Chef E.J. Lagasse's Guide to New Orleans

For all of New Orleans’ cultural riches — its music, art, architecture, and history — nothing tells the city’s story quite like its food.

“Our food scene has such a rich heritage,” says chef E.J. Lagasse. “And it’s unique because you have hole-in-the-wall po’boy shops that are up there with the best meal you’ve had all year.” That’s the beauty of New Orleans, says Lagasse, “You can eat at any restaurant level on the spectrum and have an incredible meal.”

The son of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse grew up splitting time between New Orleans and New York City and, unsurprisingly, spent a lot of time in restaurant kitchens. He attended Johnson & Wales culinary school before training in Michelin-starred restaurants in London and Stockholm, and now helms his father’s eponymous flagship restaurant. (He also collaborated on the new 34 Restaurant & Bar, an ode to Emeril’s Portuguese roots with plenty of salt cod fritters, caldo verde, and a duck rice dish that’s alone worth a visit to New Orleans.) Emeril’s will celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2025, with a menu that highlights both classic and reimagined favorites, like smoked salmon cheesecake with Petrossian caviar and an equal parts elegant and epic banana cream pie.

While there’s never a bad time to explore the city’s best restaurants, bars, and bakeries, with both Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl on the horizon, now is a particularly good time to plan your next visit to NOLA. Here, E.J. shares his list of must-visit stops for muffuletta, beignets, shrimp spring rolls, and more in New Orleans.

Pho Tau Bay

Courtesy of Pho Tau Bay

This family-run Vietnamese restaurant has long been a Lagasse family staple. “My dad has always enjoyed Pho Tau Bay,” says E.J. “I remember eating it at four years old, it was some of the first Vietnamese food that I had.” The beloved shop serves perfectly executed classics like rare beef pho and shrimp spring rolls that even inspired a dish at Emeril’s. While the Lagasse restaurant was closed for a refresh, the staff often ordered takeout from Pho Tau Bay. “The last thing we developed for the [new] menu for Emeril’s were the canapes,” says E.J. Forty orders of spring rolls over the span of months later, he was inspired to add an ode to Pho Tau Bay’s classic, which is now one of the first bites of the multi-course tasting menu at the fine-dining restaurant.

Central Grocery & Deli

Melina Mara / The Washington Post via Getty Images

“The OG of OGs when it comes to the muffuletta,” says E.J. of this recently reopened institution. Central Grocery was forced to shutter in the wake of Hurricane Ida in 2021 but just made its triumphant return in December 2024. “They’ve been selling their muffulettas in some other little grocery stores nearby, but to be able to go back to the original is awesome.”

Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar and Parkway Bakery & Tavern

Courtesy of Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar

For po’boys, E.J. recommends two spots: Parkway, not far from City Park, and Domilise’s in the Uptown neighborhood. At Domilise’s, try the off-menu special: a combination of fried shrimp and roast beef that was Anthony Bourdain’s go-to order.

Pêche Seafood Grill

Food & Wine / Cedric Angeles

This Warehouse District seafood spot is known for its platters of lavish whole fish and icy trays of freshly shucked oysters and plump Gulf shrimp, but E.J. particularly praises a dish by Pêche chef de cuisine and 2024 F&W Best New Chef Nicole Cabrera Mills. “Chef Nikki at Peche is doing a lovely gumbo right now,” he says of her version, which features a dark roux and (sometimes — she changes up the recipe) lump crab meat.

Saint-Germain

Justen Williams / 343 Media / NewOrleans.com

“I’ve had a couple of really fantastic meals over the last year at Saint-Germain,” E.J. says of the part wine bar, part tasting menu restaurant run by 2021 F&W Best New Chefs Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith. “They’re bringing in a lot of very interesting ingredients and treating them with a lot of respect.” Also, E.J. notes, it’s just a really fun place to eat.

Acamaya

Courtesy of Denny Culbert

Centered on a contemporary Mexican seafood menu with highlights like hamachi “al pastor” tostada with pineapple and tepache, and arroz negro with huitlacoche and squid, Acamaya has been a celebrated addition to the Bywater neighborhood. “I’ve been super excited about [2022 F&W Best New Chef] Ana Castro’s restaurant that opened this year,” says E.J. “It’s a special spot.”

Cafe du Monde

Luke Sharrett / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Any trip to New Orleans isn’t complete without a visit to Cafe du Monde, an institution for more than 160 years, for a plate of piping hot beignets covered in a thick blanket of powdered sugar alongside a cafe au lait. “Sometimes you get a hot one, sometimes you get a frozen one, it depends on how you’re feeling,” says E.J. Prepare to be coated in powdered sugar during your visit, but E.J. has advice for that, too: “The pro tip is to wear a white t-shirt.”

Hansen’s Sno-Bliz

Justen Williams / 343 Media / NewOrleans.com

When it comes to sno-balls, the summertime treat made with a mound of finely shaved ice doused in flavored syrups, New Orleans has plenty of options. Lagasse recommends Hansen’s, the original creator that’s been slinging sno-balls since 1939. “It’s about as good as it can get,” says E.J. “Get the cream of nectar — the pink one that tastes like a fluffy cloud.” The secret recipe contains strawberry and other closely guarded ingredients, and while Hansen’s is closed for the season, you can still get a taste at Emeril’s — just before the dessert course a sno-ball trolley appears at the table with several choices of syrup, including the pink fluffy cloud.

Jewel of the South

Courtesy of Jewel of the South

“Both the cocktail program and the mocktail program at Jewel of the South are on another level,” says E.J., who also calls the visionary behind the drinks, Chris Hannah, “an exceptionally talented barman.” The French Quarter institution was named one of the 2024 World’s 50 Best Bars, and is known its “whimsical New Orleans feel,” according to E.J. Try the Brandy Crusta, made with Cognac, curacao, maraschino liqueur, and bitters.

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