Dooky Chase is a family-owned restaurant that used to be run by the late Leah Chase, a.k.a. “The Queen of Creole Cuisine.” That’s a massive title for anybody to hold, but you’ll see exactly why it was warranted: the restaurant does excellent gumbo, shrimp clemenceau, red beans and rice, and some of the best fried chicken in the city. Come for a fun weekday lunch, where you can sip on a spiked lavender lemonade or strawberry wine spritzers.

There are a bunch of New Orleans restaurants where you can walk in and feel like you’re in another time period. Brigtsen’s is one of them, and they also have both some old-school Creole dishes and a Victorian cottage vibe. That means you’ll see things like veal sweetbreads, red snapper amandine, pan-roasted pork chops with debris gravy, and broiled Gulf fish with lemon crab sauce.

Arnaud’s is located right off Bourbon Street, but it’s about as far removed as you can get from that tourist trap of a street. This classic New Orleans restaurant has been serving up great food, cocktails, and live jazz since 1918. The best time to come here is for their lively jazz brunch when they do a three-course, prix fixe with dishes like grillades and grits, eggs sardou, and shrimp arnaud. You should also make time for Arnaud’s French 75 Bar for a sazerac or an Old Fashioned.

Gautreau’s biggest draw is their garden, which is the perfect atmosphere for a sort-of fancy dinner. Their menu is just as appealing, with its combo of French bistro dishes and food that takes inspiration from all over the world. You’ll find asado lamb ribs with arepas, red snapper with Chinese egg noodles, and a good ol’ plate of roast chicken, haricots verts, and mashed potatoes. We’d also like to pass a law that makes it illegal to come here without trying their caramelized banana split.

Commander’s Palace opened in the 1890s and is the quintessential New Orleans restaurant. This Garden District landmark serves all of the local staples, like turtle soup, gumbo, and barbecue shrimp, and it’s a great option for when getting a little dressed up sounds fun. If you want to drink 25-cent martinis while doing so, though, make a reservation at Commander’s for lunch, when you can get two courses for under $30 and a few cocktails that will collectively cost you less than a dollar.

One of the best free things you can do in New Orleans is walk through the Garden District on Magazine Street. The whole stretch is lined with restaurants, bars, and shops, so you can snack and drink as you go. But one place you’ll want to save room for is La Petite Grocery. It’s a modern take on Creole fine dining and while the whole menu is excellent, we’re especially big fans of the blue crab beignets and pasta with turtle ragu.

If you only have brunch once in New Orleans, it should be at Brennan’s. This place opened more than 70 years ago and is known for both its excellent service and classic food, like eggs benedict, gumbo, and a crawfish omelette. Make sure to try the brandy milk punch as well, if morning drinking is in your future. If you don’t feel like battling the plethora of bachelorette parties that flock to Brennan’s earlier in the day, then come for dinner instead.

Casamento’s started serving oysters on Magazine Street more than 90 years ago and has barely changed at all along the way. This is a situation where you should really stick to the bivalves, especially the fried oyster loaf sandwich, but make sure to get some soft shell crab if it’s in season, too. As a forewarning, Casamento’s closes when Gulf oysters are out of season—from the end of May to the beginning of September—so plan your trip accordingly.

Friday lunch at Galatoire’s is a New Orleans rite of passage and the best way to kick off a long weekend. To do it right, you need to sit in the downstairs dining room, which requires getting in line on Bourbon Street before it opens at 11:30am. Once you’re in, it’s basically an upscale party where the servers wear tuxes, drinking is definitely encouraged, and you can eat old-school classics like shrimp remoulade and gumbo until you’re ready for a post-lunch nap.

There are certain things you have to do in New Orleans, like hear a brass band, walk down Bourbon Street, and get at least one to-go beer or cocktail. Eating the wood-fired oysters with chili garlic butter at Cochon is also on that list. This spot in the Warehouse District opened more than a decade ago and serves great modern cajun food, like fried boudin and a massive pork shank topped with chicharron, but really it’s all about the oysters.