New Orleans Is Surprisingly Delicious 😋

The food in NOLA is worth flying for: collard greens, beignets, grilled oysters, crawfish, craft cocktails… I still dream about them even after returning home! ✈️❤️ The restaurant density here is insane — below are my handpicked recommendations: 🏛️ Commander's Palace My overall favorite. Requires reservations and a dress code 👔. Amazing food, warm service, elegant yet lively atmosphere, plus live string music 🎻. Must-order: turtle soup and pecan-crusted Gulf fish 🐟. 🌟 Pêche Seafood The best meal of the trip! The roasted Brussels sprouts (top right) had this unforgettable sweet-sour, oil-infused seasoning — never tasted anything like it, even back in Atlanta. The smoked duck citrus pappardelle pasta 🍝 tasted like a nostalgic childhood snack 😭. Beef tartare was solid. If I stayed longer, I’d 100% revisit! 🍩 Café du Monde Heard only the City Park location is the real deal. Eating beignets here feels like a ritual — imagine deep-fried dough buried in powdered sugar 💣. So simple, yet so addictive! Walk through the park afterward and enjoy some street music — super chill 🌳🎷. 🐟 GW Fins Men must wear collared shirts 👔. They gave us a special anniversary menu 🥂. Highlights: lobster dumplings and crispy pork. Tuna dishes were good too, but their signature redfish wasn’t as tasty as Commander’s. Overall solid, but not my top pick. 🦞 Big EZ Went to the airport-area spot. Got a crawfish + corn + potatoes + sausage combo — the crawfish were fresh and bouncy, and the corn soaked up all that spicy Cajun broth 😍. Also the best chargrilled oysters of the trip. Save one meal for this place! 🍸 Bars / Jazz 🎵 The Sazerac Bar Try their namesake Sazerac and Gin Fizz. Quiet, classy vibe — perfect for conversation. Fun fact: the Sazerac is one of America’s oldest cocktails and a NOLA icon 🥃. 🎺 Preservation Hall Tickets must be bought online in advance (seated or standing). Professional, moving jazz performances where the musicians pour their soul into the music. My music-loving partner was completely immersed and didn’t want to leave 🎶. 🐆 The Spotted Cat Music Club Craved more jazz after Preservation Hall, so we popped in here. $5 cover + drinks available. Awesome vibe — people were even swinging to the music! 💃🕺 #NewOrleansFood #SouthernUSATravel #EatLikeALocal #NOLAJazz #FoodieHeaven