Best Dinner Places to Eat in Mid-City

"1403 Washington Ave., (504) 899-8221; www.commanderspalace.com. Duck fat-seared bluefin tuna is served with Meyer lemon grilled greens and sweet potato boulangere with miso-lemon grass veal bone jus and foie gras ganache. Reservations recommended."

"Visitors can pop into boutique shops, voodoo stores, art galleries, iconic restaurants like Brennan’s, be entertained by street performers, admire the architecture and wrought iron balconies, and even visit inside the historic Gallier House. You might also notice Cafe Beignet on Royal Street which some say has better beignets than Cafe du Monde. You’ll have to compare and decide for yourself. As for me, it was a toss-up."

"The birthplace of Bananas Foster, that flaming tableside dessert of bananas, rum, and brown sugar served over vanilla ice cream, is still going strong with an array of classic desserts to please the breakfast crowd. Because you should always have dessert at breakfast."

"This New Orleans stalwart provides a sophisticated reprieve from Bourbon Street’s frenetic party scene. The dining rooms are elegant, with chandeliers and mahogany, the waiters wear tuxedos and the menu features French-Creole favorites. One menu staple not to be missed are the Soufflé Potatoes, which were featured on The Best Thing I Ever Ate."

"Galatoire’s has a tradition of serving authentic French Creole cuisine at a level that raises consistency to an art form. Open for lunch and dinnerDress code: JacketPhone: +1 504-525-2021"

"This 20-year-old success story is an elegant, old-fashioned dining room with wooden posts and beams – reminiscent of a ship’s masts. It has lashings of sea-blue and metallic, marine-inspired art. The menu is a mix of trad southern hospitality (lobster bisque, red snapper with okra) and international (lionfish ceviche, tuna tacos); co-founder chef Tenney Finn is so knowledgeable about the fruits of the sea that he’s known as the fishmonger of the South."

"Fresh fish is the star at this French Quarter fine dining establishment. As an avid fisherman, chef Tenney Flynn is meticulous when it comes to choosing the freshest product from his sources, and his entrées change daily to reflect the best catch. Whatever the preparation—wood-grilled, parmesan crusted, blackened—the flavors of the fish shine through."

"While better known for its seafood, GW Fins certainly has no shortage of vegan options for even the most finicky of eaters. Owned and operated by Gary Wollerman, GW Fins makes our ..."

"Hot dogs and cool jazz make a delicious Frenchmen Street pairing. Take a break from club-hopping to fill your belly with inventive goodness from one of the most popular cheap eats in New Orleans. Choose your sausage—traditional, crawfish, alligator, and more—then go wild with toppings ranging from blue cheese to crawfish etouffee in what Dat Dog calls “jazz improvisation on a bun.” Or let the bandmaster lead with specials like the Bacon Werewolf with Slovenian sausage and sauerkraut."

"Awash in a chill vibe, a colourful ambience of flashy colours and funky decor and displaying a down-to-earth attitude, Dat Dog is a great eatery to bring the kids. The fact that one of the kid-fave foods, hot dogs, is dominant on the menu is also encouraging. In fact, the menu is packed with hot dogs and a large inventory of crazy toppings."

"601 Frenchmen St., (504) 309-3362; 3336 Magazine St., (504) 324-2226; 5030 Freret St., (504) 899-6883; www.datdog.com. A crawfish etouffee dog is a crawfish sausage topped with crawfish etouffee, onions, tomatoes, mustard and sour cream. Reservations accepted for large parties."

"Nina Compton brings her generous spirit and natural warmth to every plate of inventive island meets New Orleans and Mediterranean cuisine at Bywater American Bistro, the second restaurant she and her husband Larry Miller opened after settling in Nola to open Compere Lapin in the CBD. This neighborhood spot - which like all New Orleans restaurants pivoted every which way in the past difficult year, feels personal to Compton, and it is. She lives upstairs and is invested in making Bywater her home. She has a loyal following, with good reason."

"The quality of the food, for me, is the fancy part of dining out. It’s in the ingredients and the preparation. Bywater American Bistro sources quality ingredients, the food is prepared very well in a technical sense, and the flavors are incredible."

"2900 Chartres St., (504) 605-3827; www.bywateramericanbistro.com. Pickled Gulf shrimp are served with avocado, radish, jalapeno, celery, herbs, chili oil and rye croutons. Reservations accepted."

"A cozy little French crêperies in uptown New Orleans known for their dessert and entrée crepes, as well as their tasty main courses. Order the Moules Marinière, which is PEI mussels steamed in white wine and garlic and finished with cream; share the large one (served with pommes frites) over a couple of glasses of rosé champagne. Essential InformationAddress: 1410 Robert St., New Orleans, LA | 504-899-2670Open For: Sun-Thurs Dinner (5pm-10pm); Fri-Sat Dinner (5pm-11pm); Sunday Brunch (11am-3pm)Attire: Business CasualReservation Required: EncouragedCost: $$Website:La Crêpe Nanou"

"Cotelettes d’agneau is lamb chops served with cognac reduction, pommes frites and haricots verts. Reservations accepted. Dinner daily, brunch Sun."

"You'll find everything from pizza to Middle Eastern to Vietnamese (plus a cocktail bar) at the stylish Pythian Market, a food hall located on the edge of the French Quarter. I've only been once, but I loved the flavor-packed Mushroom Medley Salad from Squeezed, and my husband had a Phoritto (basically, pho in burrito form ... a tofu version is available) from Eatwell."

"Next on our list of the absolute best lunch spots in New Orleans: Pythian Market is more than just a food hall in downtown New Orleans. In the market, you’ll not only find local food, but also a craft bar and curated retail vendors. Pythian Market is a gathering place for food, community, and commemoration of New Orleans culture."

"This instantly recognizable food truck celebrates the simple deliciousness of butter, cheese, and fresh bread with grilled cheese treats that venture beyond classic. Try the spicy pimento or saucy craw-daddy, with a side of fried macaroni and cheese balls. Craving more cheap eats in New Orleans of the food truck variety?"

"Adam Biderman’s homage to the simple burger — thin patty, American cheese, fresh ground meat, no lettuce, no tomato — blew the burger scene in New Orleans wide open when Company Burger opened in 2011. Since then it’s won local and national raves and awards from all directions and is in residence on busy Freret Street Uptown. The menu has a few other sandwich options well worth a try, like that tasty fried chicken sandwich."

"611 O’Keefe Ave., Suite C7, (504) 309-9422; 4600 Freret St., (504) 267-0320; www.thecompanyburger.com. A Company burger features two Creekstone Farm beef patties, American cheese, bread-and-butter pickles and red onions."

"If a few days of fried seafood and rich Creole sauces is wreaking havoc on your constitution, head to The Green Fork in the Lower Garden District, a stone's throw from Seed, another healthful eatery. The Green Fork specializes in fresh juices amped up with the likes of bee pollen and hemp protein, all designed to do a body good. Nibble on healthy snack options like kale chips hummus and chick pea salad."

"Broad in May 2019, bringing a welcome addition to New Orleans’s limited number of options for Ethiopian cuisine. Biruk Alemayehu developed Addis Nola with her husband Jaime Lobo, and along with chef Samuel Shiferaw offer a variety of stews and stir-fry served with Ethiopian flatbread inerja; traditional dishes like sambusas and kitfo; and vegetarian-friendly sides of red lentils, chickpeas, yellow split peas, cabbage with carrots, and more. Keep an eye out for Addis’s pop-up restaurant collaborations, from Vegan Wit’ a Twist to Turkey and the Wolf to Marjie’s Grill."

"Address: 422 S Broad AvenueNew Orleans, LA 70119Phone: (504) 218-5321Website. At Addis NOLA, the city’s Ethiopian restaurant, forks aren’t needed as you grab the signature bread, injera, tear it apart and use it to scoop up the classic doro wat, a chicken dish with onions, spices, and a delicious sauce. An array of options from vegetarian to lamb are served."

"Sneaky Pickle is a restaurant that serves vegan and vegetarian meals made in the New Orleans style. With a relaxed atmosphere and a menu that changes on a daily basis, this café features creative, farm-fresh plates that range from a vegan Reuben sandwich to fried tofu and fried cauliflower buffalo salad. Though it offers both meat and meatless options, Sneaky Pickle is careful to make sure these ingredients never touch; a little gesture that goes a long way with vegans and vegetarians alike."

"They use fresh ingredients from a carefully vetted list of local farmers, and from what I’ve heard their sandwiches are to die for. I sadly didn’t get a chance to visit – this is true of the next two restaurants as well – but I’m still kicking myself about it. Visions of their vegan Reuben made with smoked tempeh, homemade sauerkraut and caramelised onions will probably haunt my dreams until I finally try it."

"BywaterRecently reopened after sustaining and recovering from fire damage in 2019, the Sneaky Pickle has picked up right where it left off, offering a mostly vegan menu with three hearty meat dishes to please that one friend who refuses to try anything new. Everything’s made fresh in-house, and the menu changes according to seasonality and availability from local farms."

"Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing. This shopping center is an L-shaped strip mall that comes with a huge parking area. It boasts a good number of stores to shop from, and the best part is that everything here is incredibly cheap."

"Visitors seeking the best malls in Greater New Orleans must only venture slightly north of the city to find Lakeside Shopping Center. This expansive retail hub is one of the area's most popular malls with more than 120 well-known stores including M.A.C., Dillard's, Lane Bryant, Gap, Old Navy and Eddie Bauer, as well as boutiques such as Ann Taylor Loft and Talbot's. Lakeside Shopping Center offers seemingly endless shopping opportunities for men and women (and enough distractions for kids)."

"This newish gelato spot on Canal at Royal is a game changer for the lower French Quarter, an artisanal, organic chain founded in Paris in 2002. Amorino is located all over the globe, from Casa Blanca to Abu Dahbi, a Euro-style shop with flavors like caramel, chocolate and passionfruit, along with coffee, macarons and other treats."

"At the very heart of the French Quarter on Bourbon Street there’s a paved courtyard park celebrating New Orleans’ musical giants with plaques, artwork and other commemorative displays. Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, Chris Owens, Al Hirt and Louis Prima are all honoured here, among others. A constant stream of musicians put on free performances in this laid-back environment with lots of shade, and you can grab coffee and a Cajun speciality like crawfish omelette at Cafe Beignet."

"What is particularly noteworthy on Bourbon Street is New Orleans Musical Legends, a cozy park with live jazz music flowing daily. There’s outdoor seating available for you to enjoy the music and it’s connected to Café Beignet (the BEST beignets), if you’d like a snack along with your musical enjoyment."

"If you want a place that is surrounded by musical history, then the Musical Legends Park should be on your list. Sit and sip on a drink and eat some beignets while you listen to live music. Artists display their artwork around the park."