Romantic Restaurants, Getaway Places 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."

"If you’ve seen photos of New Orleans, you’ve likely seen Jackson Square: a small park that sits in front of St. Louis Cathedral, the view of New Orleans’ beautiful white cathedral is one of the most classic shots of New Orleans. It doesn’t take long to walk around, but the real treat is what’s between Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral: in this small walking area, you’ll often find energetic street performers, from jazz musicians to jugglers, as well as plenty of people willing to exchange a bit of touristy New Orleans voodoo for a fee."

"St. Louis Cathedral is an iconic landmark of the French Quarter, located in front of the Jackson Square. It is the oldest cathedral in the United States. It has Renaissance and Spanish Colonial type architecture."

"Often called the heart of New Orleans, Jackson Square is full of energy and activity. Facing the Mississippi River and directly across from the St. Louis Cathedral, the Square stands in the shadows of the Andrew Jackson statue, erected for his heroism during the Battle of New Orleans. Here you will find street artists painting during the day and jazz musicians by night, along with fortune-tellers and other kinds of street theater."

"Jackson Square is the center of all the history and action in New Orleans. The beautiful square lies in front of the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral with historic building on both sides, the famous Cafe du Monde and the Mississippi River to the south. It is definitely the most iconic photo spot in all of New Orleans."

"The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is Smithsonian-affiliated and, as its name suggests, celebrates the culture and aesthetic of Southern artists. The permanent collection showcases more than 4,000 pieces from 15 states; in fact, with works dating back to 1733, the institution boasts the most comprehensive collection of Southern art in the world. Exhibits feature paintings, photography, sculpture, and handicrafts, and place historical works alongside contemporary artists working in the South."

"In the south part of City Park is the New Orleans Museum of Art, one of the finest of its kind in the South. The museum features an excellent collection of French and American art, as well as African and Japanese pieces. On site and another of the institutions highlights is the outdoor Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, with more than 60 sculptures, as well as walking paths, lagoons, and mature live oak trees."

"Having opened in 1911, the New Orleans Museum of Art is the city’s oldest fine art institution. Back then, it had just a few art pieces but has since grown to house over 40,000 objects with a notable collection of French and American art. The museum is also home to the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, with over 90 sculptures on display in the 11-acre landscaped garden."

"Bacchanal, a Bywater wine shop known for its amazing courtyard and eclectic, creative small plates, is open for curbside pickup and courtyard dining. Hours are Thursday and Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 3 to 9 p.m."

"For a good wine selection, great bites of food and one of the largest outdoor areas in the Bywater, head to Bacchanal. Located right along the river, the casual wine store and eatery has live music almost every night."

"Bayou Beer Garden is a quaint cottage-turned-bar with a sprawling outdoor courtyard and bridge that connects to sister bar, Bayou Wine Garden. The beer side features a huge beer list, pub fare, TVs, and a front porch and back patio. The casual atmosphere blends well with the food menu, which includes everything from burgers and sandwiches to flatbreads and salads."

"Bayou Beer Garden is a large space where most people find themselves outside on two large decks, with multiple seating options for large and small groups. During crawfish season, plates of potatoes, crawfish and corn are given out, and the area can get rather packed. Menu items include both small bites and heftily portioned choices to fill you up."

"Red Gravy serves Italian meals offering daily specials every day. Her restaurant features recipes handed down from her grandmothers, aunts, and her mother. She adds a unique twist to the recipes and she believes in sustainability."

"Breakfast spaghetti is served with sausage sugo, ricotta and a sunny side up egg. Reservations accepted. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Mon."

"7005 St. Claude Ave., Arabi, (504) 301-2285; www.kitchentablearabi.com. Fried Gulf oysters are served with applewood-smoked bacon and blue cheese vinaigrette over greens."

"Head uptown to the Camellia Grill on South Carrollton for outstanding breakfast, Dagwood-sized sandwiches and treats like milkshakes and homemade pie. You may have to line up for a table, so feed the young'uns pretzels while you wait - it will be worth it. Snag a counter seat to take in all the action - the staff is super friendly (especially Melvin!) with plenty of New Orleans charm."

"The Camellia Grill on South Carrollton in Uptown New Orleans is the perfect place for a late night snack to cure the cravings natural or imbibing induced. One of the secrets of this grill/diner is their amazing milk shakes. Camellia fills cups up to the brim with rich shakes in a variety of flavors using real ice cream."

"What you're getting: The Breakfast Cheeseburger In a notable food city with few actual diner-style restaurants, The Camellia Grill is the one to beat. Whether you want a chili-cheese omelette or a flat top griddled breakfast cheeseburger, it’s all served with a smile."

"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."

"The Mississippi River is a very prominent part of New Orleans, so you have to get a picture along its banks. My favorite spot is just south of Jackson Square where you can get a nice shot of the Crescent City Connection Bridge in the background. This shot below was late in the day we arrived after a long flight."

"You may very well hear this tree before you see it: a massive live oak in the middle of City Park. The Singing Oak is an art installation by artist Jim Hart that features wind chimes measuring as long as 14 feet. Part of the charm of The Singing Oak is just finding it."

"The Courturie Forest is another gem you can experience in City Park. Located not far from Scout Island, the trails through this park take you away from the manicured lawns and giant oak trees into a much more wild area along a waterway that is full of birds and turtles. Also located in the Couturie Forest is Laborde Mountain."

"Outside of New Orleans East, Couturie is the wildest natural space in the city. A series of paths wind through acres of Louisiana hardwood forest and lead to the highest point in the city: Laborde Mountain, towering at 43 feet over the surrounding park. When to go to New Orleans"

"Behind the museum’s main building is a gated outdoor space in 11 acres of mature parkland enriched with more than 90 works of sculpture. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden opened in 2003 and at the time of writing in 2019 had just doubled in size with an expansion that included 26 new works, mostly by 21st-century artists. On serpentine paths among pines, magnolias, camellias and live oaks draped with Spanish moss there are pieces by Henry Moore, Deborah Butterfield, Barbara Hepworth, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Robert Indiana, Gaston Lachaise and René Magritte, as well as contemporary sculptors like Katharina Fritsch, Hank Willis Thomas and Jeppe Hein."

"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 NOMA Sculpture Garden is another great part of City Park. It is a a free portion of the NOMA Museum and, as with everything in City Park, is surprisingly large, with a ton of sculptures placed among beautiful trees and small ponds. There are plenty of fun statues that make for great Instagram shots."

"This foundation looks after a beautiful ensemble of seven historic buildings on Royal Street in the French Quarter, and runs the Beaux-Arts Williams Research Center on Chartres Street for academics. The collection was started by General Lewis Kemper Williams (1887-1971) and his wife Leila Hardy Moore Williams (1901-1966), who in 1938 bought the 18th-century Merieult House and the neighbouring Italianate brick house beside. Over time the couple assembled a wealth of material about New Orleans and Louisiana, which makes up the museum’s exhibition, while the foundation later acquired more buildings like a late-19th-century townhouse and a Creole cottage."

"The whole state of Louisiana is overflowing with culture – and the Historic New Orleans Collection paints a wide-reaching picture of its titular city’s. The “Collection” is a museum, first opened in 1966, that is dedicated to collecting a wide range of exhibits showcasing the culture, history, and artistic tastes of the region. The museum’s collected pieces were first owned by General Lewis Kemper Williams and Leila Hardy Moore Williams, who purchased the Merieult House that the Collection now lives in back in 1938."

"Here's your chance to experience and understand the history and culture of the city of New Orleans!. The center is dedicated to the preservation and research of New Orleans and general Southern Gulf culture and history and is located in the French Quarter. Archives include the Sugar Bowl, life after Hurricane Katrina, the William Russel Jazz Collection, and the William C. Cook War of 1812 in the South Collection."

"Local music fans, neighborhood drinkers, and curious tourists all come to see one of the city's favorite sons, Kermit Ruffins, in action at his namesake bar. Inside has the feeling of a tricked-out family basement, but with Mardi Gras colored tiling. The drinks are cheap, the food is (often) free, and the music flows like the lifeblood of the Seventh Ward."

"Before visiting New Orleans for the third time last fall, I binge-watched the HBO series Treme on Amazon Prime. The show is named after the neighborhood north of the French Quarter, where jazz music was born in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Several of the lead characters are musicians; viewers are treated to a lot of terrific music."

"Are you looking for a great place to watch live entertainment around New Orleans, Louisiana?. If so, you should head on over to Kermit's Treme Mother in Law..."

"4641 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 779-2252: www.carrabbas.com. Shrimp and scallop spiedino features wood-grilled seafood topped with Italian breadcrumbs served with lemon butter and a side."