Shops of the Colonnade — Attraction in New Orleans

After walking around the French Quarter the night before having some great drinks and enjoying some really fun night life, we decided the next morning to spend some time strolling the famed French Market of New Orleans...we were anything but disappointed.

With so many things to see and (more importantly) so many things to taste, it was hard to figure out a plan of attack for the market. It seemed as though with each step we took, we saw another item we wanted to try! The market is filled with beautiful colors, amazing scents, unique sights, and people from so many different cultures that it was really a great experience just to walk the market alone. We decided to spend the first hour or so just walking the stalls where people had items for sale and then taking in a lot of knowledge on the menus and items to purchase for our bellies before settling in and actually ordering a few things.

First stop once we decided to order was a place that specialized in adult beverages. It was still early in the day so Chas opted to grab one of their signature Bloody Mary's while Chuck decided to go for a Banana Split Daiquiri. The Bloody Mary was good quality and provided a nice amount of spice as well as the boozy tomato goodness you expect from a good brunch beverage. The daiquiri was very good. They used ice cream and a blend of sauces (not just some carton mix) to make the blended beverage and it was so tasty and also quite cooling on a day where the sun was beating down on the market pretty hard.

After that we decided to grab the first round of food we would split. Chas and Val went to a stand where they got a crab cake sandwich and cheesy grits while Chuck grabbed a classic Nola Boudin as well as an Alligator sausage that both came with creole mustard. The crab cake had a nice flavor and was pretty much all crab meat so that was a bonus. I would say that I didn't love the roll it came on, and they used a very stiff mesclun mix on the sandwich that I could have done without also. The grits were good, but certainly not great (the grits at Mr. B's Bistro are far superior). The Boudin was very good, there was a nice snap to the skin and the meat and rice were very well seasoned. The Alligator sausage was even better, very smoky and meaty! You couldn't necessarily tell you were eating "gator", but it was delicious.

In the last round of munchies attained at the market, Chas grabbed a Muffuletta and Chuck got a Shrimp Po' Boy and a Bowl of Gumbo. Chuck talked a lot of smack about the muffuletta being "just a sandwich" and how it was a waste of stomach space...then had to eat his words, as well as half a sandwich. The olive spread on the sandwich made the whole thing, but it was also on very high quality bread. The bread however, for the Shrimp Po Boy was not very good at all, but the rest of it was so we took everything off the roll and ate it alone. The gumbo also was honestly only okay, especially compared to places like Chef Ron's Gumbo Stop.

Nice little morning getting a few drinks and some grub and then walking it all off between the market and parking 6 blocks away. Up's and Down's as far as the food went, but the drinks were solid and the atmosphere was a strong 10. New Orleans' French Market -...

Just visited NOLA on 6/19/25, with friends. We visited the French Market twice to take our time while browsing for souvenirs & enjoying certain foods, treats & drinks. Some vendors had reasonable tourist prices for their items. Others priced items extremely too high. We couldn't believe it (and didn't purchase from certain vendors)!

Same merchandise & Too pricey: Most of them had the exact same items, like, literally, the exact same but charged extremely different in price range. I refused to purchase a $65 basic but pretty sundress that I can buy from a full brick & mortar store (Ross or Target) for half the price. I know we were in a tourist spot but my goodness!!! My mind wouldn't let me do it, lol. Plus, many vendors had jewelery displayed that looked like they used a medal detector on the beach to find this random, nearly rusty silver & gold jewelry or they all bought their items from the same warehouse. They need to step their game up with better merchandise, AND how its displayed. No one wants to dig through a pile of rings as if it was poured straight from the shipping box onto the table into a smaller box or jewelery tray.

Reasonable vendors: We did find a few t-shirt & coffee mug vendors who weren't price gouging, so we bought from them. ●One vendor was a professional & cool duo, Black father&son selling vibrant and various family designed t-shirts w/great quality. My family members loved their t-shirts!! ●Another was a young African woman who had better looking coffee mugs, fridge magnets, NOLA key chains, etc., than the pricey vendors. We bought so much from here! ●The other was a cool white older man (quality t-shirts for no more than $10). He had multiple colors and different NOLA designs. I wish I could shout them out by name, but can't remember. They were friendly, patient, welcoming, and nice to us. They said hello, held conversation & were willing to answer any questions. I rate these vendors 10 🌟 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟!!!

Overall: I'd return to experience the vibe and the food. I'd do what I did during my visit, take my time browsing, and only purchase from reasonably and friendly vendors who are helpful and engaging! See...

The Shops of the Colonnade feature a farmer's market, a flea market, street food and a restaurant with a courtyard that seems to constantly have a live jazz band on staff. By a long shot my favorite shop is Sungal La Classe. The designer and owner Lamine SENE sets up shop daily. He's approachable, knowledgable about caring for the cloth, but not a pushy salesman. My wife and I were so impressed we ended up shopping here two days in a row and are very excited to wear his innovative African fashion to an upcoming wedding. He also offers shipping if you don't have room in your luggage or want to curate more after you head back home. We also enjoyed shopping at the hat shop called Latin's Hand, a bespoke jewelry shop called Indigo Graffiti, and an African clothing and accessory store called Motherland Africa Arts. Motherland Africa Arts had multiple staffers, great jumpsuits, handbags and even equipped with a small dressing room. The downside is they weren't open everyday and not very knowledgeable about caring for the items you're investing in. Indigo Graffiti offered a bespoke ring making service. First you pick out some stones then the style and color of ring wire and you get to watch the artist craft on the spot. Come ready for the typical flea market experience of negotiating prices and being prepared for a few pushy sales pitches. It's a great way to hear jazz, enjoy some local food, chicory coffee and pamper yourself or your lady with a shopping trip. Although there are lots of great spots for shopping in New Orleans this...