If you want to understand New Orleans, don’t just walk the streets—taste them.
From po’boys to pralines, gumbo, yakamein, and red beans and rice, the city’s culinary traditions run as deep as the Mississippi. This isn’t just about eating well—it’s about eating with purpose. Every dish has a story, and every bite carries generations of flavor, struggle, and celebration.
Whether you’re new in town or born and raised, here’s your guide to what to eat, where to get it, and how to honor the culture it comes from.
What Makes New Orleans Food So Special?
New Orleans food is the product of Creole and Cajun traditions, blended with African, French, Spanish, and Indigenous influences. It’s not fusion—it’s foundation. Every ingredient, every technique, and every dish has meaning, history, and soul.
If you want to go deeper into these roots, the Southern Foodways Alliance offers an incredible oral history archive on dishes like gumbo.
Must-Try Dishes and Where to Find Them
1. Gumbo
What it is: A rich, roux-based stew made with seafood or chicken and sausage, served over rice.
Where to go:
• Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe (Treme) – Soul food roots and a gumbo that tastes like history.
• Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop (Metairie) – A hearty, casual go-to for locals.
• Dooky Chase’s Restaurant (7th Ward) – A legendary gathering place where food and civil rights intersected.
Learn more in our full History of Gumbo in New Orleans article.
2. Po’boys
What it is: A sandwich on New Orleans French bread with fillings like fried shrimp, roast beef, or hot sausage.
Where to go:
• Domilise’s (Uptown) – Family-run for over a century.
• Crabby Jack’s (Jefferson) – Known for creative, overloaded po’boys.
• Parkway Bakery & Tavern (Mid-City) – A must-visit for any true food tour.
Dive into our Best Po’boys in New Orleans guide for more.
3. Jambalaya
What it is: A one-pot rice dish with meat (often sausage and chicken) and vegetables, boldly seasoned.
Where to go:
• Coop’s Place (French Quarter) – Casual and unpretentious.
• Mother’s Restaurant (CBD) – Touristy but traditional.
• Vaucresson’s Creole Cafe & Deli (7th Ward) – A Black-owned business with roots in local sausage making.
4. Red Beans & Rice
What it is: A Monday tradition of slow-cooked red beans, sausage, and ham hocks.
Where to go:
• Willie Mae’s Scotch House (Treme) – Iconic for fried chicken, but their beans are equally legendary.
• Melba’s (Bywater) – Fast, affordable, and classic.
• High Hat Cafe (Freret) – Southern flavors with a modern spin.
Explore our full Red Beans & Rice Mondays guide.
5. Crawfish Étouffée
What it is: Crawfish tails smothered in a buttery roux, served over rice.
Where to go:
• Jacques-Imo’s (Carrollton) – Funky, colorful, and unmistakably New Orleans.
• Bon Ton Café (CBD) – One of the city’s oldest Creole restaurants.
• Zea Rotisserie & Bar (Multiple locations) – Refined but deeply flavorful.
6. Beignets
What it is: Fried dough squares piled high with powdered sugar.
Where to go:
• Café du Monde (French Quarter) – The classic.
• Morning Call (City Park) – A local favorite with less of a crowd.
• Loretta’s Authentic Pralines (French Market) – Try the beignet king cake.
7. Pralines
What it is: A buttery, pecan-packed candy made for gifting (or eating all at once).
Where to go:
• Loretta’s Authentic Pralines
Bonus: Dishes Only Locals Brag About
• Yakamein: “Old Sober,” the beef noodle soup from second lines and corner stores
• Hot Sausage Poboys
• Stuffed Bell Peppers with Mac & Cheese
• Fried Chicken Wings + French Fries (from the right corner store)
Tips for Respectful Dining in New Orleans
• Support locally-owned restaurants, especially Black-owned and family-run spots
• Don’t ask for ketchup on your gumbo (just don’t)
• Tip well—hospitality is sacred here
• Know that recipes vary by ward, block, and household—and that’s a good thing
Conclusion
New Orleans food isn’t just something you eat—it’s something you remember, something you respect, something you pass on.
Whether you’re here for the culture, the comfort, or the community—pull up a chair and eat like a local.
And if you’re hungry for more, check out our growing archive of local restaurant guides, ward spotlights, and hidden gems you won’t find in a tourist brochure.
