7 New Spots to Try This Weekend in Nola

New Orleans is bustling with restaurant openings these days, it's true. While some of these spots snuck open during Mardi Gras, you can go on knowing Eater has your back. Here are the newest spots in town to try in New Orleans this weekend.

Brasted

Saveur

Chef Dominique Macquet is at the helm of this new French bistro and wine hub, which quietly took over the colorful Baie Rouge space just this week. Though the menu is still undergoing some adjustments, the restaurant is open for dinner. Hours: Monday to Thursday 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. and Friday to Saturday 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Website here.

[Photo: Brasted]

Brasted

Shaya

Alon Shaya, the man who brought regional Italian cooking to New Orleans with Domenica and Pizza Domenica (restaurants opened in partnership with John Besh) has created a restaurant concept close to his heart and executed with the same focus and precision of all his previous endeavors. Shaya is an Israeli restaurant which combines classic dishes and flavor combinations with Chef Alon's contemporary and creative spin. Note: the pita, usually just a hummus delivery device, is handmade in a specialty wood burning oven and is excellent on its own. Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11am-10pm, Fri/Sat, 11am-11pm. Website here.

[Photo: Brasted]

Balise

La Petite Grocery team Justin and Mia Devillier have brought a new game downtown with their new concept, a sophisticated "bar and parlour" which features a cold garde manger menu as well as dishes like rabbit roulade and roasted grouper for lunch and dinner. The original cocktail menu is impressive, along with the selection of beer and wine. Hours: Monday through Friday, 11am-11pm, open for dinner only on the weekends, 5-11pm Saturday and 5-10pm on Sunday. Website here.

[Photo: Brasted]

Press Street Station

This cafe, which supports the New Orleans Center of Creative Arts, mixes the culinary and visual arts to create a homey, intimate, stimulating environment in which food from SoBou alum Jonathan Schmidt. The menu includes salads, sandwiches, and entrees like the intriguingly named "Darn Good Chicken Tostones." Hours: Daily, 8am-8pm. BYOB. Website here.

[Photo: Facebook]

Boucherie

Not new, but moved and improved. The Boucherie crew has moved to bigger digs around the corner on S. Carrollton Ave, in order to make way for its new daiq & wing concept at the old Creole cottage on Jeanette. Enjoy more elbow room, light, and a whole new vibe. Hours: Open for lunch: 11am - 3pm and dinner: 5:30 - 9:30 Tues. - Sat. Website here.

[Photo: Brasted]

Pulp & Grind

The CBD/Warehouse District has a new coffee shop and juice bar from the minds behind Satsuma with everything fresh and house made pastries to boot. They just opened yesterday, so it's now a weekend (or Monday morning) downtown destination for fueling up in the morning. Hours: opens at 6:30am. Website here.

[Photo: Facebook]

Black Penny

Erin Rose alum Bert West and Bar Tonique owner Ed Diaz opened this place on N. Rampart to be a casual. neighborhood, hangout spot. They have cocktails and craft beer cans, but other than that it's a bit of a mystery (thus the old timey photo above). Check it out and report back! Hours: 4pm-till. Website here.

[Photo: Facebook]

Make sure to check out the February Heatmap and Eater 38 for more dining suggestions.