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A plate with a pan-seared filet of fish topped with lump crabmeat and meuniere sauce.
Pompano meuniere with crabmeat from Galatoire’s.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Taste New Orleans History at These Classic Creole Restaurants

Expect turtle soup, shrimp Clemenceau, and bread pudding

by Beth D'Addono
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Pompano meuniere with crabmeat from Galatoire’s.
| Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA
by Beth D'Addono

New Orleans is arguably the only American city with its own singularly distinctive cuisine. Sure, there are iconic dishes in every food town, from Chicago deep dish (and tavern-style) pizza to Memphis barbecue, but New Orleans has its own special gastronomy that draws hungry diners from all points of the globe. Not to be confused with rustic Cajun cuisine eaten by French Acadians living among swamps, bayous, and prairies, Creole fare was favored by city dwellers in New Orleans. A European-centric history of the cuisine gives outsized credit to French and Spanish immigrants, but the culinary traditions of enslaved Africans and Choctaw Indians were central to the evolution of Creole cooking, and the prevalence of ingredients like mirliton, crawfish, and snapper.

Below are 14 New Orleans restaurants that showcase the best of Creole cuisine, from new school to old, counter-service to fine dining.

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The Munch Factory

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Located in Ponchartrain Park in the Joseph M. Bartholomew golf course clubhouse, the Munch Factory offers creatively imagined Creole cuisine along with a wide selection of casual salads, sandwiches, and comfort food. CIA-trained chef Jordan Ruiz and his wife and business partner Alexis, both born and bred in Gentilly, welcome guests with deeply layered gumbo, shrimp and grits, and blackened Gulf fish.

6514 Congress Dr, New Orleans, LA 70126
(504) 459-2180
(504) 459-2180
Oysters Gentilly from Munch Factory.
The Munch Factory/Official

Also featured in:

Dooky Chase Restaurant

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It’s no wonder Dooky Chase’s remains one of the city’s most legendary fine dining destinations, thanks to the decades of hard work by the “Queen of Creole cuisine,” Leah Chase, who remained in the kitchen until her death at age 96. The Treme institution continues to serve some of the oldest, less-common Creole dishes of the past, like gumbo z’herbes on Holy Thursday, shrimp Clemenceau (a dish of shrimp, potatoes, mushrooms, and peas topped), and chicken Creole.

2301 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 821-0600
(504) 821-0600
A table with a white tablecloth has a bowl of gumbo filled with seafood.
Creole gumbo from Dooky Chase’s.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

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Saint John

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Chefs Eric Cook and Daren Porretto channel the Creole wayback machine at Saint John, the art-filled restaurant in the upper Quarter. The menu dishes retro Creole dishes like crispy chicken Clemenceau, with fresh peas, mushrooms, potatoes, and tasso swimming in a flavorful jus.                

1117 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 581-8120
(504) 581-8120
Oysters Saint John.
Randy Schmidt/Saint John

Also featured in:

Cafe Sbisa

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Chef-partner Alfred Singleton, who started as a busboy, now commands the kitchen at Cafe Sbisa, the century-old brasserie on Decatur Street. The ambiance is elegant and moody, especially on the balcony seating overlooking the uplit bar. Savor the Louisiana blue crab cakes, fried oysters Sbisa served over creamed spinach with Tabasco hollandaise, and rich turtle soup laced with sherry. 

1011 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 522-5565
(504) 522-5565
Street view of Cafe Sbisa, a local business in NOLA, exterior signage hangs above a store in South Louisiana. Shutterstock

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Antoine's Restaurant

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Antoine’s, owned and operated by fifth-generation kin to founder Antoine Alciatore, opened its doors to serve fine Creole cuisine in 1840. More than 180 years later, this grand dame is still the oldest continuously operating, family-owned restaurant in America. Here, against a warren of Mardi Gras-themed dining rooms and impressive architecture, storied dishes like oysters Rockefeller, eggs Sardou, and the potato clouds of pommes de terre souffles were born.

713 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 581-4422
(504) 581-4422
Inside Antoine's
One of the dining rooms at Antoine’s.
Antoine’s

Also featured in:

Broussard's Restaurant & Courtyard

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Broussard’s turned 100 in 2020 so naturally, the party is still going on. With executive chef Jimi Setchim steering the French Creole ship, Broussard’s menu offers both traditional and more modern takes on New Orleans classics. His shrimp, foie, and boudin croquettes are a wonder; same for the bronzed redfish with lemon beurre blanc. Courtyard dining is a special option.

819 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 581-3866
(504) 581-3866
Gulf shrimp etouffee from Mr. B’s.
Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard

Also featured in:

Arnaud's

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At 104, Arnaud’s is a Creole heavyweight. Start the experience with an amazing cocktail at the French 75 bar then settle into the stunning tiled dining room, with its glowing chandeliers, flickering candlelight, and tall leaded-glass windows. Feast on shrimp Arnaud in a tangy remoulade sauce, trout amandine, and on and on.

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 523-5433
(504) 523-5433
Dessert and a show at Arnaud’s
Arnaud’s

Also featured in:

Galatoire's

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Of course, Galatoire’s remains a classic, although holding onto that title is never guaranteed. The most entertaining option is to go for Friday lunch, when a who’s who of the Uptown crowd drink, table-hop, and raise the decibel level noticeably as the afternoon progresses. Just be sure to block out the rest of the day, and get the turtle soup, crab Maison, and crawfish etouffee.

209 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 525-2021
(504) 525-2021
A plate with a pan-seared filet of fish topped with lump crabmeat and meuniere sauce.
Pompano meuniere with crabmeat is a Galatoire’s classic.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Also featured in:

Bourbon House

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Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House is an oasis on Bourbon Street, a beacon of fine brown liquor and Creole dishes like seafood and sausage gumbo, Bourbon shrimp and grits, and fried Des Allemands catfish. Those lockers on the side of the restaurant? That’s where serious tipplers store their hooch.

144 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 522-0111
(504) 522-0111
NEW ORLEANS - JUNE 09: Rickey Lee shucks Louisiana oysters from area 7 at the Bourbon House restaurant on June 9, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Oysters at Bourbon House.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Also featured in:

Mr. B's Bistro

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A beacon of hospitality and fine Creole cuisine, with some Cajun cooking in the mix, Mr. B’s has been true blue to Louisiana cuisine since Cindy Brennan opened the restaurant in 1979. Signature items include a glossy dark gumbo ya-ya, barbecue shrimp, wood-grilled local fish, and a luscious Creole bread pudding with whiskey sauce.

201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-2078
(504) 523-2078

Also featured in:

Palace Café

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Housed in the historic Werlein’s music building at the foot of Canal, Palace Cafe is such a pretty spot, thankfully opened again after Hurricane Ida wreaked some havoc. Another Dickie Brennan spot, Palace Cafe has a nice mix of traditional and modern dishes, from turtle soup and catfish pecan to a decadent crabmeat cheesecake. The crab claws marinated in a Creole vinaigrette wake up the palate to start.

605 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-1661
(504) 523-1661
The bar at Palace Cafe.
Brasted/Eater NOLA

Also featured in:

Brigtsen's Restaurant

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Prize pupil of legendary chef Paul Prudhomme, Frank Brigtsen, opened this namesake restaurant in a cozy Riverbend shotgun with his wife, Marna, in 1986. Since then, Brigtsen has become one of the most respected chefs in New Orleans with his modern but familiar Creole cuisine, like New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp with calas, a once nearly extinct fried rice ball that street vendors used to sell near the French Market and at Congo Square.

723 Dante St, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 861-7610
(504) 861-7610
New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp with shrimp calas from Brigsten’s.
Brigtsen’s

Also featured in:

Commander's Palace

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Commanding the table since 1893, Commander’s Palace sets the highest of hospitality bars reflecting the late Ella Brennan’s laser-focused attention to detail. This Victorian Creole palace in the Garden District creates memorable experiences at every time of the day, from jazz brunch to a weekday martini lunch to dinner. Chef Meg Bickford brings a deft eye to every plate, paying homage to the past while always looking ahead. Her Creole gumbo is one of the best in town.

1403 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 899-8221
(504) 899-8221
Commander’s Palace restaurant on Washington Avenue, a long, shotgun-style building with wood shingles painted in robin egg’s blue with white trim and lined with a blue and white striped awning.
Outside Commander’s Palace.
Shutterstock

Also featured in:

Clancy's Restaurant

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A bastion of the Uptown seersucker set, Clancy’s on Annunciation preserves the hallowed halls of tradition with the likes of grilled pompano, sauteed veal liver with crispy onions, and smoked duck with dirty rice. Non-regulars can expect to get the once over, at least until that first martini is shaken and served.

6100 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 895-1111
(504) 895-1111
Clancy’s famous fried oysters with brie.
Bill Addison/Eater

Also featured in:

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The Munch Factory

6514 Congress Dr, New Orleans, LA 70126

Located in Ponchartrain Park in the Joseph M. Bartholomew golf course clubhouse, the Munch Factory offers creatively imagined Creole cuisine along with a wide selection of casual salads, sandwiches, and comfort food. CIA-trained chef Jordan Ruiz and his wife and business partner Alexis, both born and bred in Gentilly, welcome guests with deeply layered gumbo, shrimp and grits, and blackened Gulf fish.

6514 Congress Dr, New Orleans, LA 70126
(504) 459-2180
(504) 459-2180
Oysters Gentilly from Munch Factory.
The Munch Factory/Official

Dooky Chase Restaurant

2301 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

It’s no wonder Dooky Chase’s remains one of the city’s most legendary fine dining destinations, thanks to the decades of hard work by the “Queen of Creole cuisine,” Leah Chase, who remained in the kitchen until her death at age 96. The Treme institution continues to serve some of the oldest, less-common Creole dishes of the past, like gumbo z’herbes on Holy Thursday, shrimp Clemenceau (a dish of shrimp, potatoes, mushrooms, and peas topped), and chicken Creole.

2301 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 821-0600
(504) 821-0600
A table with a white tablecloth has a bowl of gumbo filled with seafood.
Creole gumbo from Dooky Chase’s.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Saint John

1117 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Chefs Eric Cook and Daren Porretto channel the Creole wayback machine at Saint John, the art-filled restaurant in the upper Quarter. The menu dishes retro Creole dishes like crispy chicken Clemenceau, with fresh peas, mushrooms, potatoes, and tasso swimming in a flavorful jus.                

1117 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 581-8120
(504) 581-8120
Oysters Saint John.
Randy Schmidt/Saint John

Cafe Sbisa

1011 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Chef-partner Alfred Singleton, who started as a busboy, now commands the kitchen at Cafe Sbisa, the century-old brasserie on Decatur Street. The ambiance is elegant and moody, especially on the balcony seating overlooking the uplit bar. Savor the Louisiana blue crab cakes, fried oysters Sbisa served over creamed spinach with Tabasco hollandaise, and rich turtle soup laced with sherry. 

1011 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 522-5565
(504) 522-5565
Street view of Cafe Sbisa, a local business in NOLA, exterior signage hangs above a store in South Louisiana. Shutterstock

Antoine's Restaurant

713 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Antoine’s, owned and operated by fifth-generation kin to founder Antoine Alciatore, opened its doors to serve fine Creole cuisine in 1840. More than 180 years later, this grand dame is still the oldest continuously operating, family-owned restaurant in America. Here, against a warren of Mardi Gras-themed dining rooms and impressive architecture, storied dishes like oysters Rockefeller, eggs Sardou, and the potato clouds of pommes de terre souffles were born.

713 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 581-4422
(504) 581-4422
Inside Antoine's
One of the dining rooms at Antoine’s.
Antoine’s

Broussard's Restaurant & Courtyard

819 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70112

Broussard’s turned 100 in 2020 so naturally, the party is still going on. With executive chef Jimi Setchim steering the French Creole ship, Broussard’s menu offers both traditional and more modern takes on New Orleans classics. His shrimp, foie, and boudin croquettes are a wonder; same for the bronzed redfish with lemon beurre blanc. Courtyard dining is a special option.

819 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 581-3866
(504) 581-3866
Gulf shrimp etouffee from Mr. B’s.
Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard

Arnaud's

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112

At 104, Arnaud’s is a Creole heavyweight. Start the experience with an amazing cocktail at the French 75 bar then settle into the stunning tiled dining room, with its glowing chandeliers, flickering candlelight, and tall leaded-glass windows. Feast on shrimp Arnaud in a tangy remoulade sauce, trout amandine, and on and on.

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 523-5433
(504) 523-5433
Dessert and a show at Arnaud’s
Arnaud’s

Galatoire's

209 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Of course, Galatoire’s remains a classic, although holding onto that title is never guaranteed. The most entertaining option is to go for Friday lunch, when a who’s who of the Uptown crowd drink, table-hop, and raise the decibel level noticeably as the afternoon progresses. Just be sure to block out the rest of the day, and get the turtle soup, crab Maison, and crawfish etouffee.

209 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 525-2021
(504) 525-2021
A plate with a pan-seared filet of fish topped with lump crabmeat and meuniere sauce.
Pompano meuniere with crabmeat is a Galatoire’s classic.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Bourbon House

144 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House is an oasis on Bourbon Street, a beacon of fine brown liquor and Creole dishes like seafood and sausage gumbo, Bourbon shrimp and grits, and fried Des Allemands catfish. Those lockers on the side of the restaurant? That’s where serious tipplers store their hooch.

144 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 522-0111
(504) 522-0111
NEW ORLEANS - JUNE 09: Rickey Lee shucks Louisiana oysters from area 7 at the Bourbon House restaurant on June 9, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Oysters at Bourbon House.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Mr. B's Bistro

201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

A beacon of hospitality and fine Creole cuisine, with some Cajun cooking in the mix, Mr. B’s has been true blue to Louisiana cuisine since Cindy Brennan opened the restaurant in 1979. Signature items include a glossy dark gumbo ya-ya, barbecue shrimp, wood-grilled local fish, and a luscious Creole bread pudding with whiskey sauce.

201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-2078
(504) 523-2078

Palace Café

605 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Housed in the historic Werlein’s music building at the foot of Canal, Palace Cafe is such a pretty spot, thankfully opened again after Hurricane Ida wreaked some havoc. Another Dickie Brennan spot, Palace Cafe has a nice mix of traditional and modern dishes, from turtle soup and catfish pecan to a decadent crabmeat cheesecake. The crab claws marinated in a Creole vinaigrette wake up the palate to start.

605 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-1661
(504) 523-1661
The bar at Palace Cafe.
Brasted/Eater NOLA

Brigtsen's Restaurant

723 Dante St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Prize pupil of legendary chef Paul Prudhomme, Frank Brigtsen, opened this namesake restaurant in a cozy Riverbend shotgun with his wife, Marna, in 1986. Since then, Brigtsen has become one of the most respected chefs in New Orleans with his modern but familiar Creole cuisine, like New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp with calas, a once nearly extinct fried rice ball that street vendors used to sell near the French Market and at Congo Square.

723 Dante St, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 861-7610
(504) 861-7610
New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp with shrimp calas from Brigsten’s.
Brigtsen’s

Commander's Palace

1403 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

Commanding the table since 1893, Commander’s Palace sets the highest of hospitality bars reflecting the late Ella Brennan’s laser-focused attention to detail. This Victorian Creole palace in the Garden District creates memorable experiences at every time of the day, from jazz brunch to a weekday martini lunch to dinner. Chef Meg Bickford brings a deft eye to every plate, paying homage to the past while always looking ahead. Her Creole gumbo is one of the best in town.

1403 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 899-8221
(504) 899-8221
Commander’s Palace restaurant on Washington Avenue, a long, shotgun-style building with wood shingles painted in robin egg’s blue with white trim and lined with a blue and white striped awning.
Outside Commander’s Palace.
Shutterstock

Clancy's Restaurant

6100 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70118

A bastion of the Uptown seersucker set, Clancy’s on Annunciation preserves the hallowed halls of tradition with the likes of grilled pompano, sauteed veal liver with crispy onions, and smoked duck with dirty rice. Non-regulars can expect to get the once over, at least until that first martini is shaken and served.

6100 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 895-1111
(504) 895-1111
Clancy’s famous fried oysters with brie.
Bill Addison/Eater

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