Best Restaurants, Must Try Places in Westwego

"Commander's Palace has been around since the late 1800s, but under Ella Brennan’s leadership starting in the 1970s, the restaurant essentially redefined New Orleans cuisine and catapulted into stardom with the help of celeb chefs Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse. Today, the menu and service are top notch with James Beard Award-winning chef Tory McPhail leading the kitchen and Ti Martin and Lally Brennan running the show. Go for lunch and make sure to end the meal with the bread pudding soufflé and whiskey sauce."

"Garden District Not all classic New Orleans restaurants live in the French Quarter. Uptown in the Garden District, right across from Lafayette Cemetery No.1, is the famous Commander’s Palace. You might recognize the former head chef’s name: Emeril Lagasse, who helmed the Palace’s kitchen in the '80s, long before “Bam!"

"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."

"Brennan's, in the heart of the French Quarter, is famous for breakfast any day and a full brunch on the weekends. There are 8 dining rooms. Most rooms overlook the courtyard, which is also used for dining."

"Galatoire's is another of the French Quarter's grand, family-owned restaurants, sharing much in common with Antoine's. It was opened on Bourbon Street in 1905 by Jean Galatoire, a French immigrant, and focuses on French-Creole cuisine. The main dining room is at street level and features a high ceiling with fans, mirrors along the walls, and numerous coat hooks that hang above them."

"Gumbo is a traditional Louisiana dish that has been around since the early 18th century. While there are many variations on the stew, one of the best restaurants offering the dish is at Galatoire’s Restaurant, a fine dining establishment in the French Quarter which was founded in 1905. The Gumbo here is so good it was awarded the ‘Best Gumbo in New Orleans’ by Southern Living."

"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."

"GW Fin's is a classy restaurant in New Orleans that's perfect for celebrations like birthday dinners, anniversary dinners, or even a date night. After a large and delicious dinner, you need to save room for dessert, because their Salty Malty Ice Cream Pie is so good. The mix of sweet and salty makes for the perfect after-dinner treat and is great for sharing."

"GW Fins is one for classic desserts, the kind whose ingredient list fills you up just from reading the menu. Customer favorites include the samoa, the “Salty Malty,” an ice cream pie with a pretzel crust, and white chocolate and caramel bread pudding."

"Marigny: This location of weenie and beer emporium Dat Dog has the best balcony for people watching on Frenchmen, whether it's lunchtime or late night."

"Vegans can choose from among a Spicy Chipotle Dog, Field Roast Italian Dog, and a Smoked Apple Sage sausage. https://www.instagram.com/p/BPTgHxZgqGz/"

"The local Lower Garden District doyens have taken to this whiskey bar in droves. There aren’t many dedicated whiskey bars in New Orleans, so if you’re into brown liquor, this low-ceilinged, windowless room—with more than 300 whiskies, bourbons, ryes, and scotches—is the place to be. You could keep coming for a whole year and never get bored: Selections range from the usual barroom suspects to rare Japanese imports."

"Enjoy a relaxed and cozy atmosphere, clever cocktails and pub fare with a twist at this French Quarter tavern. The menu adds creative touches to pub mainstays, drawing from local flavors and what’s in season (think fried oysters topped with celery, remoulade and Crystal hot sauce gel). At the bar, you’ll find frozen drinks, craft cocktails, bottles of wine and regional beers."

"Longway is the perfect hangout spot where you can grab a bite and a beer in their open courtyard. An everyday bar that pleases, Longway offers refreshing cocktails and delicious twists on pub food. For those looking for a local vibe and trying to escape tourist traps, this is your spot."

"Although Marjie's Grill on South Broad grew out of a love story, it's not a hearts and flowers kind of place. On their first Valentine's Day, chef/owner Marcus Jacobs and partner Caitlin Carney were featuring an Offal Valentine's Day menu, with organ meats in the spotlight to inspire canoodling. The pair, who met working together at Herbsaint, opened a sunny little spot on the busy South Broad corridor just off of Canal Street, a savory, homey place where flavors are bold, ingredients are local and "garbage" fish like Sheepshead are proudly featured."

"The Southern meat-and-three concept gets a fresh spin at this homey restaurant, where Southeast Asian flavors meld with New Orleans influences and Gulf Coast ingredients. Guy tucked into the slow-grilled Honey Butter Yardbird and Crispy Pork Knuckles."

"Honey-buttered Yard Bird is a slow-cooked locally raised chicken basted with Louisiana honey butter. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner Mon.-Sat."

"Chef/owner Susan Spicer opened Bayona in a little cottage on Dauphine Street in 1990 and three years later she won a James Beard award for Best Chef, South. All along, she's been serving an eclectic mix of global foods that keep New Orleaneans coming back for more. Try the curried crawfish phyllo turnover for an unexpected taste combination and the sauteed redfish with a distinctly Thai bent."

"New World" is the label Louisiana native Susan Spicer applies to her cooking style, the delicious hallmarks of which include goat cheese crouton...Read More"

"Head to this Susan Spicer classic in the Quarter for the smoked duck “PB & J," or for Saturday lunch, where three small plates will only set you back $28."

"Since its launch in Baton Rouge, Raising Cane’s has grown a household name, and the sauce is the thing of legends. Now, Nation’s Restaurant News named the chicken finger masters the fastest-growing chain in the nation for 2017. Check them out at any of their numerous locations across the city."

"Located in New Orleans, we serve only the highest quality chicken finger meals. It's our ONE LOVE. Our crew makes it happen, our culture makes it unique, and the community makes it all worthwhile."

"A Caniac combo includes six fried chicken tenders, tangy Cane’s sauce, french fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and a large drink."

"The city’s oldest art museum boasts over 40,000 artworks and objects from across the globe and the ages. But if you’re in town for Mardi Gras, make a point to see their current exhibition on 19th-century Swedish artist Bror Anders Wikstrom, who immigrated to NoLa in 1883 and helped shape the carnival experience into what it is today with his elaborate float designs. Afterwards, take a stroll through the museum’s enchanting five-acre sculpture park."

"Whether you’re an art aficionado or just a lover of aesthetically pleasing works and spaces, then you should pay a visit to NOMA. It’s housed in the center of New Orleans’ City Park, where you can also easily spend a day exploring. The museum features more than 40,000 objects, ever-changing exhibits by world-renowned artists, and is the oldest fine arts institution in New Orleans."

"The South has one of the most distinctive aesthetic cultures in the US artistic universe, a creative vision indelibly influenced by the region's complicated history and deep links to the land. Few museums explore the throughlines of Southern art like the Ogden, which boasts lovely gallery spaces, an awesome gift shop and kicking after-hours performances."

"Located directly adjacent to the New Orleans Museum of Art, the five-acre park provides a delightful instance for exploring the picturesque landscape of live oaks, Spanish moss, and lagoons. The 64 sculptures are, of course, another strong reason to venture to the garden. Location: 1 Collins Diboll CirArchitect: Lee Ledbetter Architects, Sawyer/Berson Architecture And Landscape ArchitectureDate: 2003Contact: https://noma.org/sculpture-garden"

"The sculpture garden that sits just outside the New Orleans Museum of Art is a wooded quilt of streams, pathways, lovers' benches and, of course, sculpture, mainly of the modern and contemporary sort. During spring and summer, theatrical productions are often put on here, but it's a lovely spot for a stroll any time of year."

"Just outside NOMA’s front door, find the recently expanded Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, a collection of sculptures set among City Park’s oaks and lagoons. The three-acre expansion includes 27 outdoor artworks. Admission to the sculpture garden is always free."

"The grounds at Houmas House are just as delicious as their buffet. Creole and cajun cuisine is an exceptional blend of French and American culture that is unique to Louisiana. You can find great Cajun and creole recipe books online or in bookstores, or just head to the source and get it prepared fresh!"

"French QuarterCleo’s provides healthy, high-quality food and service for every one of the 24 hours it's open, with an expansive menu and a wood fired oven for made-to-order pita bread. The menu takes its cues from all over the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, with lots of tabbouleh, hummus, falafel, zaatar, and olives. You can’t go wrong even with the simplest items."

"Innovative, vegan-friendly fare with tropical influences in a cozy spot with an open kitchen. Open for lunch and dinnerPhone: +1 504-875-4132"