A Hedonist’s Weekend In New Orleans
Where To Eat
August
F&W Best New Chef 1999 John Besh’s flagship, known for innovative Louisiana and Mediterranean dishes and languid Friday lunches.
Brigtsen’s
An outstanding French-inspired restaurant co-owned by F&W Best New Chef 1988 Frank Brigtsen.
Café du Monde
A famous French Quarter café overrun by tourists, but not to be missed for its powdered-sugar-topped beignets (doughnuts).
Casamento’s Restaurant
A classic oyster restaurant adored by locals; open for lunch from Tuesday to Saturday and for dinner Thursday to Saturday only, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. (and closed June through August).
Gautreau’s
An old-fashioned dining room in a former apothecary, where F&W Best New Chef 2008 Sue Zemanick runs the kitchen.
Lüke
Pleasantly noisy new brasserie from Besh, with a terrific raw bar.
Where To Drink
Mimi’s in the Marigny
A hipster bar in the Marigny district, with live music and a Spanish tapas menu.
Rue de la Course
A bohemian coffeehouse on Magazine Street, a terrific shopping strip.
Saturn Bar
An old dive bar beloved for its cluttered, lived-in space and outsider-art collection.
Vaughan’s Lounge
An always-crowded bar in the Bywater, where locals pack in to hear New Orleans jazz trumpeter Kermit Ruffins play weekly Thursday-night sets with his band, the Barbecue Swingers. Ruffins often serves his own homemade barbecue at the shows.
What To See
New Orleans Art Museum
Located inside the 1,300-acre City Park, with a sculpture garden that displays iconic pieces by renowned artists like Louise Bourgeois and Henry Moore.