juice and passion fruit syrup was originally created at Pat O’Briens. To this day Pat O’Briens is the best place to enjoy the cocktail. Whether on the large patio or the piano lounge, which features dueling pianos daily.
Visiting Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a special experience but you should consider staying longer or traveling to the city at other times as well. The city is packed with unique culinary and musical talent that will have you coming back for more.
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