Gambit’s Best of New Orleans 2026: Food | Best Of New Orleans

Design by Dora Sison / Gambit

          

Ayu Bakehouse

Photo by Maddie Spinner / Gambit

Best Bakery

1. Ayu Bakehouse (801 Frenchmen St., 504-302-7985; ayubakehouse.com)

2. Bywater Bakery (3624 Dauphine St., 504-336-3336; bywaterbakery.com)

3. La Boulangerie (4600 Magazine St., 504-269-3777; laboulangerienola.com)

         

Best Barbeque Restaurant

1. Blue Oak BBQ (900 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-822-2583; blueoakbbq.com)

2. The Joint (701 Mazant St., 504-949-3232; alwayssmokin.com)

3. Central City BBQ (1201 S. Rampart St., 504-558-4276; centralcitybbq.com)

        

Best Beignet

1. Cafe du Monde (Areawide; 800-772-2927; cafedumonde.com)

2. Morning Call Coffee Stand (5101 Canal Blvd.; 504-459-2086; morningcallcoffeestandnola.com)

3. The Vintage (3121 Magazine St., 504-324-7144; thevintagenola.com)

        

Best Place to Get a Burger

1. Beachcorner Bar & Grill (4905 Canal St., 504-488-7357; beachcornerbarandgrill.com)

2. Bub’s NOLA (4413 Banks St., 504-581-8054; Bub’s Grab & Go, 5031 Freret St., 504-354-9643; bubsnola.com)

3. Port of Call (838 Esplanade Ave., 504-523-0120; portofcallnola.com)

       

Best Caribbean Restaurant

1. The Rum House (3128 Magazine St., 504-732-1216; therumhouse.com)

2. RUMBA Island Inspired Cuisine & Rum Bar (5257 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-224-4504; tasterumba.com)

3. Jamaican Jerk House (4017 St Claude Ave., 504-777-7799; 4445 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-266-0613; jamaicanjerkhouse.com)

      

Shirley Lee of Miss Shirley’s

Photo by Enan Chediak / The Times-Picayune

Best Chinese Restaurant

1. Miss Shirley’s (3009 Magazine St., 504-354-2530; missshirleyschineserestaurant.com)

2. Five Happiness (3605 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-482-3935; fivehappinessnola.com)

3. Dian Xin (620 Conti St., 504-372-3372; dianxinonconti.com; 1218 Decatur St.; 504-266-2828; dianxinnola.com)

       

Best Fine Dining Restaurant

1. Commander’s Palace (1403 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221; commanderspalace.com)

2. GW Fins (808 Bienville St., 504-581-3467; gwfins.com)

3. Restaurant August (301 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-299-9777; restaurantaugust.com)

          

Best French Restaurant

1. Cafe Degas (3127 Esplanade Ave., 504-945-5635; cafedegas.com)

2. Lilette (3637 Magazine St., 504-895-1636; liletterestaurant.com)

3. N7 (1117 Montegut St.; n7nola.com)

      

Best French Quarter Restaurant

1. GW Fins (808 Bienville St., 504-581-3467; gwfins.com)

2. Galatoire’s (209 Bourbon St., 504-525-2021; galatoires.com)

3. Oceana Grill (739 Conti St., 504-525-3661; oceanagrill.com)

     

Best Fried Chicken

1. Popeyes (Areawide; popeyes.com)

2. Willie Mae’s NOLA (898 Baronne St., 504-354-8194; williemaesnola.com)

3. Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken (308 S. Diamond St., 504-252-4870; 3940 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-287-4660; gusfriedchicken.com)

       

Best Pop-Up Vendor/Food Truck

1. Bonafried (Instagram: @bonafriedtruck)

2. Waska (Instagram: @waska_nola)

3. Southerns (Instagram: @southernsfood)

       

Best Gumbo

1. Mr. B’s Bistro (201 Royal St., 504-523-2078; mrbsbistro.com)

2. Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop (2309 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, 504-835-2022; gumbostop.com)

3. Gumbo Shop (630 St. Peter St., 504-525-1486; gumboshop.com)

      

Best Indian Restaurant

1. Saffron NOLA (4128 Magazine St., 504-323-2626; saffronnola.com)

2. Taj Mahal Indian Cuisine (923 Metairie Road, 504-836-6859; tajmahalnola.com)

3. LUFU NOLA (301 St. Charles Ave., 504-354-1104; lufunola.com)

3. Nirvana Indian Cuisine (4308 Magazine St., 504-894-9797; nirvananola.com)

         

Vincent’s Italian Cuisine

Photo by David Grunfeld / The Times-Picayune

Best Italian Restaurant

1. Vincent’s (4411 Chastant St., Metairie, 504-885-2984; 7839 St. Charles Ave., 504-866-9313; vincentsitaliancuisine.com)

2. Sofia (516 Julia St., 504-322-3216; sofianola.com)

3. Venezia (134 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-488-7991; 1915 Pratt St., Gretna, 504-910-6302; venezianeworleans.com)

           

Best Japanese/Sushi Restaurant

1. Yakuza House (2740 Severn Ave., Metairie, 504-345-2031; yakuzahouse.com)

2. Mikimoto Japanese Restaurant (3301 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-488-1881; mikimotosushi.com)

3. Rock-N-Sake Bar & Sushi (2913 Metairie Road, Metairie, 504-267-9761; rocknsake.com)

       

Best Kenner Restaurant

1. Zea Rotisserie & Bar (1325 W. Esplanade Ave., 504-468-7733; zearestaurants.com)

2. Kenner Seafood (3140 Loyola Drive, Kenner, 504-466-4701; kennerseafood.net)

3. Copeland’s of New Orleans (1319 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, 504-617-9146; copelandsofneworleans.com)

      

Best King Cake

1. Dong Phuong (14207 Chef Menteur Highway, 504-254-0214; dpbakery.com)

2. Manny Randazzo Original King Cakes (3515 N. Hullen St., Metairie, 504-456-1476; randazzokingcake.com)

3. Caluda’s King Cake (1536 River Oaks Rd W, Harahan, 504-218-5655; kingcakeshop.com)

      

Best Latin American Restaurant

1. El Pavo Real (4401 S. Broad Ave., 504-266-2022; elpavorealnola.com)

2. Tia Maria’s Kitchen (2931 Tulane Ave, 504-218-7954; tiamariakitchen.com)

3. Baru Bistro & Tapas (3700 Magazine St., 504-895-2225; barutapasnola.com)

       

Best Metairie Restaurant

1. Zea Rotisserie & Bar (4416 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-780-9090; zearestaurants.com)

2. Vincent’s (4411 Chastant St., Metairie, 504-885-2984; 7839 St. Charles Ave., 504-866-9313; vincentsitaliancuisine.com)

3. Drago’s (3232 N. Arnoult Road, Metairie, 504-888-9254; dragosrestaurant.com)

      

Best Mexican Restaurant

1. Felipe’s (Areawide; felipestaqueria.com)

2. El Gato Negro (81 French Market Place, 504-525-9752; 300 Harrison Ave., 504-488-0107; 301 Huey P. Long Ave., Gretna, 504-354-9593; elgatonegronola.com)

3. Juan’s Flying Burrito (Areawide; juansflyingburrito.com)

       

Best Middle Eastern/Mediterranean Restaurant

1. Lebanon’s Cafe (1500 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-862-6200; lebanonscafe.com)

2. Byblos Mediterranean Grill (Areawide; byblosrestaurants.com)

3. Mona’s Cafe (3901 Banks St., 504-482-7743; monasnola.com)

        

Katie’s Restaurant and Bar

Photo by Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Best Neighborhood Restaurant

1. Katie’s (3701 Iberville St., 504-488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com)

2. Mandina’s Restaurant (3800 Canal St., 504-482-9179; mandinasrestaurant.com)

3. Clancy’s Restaurant (6100 Annunciation St., 504-895-1111; clancysneworleans.com)

       

Best New Orleans Restaurant

1. Commander’s Palace (1403 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221; commanderspalace.com)

2. Sofia (516 Julia St., 504-322-3216; sofianola.com)

3. GW Fins (808 Bienville St., 504-581-3467; gwfins.com)

       

Best New Restaurant (opened September 2025 or later)

1. Kira (601 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-335-1740; kiranola.com)

2. Dolfy’s (4508 Freret St., 504-841-9110; dolfys.com)

3. Chada (3420 Bienville St., 504-516-2604; chada-nola.com)

       

Best Outdoor Dining

1. N7 (1117 Montegut St.; n7nola.com)

2. Barracuda (446 Pelican St., 504-766-7268; 3984 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-266-2961; eatbarracuda.com)

3. Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits (600 Poland Ave., 504-948-9111; bacchanalwine.com)

      

Best Place to Get Oysters

1. Drago’s (Hilton New Orleans Riverside, 2 Poydras St., 504-584-3911; 3232 N. Arnoult Road, Metairie, 504-888-9254; dragosrestaurant.com)

2. Acme Oyster House (724 Iberville St., 504-522-5973; 3000 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-309-4056; acmeoyster.com)

3. Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar (4338 St. Charles Ave., 504-293-3474; superiorseafoodnola.com)

       

Best Pizza Restaurant

1. Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza (Areawide; theospizza.com)

2. Pizza Delicious (617 Piety St., 504-676-8482; pizzadelicious.com)

3. Zee’s Pizzeria (3914 Baronne St., 504-766-6056; zeespizzeria.com)

      

Best Place for Lunch

1. Martin Wine Cellar (714 Elmeer Ave., Metairie, 504-896-7300; 3827 Baronne St., 504-899-7411; martinwine.com)

2. St. James Cheese Company (641 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-304-0646; 5004 Prytania St., 504-899-4737; stjamescheese.com)

3. Katie’s (3701 Iberville St., 504-488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com)

      

Angelo Brocato’s 

Photo by David Grunfeld / The Times-Picayune

Best Place to Get Desserts

1. Angelo Brocato (214 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream.com)

2. Creole Creamery (2565 Metairie Road, Metairie, 504-354-8069; 4924 Prytania St., 504-894-8680; 6260 Vicksburg St., 504-482-2924; creolecreamery.com)

3. Sucré (217 Royal St., 877-435-8624; 636 Royal St., 877-308-0524; 3025 Magazine St., 877-435-8356; shopsucre.com)

     

Best Place to Get a Po-Boy

1.Parkway Bakery and Tavern (538 Hagan Ave., 504-482-3047; parkwaypoorboys.com)

2. Domilise’s Po-boys and Bar (5240 Annunciation St., 504-899-9126; domilisespoboys.com)

3. Short Stop Poboys (119 Transcontinental Dr., Metairie, 504-885-4572; shortstoppoboysno.com)

     

Best Place to Get a Sandwich

1. Stein’s Market & Deli (2207 Magazine St., 504-527-0771; steinsdeli.com)

2. Francolini’s (3987 Tchoupitoulas St., francolinis.com)

3. Martin Wine Cellar (714 Elmeer Ave., Metairie, 504-896-7300; 3827 Baronne St., 504-899-7411; martinwine.com)

       

Best Place to Get Boiled Seafood

1. Clesi’s Seafood Restaurant & Catering (4323 Bienville St., 504-909-0108; clesicatering.com)

2. Seither’s Seafood (279 Hickory Ave., 504-738-1116; seithers.com)

3. Deanie’s Seafood (841 Iberville St., 504-581-1316; 1713 Lake Ave., Metairie, 504-831-4141; deanies.com)

       

Best Place to Get Breakfast/Brunch

1. Ruby Slipper Cafe (Areawide; rubybrunch.com)

2. Bearcat Café (845 Carondelet St., 504-766-7399; 2521 Jena St., 504-309-9011; bearcatcafe.com)

3. Toast (1035 Decatur St., 504-300-5518; 1711 Hancock St., Gretna, 504-267-3260; 1845 Gentilly Blvd., 504-351-3664; toastneworleans.com)

      

Best Place to Get Frozen Desserts

1. Creole Creamery (2565 Metairie Road, Metairie, 504-354-8069; 4924 Prytania St., 504-894-8680; 6260 Vicksburg St., 504-482-2924; creolecreamery.com)

2. Angelo Brocato (214 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream.com)

3. Ruthie’s Frozen Custard (2506 Jena St., 504-208-5009; ruthiesfrozencustard.com)

      

Best Place to Get Live Crawfish

1. Captain Sid’s Seafood (1700 Lake Ave., Metairie, 504-831-2840; captainsids.com)

2. Schaefer Seafood (1726 Lake Ave., Metairie, 504-833-3973)

3. Deanie’s Seafood (841 Iberville St., 504-581-1316; 1713 Lake Ave., Metairie, 504-831-4141; deanies.com)

       

Best Place to Get a Muffuletta

1. Central Grocery & Deli (923 Decatur St., 504-523-1620; centralgrocery.com)

2. Napoleon House (500 Chartres St., 504-524-9752; napoleonhouse.com)

3. DiMartino’s Famous New Orleans Muffulettas (1673 Barataria Blvd., Marrero, 504-635-1600; 3900 General De Gaulle Drive, 504-367-0227)

           

Best Place to Get Tacos

1. Barracuda (446 Pelican St., 504-766-7268; 3984 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-266-2961; eatbarracuda.com)

2. Felipe’s (Areawide; felipestaqueria.com)

3. Vals (4632 Freret St., 504-666-2397; valsnola.com)

     

N7

Photo by Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Best Restaurant for a Date Night

1. N7 (1117 Montegut St.; n7nola.com)

2. Kira (601 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-335-1740; kiranola.com)

3. Paladar 511 (511 Marigny St., 504-509-6782; paladar511.com)

       

Best Restaurant for Vegetarians/Vegans

1. Sneaky Pickle/Bar Brine (3200 Burgundy St., 504-218-5651; yousneakypickle.com)

2. Sweet Soulfood (1025 N. Broad St., 504-821-2669; sweetvegansoulfood.com)

3. Sukho Thai (2200 Royal St., 504-948-9309; 3701 Magazine St., 504-373-6471; sukhothai-nola.com)

      

Best Seafood Restaurant

1. GW Fins (808 Bienville St., 504-581-3467; gwfins.com)

2. Peche (800 Magazine St., 504-522-1744; pecherestaurant.com)

3. Deanie’s Seafood (841 Iberville St., 504-581-1316; 1713 Lake Ave., Metairie, 504-831-4141; deanies.com)

    

Best Sno-ball Stand

1. Hansen’s Sno-Bliz (4801 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-891-9788; snobliz.square.site)

2. Sal’s Sno-Balls (1823 Metairie Ave., Metairie, 504-666-1823; Instagram: @salssnoball)

3. Chance in Hell SnoBalls (805 Louisa St.; Instagram: @chanceinhell_snoballs)

      

Best St. Bernard Parish Restaurant

1. Rocky & Carlo’s Restaurant and Bar (613 W. St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette, 504-279-8323; rockyandcarlosrestaurant.com)

2. Secret Thai Restaurant (9212 W. Judge Perez Drive, Suite C, Chalmette, 504-345-2487; secretthaichalmette.com)

3. Meme’s New Orleans Cafe (7614 Highway 23, Belle Chasse, 504-392-9922; memescatering.com)

     

Best Steakhouse

1. Crescent City Steaks (1001 N. Broad St., 504-821-3271; crescentcitysteaks.com)

2. Desi Vega’s Steakhouse (628 St. Charles Ave., 504-523-7600; desivegasteaks.com)

3. Charlie’s Steak House (4510 Dryades St., 504- 895-9323; charliessteakhousenola.com)

    

Budsi’s Authentic Thai

Photo by Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Best Thai Restaurant

1. Budsi’s Thai (1760 N. Rampart St., 504-381-4636; budsisthai.com)

2. Sukho Thai (2200 Royal St., 504-948-9309; 3701 Magazine St., 504-373-6471; sukhothai-nola.com)

3. Thai’d Up NOLA (1839 Gentilly Blvd., 504-644-5790; thaidup.co)

     

Best Traditional Louisiana Restaurant

1. Commander’s Palace (1403 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221; commanderspalace.com)

2. Mandina’s Restaurant (3800 Canal St., 504-482-9179; Azalea Shopping Center, 4240 Highway 22, Mandeville, 985-674-9883; mandinasrestaurant.com)

3. Copeland’s of New Orleans (1001 S. Clearview Parkway, Jefferson, 504-620-7800; 1319 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, 504-617-9146; 2333 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey, 504-364-1575; copelandsofneworleans.com)

      

Best Vietnamese Restaurant

1. Lilly’s Cafe (1813 Magazine St., 504-599-9999; Instagram: @lillyscafenola)

2. Phở Bang Restaurant (Areawide; phobangnola.com)

3. Nine Roses (1100 Stephens St., Gretna, 504-366-7665; ninerosesrestaurant.com)

      

Best West Bank Restaurant

1. Banana Blossom (500 9th St., Gretna, 504-500-0997; 504bananablossom.com)

2. Nine Roses (1100 Stephens St., Gretna, 504-366-7665; ninerosesrestaurant.com)

3. Copeland’s of New Orleans (1001 S. Clearview Parkway, Jefferson, 504-620-7800; 1319 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, 504-617-9146; 2333 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey, 504-364-1575; copelandsofneworleans.com)

3. Mosca’s Restaurant (4137 Highway 90, 504-436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com)

      

Best Chocolate/Specialty Candy Store

1. Piety and Desire Chocolate (2032 Magazine St., 504-799-1709; pietyanddesirechocolate.com)

2. Laura’s Candies (224 Severn Ave., Metairie, 504-582-9651; laurascandies.co)

2. Southern Candymakers (334 Decatur St., 504-523-5544; 1010 Decatur St., 504-525-6170; 1501 8th St., Harvey, 504-252-9749; southerncandymakers.com)

3. Sucré (217 Royal St., 877-435-8624; 636 Royal St., 877-308-0524; 3025 Magazine St., 877-435-8356; shopsucre.com)

      

Best Place to Get a Bagel

1. Flour Moon Bagels (457 N. Dorgenois St., 504-354-1617; flourmoonbagels.com)

2. Shug’s Bagels (7505 Maple St., 504-788-0321; shugsbagels.com)

3. Stein’s Market & Deli (2207 Magazine St., 504-527-0771; steinsdeli.com)

       

Cochon Butcher

Photo by Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Best Butcher

1.Cochon Butcher (930 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-588-7675; cochonbutcher.com)

2. McCord Butchery (210 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite A, Metairie, 504-264-7314; mccordbutchery.com)

3. Terranova’s Meats (3308 Esplanade Ave., 504-482-4131; terranovasmeats.com)