The art-filled Leah’s Kitchen is a beautiful homage to the late Leah Chase, whose smiling face dominates a mural on one dining room wall. One of her grandsons is usually onsite seating customers and making everybody feel like family. Start with Miss Leah’s famous gumbo, then Louisiana red fish with creole succotash topped with local crabmeat.

The Munch Factory, founded by Jordan and Alex Ruiz in Gentilly in 2011, moved to the Lower Garden District in 2017, a casual neighborhood restaurant with a creative take on Creole cooking. The airy MSY space serves a breakfast and all day menu with offerings like Lower Garden District fries, crawfish pasta, and sandwiches and salads. Get the roast beef debris po-boy, a saucy rendition of the favorite — and grab extra napkins.

Michael Gulotta’s bold Vietnamese meets Louisiana menu at MoPho across from Delgado sets a high bar and the MSY version is still ramping up when it comes to getting the pho just right. The space is beautiful, awash in bright colors and light wood. No contest on the order, the lemongrass ginger Thai chili mega-wings (and any of the bowls) will satisfy.

John Folse is a legendary Louisiana chef, a leading authority on Cajun and Creole cuisine and culture. The multi-unit Folse Market, smartly designed to evoke a Gulf shrimp boat, showcases the chef’s specialties, from seafood to po-boys and salads. Get his seafood gumbo and pick up a cookbook or two while you’re at it.

Situated directly across from the Heritage Music Stage, Dook’s is another outlet for the Dooky Chase family name. Here, it’s all about the burger — although the menu offers breakfast and some tasty sandwiches too. You can’t go wrong with the classic burger, topped with American cheese, lettuce, and tomato.

Why can’t you get an amazing craft cocktail at an airport bar? That’s exactly Cure’s mission, a challenge Neal Bodenheimer is excited to take on. The menu of drinks is outstanding — which doesn’t keep most customers from ordering beer, something that rarely sells in the Freret Street location. Snack on an Eat Fit Nola curry chicken lettuce wrap and drink your calories — Corpse Reviver #2 is just one excellent option.

This outgrowth of the newly opened Sazerac House on Canal Street brings the namesake cocktail front and center at Bar Sazerac, a swanky space next to the Heritage Music Stage. Definitely order a perfect Sazerac, sipped slowly to make the $17 generously poured cocktail last.

Fans of the seasonal global eatery Mondo in Lakeview were sad to see it shutter after a 10 year run. Luckily, a version of the eclectic restaurant from award-winning chef Susan Spicer is alive and well in MSY. Neapolitan-style pizza is one big highlight, but the wood-oven lasagna and fish tacos are also notable. Start with a muffaletta pizza and keep going.

Angelo Brocato’s is a legend on Carrollton Avenue, a family-run Italian gelateria and bakery that delivers the kind of homespun service that just isn’t that common anymore. The same is true for the MSY outlet, where cannolis are real deal and the gelato is scooped with a smile. Get both — a half-and-half cannoli AND a scoop of gelato; St. Joseph Chocolate Almond if they have it.

Thankfully City Greens is the antithesis of typical grab-and-go airport salad. A healthful casual salad brand founded in New Orleans in 2012 by Ben Kazenmaier and Abhi Bhansali, City Greens at MSY is terrific. Order in a bowl or as a wrap, with tons of pristinely fresh options. Order Thai peanut with Gulf shrimp — but every salad is amazing.