If there’s two things I love to talk about, it’s my love for New Orleans and my love for good food. Here is a list of my favorite date spots and go-to recommendations for visitors.

Mosquito Supper Club:
With a huge focus on sustainability this cozy Cajun, seafood forward pre-fixe restaurant only seats twice a night, and family style. A very laid back atmosphere, it’s actually an old shotgun house converted into a restaurant.

St. Germain:
A newer resident of the up and coming Bywater neighborhood. It’s inside of an old double shotgun house and it lends to the homey vibe of the place. Tasting menu only. This place holds GQ’s Best New Restaurant in 2020 and Food&Wine’s Best New Chefs in ‘21. 

Coquette:
One of my favorite staples. Their menu often features innovative takes on Southern cooking, with a menu that rotates seasonally. My recommendation is always to book the blind tasting. The atmosphere is inviting and sophisticated, and just a few blocks away from my favorite lingerie store.

August:
Elegance, impeccable service and famous food. A tried and true classic.

Herbsaint:
A Mediterranean fusion restaurant from the same minds that brought us Cochon and Peche (two other amazing places). More of a locals vibe than your average New Orleans institution.

N7:
Tucked away in the Bywater neighborhood, N7 is dripping in Euro charm. The restaurants name is from a highway that once ran from Paris to the border of Italy. The Michelin Guide served to direct vacationing Parisians to the mom and pop restaurants popping up in farmhouses and hotels along the way—Hence the origin of the Michelin Star. Cozy and candlelit inside, with a gorgeous, breezy, ambient courtyard outside. Great food, great drinks, and off the beaten path of the French Quarter.

Chermin a La Mer:
Upstairs at the Four Seasons hotel boasts the cutest Art Deco restaurant with seriously incredible views of the Mississippi. The fried chicken is a must. 

Mister Mao’s:
For the more adventurous this is a great newer restaurant that pushes the envelope of fusion articulately and innovatively. It’s a lively atmosphere and on the spicier side of flavors so it’s not for the faint of heart.

Bayona:
A charming little cottage with a gorgeous patio. Bayona is woman owned and operated and unforgettably delicious. The veal sweetbreads are a must.

Notable Mentions:

Peche, Cochon, GW Fins, Doris Metropolitan, Turkey & The Wolf, SeaWorthy.

Cocktails:

Bar Marilou - adventurous cocktails in a cozy lush speakeasy, sometimes featuring local music. 

Cure - uptown cocktails and nibbles

Carousel - a tourist classic for good reason- it’s a spinning carousel bar with delicious drinks.

Hotel Roosevelt - The birthplace of the Ramos Gin Fizz and a great place to grab a Sazerac.

St. Germain Restaurant - an impressive wine selection and an outdoor patio for drinks if not dining in.

Tell Me Bar - for natural wines.