12 French Quarter Locations That Could Bring Bold Flavors To The Table
The French Quarter isn’t just the heart of New Orleans it’s a food lover’s paradise where history and flavor collide.
From century-old establishments to hidden courtyards serving up unforgettable meals, this historic neighborhood offers some of the most exciting tastes in America. I’ve rounded up twelve spots where you can experience the magic of Creole and Cajun cooking at its finest.
1. Commander’s Palace – Turquoise Victorian Elegance
Just a streetcar ride from the Quarter, Commander’s Palace has been dazzling taste buds since 1893. The striking turquoise Victorian mansion isn’t just a restaurant it’s a New Orleans institution where culinary legends like Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme once commanded the kitchen.
I love their turtle soup finished tableside with sherry. The 25-cent martini lunches (yes, you read that right!) make weekday dining here an absolute must. Their bread pudding soufflé might be the most heavenly dessert in the city.
Did you know? The restaurant’s distinctive turquoise color wasn’t always its trademark look it was painted this vibrant shade in the 1970s during a renovation.
2. Antoine’s Restaurant – The Original Creole Experience
Stepping through Antoine’s doors feels like time travel to 1840 when this culinary landmark first opened. As the oldest family-run restaurant in America, the history here is as rich as their hollandaise sauce.
The walls of their 14 dining rooms tell stories of Mardi Gras krewes, celebrities, and generations of New Orleanians celebrating life’s milestones. Antoine’s invented Oysters Rockefeller still made with their closely guarded secret recipe that doesn’t actually contain spinach as most imitations do.
When dining here, ask to peek into the wine cellar, which once housed over 25,000 bottles and served as a speakeasy entrance during Prohibition.
3. Galatoire’s – Friday Lunch Tradition
The Friday lunch at Galatoire’s isn’t just a meal it’s a raucous celebration where local business deals are sealed and family traditions continue. Since 1905, this Bourbon Street institution has maintained a no-reservations policy for the first floor, creating legendary lines where people sometimes pay others to hold their spots.
Mirrors line the walls of this elegant dining room, reflecting generations of New Orleanians enjoying Soufflé Potatoes and Shrimp Remoulade. Their waiters, often serving families for decades, wear formal black tie attire and know regular customers’ preferences by heart.
The restaurant still refuses to install computers, with waiters memorizing orders and calculating bills by hand.
4. Arnaud’s – Jazz Brunch Paradise
Count Arnaud founded this French Quarter gem in 1918, promising dishes worthy of French royalty. Today, Arnaud’s sprawls across an entire block, with a maze of dining rooms each having its own personality.
Their Sunday Jazz Brunch is legendary sipping a French 75 cocktail while a jazz trio serenades your table creates pure New Orleans magic. After dinner, wander upstairs to their fascinating Mardi Gras Museum showcasing the elaborate costumes of Germaine Cazenave Wells, Count Arnaud’s daughter, who reigned as queen of over twenty carnival krewes.
If you’re feeling romantic, request Table 38 in the Main Dining Room it’s where countless proposals have happened over the decades.
5. Brennan’s – Pink Palace of Breakfast Dreams
The vibrant pink facade of Brennan’s signals you’re in for something special. This Royal Street landmark revolutionized breakfast when they invented Bananas Foster dramatically flambéed tableside and now performed over 35,000 times annually.
Though breakfast made them famous, their Creole-influenced dinner menu deserves equal attention. I could spend hours in their lush courtyard, especially when sipping their signature eye-opener cocktail, the Caribbean Milk Punch.
Brennan’s survived Hurricane Katrina only to suffer a devastating fire in 2013. Their magnificent renovation preserved the building’s 1795 architecture while modernizing the kitchen that now serves their famous turtle soup with the same recipe from 1946.
6. Café Amelie – Secret Garden Hideaway
Hidden behind vine-covered walls sits one of the Quarter’s most enchanting courtyards. Café Amelie occupies the former carriage house of the historic Princess of Monaco’s residence, creating a fairy-tale setting for enjoying contemporary Louisiana cuisine.
Twinkling lights hang overhead while fountains provide a soothing soundtrack for savoring their famous shrimp and grits. The courtyard’s massive shade tree has witnessed countless marriage proposals and special celebrations over centuries.
During summer heat, request a table inside the 150-year-old Princess of Monaco Courtyard Carriage House, where exposed brick walls and period details transport you to another era. Their Bourbon Pecan Pie with homemade vanilla bean ice cream might be the best dessert decision you’ll ever make.
7. Tujague’s – Home of the Standing Room Only Bar
As the second-oldest restaurant in New Orleans (established 1856), Tujague’s has perfected their six-course table d’hôte menu that begins with their famous shrimp remoulade. Their cypress bar, imported from Paris in 1856, is the oldest stand-up bar in America a tradition from when dockworkers would quickly grab drinks between shifts.
Though they recently moved a few doors down from their original location, they brought their history with them. The grasshopper cocktail was invented here, and their beef brisket has been simmering in the same pot for over 160 years (they just keep adding to it).
When dining here, look for the portrait of Julian Eltinge, a famous cross-dressing performer from the early 1900s legend says bad luck befalls the restaurant whenever it’s removed.
8. Café du Monde – Beignet Heaven
If powdered sugar doesn’t dust your clothes, did you even visit New Orleans? Café du Monde has been serving their famous beignets and chicory coffee 24 hours a day since 1862 (except during hurricanes).
This open-air café sits across from Jackson Square, making it perfect for people-watching while jazz musicians perform nearby. Their menu remains delightfully simple beignets, coffee, milk, and orange juice are all they’ve ever served.
During quieter weekday mornings, you might spot local artists sketching the cathedral or musicians taking breaks between sets. Pro tip: don’t wear black when eating here, and don’t inhale while taking a bite unless you want to experience the famous “beignet cough” from the mountain of powdered sugar!
9. Muriel’s Jackson Square – Dining with Ghosts
Housed in a building dating back to the 1700s, Muriel’s serves exceptional contemporary Creole cuisine with a side of supernatural activity. The second-floor Séance Lounge supposedly hosts the ghost of Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, who lost the property in a poker game and then took his life on the spot.
Management sets a table with bread and wine daily for their resident ghost. Their shrimp and goat cheese crepes might be the most heavenly appetizer in the Quarter, while the courtyard offers a magical setting for enjoying their signature Bayoubaisse seafood stew.
After dinner, head upstairs to explore the Séance Lounge’s paranormal history and enjoy creative cocktails. Their bread pudding with candied pecans and rum sauce is absolutely worth saving room for.
10. Palace Café – Contemporary Creole on Canal Street
Housed in the historic Werlein’s music store building, Palace Café brings contemporary Creole cooking to the edge of the French Quarter. Their open kitchen concept was revolutionary when they opened in 1991 under the Brennan family restaurant group.
The dramatic spiral staircase leading to the second floor offers views of chefs preparing their famous Crabmeat Cheesecake a savory appetizer that keeps locals coming back. White chocolate bread pudding here isn’t just dessert it’s practically a religious experience.
During Carnival season, don’t miss their King Cake a brioche dough filled with creole cream cheese, shaped into a ring, and topped with purple, green, and gold sugar. The restaurant’s beautiful facade still features the original Werlein’s mosaic tile entrance from 1897.
11. French Market Café – Farmers Market Fresh
Located within America’s oldest public market (operating since 1791), this casual café offers a front-row seat to the bustling heart of French Quarter commerce. Farmers, fishmongers, and artisans have gathered here for over two centuries, creating a sensory feast.
Their muffuletta sandwich rivals the famous Central Grocery version, with house-made olive salad that perfectly balances the rich meats and cheeses. I love watching Mississippi River ships pass while sipping their frozen café au lait the perfect antidote to New Orleans humidity.
After eating, browse the market stalls for local spices to take home. During crawfish season (roughly January through May), they serve boiled crawfish by the pound with corn and potatoes the perfect introduction to eating like a local.
12. The Napoleon House – Pimm’s Cup Perfection
If walls could talk, Napoleon House would share 200 years of fascinating stories. Originally built in 1797 for New Orleans mayor Nicholas Girod, it was offered as refuge to Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile (though he died before reaching it).
Classical music still plays softly in this weathered beauty where time seems suspended. Their signature Pimm’s Cup cocktail a refreshing cucumber-garnished British import has become a Quarter tradition for beating the Louisiana heat.
Their muffuletta sandwich is served warm a controversial choice that divides purists but creates an irresistible melty texture. The patina of age on the walls isn’t manufactured it’s the authentic result of centuries of Louisiana humidity, cigar smoke, and countless celebrations in this beloved corner building with its distinctive cupola.
