Things To Do
Frenchmen Street
Much better than Bourbon Street. Take a walk down Frenchmen and pop into the bars along the way. Most will have live music during the weekend nights. If you don't like a particular song, just wander next door to see who is playing there! There's also a local art market, brass bands on the street, and food along the way. 13 Monagan has tachos (nachos but with tater tots instead of chips as the base) to help soak up alcohol (vegan options available). Or try Dat Dog for gourmet hot dogs (vegan options) and Cafe Negril (at the back of the bar that will have live music playing) for burritos and tacos (vegan options). Don't forget - you can carry your drinks around with you as long as they're in plastic containers. Feel free to grab a bite and a to-go drink and walk Frenchmen! Check out Livewire for a calendar of live music: https://www.wwoz.org/calendar/livewire-music.
Blue Nile
Where we met! See who is playing here and everywhere else at https://www.wwoz.org/calendar/livewire-music.
City Park
Our escape out of the house most weekends. Enjoy the sculpture gardens, amusement park, green, and water. With many acres to explore, it's easy to get lost. Also houses the new Children's Museum and the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA).
Studio Be
Visual art housed in a 35,000 sq. ft. warehouse depicting the stories of revolutionaries, heroes, and everyday New Orleanians. Guided or independent tours are available.
Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Southern art with rotating exhibitions (and community events). We love stopping in on a Sunday afternoon to explore.
Whitney Plantation
If you have the time to get out of the city for a bit and see some history, this tour is a must. At the Whitney, the tour is the slave experience with stories of the enslaved men, women, and children who built and operated the home and sugar cane fields. It is brilliantly done, educational, and highly recommended.
Preservation Hall
A great venue with good music. We recommend buying seats in advance if you hate lines. If you don't mind a wait, get there early and grab yourself some drinks to make the wait more enjoyable.
Second Line Brewing
For the beers.
Twelve Mile Limit
One of our favorite dive bars. Mean cocktails and a social conscience of gold.
Broad Street Cider
Cider lovers' heaven.
Pal's Lounge
One of our faves. A dive bar that plays in the legit bar league with options for both the trashiest among us and the ones seeking inventive drinks (Cort highly recommends the Helen F**king Mirren). Come with your ID (no matter your age) and if you're not a US citizen, bring your passport (lesson learned the hard way).
Fritai Haitian Street Food
This place serves incredible Haitian food. Lots of tasty vegan options (you must try the akra and the mushroom tofu fritai and the smothered greens. . . ) as well as omnivore choices. Something for everyone! Fritai is owned and led by our dear friend, Charly. If you've never tried Haitian food, love it, or are just looking for something super yummy to eat, Fritai is the spot. A James Beard 2022 Semifinalist! (Charly, we are so proud of you!)
MOPHO
Cortney's happy place. Asian fusion food with to-die-for-cocktails, a seasonal menu, and daily specials. Enjoy happy hour from 4pm-6pm on weekdays. Gluten-free and vegans will find solid and yummy eats.
Blue Oak BBQ
Why our house always smells so good.
Surrey's Uptown
Our first date and a killer breakfast. There's two Surrey's - this one just tends to have shorter lines.
Backatown Coffee Parlour
Amazing coffee. Incredible pastries and food. Great vegan options.
Willie Mae's Scotch House
Alex's go-to for fried chicken. He highly, HIGHLY recommends and it's worth the wait!
I-tal Garden
Southern comfort food but it’s all vegan. And delicious. We love this spot and can’t say no to their cauli-wings. Gluten-frees can find a good meal here too.
Sweet Soulfood
Vegans rejoice! This is AH-MAZING vegan southern comfort food! Mac and cheese, greens, and ice cream. It's cafeteria style so you can eat as much as you can('t) handle!
Meals From the Heart Cafe
Located in the heart of the French Market, we can vouch for their real and their vegan crab cakes. No frills, lots of flavour. (Celiacs can make their crab cakes GF.)
Meril
One of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants. Inventive cocktails, good food, and great vegan options.
Carmo
A Caribbean eatery with lots of amazing vegan options. Get the ceviche if you like fish. We adore the Esmeralda Salad (made vegan or not) and the Brazilian breads. And always check their specials board. Gluten-free friends, this is a good option.
Breads On Oak
All vegan! Pastries, sandwiches, salads, and coffee. We never leave without bags and bags of goodies. (Not gluten-free friendly, sadly.)
BEARCAT CBD
Great spot for a breakfast bite. The Good Cat menu is if you want to eat well but healthy and the Bad Cat menu is for those good and greasy breakfasts. Very accommodating for all dietary restrictions and lots of choices for vegans and GF. There's an uptown location too.
Addis Nola - Ethiopian
We love this spot for Ethiopian. Cort always gets the veggie combo. Ask for their homemade spice blends on the side! GFF (gluten-free friends) - sorry but their injera isn't GF unless ordered 3 days in advance. They will give you rice instead, though.
Sneaky Pickle & Bar Brine
Omnivore eats but lip-smackingly GF and vegan eats too. During the day, grab lunch at Sneaky Pickle (mac&cheese, sammies). At night, dine at Bar Brine on duck breast, pasta, and refined veg avec cocktail. We love the mac&cheese, the Reuben, and their veggies.
Parkway Bakery & Tavern
An institution for po'boys. No frills, just downright good food. Expect a line most nights.
Killer PoBoys
Down in the Quarter, stop here for twists on the classic po'boy sammies. Vegans, they've got at least one po'boy a day for you and it is tasty!
Afrodisiac
Jamaican-Creole fusion. A small menu but a delicious one. Vegans will have a good meal too, all clearly marked on the menu.
Turkey and the Wolf
Known for its sandwiches. Bon Appetit named it America's Best New Restaurant when it opened in 2017 and Food & Wine Magazine named it one of the year's best restaurants. It was a semi-finalist in 2019 for the James Beard award for the Best Chef South. So yea, they're pretty good sandwiches. Vegetarians, try the collard green melt which is supposedly heavenly (vegans, you've got an option too!).
Palm&Pine
Seriously good friend with a seasonal menu updated often. International dishes with a NOLA flair. Serving brunch too.
Toast
There are two Toasts: French Toast in the Quarter and this one by the Fairgrounds (in Gentlily, where Jazz Fest is held). Call ahead about the waits. We love this breakfast spot for a boozy hangover breakfast to get you back on your drinking feet. Gluten-free options are available. Vegans, Cort loves the avocado toast with ratatouille (no butter or egg). Add a side green salad to pile on top because the dressing is so damn good.
Toups Meatery
Toup's will meet all your meat needs! Isaac Toups, from Top Chef, is the sweetest guy and he and his family are incredibly generous to the community. They fed 1000s of people during the pandemic for free. Boudin balls, duck paté, dirty rice - the menu changes with the season but it's always meat-front and always delicious. Veggies and vegans - you're limited here but Cort craves the pickle plate and they often end up making killer side dishes. Cocktails are impeccable too; we recommend the beet martini!
Thaihey NOLA
Lipsmacking amazing Thai food in a city not known for its Thai food. (The other spot: Secret Thai all the way out in Chalmette.) A tiny hole in a French Quarter wall, done up all swanky and with a small but perfectly executed menu of “elevated” Thai food (read: not street food). There's an omnivore and a vegan menu. Gluten-free options also available.
Le Chat Noir
This is what happens when a wine bar gets into proverbial bed with the owners of Bearcat. This is one of Cort’s fav new spots. Rejoice GFF and vegans - loads of scrumptious options and all clearly labelled. Cocktails are on point, wine list is manageable but well-selected. Innovative, seasonal dishes that deliver flavour in heaps. We’ve heard the roast chicken is actually a must not miss and choose one (or all) of a myriad of veg dishes.
Tour à NOLA
Looking for a walking tour of the French Quarter or a NOLA music history tour? Or do you want to be taken to the best spots on Frenchmen St.? Contact Tour à NOLA for a unique walking tour. Is there something specific you want to see / learn about? Drop them an email and they will build out your own, personalized tour! Owned and operated by our great neighbor, Jeremy, you'll be in good hands. Pro tip: wanna do a tour in French for some reason? He can do that!
Flambeaux Bicycle Tours & Bike Rentals
Want to explore the city by bike instead of on foot? Check out Flambeaux Bike Tours who will show you NOLA on two wheels. Bike, helmet, and water are supplied. If you book, ask for Jeremy! They'll also rent you bikes if you don't want the tour but you do want the wheels.
Hottest Hell Tours
Looking for a scary tour or a guide to the dark side of NOLA? Check out Hottest Hell Tours to discover the underworld.