The 10 best restaurants in New Orleans

New Orleans is known for a few things: a raging Mardi Gras celebration, the notorious French Quarter, the failed levee system of 2005, and the food. Situated just at the top of the Gulf of Mexico, and nestled in the Southern part of the United States, New Orleans is ripe for fresh ingredients and rich flavors. Even more so is the unique Cajun and Creole influence on both the culture and the cuisine, making the eating experience in New Orleans unlike anywhere else in the world.

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#1 Gautreau's
As if we could request that a restaurant pulls all of the best things about New Orleans into one kitchen, Gautreau seemingly fulfills our wish. The chef only uses fresh ingredients, and as a result, the menu changes quite often according to the season. The Cajun influence provides decadent flavors while its trendy place in the restaurant world keeps the dishes innovative. Be sure to bring both your appetite and perhaps your jacket, as this is a fine-dining experience.

#2 Commander's Palace
With over 2,000 reviews on Yelp, and 4.5 stars, this is undoubtedly a popular place to eat, and with good reason. Commander’s Palace is notorious for treating its guests like royalty, and the depth of flavor in each dish has a similar effect. The menu is classic Creole, but stands as one of the exemplary kitchens in the genre. Try the infamous gumbo for a quintessential Cajun experience, and splurge on the Turtle Soup to join the devoted masses.

#3 August
For a pinky’s-up experience, and decadent French flavors head to August. Described as approachable despite the high-class cuisine (and prices) August seems to be the well-known and reliably delicious place to treat your palate. What is especially great about the menu, is that the wine pairings with each dish seem to only excite its patrons, making it something of a draw in itself. It’s a bit on the pricey side, though, so be sure to come with a big appetite and deep pockets.

#4 Brigtsen's Restaurant
For the best seafood, easily head to Brigtsen’s Restaurant located on the river in the Carrollton neighborhood. Frank Brigtsen takes traditional Cajun-Creole flavors and amplifies them in a unique spin unparalleled elsewhere in NOLA. Order the Butternut Shrimp Bisque for a taste of heaven (seriously) and try your best to save room for the Pecan Pie with the insanely delicious caramel sauce.

#5 Clancy's Restaurant
Clancy’s is every bit an atmospheric experience as it is a gastric experience. With the trendy, whitewashed main floor comes also an innovative and contemporary Creole-inspired menu. The well-stocked bar offers strong drinks, which makes this a popular spot for trendy locals. Though it is trendy and energetic, it is also comfortable, like coming home when you first walk in. Do not forget to order the Fried Oysters with Brie if you want the full experience.

#6 Cochon Butcher
For a more casual eating experience, stop by Cochon Butcher and pick up a few sandwiches. It may be impossible to leave with only that, though, because the shop offers Cajun inspired charcuterie and a plethora of sides as well. The sandwiches are sinfully decadent: order the Muffaletta to get an idea of just how impressive they are.

#7 Bayona
For the ultimate Louisiana experience head to Bayona and get a table on the patio, where the foliage provides the perfect ambiance for this slow-food restaurant. Everything is made from scratch, and creatively so, making the entire dining experience a delectable treat from start to finish. The menu changes daily based on new inspirations, and wine pairings are always seemingly spot-on. It’s bound to be a high-end meal with at-home comfort.

#8 Restaurant R'evolution
R’evolution is known for its creative, and sometimes strange, menu. It manipulates Cajun-Creole cuisine by twisting the traditional dishes into something that can only be found in this high-end Royal Sonesta Hotel restaurant. Try the crab beignets with four different sauces for a memorable NOLA inspired meal. The Turtle Soup is arguably the most popular dish here and worth a taste, as well.

#9 Boucherie
Perhaps the cutest place on this list is Boucherie, a tiny cottage dining room that pumps out big flavors. The ambiance is comforting and many people head here for the hip atmosphere, relatively lower prices (under $20 per entrée, on average) and the funky twists on Southern classics. Order the Duck Confit Po’Boy, and if you are in the mood to try something spectacularly decadent and giddy-invoking, then order the Krispy Kreme bread pudding.

#10 Rue 127
Possibly the cutest combination of high-end and casual can be found at Rue 127. The atmosphere is intimate, but casual, and the food is creative and unique. The flavors of each dish are groan-worthy, but the most infamous dish at Rue 127 is, undoubtedly, the deep-fried cupcakes.

Without a doubt New Orleans has become a competitive foodie central, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Chicago, New York, Portland, San Francisco and Atlanta. The difference in New Orleans, though, is that the cuisine is heavily influenced by the Cajun-Creole culture, making the restaurants even more impressive. Any of these top 10 is bound to impress, so start with one and have fun eating your way through NOLA.