Top Best Italian Restaurants in Mid-City

"Come to Paladar for the pizza (where the lamb sausage and tzatziki pie will bowl you over), but the menu offers many Italian delights if you’re willing to share some of the small plates. Try the lovely fried arancini or the fantastic chicken liver mousse, before moving on to other pleasures. Super bonus points, too, for Paladar’s wallet-friendly prices -- $11 for the house-made raviolo with egg yolk, ricotta, maitake mushrooms, porcini cream, and truffle pecorino?"

"MarignyChic neighborhood spot for pizza, pasta, and seafoodWhile the main dining room is a bustling hodgepodge of families, groups of friends, and servers navigating it all, the more intimate balcony above is the best place to be seated before digging into lemonfish crudo or squid ink spaghetti. Order a pizza to share, and spend some time inspecting the cocktail menu. After your meal, head toward the river to find the entrance to Crescent Park for a sunset stroll."

"The chefs at Paladar 511 bring a modern Californian charm to New Orleans, and while the starter list has Italian favorites like homemade ravioli, beef Carpaccio, and arancini with short rib rags, you'll also find a zesty Yellowfin tuna crudo with orange and avocado that whisks you west. It’s a similar story with the pizzas. A basic cheese and tomato pie is delightful, but you can also try homemade lamb sausage or buttered leeks."

"White tablecloths, votive candles and a mishmash decor—the elegant main dining room is illuminated by a stained-glass fleur-de-lis skylight, while the more casual bar is accented with wooden casks and framed photos of celebrity visitors—encapsulate the unpretentious charm of this Italian-focused restaurant. Irene’s has a sense of playfulness, but the deliciousness of its food is no game, beginning with the expertly mixed cocktails (you can’t leave here without downing a Sazerac) and extending through the decadent desserts (the Creole cheesecake, topped with Grand Marnier–soaked berries is a house favorite). The name of the game here is to please with big, bold flavors."

"One bite of the complimentary bruschetta at Irene's on Beinville and you'll know you're in Italian heaven. Chef/owner Irene DiPietro immigrated from Sicily to NOLA and opened her beloved eatery in 1992 in a tiny spot on St. Philip Street that grew and grew as the crowds formed. Nowadays, this still family-run place (her son Nicholas Scalco is the current chef de cuisine) occupies a larger space while dishing out the same recipes."

"Since 1993, upscale Italian classics draw crowds to this homey yet elegant dining room with a piano bar. 529 Bienville St, in the heart of the French Quarter."

"Ace Hotel stands in the Warehouse District, where you can check out Alto, the hotel’s rooftop garden. Get a mix of seasonal cocktails, wines, craft beers, frozen drinks and rotating on-tap specials at Alto’s bar. Poolside dining includes a selection of Italian-inspired small plates for any growing appetites."

"Ace Hotel, 600 Carondelet St., (504) 930-3070; www.josephineestelle.com. Fried Brussels sprouts salad includes lima beans, golden raisins and yogurt. Reservations accepted."

"Located in the swanky Roosevelt Hotel on Canal Street, on the edge of the French Quarter and the CBD, Domenica dazzles with chef, co-owner Alon Shaya's regional Italian cuisine and what may be the best thin crust pizza in town. Shaya gets ingredients from partner John Besh's farm, so the emphasis is on seasonal freshness. Pastry chef Lisa White, a CIA grad, gives Italian desserts a New Orleans sensibility - as in her zuppa inglese made with rum-soaked banana cake, fresh bananas butterscotch mousse and peanut brittle and a light and slightly fizzy Zabaione made with Lambrusco (instead of traditional Marsala) and fresh Louisiana strawberries."

"The Neapolitan-inspired rounds at this restaurant in the Central Business District will be just as popular with adults, who will appreciate the winning topping combos, like salami, bacon, and fennel sausage with an egg, and prosciutto accompanied by mozzarella and a forest of fresh arugula. Not in the mood for ‘za?. There are molto bene housemade pastas and small plates to focus on instead."

"Domencia in Italian translates to “Sunday” as its a Sunday tradition to explore your taste palettes and gorge on delicious foods. At Domencia, they do just that with all of their, at home, prepared pastas and freshly roasted vegetables. Even their Napolitano style Pizzas are carefully handled and placed inside of their famous wooden oven."

"Get ready to get messy; if you’re going to “Manale’s,” you’d best order the BBQ shrimp, a dish that, strangely, has nothing to do with barbecue or grilling. It’s all about the sauce, a decadent combination of butter, olive oil, and black pepper used to poach the whole, huge Gulf shrimp. Shelling those shrimp, bathed so heavily in that sauce, means that you’re going to have butter leaking all the way down into your armpits if you’re not careful."

"Oddly enough, the New Orleans barbeque shrimp that made Pascal’s Manale famous over the last century is actually not barbequed at all. Instead, these crustaceans are cooked in a peppery butter sauce, though you won’t mind the misnomer when they’re melting in your mouth. Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find classic Italian and Louisiana dishes with delicious variations."

"833 Howard Ave., (504) 299-8792; G’s Kitchen Spot, Balcony Bar, 3201 Magazine St., (504) 894-8888; 4840 Bienville St., (504) 483-6464; www.gspizzas.com. A Bienville Supreme pie includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, black olives, mozzarella and tomato sauce."

"After exploring the Mid-City cemeteries, stop by G's Pizza to refuel. This funky little spot is tucked away on Bienville (there are two other NOLA locations, too), and they serve delicious pizza, pasta, salads, and sandwiches. I love their NOLA Green Roots Pizza!"

"That’s Rizzuto’s Ristorate & Chop House, making new memories in the former home of Tony Angello’s Ristorante in Lakeview. MoreCallReserveStart Your ReservationWebsite"

"Year after year, this small, elegant restaurant in the Central Business District serves some of the city's most consistently good food. The vibe is a mix of casual tourists and the buttoned-up post-work crowd, and the food is classic New Orleans fare with Italian and French influences. The small plates like seasonal salads, gumbo, and shrimp and fish ceviche are perfect for happy hour snacks, and don't miss the house-made pasta or the duck leg confit served with a citrus gastrique and dirty rice."

"The senior restaurant in the empire of Acadiana native Donald Link (Cochon, Cochon Butcher, Peche Seafood Grill), Herbsaint in the Warehouse District salutes France and other ports of call while staying true to its community. Expect to find dirty rice alongside duck confit and chili vinaigrette lacing grilled jumbo shrimp with creamed corn. 701 St. Charles Ave."

"Paul Prudhomme, who opened K-Paul’s in the French Quarter with his wife, Kay, in 1979, fathered the Cajun food revolution, introduced the world to blackening as a cooking technique, and even ushered in a new era for Commander’s Palace, where he made a name for himself before K-Paul’s as the restaurant’s first non-European chef. Since Prudhomme died in 2015, the kitchen is run by his longtime collaborator and fellow Opelousas, Louisiana native, Paul Miller. The two met in the 1970s and Miller moved to New Orleans to work with Prudhomme at Commander’s."

"Sadly, both Kay and Paul Prudhomme are no longer with us, but their revolutionary K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen still lives on. Kay was the businesswoman, Paul was the Cajun chef who knew just how to make diners smile. His blackened catfish took the world by storm in 1979 (it even caused a catfish shortage) and his blackening spices are still just as delicious today, now made with fresh Louisiana drum."

"K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen is the pioneer New Orleans food place for Cajun cuisine. This New Orleans food place at Charters Street was started by late Louisiana Chef Paul Prudhomme. The famous chef invented the “blackening” seasoning process and started this upscale restaurant which served high-quality dishes, including Cajun and local cuisine."

"A converted house in the Garden District sheds its past life as a po' boy shop to become Patois, which has white tablecloths and self-described "Louisiana cuisine with a French accent." Aside from elemental takes on a breakfast burrito and burger, chef and owner Aaron Burgau embraces big ideas even at brunch. Shrimp and grits are gussied up by black garlic, preserved lemon, bottarga, and toasted garlic bread crumbs; fried rabbit is paired with a poached egg, buttermilk biscuit, and Italian sausage white gravy; and a generous slab of almond-crusted, citrus meunière-showered Gulf fish is joined by a crisp potato galette and buttery green beans."

"This Uptown restaurant dishes out French cuisine with a local spin. Gulf fish almandine, rabbit cannelloni with mushroom béchamel, and did I mention the deviled crab dip with crab butter?. Quit stalling, and make a reservation now."

"Hidden on a quiet residential corner, this bustling bistro could have been transported directly from Provence. The menu continues the French...Read More"

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"Urban South Brewery on Tchoupitoulas Street combines the heritage of European beer making with the brashness of new American styles. The brewery and taproom opened in 2016, and, last February, the company opened a research and development brewery and taproom in Houston to focus on new beer releases. Popular brews in its lineup include Paradise Park American Lager, Holy Roller Hazy Juicy IPA and Who Dat Golden Ale."

"Urban South Brewery debuted in April 2016 with two flagship brews, Charming Wit and Holy Roller IPA. It didn’t take long for them to make a name for themselves thanks to the great IPAs they regularly brew. By far, this was the most recommended brewery in New Orleans and somehow I was lucky enough to book an Airbnb one block over. This is one of those New Orleans breweries we all need to be keeping our eyes on."

"Located in the historic Gem Theater—one of only two remaining African American movie theaters still standing in the city—Zony Mash Beer Project is both a brewery and an entertainment space. Named after the title of an album of rare B-side songs by New Orleans funk band The Meters, Zony Mash offers 21 taps in the tasting room and a robust line of brews using ingredients like coffee from local roaster, Congregation; additions include carrot and dragon fruit juices, coriander and butterfly pea. Year-round brews include Tiny Bubbles (a sparkling ale), Pillow Talk (a “fluffy” IPA) and Run for the Rosé (a wine hybrid ale)."

"Zony Mash is beautiful on the inside, a stunningly re-imagined microbrewery-take on the former Gem Theater. But its outdoor beer garden has been the center of the action lately, showcasing a rotation of popup eateries, as well as Zony Mash brews sold from the brewery’s tricked-out beer bus. As owner Adam Ritter said, “When the weather is nice, and it’s feeling right, it’s great.” Recent eats have included Zee’s Pizzeria and Doughtown’s Detroit-style pies as well as Bub’s Burgers, Southerns (of fried chicken sandwich fame) and the culinary talents of Luncheon."

"Neighborhood breweries are still a relatively new addition to the New Orleans drinking scene, and to place one deep in the residential environs of the Bywater is a bold move. Parleaux Beer Lab provides the rare chance to try beer made onsite—and possibly by the person serving you. The list changes seasonally and at the owners’ whims, but at any time you’re likely to get a great selection of IPAs, saisons, stouts, and pilsners."

"This neighborhood craft micro-brewery and taproom in the Bywater produces high-quality, small-batch brews with a funky twist inherent to New Orleans. The rotating tap list changes constantly, and the brewery prides itself on not having a flagship beer. Instead, the 12 taps are a virtual laboratory of experimental brews that push the boundaries of typical beer styles."