If you're looking for an all-caps CLASSIC restaurant in New Orleans, head to Commander’s Palace in the Garden District, where every table is treated like Carnival royalty. Regulars know to call a full year in advance to snag tables for certain days, like the Friday before Mardi Gras when members of local parading krewes will greet friends and toss beads from table to table. You’ll still need a reservation for a more typical afternoon where you can have a long, lazy lunch.

Dakar is one of the hottest and most unique restaurants in New Orleans. It’s a tasting menu, supper club-style spot where the chef and owner cooks dishes inspired by the food of Senegal, his home country. Not only that, but he’s right there with you for every course, telling stories and personal anecdotes about each bowl of blue crab seafood stew or pot of jollof rice. It’s a special occasion restaurant that will probably teach you a lot, while also simultaneously being a party.

Our lives can be split into two distinct time periods: before we tried the turkey neck appetizer at Café Reconcile, and after. These crispy, caramelized hunks of fall-off-the-bone poultry are worth a visit alone, but you should definitely throw in a fried chicken plate, too—theirs is one of the best in the city. Café Reconcile is only open for lunch, and it’s a pretty big space where you can almost always find a table.

Turkey & The Wolf has received more national attention than any other restaurant in New Orleans over the last couple of years. Which makes sense, since their wild sandwiches are all truly excellent. But while it’s no longer the newest kid on the block, this is still one of the best casual, comfort food spots around. Everything is nostalgic in the best way possible, but their collard green melt might just be the best thing on the menu.

There are many New Orleans restaurants with storied histories, but none quite like Dooky Chase’s, which was home to organizing meetings during the Civil Rights Movement, fed A.P. Tureaud and Thurgood Marshall, and even served its famous fried chicken to President Obama. Get a plate of that chicken for yourself while you scan the walls for works by Black artists - the restaurant was also the first gallery for Black creators here.

Even though it’s only been open since late 2022, Mamou is one of the newest and best French restaurants in town. It’s a great place to bring a date, eat escargot, and drink a glass of Burgundy. Beyond snails, we love the braised celery hearts with beef tongue, gulf fish court bouillon, and risotto. If you’re around Louis Armstrong Park and need a glass of wine and a snack, hang out at the lively emerald green bar, which is just as fun as the rest of the fuschia-accented dining room.

The best things at Saffron, a consistently excellent Indian restaurant on Magazine Street, are the dishes that seamlessly incorporate Southern flavors into their food. We’re talking about the comforting seafood gumbo loaded with tender okra, perfectly cooked gulf shrimp, and plenty of curry spice, and the roasted oysters sprinkled with curry leaves and served with fluffy naan.

Bayona is a spot where you can get Creole dishes and linger with a couple of friends for a while and not feel like you’re part of a large march of tourists (unlike other classic spots like Galatoire's, which turn tables much faster). The courtyard, filled with plants and more cobblestones than a Roman sidestreet, is where you want to be. It feels like your own secret little garden where you can eat duck liver pate, grilled pork chops, and fennel and pepper-crusted lamb loin.

Parkway Tavern has been serving po’ boys for more than 100 years, so it’s fair to say they’ve learned a thing or two about one of the most quintessential dishes of New Orleans. The counter-service and expansive patio are great for groups, but grab a table at the bar inside if there’s a spot available so you can chat with the locals who come through daily. The options span from sliced turkey to deep-fried shrimp and oysters or go for the classic roast beef, which is served dripping in gravy.

Saint John is from the same team behind Gris-Gris, one of our favorite restaurants on Magazine Street. This newer spot is another excellent place for Southern and Creole dishes, in a space that feels both old-school and modern New Orleans, thanks to the open kitchen with counter seating and paintings by local artists lining the wall. Come for a date night dinner where you can split dishes like oysters three ways, a rich plate of beef daube, and buttery crawfish tails with fried green tomatoes.