New Orleans, LA Recommendations
Ahh, the Big Easy. Food. Drink. Decadence. Sometimes filth (hello Bourbon Street). This is a city with a festive dark side and a serious food scene. Each time I've been, I walk around checking things out while getting a slight buzz (yay, no open container law), and then reward myself with sinful Creole food. I suggest you do the same.
Food:
Cochon - Trendy, yet down home. modern, yet rustic. Indulge in some traditional Southern food here
Cochon Butcher - fast casual sister restaurant of the one above - the muffalata is respectable, but my favorite NOLA muffuletta is at Central Grocery. It's an old school grocery store with a deli counter and the muffulettas are HUGE and shareable. They are a must grab - and they do make it through TSA, if you were wondering :)
Atchafalaya - Great for both brunch (bloody mary bar!) and dinner, the Creole food here is A+. The fried green tomato and shrimp & grits brought tears of joy to our eyes
Arnaud's and Brennan's - these are French Quarter staples of Creole fine dining. Touristy, but a rite of passage and a highly enjoyable dinner at each; make sure to get bananas foster for dessert
Commander's Palace - Again, a NOLA institution, but set in a stately mansion in the Garden District (around the corner from Sandra Bullock's house)
Emeril's New Orleans - do yourself a favor and get the BBQ shrimp appetizer
Willie Mae's Scotch House - off the beaten path in Treme, the down home fried chicken, butter beans, and red beans and rice (and long line) was SO worth it!
Acme Oysters - this was so hyped to me and when I finally ended up being able to avoid the lines and get charbroiled oysters here, the ones at the Bourbon House were much better! In my opinion, skip Acme, get the oysters in a nicer setting at the Bourbon House and enjoy one of their bourbon milkshakes
Court of Two Sisters - huge, NOLA style jazz buffet brunch in the heart of the French Quarter; ask to sit outside in the gorgeous courtyard
Sylvain's - delicious brunch with great cocktails and a hipster vibe
Cafe du Monde - super over hyped beignets with a massive line; I was able to get some from a waiter to go without waiting in line. While they are good, I'm sure there's other places to grab them if you aren't into a long wait. And if you do want to wait, at least grab a drink to keep you occupied
Bars:
Sazarac Bar at the Roosevelt New Orleans - cool off from the heat with a cocktail in this dark bar that takes you back to the 20s
Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone - very entertaining with the revolving carousel, people watching, and great cocktails. People watching bonus if it's an LSU game day
Pat O'Briens - it's obligatory to stop here and have at least one hurricane on a trip to NOLA; have it outside in their courtyard and enjoy the people watching
Fat Tuesdays, Big Easy Daiquiris, and all the other frozen drink bars - when it's hot out, grab one of these massive daiquiris and stroll French Quarter
W.I.N.O. - Wine Institute of New Orleans. One of my all time favorite bars. Load up a card and enjoy all their wines on tap at your own leisure. Yummy small plates are available for snacks
Activities:
Frenchmen's Street - leave the French Quarter and head over to this area for some live music. There's a few different bars and you can hop into any one that has live music throughout the night. I went to d.b.a and thoroughly enjoyed the mix of soul, funk, and blues. Check out the art/craft show on Frenchmen's, too, if it's open - cute, local goods
French Quarter Ghost Tour - get into the spirit of NOLA's dark history and do one of these tours. You can drink while being entertained by the local guides. We did Bloody Mary's tour
Tour of St. Louis Cemetery (no. 1) - check out the grave of voodoo queen Marie Laveau, as well as where Easy Rider was shot
Taste your way through the French Market
Hotels: Hotels here can get a bit pricey, especially those in the French Quarter. I like to obviously spend my fair share of time in the Quarter, but also like exploring the Garden District, Central Business District, etc., so I save a little bit of money by staying right off the Quarter at the Le Meridien
