Best Lunch Restaurants in Jean Lafitte

"You know an Ace Hotel isn’t going to mess around when it comes to dining, and that’s surely the case with Josephine Estelle’s entry into the NOLA dining scene. The pasta list alone is something of a marvel, with entries ranging from a killer bucatini amatriciana and short rib fusilli with mushroom and taleggio cheese, to gemelli with duck confit. The simple canestri cacio e pepe will make you weep for your gluten-free friends."

"Pastry chef Breanne Kostyk, formerly of Northshore eatery Oxlot 9, turns out incredible seasonal desserts from fruity tarts to crostatas, with a slew of inspired cheese platings and an affogato to boot at this chic Warehouse District osteria."

"The brainchild of Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, Josephine Estelle fuses some of the best nuances of Italian cuisine with the distinct flavors of the cuisine of the American South..."

"The Bearcat Cafe located in the Uptown District is consistently busy and well-known for their good food and high quality ingredients. Our favorite on the menu is the Crab Daddy Biscuit which involves a soft-shell crab on a biscuit served with a sunny egg and cajun gravy. You might be waiting a while for a table but there is a reason why people are willing to wait for the food here."

"Bearcat is a nice, beautiful space: From the outside, it looks really modern, and inside there’s a lot of windows, so it’s bright and open, and you feel good. The restaurant attracts mostly a college-age crowd, and older—not a lot of kids. It’s got table service, and they do brunch every day."

"Green is beautiful at Satsuma, a fetching dining spot with locations on Maple Street Uptown and on Dauphine Street in the Bywater. Yard eggs scrambled with basil pesto and shaved Nueske's ham, free trade coffee and freshly made juices concocted in their industrial juicer behind the bar are just a few of the daily specials. Vegans are in heaven here, thanks to dishes like the tofu scramble and black bean burger with avocado mash."

"A Bywater spot with a great and well-deserved reputation, the Satsuma Café can be easily identified by the line of customer that are often snaking out the door. But this is a good thing, and it’s not hype. You won’t find pancakes on their printed menu, but their delicious spins on buttermilk creations (think roasted pear or s’mores pancakes) are usually a daily special."

"Slim Goodies Diner might be renowned for their hangover helpers called “Slammers,” which are made with scrambled eggs, hash browns, and bacon, but they also serve a fantastic breakfast for those looking for healthier options as well. All-day breakfast dishes include crawfish étouffée with potato latkes, vegan-friendly veggie chili with hash browns, eggs, and smoked tempeh, fluffy omelets with various fillings, egg scrambles with bacon, ham, and country fried steak, and griddle specials like French toast, Belgian waffles, and buttermilk pancakes with fresh fruit and sweet toppings. Slim Goodies Diner is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week."

"This breakfast and lunch spot is a local favorite on Magazine Street. Slim Goodies serves classic comfort food with bold twists, all made with fresh ingredients (and lots of love). Everyone loves the slammers: hash browns slathered in something delicious – think crawfish étouffée or chili with bacon and cheddar cheese – but the sweet potato pancakes are not to be missed."

"Slim Goodies Diner is a dive-y diner located in the Garden District/Irish Channel portion of Magazine Street in New Orleans. The venue has a retro feel with the old Coke signs, red leather booths and counter stools. Breakfast/brunch is the specialty here, and waits can be long if you come at peak times, say around 10 am."

"Another Broken Egg Café’s meals are made with New Orleans’ finest ingredients, and the dishes are fun and creative. The restaurant offers American cuisine with modern twists on classic favorites and new creations. The restaurant provides American breakfast, brunch, and burgers."

"It was awful- the crab meat Benedict was greasy and smelled the eggs floated in grease - I loved the coffee cups More reviews"

"Lakeside Shopping Center, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 79A, Metairie, (504) 833-7906; www.smashburger.com. A barbecue, bacon and cheddar burger is topped with fried onions on an egg bun."

"T & T Seafood, a Cajun/Creole and Chinese spot that offers seafood and more in St. Thomas, is another much-loved, budget-friendly go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 15 Yelp reviews. Head over to 548 Jackson Ave. to see for yourself. Yelper C.S D., who reviewed T & T Seafood on April 8, wrote, "I only tried the crawfish but they were delicious! It was definitely a hole in the wall joint, which is proving to be where the good food is."

"When this Mexican spot from the team at CureCo (which also operates nearby Cure and French Quarter favorite Cane and Table) opened last summer, it brought the Freret neighborhood a welcome open-air dining option. The former gas station has been reimagined as a sprawling, casual gathering spot serving up tacos, ceviche, queso fundido and specials like the birria torta. The CureCo bar pedigree is evident in the cocktail and spirits list, which includes not only praiseworthy margaritas but also creative twists on classics like the mezcal negroni or Oaxacan old fashioned."

"The gist: The team behind Cure Co. headed down Freret Street to open Vals, a taco stand with pitch-perfect mezcal margaritas and a big, gorgeous patio, making it a great pick for those who aren’t yet ready to dine indoors.The food: You’ve got “not tacos” (elotes, a beautiful tuna tostada, chips, various salsas) and tacos (crispy beef belly, sweet potato, chicken in green mole, fried fish, and pork shoulder). The cost: Starters and side $5 - $10, tacos $3, beer are $4 - $5, frozen margaritas $10 - $70.How to book: Stop by for counter service or order take-out online."

"Neal Bodenheimer and his partners pushed through the pandemic to open Vals, a former garage on Freret they’d been eying for more than five years. The space is warm and inviting, chef Fredo kills it with his charred tomato salsa, green mole chicken tacos, and ceviche of the day — and no surprise, the drink menu is amazing. Scan the QR code to dive deep into the tequila and mezcal list."

"With 21 viewing screens and 20 bars on tap, Poppy’s Time Out Sports Bar & Grill takes on the hottest sports action on the Lakefront. Opened seven days a week, Poppy’s Time Out is available for all kinds of sports crowds from parties of 20 to huge gatherings of 3,000. Quench your thirst with one of their specialities like Poppy’s Voodoo Juice during your favorite game or just relax in one of their outside tables with a view of the Mississippi River in the distance."

"From the outside, Vaughan's Lounge may not look like much more than another neighborhood dive. Inside, though, are over-the-top decorations and dozens of photos that point to a bar that’s well-loved by locals (it’s been here since 1959). Add in the fact that it’s one of the few places to watch live jazz that isn’t a busy, tourist-packed club or hotel lounge, and you’ve got a good reason to search out this Bywater treasure."

"As unoriginal as it might be for three police officers to open a donut shop, it’s the original flavors that have made Mid-City’s Blue Dot Donuts a favorite among locals. The red velvet cake, banana cream filled with Nutella topping, key lime crumb filled, and maple bacon long Johns are just a few top customer picks. And when the weather cools down, it’s all about their warm donut bread pudding with white chocolate sauce."

"But, what makes Blue Dot Donuts one of the places with the best donuts in New Orleans is the passion behind the counter. This hotspot was opened by three New Orleans police officers who simply love donuts. They offer nearly 50 different varieties at any given time, ranging from key limb crumb and wedding cake to pumpkin spice and sweet potato-filled donuts."

"Over in Mid-City, Blue Dot Donuts features a wide assortment of freshly made glazed, filled, cake, buttermilk and specialty doughnuts. The shop at 4301 Canal St. has earned four stars out of 181 reviews on Yelp. Look for raspberry doughnuts topped with powdered sugar, chocolate iced with coconut, Bavarian cream and an assortment of doughnut holes."

"900 Royal St., (504) 412-8065; www.cafeamelie.com/petite-amelie. A garlic chicken sandwich is topped with warm garlic sauce, greens and rosemary mayonnaise on ciabatta."

"3524 Severn Ave., Metairie, (504) 455-2266; www.riccobonospeppermill.com. Sauteed veal Josephine is topped with lump crabmeat and shrimp and served with brabant potatoes. Reservations accepted."