New Orleans isn’t necessarily an expensive city to eat in. It’s not, say, New York or London where you can easily spend over $100 per person on a mediocre meal. But this is New Orleans where it seems you have to try hard to get a sub-par supper at a restaurant.
When you are celebrating something or you just want to splurge on a darn good meal, there are a large handful of restaurants in New Orleans that are worth every penny you might pay to dine there. Here are the 10 best splurge-worthy restaurants in New Orleans.
Bayona
Super chef Susan Spicer is the top toque at Bayona where her menu might change regularly, but diners can expect dishes inspired by all corners of the planet with a hint of a Louisianan accent. Seared sea scallops wade in a shallow pool of Gochujang sauce, roasted duck breast in a Pinot jus, and gulf white fish in a luscious green curry are a few standouts that you might find on the menu at this elegant but casual French Quarter spot.
Chemin á la Mer
Lauded Nola chef Donald Link is in the kitchen at this stately, elegant eatery inside the Four Seasons Hotel. Located just outside of the French Quarter on the banks of the Mississippi River, Chamin á la Mer serves up a cuisine that is fit for a monarch (if Louisiana had a royal family). Chef Link combines Creole fare with French recipes and French techniques along with some Caribbean flare to create pure wow on a plate. The view of the river almost rivals the food.
Commander’s Palace
Everyone should go to Commander’s Palace at least once in their lives. It’s the quintessential Big Easy eating experience. After all, you don’t win seven James Beard Awards—the Academy Awards of the dining world—for nothing, right? Right. Since the late 19th century, this blue-and-white-bedecked Garden District eatery has been cooking up Creole far with consistent excellence.
Compère Lapin
Celebrity chef Nina Compton is the chef at this dazzling restaurant in the Warehouse District. Compton is from St. Lucia and at Compère Lapin (535 Tchoupitoulas St) she sticks to the Caribbean, in general, and St. Lucia, in particular. Consider starting with the blackened pigs’ ears, the pork belly in a plantain puree, or the hamachi tartare with jerk pineapple before moving on to curried goat with sweet potato gnocchi or a half-jerk chicken with blackeyed peas.
Emeril’s
This is the flagship restaurant of Emeril Legasse, who was a celebrity chef in the United States long before you ever heard the words “foodie” “Top Chef” or “farm to table.” Emeril’s is a white-tablecloth establishment that does four different tasting menus: a six-course seasonal menu, a six-course menu of the chef’s classics, and a truncated three-course—starter, entree, dessert—tasting menu. For those who fear commitment, there’s a bar menu in the less formal “salon” that has a list of snack-y items to order.
GW Fins
Since 2001, GW Fins has been serving up just-pulled-from-the-Gulf goodness on a plate. If you’re in the mood for high-quality, super-fresh seafood—and, really, who’s not?—this is one of the best places in town to splurge for it. The kitchen doesn’t waste a lot of whatever they’re cooking, putting an emphasis on sustainability and conservation. For example, the crispy tempura fish fins are excellent. The lobster dumplings are legendary, And the fried oysters paired with banh mi vegetables is a nod to Viet-Cajun cuisine which started in New Orleans.
Jewel of the South
When this French Quarter eatery first opened up in the Spring of 2019, the city’s fooderati were abuzz with salivating excitement. Located in the French Quarter, Jewel of the South is as much a restaurant as it is a cocktail bar. This contemporary tavern serves up excellent seasonal fare with a Southern accent and an award-winning bar program that mixes up seasonal signature cocktails alongside a list of classic drinks as well. Start with some caviar before moving on to foie gras parfait and steak tartare paired with a bone marrow custard.
Justine
Chef Justin Devillier is the toque in the kitchen at this elegant French Quarter eatery. Justine’s is designed to mimic an intimate Parisian bistro, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The menu at first glance has a strong Gallic accent, but Devellier infuses a lot of New Orleans’ culinary culture into the dishes as well. The smoked bacon in the shrimp and grits adds another level to the flavor strata and the seared scallops wading in a carrot-ginger puree are worth a second visit.
Pêche
Chefs Stephen Stryjewski and Donald Link have cast their lines in the Warehouse District at this industrial-chic spot. Pêche, as the name might suggest, is a seafood-forward spot with a focus on Spain and South America. Start at the raw bar with the seafood platter and then consider ordering the whole grilled fish or the 22-ounce ribeye. Don’t forget: we’re splurging! In 2014, Pêche won a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in America, and it’s still top-notch.
Zasu
Chef Sue Zemanick, who holds a James Beard Award, cooks up superlative seafood delights at her Mid-City splurge-worthy stunner of a bistro. The emphasis at Zasu is seafood and Zemanick definitely knows her way around a fish or crustacean, sometimes pairing unlikely ingredients that work in a delicious way. Ora king salmon comes out on a plate with caramelized sauerkraut, peas, and dill spätzle, putting a Teutonic twist on it. If you’re not in the mood for seafood, the menu also boasts dishes like sumptuous wild mushroom pierogies.
David Farley is a West Village-based food and travel writer whose work appears regularly in the New York Times, National Geographic, BBC, and Food & Wine, among other publications. He’s the author of three books, including “An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church’s Strangest Relic in Italy’s Oddest Town,” which was made into a documentary by the National Geographic Channel. You can find Farley’s online homes here and here.