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The 38 Essential New Orleans Restaurants, October '13

by Gwendolyn Knapp Oct 8, 2013, 7:00am CDT

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by Gwendolyn Knapp Oct 8, 2013, 7:00am CDT

Here, now, we present to you the updated Eater 38, our answer to any question that becomes with, "Can you recommend a restaurant..." This list is not the 38 best restaurants in our fine city, but it instead seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of where you can get a great meal regardless of mood. It covers the entire city with some lagniappe love for the West Bank, spans myriad cuisines and should satisfy all of your restaurant needs. These are listed here in no particular order. These restaurants are not where you would go for a big occasion, so no fine dining.

Casamento's is back on the map, taking over Drago's spot, and Booty's Street Food makes its first appearance, while Delachaise departs.

Every quarter, we'll update this list with any restaurants that were omitted, have become newly eligible (all restaurants must have been open 6 months to appear on this list), or have improved and now warrant being included. So send your tips and your nominations here.

· All Eater 38 Coverage [-ENOLA-]

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. Dat Dog

5031 Freret St.
New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 899-6883

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All the hot dogs your heart (and stomach) could desire. Also sausages and other sorts of deliciousness. Dat Dog quickly outgrew its little storefront in the first year of business, and moved into its current digs, recently expanded to their second location on Magazine, and is already planning a third Dat Dog of Frenchmen Street.

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2. Cafe Reconcile

1631 Oretha C Haley Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70113

(504) 568-1157

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Cafe Reconcile underwent some serious renovations in 2012 to achieve its current beauteous lunch-serving state in Central City. To say it’s great food for a great cause doesn’t do justice to Reconcile’s operation or mission. Even if it wasn’t a successful job training program for at-risk kids, the food here would still be incredibly delicious, old-school New Orleans soul food.

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3. Ba Mien

Chef Menteur Highway
New Orleans, LA 70129

(504) 255-0500

Located in an unassuming strip mall in the center of a vibrant Vietnamese community in New Orleans East, Ba Mien features dishes from Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam.

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4. Il Posto Italian Cafe

4607 Dryades St
New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 895-2620

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Classic cafe fare, with sandwiches, salads, soups, etc, along with some great baked goods that are good any time of day. Open until 9pm every day except Sunday, Il Posto is an oft-overlooked spot for a glass of wine and a tasty dinner.

5. Cowbell

8801 Oak St.
New Orleans, LA 70118

(504) 866-4222

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New Orleans was slow to get on the burger bandwagon, but as of 2013, we're being run over by it. Cowbell rises above the competition. Open since late 2010, they still have a strong following that goes well beyond the uptown college crowd, and their menu has a slew of incredible sandwiches too.

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6. Pho Tau Bay

133C Westbank Expwy.
Gretna, LA 70053

(504) 368-9846

This spot in Gretna doesn’t look like much, in a shopping center with a couple sketchy businesses and a boarded-up bowling alley. But the pho is outstanding, and folks living on the East Bank make the drive across the river in droves for that and the banh mi.

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7. Sylvain

625 Chartres St.
New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 265-8123

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New American, gastropub-style restaurant in the Quarter helmed by Chef Alex Harrell. Widely acclaimed as a very high-end restaurant at a price point that’s high but not terrifying.

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8. Boucherie

8115 Jeannette St
New Orleans, LA 70118

(504) 862-5514

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A boucherie is a traditional Cajun day of partying and pig butchery (remember that episode of No Reservations), and Nathanial Zimet’s eponymous restaurant is a fitting (and delicious) tribute to this tradition. It’s also worth tracking down Boucherie’s food truck, The Que Crawl.

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9. Three Muses

536 Frenchmen St
New Orleans, LA 70116

(504) 298-8746

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Small plates and entrees both meaty and vegetarian combine for an eclectic and impressive menu at this Frenchmen Street venue. The focus here is on the music as much as the food—both are great—making it a quintessential New Orleans experience.

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10. Parkway Bakery & Tavern

538 Hagan Ave
New Orleans, LA 70119-4911

(504) 482-3047

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Some call them the best po’ boys in town. It’s Obama endorsed. And the line to the order window tends to wrap throughout the entire dining room towards the door. So they must be doing something right. FYI, they're expanding the kitchen this summer to help keep up with that line.

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11. The Joint

701 Mazant St
New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 949-3232

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It’s barbeque, beautiful, delicious, wonderful barbeque that draws all sorts of people all the way down to the Upper Ninth Ward. Zagat loves it. Saints players love it. You should love it, too.

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12. Kyoto

4920 Prytania Street
New Orleans, LA 70115

Popular, casual, and (relatively) inexpensive sushi. The city has a handful of comparable sushi spots (but let’s be honest, nobody comes to New Orleans for the sushi). This one on Prytania draws a healthy following uptown.

13. Willie Mae's Scotch House

2401 Saint Ann St.
New Orleans, LA 70119

(504) 822-9503

Amazing fried chicken, often called the best in town (or even the best in the country). Though it’s a little out of the way for many people, way on the edge of the Faubourg Treme, the food and atmosphere are quintessential New Orleans, among the best you’ll find in town.

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14. Mondo

900 Harrison Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70124

(504) 224-2633

Helmed by Chef Cindy Crosbie, Mondo is Susan Spicery’s family-oriented restaurant with a cuisine intentionally spanning the continents. (Mondo? Get it? Like “world” cuisine?) Service is comfortable but attentive and the food is great, as expected in a Spicer operation.

15. Pizza Delicious

617 Piety St
New Orleans, La 70117

(504) 676-8482

Started by a couple of Tulane grads originally from New York, this is one of the few NY-style pies in town. But don't discount the salads, pastas, and even the cookies. All are worth a try at this pop-up turned permanently awesome Bywater institution, open Tuesday through Sunday.

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16. St. James Cheese Company

5004 Prytania St
New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 899-4737

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This is so much more than a cheese shop. With a short menu of sandwiches and salads (plus the “ploughman’s lunch,” a selection of cheeses, pork pie, chutney, salad and bread), this is a small and comfortable spot to grab a bite to eat. It closes at 6 during the week, but is open until 8 Friday and Saturday nights, making it a good spot for an early dinner (read: date night) before catching a movie at the Prytania.

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17. Crescent Pie & Sausage Company

4400 Banks St.
New Orleans, LA 70119

(504) 482-2426

Not just a pizza joint, this Mid City staple also excels at a variety of straightforward casual fare options like salads, sandwiches, and lately, pot pies. The best (or at least most whimsical) dish? “A Link,” which is one link of sausage, whatever the chef feels like sending your way.

18. Cochon Butcher

930 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 588-2123

Cochon Butcher is not just a fantastic butcher shop and deli hiding behind Donald Link's famed Cochon, but it's home to crazy good small plates, a pretty decent bar, rock star Rick Slave, and the best sandwiches in town. From duck pastrami sliders to muffulettas, these eats satisfy for lunch or dinner.

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19. Mimi's in the Marigny

2601 Royal St
New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 872-9868

At this Faubourg Marigny bar and music spot, Heathcliffe Hailey offers tapas that go well beyond regular bar food, rivaling the best of any traditional tapas bar. Get there early and enjoy your food in a relatively quiet and peaceful bar setting, or get there late, dance your ass off, and feed your soul. Get the patatas bravas and thank us later.

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20. Lil Dizzy's Cafe

1500 Esplanade Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70116

(504) 569-8997

Featured extensively in HBO’s “Treme,” Lil’ Dizzy’s is perfect for a creole or soul food lunch from the lunch buffet. Call for hours.

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21. Domilise's Po-Boys

5240 Annunciation St.
New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 899-9126

It’s impossible to say any shop has the best po’ boys, but the ones at Domilise’s make a strong claim to that title. They’re expensive for po’ boys, but they’re large and worth every penny.

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22. Lola's

3312 Esplanade Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70119

(504) 488-6946

For Spanish food, this is the best bet in town. Delicious paella, plentiful sangria, and walls adorned with art for sale. Watch out for the bread, though: It’s not free, even though the servers will just keep bringing it as if it was on the house.

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23. Dooky Chase Restaurant

2301 Orleans Ave
New Orleans, LA 70119-5025

(504) 821-0600

Another Faubourg Treme landmark famous for its soul food and its lunch buffet, Dooky Chase is now run by Paris-trained chef, Edgar Chase, grandson of founder Leah Chase. The fried chicken rivals that at nearby Willie Mae’s, and the fried catfish will be some of the best you’ve ever had.

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24. Juan's Flying Burrito

2018 Magazine St
New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 569-0000

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Juan’s bills itself as a “Creole Tacqueria,” which is a pretty accurate description of this funky burrito joint on an increasingly interesting stretch of Magazine St. Combining all sorts of flavors and ingredients into normal Mexican dishes like tacos and quesadillas, Juan’s also offers regular happy hour specials on margs and mojitos.

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25. Ancora Pizzeria

4508 Freret St
New Orleans, LA 70115

A favorite destination on the now-busy stretch of Freret, Ancora is the only true Neapolitan pizzeria in town. It's part of the ever-expanding restaurant empire of chef Adolfo Garcia, but these guys know how to do it right. The specials, from gnocchi to market salads, are all worth it.

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26. Stanley

547 St Ann St
New Orleans, LA 70116

(504) 587-0093

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The casual counterpart to Scott Boswell's masterpiece, Stella! Because it is a Boswell restaurant, everything is exceptionally well prepared. They have a great reuben and soft shell crab po boy.

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27. The Company Burger

4600 Freret St.
New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 267-0320

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For most people, The Company Burger is the reigning king of the New Orleansburger joints. It doesn't hurt that chef/owner Adam Biderman opened the shop after serving as the opening chef de cuisine at famed Atlanta spot Holeman & Finch. He was responsible for the uber-famous burger there, and his solo venture in New Orleans does not disappoint.

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28. Satsuma

3218 Dauphine St.
New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 304-5962

This coffee shop down in the Bywater is known to have a line out the door for breakfast, lunch, coffee and juice. It does all of the above very well, along with having a ridiculous amount of hipster regulars.

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29. The Irish House

Matt Murphy, a Dubliner and the former executive chef at the Ritz, opened The Irish House in an effort to re-create the best public houses in Ireland. The setting is comfortable enough for a couple pints after work, while the menu combines pub staples as well as more innovative, sophisticated dishes.

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30. Maurepas Foods

3200 Burgundy St
New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 267-0072

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Opened in January 2012 by a crew of "fine dining refugees" including chef Michael Doyle (formerly the sous chef at Dante's Kitchen), Maurepas Foods does fine dining quality food without any of the fuss or price. The focus is very much on the freshness of the ingredients, especially the veggies, and the cocktails are absolutely some of the most innovative in town.

31. Bacchanal Wine Bar

600 Poland Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 948-9111

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Open seven days a week, and known for al fresco dining ala Bywater with live music, skeeters, and a slew of rickety furniture, Chef Joaquin Chef Joaquin Rodas offers a seasonal menu of exquisite small plates on the cheap ($12 seared scallops? hey) and owner Chris Rudge continues to amaze with a great wine selection in the cool brick storefront that's overcome quite a lot of issues in the past couple years.

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32. Toups Meatery

Carrollton
New Orleans, La 70119

Unsurprisingly given the name, Toups' Meatery is a meat-centric spot by former Cuvee chef Isaac Toups and his wife Amanda. House-cured meat and house-made sausages (plus other non-meat options) in a comfortable, communal-feeling setting. Oh, and they have insanely good Doberge cake.

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33. Banana Blossom

2112 Belle Chasse Hwy
Terrytown, LA

(504) 392-7530

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Banana Blossom is a small, fairly austere restaurant located in a stripmall in Terrytown. But in an area with few Thai options, they're known for being pretty good and inexpensive. The roti, spicy clams, and various seafood dishes have gained many a fan since the cafe opened in 2009, including critics like Ian McNulty, the Blackened Out boys, and chef Sue Zemanick of Gautreau's.

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34. High Hat

4510 Freret St
New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 754-1336

The Deep South-inspired casual eatery by Adolfo Garcia and Chip Apperson on Freret Street blends New Orleans classics with Delta-inspired dishes. Think cornhusk tamales, pimento cheese plates and fried catfish with hushpuppies. Mixologist Ryan Iriarte occasionally hosts a popular after hours drink pop-up with original cocktails.

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35. Carmo

527 Julia St
New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 875-4132

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West Africa meets Europe, Asia, and the Tropics at this cafe in the Warehouse District, offering a range of non gut-busting dishes. This is perhaps the only restaurant in New Orleans that actually caters to vegans and vegetarians, but exotic flavors and produce that aren't so easily found on the New Orleans dining scene make it a destination for all.

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36. Ye Olde College Inn

3000 S Carrollton Ave
New Orleans, LA 70118

(504) 866-3683

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The iconic Carrollton Avenue eatery has undergone a serious upgrade in the past few years with the addition of chef Brad McGeehee, who doesn't just source locally, but in-house, creating daily specials showcasing produce (and eggs) from the restaurant's own farm. Not your thing? Po' boys and beer are still an excellent option here.

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37. Casamento's

4330 Magazine St
New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 895-9761

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Like po’ boys, every oyster house can claim to have the best chargrilled oysters in town. But for decor, local renown, and general deliciousness, Casamento's is hard to beat. You can’t go wrong with the chargrilled or raw oysters or the legendary oyster loaf.

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38. Booty's Street Food

800 Louisa St.
New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 266-2887

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This Bywater restaurant serves Stumptown coffee and local pastries for breakfast, and a variety of street food, from ceviche to banh mi, for lunch and dinner. They also boast a solid cocktail program, usually with drink specials on the cheap. Their "Bywaterloo" instillations in the bathroom have showcased local artists, painters, and even bounce star Big Freedia.

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1. Dat Dog

5031 Freret St., New Orleans, LA 70115

All the hot dogs your heart (and stomach) could desire. Also sausages and other sorts of deliciousness. Dat Dog quickly outgrew its little storefront in the first year of business, and moved into its current digs, recently expanded to their second location on Magazine, and is already planning a third Dat Dog of Frenchmen Street.

5031 Freret St.
New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

2. Cafe Reconcile

1631 Oretha C Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113

Cafe Reconcile underwent some serious renovations in 2012 to achieve its current beauteous lunch-serving state in Central City. To say it’s great food for a great cause doesn’t do justice to Reconcile’s operation or mission. Even if it wasn’t a successful job training program for at-risk kids, the food here would still be incredibly delicious, old-school New Orleans soul food.

1631 Oretha C Haley Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70113

Visit Website

3. Ba Mien

Chef Menteur Highway, New Orleans, LA 70129

Located in an unassuming strip mall in the center of a vibrant Vietnamese community in New Orleans East, Ba Mien features dishes from Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam.

Chef Menteur Highway
New Orleans, LA 70129

Open in Google Maps

4. Il Posto Italian Cafe

4607 Dryades St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Classic cafe fare, with sandwiches, salads, soups, etc, along with some great baked goods that are good any time of day. Open until 9pm every day except Sunday, Il Posto is an oft-overlooked spot for a glass of wine and a tasty dinner.

4607 Dryades St
New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

5. Cowbell

8801 Oak St., New Orleans, LA 70118

New Orleans was slow to get on the burger bandwagon, but as of 2013, we're being run over by it. Cowbell rises above the competition. Open since late 2010, they still have a strong following that goes well beyond the uptown college crowd, and their menu has a slew of incredible sandwiches too.

8801 Oak St.
New Orleans, LA 70118

Visit Website

6. Pho Tau Bay

133C Westbank Expwy., Gretna, LA 70053

This spot in Gretna doesn’t look like much, in a shopping center with a couple sketchy businesses and a boarded-up bowling alley. But the pho is outstanding, and folks living on the East Bank make the drive across the river in droves for that and the banh mi.

133C Westbank Expwy.
Gretna, LA 70053

7. Sylvain

625 Chartres St., New Orleans, LA 70130

New American, gastropub-style restaurant in the Quarter helmed by Chef Alex Harrell. Widely acclaimed as a very high-end restaurant at a price point that’s high but not terrifying.

625 Chartres St.
New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

8. Boucherie

8115 Jeannette St, New Orleans, LA 70118