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The Updated Eater Heatmap: Where to Eat Right Now

by Gwendolyn Knapp
2 comments / new
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by Gwendolyn Knapp
2 comments / new

More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends and family of Eater ask us: Where should I eat right now? What are the new restaurants? What haven't I heard of? What's everyone talking about? And while the Eater 38 is a crucial resource covering old standbys and neighborhood essentials across the city, it is not a chronicle of the 'it' places of the moment. Thus, we offer the Eater Heatmap, which will change continuously to always highlight where the foodie crowds are flocking to at the moment.

After a very impressive run on the Heatmap, Annunciation, Satsuma Maple, and SoBou depart, and in a huge month for openings Peche, Tableau, and Kingfish come on board.

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments or email.


January 2013, Added: La Fin Du Monde
February 2013, Added: Mariza
March 2013, Added: Wayfare, Dominique's on Magazine
April 2013, Added: Tivoli & Lee

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Serendipity

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Green-Goddess Chef Chris Debarr and Ed Diaz of Bar Tonique have reunited since their days at the Delachaise, bringing exceptional cocktails, an ample wine selection, and eccentric small plates like Lamb Baklava to the American Can Building in Bayou St. John.
3800 Orleans Ave., New Orleans, LA LA

Gracious Bakery + Cafe

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Pastry Chef Megan Roen Forman owns and operates this strangely located, but incredibly good bakery and cafe with a great selection of cold and hot sandwiches on housemade breads and a large case of dazzling pastries (Forman worked at Sucre).
1000 S. Jefferson Davis Pkwy, New Orleans, LA 70125

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Pizza Delicious

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The beloved New York style pizza pop-up in the Bywater is now a full brick and mortar close to Markey Park. Owners Mike Friedman and Greg Augarten's renovations are totally fresh, and you'll still find them behind the counter hand-tossing dough. Dine-in and take out service available, as are vegan pies.
617 Piety St, New Orleans, La 70117
(504) 676-8482
(504) 676-8482

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Booty's Street Food

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Chef Greg Fonseca serves up global-inspired street food for lunch and dinner along with inspired cocktails from barman Jeremy JF Thompson at this Bywater hot spot. In the mornings, Booty's takes on more of a coffee shop vibe with local pastries and Stumptown grinds.
800 Louisa St., New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 266-2887
(504) 266-2887

Maïs Arepas

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Former Baru partner, David Mantilla, is now the poster boy for Central City hotness with his eye-catching Creole Columbian restaurant, Maiuml;s. The casual, yet refined style carries over to the menu and has everybody saying arepas, arepas, arepas.
1200 Carondelet st., New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-6247
(504) 523-6247

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La Fin du Monde

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The Garden District's new craft cocktail and brunch, lunch, and dinner spot from Justus Jagger boasts a duo of talented bartenders of Tonique fame, Michelle McMahon and Geoffrey Wilson, and a young chef, Jonathan Lestingi, ready to impress with a menu that relies on all local ingredients. Housed in the old Cafe Rani space, outdoor seating abounds for nice weather and they serve French Truck coffee.
2917 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Mariza

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The new Italian-Inspired casual restaurant from Iris' husband and wife team Ian Schoebelen and Laurie Casebonne, brings a raw bar to the Bywater. Located in the Rice Mill Lofts (nextdoor to NOCCA), a menu of housemade charcuterie, pastas, and pizza comprise the menu cranked out of the open kitchen.
2900 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70117

Wayfare

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The new sandwich shop on Freret is so much more than a lunch time destination. With a full bar, bar food menu, and impressive sandwich selection (Chef Kevin White makes his mozzarella and cures charcuterie in house), Wayfare is sure to please midday or for a late dinner.
4510 Freret, New Orleans, LA 70115

Dominique's On Magazine

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The new incarnation of Dominique Macquet's namesake restaurant is everything that a fine dining experience should be, from a sleek, artsy ambience, impressive French inspired cuisine and creative craft cocktails, and all locally sourced, including the courtyard's herbs and produce.
4213 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 891-9282
(504) 891-9282

Tivoli & Lee

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Tivoli & Lee is the Hotel Modern's new restaurant, located in the former Tamarind space. Chef Mike Nirenberg, who got his start at Delachaise, Patois, and Oak, does modern Southern cuisine with an emphasis on locally sourced produce and meats (FYI, he knows how to cook some vegetables, people). Kimberly Patton Bragg's innovative cocktail program is one of the best in the city, and the proximity to Bellocq ensures a promising, albeit tipsy, experience.
New Orleans, LA

Peche

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Peche is the new pitmaster dreamland/seafood mecca from the Link Group. Chefs Donald Link, Stephen Stryjewski, and Ryan Prewitt's trips to Uruguay and Spain inspired the restaurant, which focuses on sado/wood fire cooking. Located in the Warehouse District in a historic building where Jefferson Davis was embalmed, Peche features a giant hearth/wood fire grill (handbuild by Link's cousin), a raw bar, and the sort of casual fine dining vibe perfected by sister restaurant Cochon.
800 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70130

Tableau

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Dickie Brennan's newly opened Tableau, attached to Le Petit Theatre, serves French Creole overlooking Jackson Square. Long time Palace Cafe chef Ben Thibodeaux mans the kitchen, and the building underwent a huge and beautiful renovation to arrive at its plantation/Spanish manor feel with three stories of dining (300+ seats), including balconies,private rooms, and a sweeping staircase. The restaurant has a wine carafe program, and is working to build a large repertoire of cognacs.
616 St. Peter Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 934-3463
(504) 934-3463

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Kingfish

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Kingfish is a new Cajun/Creole restaurant and bar on Chartres and Conti featuring a couple of New Orleans' culinary heavyweights.The bar is run by legendary barkeep Chris McMillian, who turns out impeccable classic libations and service. The kitchen is headed by former Gabrielle owner/chef Greg Sonnier, whose menu is packed with Louisiana classics on crack and cracklins— from a 'pirogue' of barbecue shrimp to a Cajun-injected "junky chick." A great photograph of Huey P. Long hangs in the bar area.
337 Chartres, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 598-5005
(504) 598-5005

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Serendipity

3800 Orleans Ave., New Orleans, LA LA
Green-Goddess Chef Chris Debarr and Ed Diaz of Bar Tonique have reunited since their days at the Delachaise, bringing exceptional cocktails, an ample wine selection, and eccentric small plates like Lamb Baklava to the American Can Building in Bayou St. John.
3800 Orleans Ave., New Orleans, LA LA

Gracious Bakery + Cafe

1000 S. Jefferson Davis Pkwy, New Orleans, LA 70125
Pastry Chef Megan Roen Forman owns and operates this strangely located, but incredibly good bakery and cafe with a great selection of cold and hot sandwiches on housemade breads and a large case of dazzling pastries (Forman worked at Sucre).
1000 S. Jefferson Davis Pkwy, New Orleans, LA 70125

Pizza Delicious

617 Piety St, New Orleans, La 70117
The beloved New York style pizza pop-up in the Bywater is now a full brick and mortar close to Markey Park. Owners Mike Friedman and Greg Augarten's renovations are totally fresh, and you'll still find them behind the counter hand-tossing dough. Dine-in and take out service available, as are vegan pies.
617 Piety St, New Orleans, La 70117
(504) 676-8482
(504) 676-8482

Booty's Street Food

800 Louisa St., New Orleans, LA 70117
Chef Greg Fonseca serves up global-inspired street food for lunch and dinner along with inspired cocktails from barman Jeremy JF Thompson at this Bywater hot spot. In the mornings, Booty's takes on more of a coffee shop vibe with local pastries and Stumptown grinds.
800 Louisa St., New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 266-2887
(504) 266-2887

Maïs Arepas

1200 Carondelet st., New Orleans, LA 70130
Former Baru partner, David Mantilla, is now the poster boy for Central City hotness with his eye-catching Creole Columbian restaurant, Maiuml;s. The casual, yet refined style carries over to the menu and has everybody saying arepas, arepas, arepas.
1200 Carondelet st., New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-6247
(504) 523-6247

La Fin du Monde

2917 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
The Garden District's new craft cocktail and brunch, lunch, and dinner spot from Justus Jagger boasts a duo of talented bartenders of Tonique fame, Michelle McMahon and Geoffrey Wilson, and a young chef, Jonathan Lestingi, ready to impress with a menu that relies on all local ingredients. Housed in the old Cafe Rani space, outdoor seating abounds for nice weather and they serve French Truck coffee.
2917 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Mariza

2900 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
The new Italian-Inspired casual restaurant from Iris' husband and wife team Ian Schoebelen and Laurie Casebonne, brings a raw bar to the Bywater. Located in the Rice Mill Lofts (nextdoor to NOCCA), a menu of housemade charcuterie, pastas, and pizza comprise the menu cranked out of the open kitchen.
2900 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70117

Wayfare

4510 Freret, New Orleans, LA 70115
The new sandwich shop on Freret is so much more than a lunch time destination. With a full bar, bar food menu, and impressive sandwich selection (Chef Kevin White makes his mozzarella and cures charcuterie in house), Wayfare is sure to please midday or for a late dinner.
4510 Freret, New Orleans, LA 70115

Dominique's On Magazine

4213 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70115
The new incarnation of Dominique Macquet's namesake restaurant is everything that a fine dining experience should be, from a sleek, artsy ambience, impressive French inspired cuisine and creative craft cocktails, and all locally sourced, including the courtyard's herbs and produce.
4213 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 891-9282
(504) 891-9282

Tivoli & Lee

New Orleans, LA
Tivoli & Lee is the Hotel Modern's new restaurant, located in the former Tamarind space. Chef Mike Nirenberg, who got his start at Delachaise, Patois, and Oak, does modern Southern cuisine with an emphasis on locally sourced produce and meats (FYI, he knows how to cook some vegetables, people). Kimberly Patton Bragg's innovative cocktail program is one of the best in the city, and the proximity to Bellocq ensures a promising, albeit tipsy, experience.
New Orleans, LA

Peche

800 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Peche is the new pitmaster dreamland/seafood mecca from the Link Group. Chefs Donald Link, Stephen Stryjewski, and Ryan Prewitt's trips to Uruguay and Spain inspired the restaurant, which focuses on sado/wood fire cooking. Located in the Warehouse District in a historic building where Jefferson Davis was embalmed, Peche features a giant hearth/wood fire grill (handbuild by Link's cousin), a raw bar, and the sort of casual fine dining vibe perfected by sister restaurant Cochon.
800 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70130

Tableau

616 St. Peter Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
Dickie Brennan's newly opened Tableau, attached to Le Petit Theatre, serves French Creole overlooking Jackson Square. Long time Palace Cafe chef Ben Thibodeaux mans the kitchen, and the building underwent a huge and beautiful renovation to arrive at its plantation/Spanish manor feel with three stories of dining (300+ seats), including balconies,private rooms, and a sweeping staircase. The restaurant has a wine carafe program, and is working to build a large repertoire of cognacs.
616 St. Peter Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 934-3463
(504) 934-3463

Kingfish

337 Chartres, New Orleans, LA 70130
Kingfish is a new Cajun/Creole restaurant and bar on Chartres and Conti featuring a couple of New Orleans' culinary heavyweights.The bar is run by legendary barkeep Chris McMillian, who turns out impeccable classic libations and service. The kitchen is headed by former Gabrielle owner/chef Greg Sonnier, whose menu is packed with Louisiana classics on crack and cracklins— from a 'pirogue' of barbecue shrimp to a Cajun-injected "junky chick." A great photograph of Huey P. Long hangs in the bar area.
337 Chartres, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 598-5005
(504) 598-5005

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