Bywater American Bistro, Nina Compton’s casual but elegant neighborhood bistro, brings standout dishes like rabbit curry, blackened octopus, bresaola-style tuna toasts, fresh pasta, and classic cocktails to a former rice mill in the Bywater. The spaghetti pomodoro is a bowl of simple but meaningful goodness. Reserve a seat on one of the bar stools surrounding the bright-blue tiled exhibition kitchen for a view of Compton in action.

Bywater Brew Pub is an airy, light filled brewery featuring a menu of creative Viet-Cajun comfort food specialties. Try the miến bò with beef brisket; the hearty, vegetarian-friendly cà ri chay; or the phoritto, featuring all the goodness floating in a bowl of pho — beef, noodles, onions, scallions, Thai basil, sprouts, and cilantro — wrapped in a flour tortilla, a bowl of pho broth gravy served on the side for dipping. Burgers including a banh mi version; wings and a smoked sausage sando are a few other options. Yes, the beer is great. 

You can reserve up to 30 days in advance for a table at N7, a hidden gem of a French restaurant in the Upper 9th Ward. What awaits at this unassuming bistro tucked in a former tire shop behind a wooden fence just off of St. Claude Avenue is a gorgeous, candlelit courtyard, French pop music, bistro fare like steak au poivre and mussels along with mostly imported seafood in a can (think smoked sardines and spiced calamari). The wine list is excellent, to boot.

Saint-Germain, a French restaurant with a wine bar in the courtyard, offers a chef’s 10 course tasting menu Wednesday through Sunday. The chef/partners are inspired by modern Parisian bistros, particularly in the neighborhood for which the restaurant is named. The tasting menu takes diners throughout the whole restaurant, with wine and a small menu of bar snacks served in a lush backyard patio and herb garden. Dinner is reservation only, with the $135 menu pre-paid. Save $10 by getting the 10 course feast served at the bar.

Located in a stunning circa-1884 Italianate manse, The Country Club is a neighborhood gem worth discovering. Try the likes of crab beignets, truffled mac-n-cheese, griddled redfish, and debris and eggs. Dining rooms are bright with eye-popping murals by local artist Cindy Mathis and artwork from Louis St. Lewis. There is plenty of lovely outdoor seating in the back patio/pool area and on the front veranda. Drag brunch every weekend is packed.

Satsuma is proof positive that New Orleanians eat their vegetables. This positively Brooklynesque hangout doesn’t pick favorites — the kitchen caters to vegetarians, vegans, and the avowed carnivores in the crowd. Open for breakfast and lunch, this is the spot for avocado toast, tofu scrambles, organic juices, raw salads, and sandwiches from Cuban to black bean burgers. There’s usually a wait on the weekends. Snag a table in the outdoor courtyard if the weather is fine.

Sneaky Pickle is adored for its vegetable-forward menu, fresh drinks, and hip, cozy setting. For lunch, favorites include the smoked tempeh Reuben, Buffalo cauliflower and tofu salad, and a killer wagyu burger. At night, candles adorn the tables as the lovely corner space switches to Bar Brine, serving elegant plates of littleneck clams, tuna crudo, rice cake pasta with mapo tofu, and vegan-friendly dishes like King Trumpet mushroom served with cashew cream grits and pistachio chimichurri. The wine list features natural and small-production standouts, and cocktails are outrageously good — including the nonalcoholic options.

Crispy of crust, New York of style, Pizza Delicious is a no-frills pizza joint that delivers the goods. The menu is concise, with daily pie and fresh pasta specials along with traditional faves including pepperoni and Margherita topped with fresh mozzarella and basil. Slices are available and the 18” pie is plenty to share. Always try a fresh pasta special, like a blue crab and butternut squash risotto or pork and fennel ragu tagliatelle. Oh, and the garlic knots are crusty, doughy bites of bliss. There’s beer on tap, a few wine choices, and limited cocktails poured.

What’s not to like about the longtime, affordable breakfast and lunch haven on the corner of Piety and Dauphine? Frady’s is a hole in the wall for sure, but the egg sandwiches and po’ boys are made to order and the sides are pure comfort — mac and cheese, deviled eggs, fries with gravy. Plate lunch options change daily and the service is real deal New Orleans friendly. Settle in at one of the sidewalk tables and you’re sure to meet a character or two.

What started as a thrice-a-week alley taqueria has a new home seven days a week on St. Claude Avenue. Rosalita’s owners Laurie Casebonne and her husband Ian Schnoebelen offer California-style tacos filled with the likes of house-smoked pork, homemade chorizo, fried fish, and chicken adobo. Ask for gringa style if you want cheese and flour instead of corn for the base. Add rice and beans to make the order a plate, and seasonal margaritas are another welcome option. Prices are mindfully reasonable and geared to keeping neighbors and regular customers coming back.

Open for breakfast and lunch Thursday through Tuesday, there’s often a wait for brunch at Elizabeth’s, the longtime neighborhood favorite famed for its strong bloody marys and praline bacon (yes, it’s good.) Meat and three stick-to-your-rib daily specials include the likes of meatloaf and chicken fried steak. Decor is mostly by Dr. Bob, the cantankerous artist whose studio is just up the road.

Bywater Bakery is a sweet spot for breakfast and lunch on Dauphine that (sometimes) offers live music on weekend afternoons. Owner and baker Chaya Conrad, who started baking at Arnaud's and Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse before overseeing operations at Whole Foods and Rouse’s, makes a splash with her king cakes during Carnival season (the Bywater berry chantilly is a big seller). Order a breakfast "go" cup filled with the boudin hash and eggs or shrimp and grits, then choose from sweet and savory pastries and a case full of cakes by the slice. Get the coconut.

Expect a line at the Joint, the iconic barbecue spot where the wait is accompanied by whiffs of smoky, porky goodness. Dig into platters of burnt brisket ends, ribs slathered in vinegar-based sauce made at the restaurant, decadent mac and cheese — heck, why not top that dinner salad with more meat? Copious portions, friendly service, daily daiquiri specials: what’s not to love? For a city that was slow to embrace barbecue, the Joint is a tastemaker.

The down-home spot on Poland Avenue. in the Ninth Ward is all about fried seafood, and its soft shell po’ boy is a favorite. With friendly staff and on the more affordable side, Jack Dempsey’s is also a nice throwback experience, away from the hub of downtown.