Must-Try NOLA Dishes

If you are headed for New Orleans, get ready for some delicious Southern food! Here are some recommendations of foods to try, as well as some restaurants to put on your must-try list!

1. Beignets - If there is one thing to not miss on this list, it would be beignets. They are the quintessential thing to have in New Orleans, and you can even find them at the airport! Beignets are a deep-fried piece of dough. I got to try a lot of beignets, so here are my favorites!

Loretta's - My favorite beignets I had were from Loretta's. Loretta's had a wide variety of different beignets, from praline-filled, chocolate-filled, peanut butter, and regular beignets. On occasion, they do offer savory ones like crab-filled beignets. They also sell pralines, which are another popular dessert in NOLA. Unfortunately, you cannot mix and match. You do have to order one kind with 3 in each order. I rated Loretta's as my favorite because of the variety, price point, and I love to support a mom and pop shop.

Cafe Du Monde - This shop is undoubtedly the most popular beignet restaurant in NOLA. It was established in the 1800s. They only sell regular beignets. I will admit that the beignets are somewhat skinnier and smaller than other beignets. I can see why it is the most popular because it seems healthier and has been around longer. There are so many Café Du Mondes, and you can even catch them at the airport.

Cafe Beignet - Another popular option is Cafe Beignet. What I like about Cafe Beignet is that sell more than just beignets and coffee. They are also a real cafe with breakfast and lunch options. You can order some NOLA staples like red beans or jambalaya, and also get beignets on the side. I will say that the beignets were quite dense and didn't have as much flavor. The one I had was quite hard, which made me think that it wasn't made fresh.

Hot Bennys - This small coffee shop offers small beignets for a higher price. They only have traditional beignets. I didn't get to try this one, but I've heard mixed reviews. If I go back, I'll definitely have to give it a try!

2. Jambalaya is a Creole and Cajun dish, which is a mixture of Spanish, French, and African flavors. It is a long grain rice dish with seafood, sausage, and vegetables (celery, onions & green peppers) mixed in with a chicken broth. This was my favorite traditional dish.

3. Seafood Boil is a communal style dish, which could be shellfish (lobster, crab, and/or shrimp) mixed with other items like corn, potatoes, and sausage, cooked together with spices. It is meant to be eaten with your hands. I was thoroughly impressed by the seafood boils in NOLA. The boils had shrimp that were devained, which is unimaginable for the places I've been to in California.

4. Shrimp and Grits is a classic southern dish that has coarsely ground corn (grits) mixed with shrimp. It is typically eaten for breakfast. You can find more Southern breakfasts to include grits if you don't want to eat them with shrimp. I do think that grits are odd to have on their own, so I definitely recommend eating them with some type of protein.

5. Muffaleta is a southern sandwich full of Italian-style meats (salami, ham, and mortadella), provolone cheese, olives with picked veggies & oil inside of a wedge sesame loaf. This was another one of my favorites that I didn't expect to like, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

6. Vietnamese Food - After the Vietnam War, many refugees came to New Orleans to resettle in a subtropical climate. There is a high concentration of Vietnamese people in NOLA. If you need some asian food, you should support a local Vietnamese restaurant and order a banh mi. I've heard it is the Vietnamese version of a po'boy.

7. 

   A po-boy is a sandwich featuring fried seafood (shrimp, oysters, catfish) or roast beef, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and a creamy sauce inside of a French bread. If you are looking for the best places to have a po-boy, I would look for small corner stores and not established ones. I would recommend trying Verti Marte if it is your first time!

8. Gumbo is a thick stew with a strong broth full of meat or shellfish, celery, bell peppers, and onions. To thicken the broth, there are typically sassafras leaves and okra, and it is always served with rice. This is another must-have to try!

9. Banana Foster is a classic NOLA dessert where you caramelize bananas in a caramel sauce of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and dark rum. The restaurant that originated the Banana Foster is located in NOLA and it is called Brennan's. It is a bit of an upscale restaurant and may require reservations!

10. Oysters are everywhere in NOLA because of the high supply and high quality of their supply. There are so many different ways that oysters are prepared in NOLA. We had the greatest oysters over at Antoines. If you get the sampler, you can try the different oysters and then order another order of your favorite oysters!