This itinerary is built for people who think about food and music seriously. Three days organized around the meals and venues that define New Orleans' contributions to American culture: the Creole-Italian confluence that produced the po-boy and the muffuletta, the African and Caribbean roots that created jazz, and the restaurant kitchens where those traditions are maintained without compromise.
The restaurants that have been operating for over 75 years and haven't needed to change. New Orleans has more of these than any other American city.
Brennan's invented Bananas Foster at this table in 1951 — the flambéed banana dessert was created to use surplus banana imports. The pink building on Royal Street has been the site of extravagant New Orleans breakfasts since 1946. Eggs Sardou (artichoke, creamed spinach, hollandaise) and the turtle soup are the correct orders. The Bananas Foster is prepared tableside.
The most comprehensive museum of Southern foodways in the country — dedicated to the culture and history of food, drink, and cocktails in the Gulf South. The Bar at the Museum of the American Cocktail is inside and serves historically accurate cocktails from the pre-Prohibition era. The absinthe history exhibit and the Creole cuisine timeline are the strongest sections.
Leah Chase's Creole restaurant in Treme is where Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, and Ray Charles ate during the Civil Rights era. The Creole gumbo z'herbes (a 13-greens gumbo traditionally served on Holy Thursday) is the dish the restaurant is most associated with. The fried chicken is as good as anything in Louisiana. This is a meal with historical weight.
New Orleans has live music at all hours. This day is structured around following it from morning to late night, with meals timed around sets.
Preservation Hall at 726 St. Peter has been presenting traditional New Orleans jazz since 1961. The daytime shows (3pm and 5pm) are shorter and less crowded than the evening sets. The hall itself holds about 100 people on benches or standing — arrive 20 minutes before the set. The musicians are working professionals, not tourist entertainment; the music is the real thing.
The Acme on Iberville has been shucking oysters since 1910. A dozen raw Gulf oysters with house hot sauce and saltines is the order — $1.50 per oyster, bring your own mignonette preferences. The oyster po-boy and the seafood gumbo are strong backup options. The bar fills by noon on weekends; weekday lunch is quieter.
The Spotted Cat (2372 Frenchmen) runs continuous live music from 4pm to 2am — no cover, excellent sightlines, fast bar service. Next door, d.b.a. has the better sound system and occasional national touring acts. Snug Harbor (626 Frenchmen) is the serious jazz room — Ellis Marsalis played his Friday residency here for decades. Plan to stay on Frenchmen from 9pm to midnight minimum, moving between venues.
The restaurants where New Orleans tradition is being extended, reinterpreted, and occasionally improved.
The praline bacon at Elizabeth's in Bywater launched a thousand imitations — thick-cut bacon glazed with praline and served as a morning side. The restaurant itself is a neighborhood diner with an unusually creative menu: the eggs Creolaise and the banana Foster french toast are worth ordering. The building is painted with murals; the neighborhood around it is the most artist-dense in the city.
Donald Link's seafood restaurant in the Warehouse District is the best argument for what New Orleans cooking looks like when it's updated for the 21st century — wood-fired whole fish, raw oysters, Gulf shrimp prepared simply. The whole roasted fish (market variety) and the smoked tuna dip are the anchors. This is the restaurant that consistently wins Best New Restaurant awards; it's now just the best restaurant in its category.
New Orleans in July and August is genuinely difficult — heat index over 100°F and humidity that makes outdoor walking uncomfortable after 10am. The best months are October–November and March–April (before Jazz Fest crowds drive hotel prices up). Jazz Fest (late April/early May) is worth attending if you plan 6+ months in advance for tickets and hotels. Hurricane season runs June through November — check forecasts before late-summer trips.
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