John Besh Revives a Classic New Orleans Restaurant This Friday

Legendary jacket-required restaurant The Caribbean Room, once the host of numerous celebrities and celebrated New Orleans regulars, returns to the Garden District this Friday, June 17, with Besh Group now running the show, Ann Maloney reports.

The Caribbean Room will feature seating for 72 in a lush white-tablecloth setting, complete with a 'balmy palm motif.' Executive chef Chris Lusk will bring back some of the restaurant's classic dishes—including Filet de Boeuf and the famed Mile High Pie— alongside a menu of contemporary Creole.

The restaurant is located inside the historic Pontchartrain Hotel, which just underwent a swanky $10 million revamp from investor group AJ Capital including Archie Manning's son Cooper Manning, in an effort to restore the 106-room beauty back to its illustrious heyday, dating back to 1927.

At the location, Besh is also resurrecting:

• Bayou Bar (where the deal for the Saints was originally signed) with whiskey, beer and bar snacks on the menu.
• Silver Whistle Café, home to giant blueberry muffins from Willa Jean and a high-quality coffee program.
• Hot Tin, the hotel's brand new rooftop bar with panoramic views of the city and a cocktail program created by former Swizzle Stick bar manager Benton Bourgeois.