The Most Anticipated New Orleans Restaurant Openings, Summer 2017

In New Orleans, summer brings both brutal, unrelenting heat, daily afternoon rain showers, and a brand new restaurant season. In the coming months, several hotly anticipated restaurants will join the scene. Some of these are hold-overs from the spring, while others are newly announced restaurant openings.

Here now, Eater’s summer restaurant preview. These are listed in alphabetical order, and statuses will be updated as they debut. See an opening missing below? Send it through the tipline.

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Bayou Meat Market

This new full-service butcher shop and eatery from the Bayou Wine Garden and Bayou Beer Garden team and Cochon Butcher alum is opening at 3301 Bienville at N. Rendon in Mid City soon. After it opens, it will add alcohol once permits go through. It won’t be a late night place though.

In addition to being a standalone shop, Bayou Meat Market will also supply its Bayou Beer Garden and Bayou Wine Garden with charcuterie and other meats for their bar menus and private parties.

Major Players: David and Virginia Demarest, Fiona Delargy, Dean DiSalvo, Leighann Smith, and Daniel Jackson

Location: 3301 Bienville at N. Rendon in Mid City

Status: Co-owner David Demarest confirmed that construction is on schedule for the anticipated opening.

Antipated Opening: Mid-August 2017

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Beth Biundo Sweets

The former Cleaver & Co. space at 3917 Baronne Street is being transformed into a retail and special order bakery selling cakes, cookies, tarts, coffee, and beverages. Ice cream and breakfast items will be added over time. No plans for a liquor license, but the shop will allow BYOB with no corkage. (Martin’s Wine Cellar is on the next block). Expect a bright, modern space with pale, polished concrete floors, custom cabinetry, and a banquette for seating. Menu highlights include coconut rum layer cake, blueberry buttermilk pound cake, citrus olive oil pound cake, chess pie bars, tart tatin.

Major Player: Beth Biundo, longtime Lilette pastry chef, interior designer, and proprietor of the occasional pop-up and regular online shop, Beth Biundo Sweets.

Location: 3917 Baronne St in the Milan neighborhood in the spot that formerly housed Cleaver & Co

Status: On schedule. The lease started June 1. Construction is in full swing.

Anticipated Opening: The original opening date was on July 1, but rain has slowed construction. The bakery will open in phases. Once the kitchen is complete and the health inspection has been completed, Biundo will start selling items online. Retail will likely be the last to open, possibly later in July.

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Brasa Churrasceria (OPEN)

Edgar Caro’s Brasa Churrasceria is heading to Old Metairie very soon. The new Brazilian steakhouse is opening in the space that was formerly the home of Château du Lac. Caro is the force behind Baru Bistro and Tapas, as well as Basin Seafood and Spirits, both on Magazine Street. A custom-built, wood-fired grill made of brick and iron will anchor much of the menu items. Expect: Latin American steak cuts like entraña and picanha, or sirloin cap (also known as culotte); chimichurri; filet mignon; aged steaks; whole fish; rotisserie chicken; short rib mac and cheese, grilled skewers of meat and seafood; soups and salads.

Major Player: Edgar Caro, chef and restaurateur behind Baru Bistro and Tapas and Basin Seafood and Spirits.

Location: 2037 Metairie Road in Old Metairie

Status: Caro says he’s planning a “soft opening” next week (week of June 11).

Anticipated Opening: OPEN

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Briquette

“Contemporary coastal” spot Briquette will open in the Warehouse District, the second restaurant the owners have planned to open in the Warehouse District this summer. Menu items will likely include lobster tamale with chorizo, tuna with smoked bacon risotto and honey ginger aioli, and adobo chicken with tasso pinenut corn pudding

Major Players: Chef Robert Vazquez and Lindsey Jo Vasquez, who run Opal Basil and Vive healthy meal service in Mandeville. Note: Opal Basil is relocating to the Warehouse District

Location: 701 South Peters in the Warehouse District

Anticipated Opening: Beginning to mid-August

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Bud’s Broiler

Bud’s Broiler is a favorite burger mini-chain in New Orleans, and River Ridge is getting one if its own just in time for summer. According to some neighborhood residents, there was one in the area years ago and this marks the return of the burger and hot dog spot. Either way, everyone is pretty stoked.

Major Players: Mel Zeigler, owner of Bud’s Broiler since 2015

Location: 10210 Jefferson Highway in River Ridge

Status: The lease was signed May 30.

Anticipated Opening: TBA, Summer 2017

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The Flying Pig

The former home of Kyoto sushi restaurant at 4920 Prytania Street will become a “casual, family-friendly Southern eatery” projected to open in July of this year. Rob Vance, former exec chef at Ruby Slipper and at Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts, and Kat Vance, a radio DJ, are behind the project. Anticipated menu items include: Lowcountry shrimp and grits, Caribbean-style fried chicken, smoked pork ribs, as well as a dedicated kids menu. Expect breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Major Players: New Orleans chef Rob Vance (formerly of Ruby Slipper and Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts) and the local rock radio DJ Kat Vance

Location: 4920 Prytania Street, former home of Kyoto sushi, Uptown

Status: Construction will begin soon.

Anticipated Opening: Beginning of August

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Juan’s Flying Burrito

This little switcheroo at the Magazine Street Slice Pizzeria (next to Whole Foods) has a lot of people really excited and a lot of people lamenting the closure of a favorite pizza spot. Either way, Slice Pizzeria has closed and Juan’s Flying Burrito will be serving margaritas, big burritos, and lots of guacamole in its spot. Both restaurants are from the same team.

Major Players: The team behind Slice and Juan’s Flying Burrito

Location: 5538 Magazine Street, Uptown

Anticipated Opening: Late July

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Opal Basil

This Southern meets Southwestern tapas-style restaurant is moving from Mandeville to a new home in the Warehouse District. Its owners, Chef Robert Vazquez and Lindsey Jo Vasquez, are opening Briquette at the same time as this one. The two restaurants are next to each other.

Major Players: Robert Vazquez and Lindsey Jo Vasquez

Location: 719 South Peters Street, Warehouse District

Anticipated Opening: Beginning to mid-August

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Saffron Nola

Possibly one of the most anticipated restaurants of the year, longtime Westbank caterer and Friday dinner spot Saffron Nola will open this summer in the former Saveur/Baie Rouge space.

Major Players: Vilkhu family— including Saffron Nola founder and chef Arvinder Vilkhu

Location: 4128 Magazine Street

Status: Construction is almost over. The final hurdle will be inspections.

Anticipated Opening: July 2017

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Tito Ceviche and Pisco

The vine-covered building on Magazine Street, home to a dizzying number of restaurants over the years, is getting a new tenant: Peruvian restaurant, Tito Ceviche and Pisco. Expect a complete renovation of the building, making the interior much brighter. Expect lots of Pisco too.

Major Players: Juan and Tatiana Lock

Location: 5015 Magazine St., in the former Ivy space

Status: So far on target for anticipated opening.

Anticipated Opening: Early August

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SAFFRON NOLA

4128 Magazine Street, , LA 70115 (504) 323-2626 Visit Website

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Bud's Broiler

5115 Canal Boulevard, , LA 70124 (504) 488-2837 Visit Website

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Juan's Flying Burrito

2018 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 504-569-0000

Opal Basil

719 S. Peters Street, New Orleans,