It’s a question asked of cabbies, bartenders, lifelong residents, and anyone who’s ever been to town. “Where should I eat in New Orleans?” The answer depends on the variables, but the type of food, budget, location, and occasion are just a few factors
to consider. Enter the Eater 38.
This guide is our shortlist of the city’s must-hit restaurants. Eater’s editors and contributors, who are constantly eating out and checking in with restaurant industry insiders, compile this list every quarter to update it with the essential restaurants you need to know about at this moment. As always, we ensure the list includes a diverse range of cuisines, prices, and neighborhoods in New Orleans.
Listed from east to west, these 38 restaurants are crucial visits for any New Orleans diner, showcasing a mix of family-owned eateries, Creole cafes, and fine dining institutions that make New Orleans its own dining destination in America.
New this update: Cane and Table, an excellent Caribbean Cajun rum bar and restaurant along a beleaguered stretch of Decatur plagued by construction woes — it deserves attention; and LUFU, a special destination for regional Indian street food. Meanwhile, Coquette and Casamento’s leave the list.
For a guide to the best new restaurants in New Orleans, turn to the Eater Heatmap. And for all the latest New Orleans dining intel, subscribe to Eater New Orleans’s newsletter.
