Best Lunch Restaurants in New Orleans

"Situated in a corner of the Ace Hotel – which is so beyond hip that each room comes stocked with a record player and full vinyl collection, as well as an epic minibar that will cause cocktail enthusiasts to high five themselves with excitement – its lunch and dinner menu from chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman favors Italian standards with an emphasis on housemade pastas. In the morning, there are the usual suspects that kids  love: a short stack of buttermilk ricotta pancakes dusted with confectioners sugar, housemade yogurt sporting granola and honey, and a towering fried chicken biscuit. Best bites for tykes: Cacio e pepe, gemelli with “maw maw’s gravy,” and meatballs sitting on a field of melted parmesan."

"Josephine Estelle is located inside the Ace Hotel, which has quickly become one of the coolest hangouts in town. And, let’s just say that the kids who hang out here are just as hip as the adults. The hotel’s chic, art deco restaurant is always full of both locals and visitors alike, just starting the night off before moving the festivities to the lobby bar or a nearby music venue."

"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."

"The retro-industrial vibes of this cafe make it a cosy place to chow down on some of NOLA’s best vegan food. The menu is cute and creative, divided into two sections, “good cat” or “bad cat,” depending on how healthy you’re feeling. We recommend their vegan quesadillas with a side of one of their delicious juices."

"This sleek and minimalist daytime cafe is a light and airy space for delicious, plant-based comfort foods. They make favourites ranging from pancakes and biscuits to fruit bowls and eggs with sweet potato hash. The artisan coffees are a must too."

"Boasting multiple locations around the city, Satsuma Café is focused on serving healthy, wholesome fare prepared from locally sourced ingredients and artisanal produce. The café is open daily for breakfast and lunch and offers a selection of daily specials, freshly squeezed juices, and fantastic coffee. Breakfast dishes include bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches, bagels and lox, avocado toast, Mexican and Satsuma breakfast plates, homemade granola and yogurt, and a vegan curry scramble."

"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."

"Ten years old and going strong, Magazine Street's quirky, always-slammed early morning to lunch time diner, is known for their Slammer options, a hangover-helper made with hashbrowns and scrambles of various sort (eggs, chili, tofu, what have you). There is also a potato latke/crawfish etouffee dish called the Jewish Coonass, not PC, but a fan favorite."

"This chain has two New Orleans locations, and the menu offers a wide variety of options from omelettes to benedicts. The spot also offers a kids menu and vegetarian dishes. Prices top out at around $12."

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

"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."

"Pythian Market, 234 Loyola Ave., (504) 481-9599; www.pythianmarket.com. A Nashville hot chicken sandwich features a fried chicken breast dunked in Nashville-style hot sauce on a toasted sesame bun with house-made pickles."

"701 Poydras St., Suite 130, (504) 412-8326; www.empirestatedeli.com. A Bronx Bomber features Boar’s Head Genoa salami, pepperoni, sweet capocollo, sharp picante provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato. Pepperoncini peppers are an optional addition."

"3325 St. Claude Ave., (504) 459-4571; www.pollysbywatercafe.com. Corned beef hash is topped with two eggs and served with a biscuit."

"Just as Little Tokyo advertises, they offer food for the adventurous and the not-so-adventurous. From the Chicken Teriyaki Bowl to the Spicy Tuna Rainbow Roll, their versatile menu is sure to please. This is one of my favorite lunch places, mainly because I am a huge fan of their Donburi."

"Atelier Vie is a craft distillery that produces a hefty lineup of spirits including Euphrosine Gin #9 Bottled in Bond; a standard version of Euphrosine; and a nine-month, barrel-aged version called Barrel-Finished Reserve. The Atelier Vie lineup also includes Louisiana Single Malt; Riz, a Louisiana rice whiskey; Calio Rum and Barrel Aged Calio Rum; Orphan Street Brandy and Orphan Street Brandy “El Jefe” Edition; Toulouse Green, a traditional-style absinthe distilled with Louisiana wormwood; and Toulouse Red, an American absinthe colored red with hibiscus. Atelier Vie also bottles Buck 25 Vodka and Orphan Street Bourbon."

"Founded in 2011, Atelier Vie produces vodka, gin, whiskey and even absinthe, from its South Broad Street location in Mid-City New Orleans.Atelier Vie’s two varieties of absinthe include the traditional green absinthe and a red version colored and flavored with hibiscus flowers. Try: Louisiana Single Malt Whiskey, Calio Rum, Orphan Street Brandy, and Euphrosine Gin, which took the Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition."

"Port Orleans Brewing Company is a proud member of the local brewing community. They offer craft beers brewed below sea level. Port Orleans Brewing Company is committed to creating the finest selection of craft beers."

"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."

"611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 323-4259; 5001 Freret St., (504) 603-3085; www.blazepizza.com. The build-your-own-pie format allows diners to choose sauces (tomato, spicy tomato, garlic-pesto or cream sauce), cheeses (mozzarella, feta or Gorgonzola), meats, vegetables and more."

"For your pizza pleasure, we recommend the Veg Out, topped with zucchini, mushrooms, red onion, and red sauce dollops. And you can get vegan cheese at no extra cost!"

"2010 O’Connor St., Gretna, (504) 516-2500; www.badwolfbar.com. A Bad Wolf burger is a quarter-pound patty topped with cheddar and Jack cheeses, hot sausage and a fried egg on a Leidenheimer bun."