Eat like you’re family at Avo Restaurant.
Photography by @restaurantavo
This restaurant is a local favorite. Located in Uptown New Orleans, Avo may not be within walking distance of Hotel Monteleone, but it’s seriously worth the price of an Uber to eat here. As a 3rd generation Sicilian, Nick Lama is known for combining his family’s authentic Italian heirloom recipes with a modern New Orleans twist to create one-of-a-kind dishes that leave you wanting amoré. Fun fact: Chef Lama was a featured chef on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters series and has also been featured on the Today Show with Hoda Kotb & Kathy Lee Gifford.
Photography by @tsunamineworleans
Food is art at Tsunami.
If you’re looking for Japanese food that’s as beautiful as it is tasty, then you have to go to Tsunami. Their talented chefs spend hours researching emerging food trends and ingredients to create flavor experiences in every dish. Whether they’re making sushi rolls or nigiri, or even sashimi, everything you try here has a Southern Louisiana touch that will transport your taste buds to a new dimension of deliciousness.
Dine in a Secret Garden Cafe Amelie.
Want to dine like royalty? Come here. Cafe Amelie is a paragon of French cuisine nestled between two gorgeous buildings that were once home to Amelie Miltenberger, the mother of Princess Alice, the first American Princess of Monaco, who lived in an accompanying townhouse in the mid-1800s. The atmosphere is just one of the things that make this restaurant so magical. We suggest eating light for lunch because you definitely want to make sure you save room for dessert.
Photography @sylvainneworleans
Food at Sylvain hits every note perfectly.
This is one of the local’s best-kept secrets. Sylvain is a French bistro that got its name from André Ernest Grétry’s opera of the same name back in 1796. Located in the French Quarter and within easy walking distance from Hotel Monteleone, Sylvain is the perfect place to go if you’re in the mood to dine on authentic New Orleans fare or locally-inspired cocktails.
Love Mexican? Then you’ve guac to go to El Gato Negro.
One of the things we love most about this fantastic Mexican restaurant near the French Market is that they make their guacamole right in front of you. It literally doesn’t get any fresher than that! The portions are big and the salsa and queso are binge-worthy. Whatever you order here, whether it’s fajitas or muddled-fruit Mojitos, you can’t go wrong.
Photography by @curionola
At Curio, balconies aren’t just for Romeo & Juliet.
A long time ago, around the 1800s, Royal Street was home to a famous curiosities shop, colloquially known as a curio shop. To honor this once bustling shop and the curiosities for sale, this restaurant combines flavors that inspire your senses and your sense of wonder, just like the old curio shop on Royal once did.
When you’ve got an eye for pizza pie, go to Domenica.
If you’re in the mood for a wood-fired pizza, fresh pasta made by hand daily, roasted vegetables and custom-brewed beers, or a seasonal craft cocktail – stop looking. This is where your stomach wants to go. Trust us. Located in the historic Roosevelt Hotel, Domenica’s chefs elevate traditional Italian ingredients by combining them with classic flavors to create dishes that are made to be devoured.
You don’t have to twist your arm to go to SukhoThai.
For those that love Thai food, SukhoThai is a palate-pleaser. Suko Thai has everything – even things for those who are gluten-free or vegan. The menu items are served a-la-carte as they are in Thailand which allows you to create the perfect meal for sharing around the table or just for you.
The Perfect Place for Your Favorite Foodie
Photography by @supperinthecity
Of course, before you try any of these incredible restaurants, you have to make a reservation at our very own Criollo. Or, at the very least, head to the Carousel Bar for drinks and live entertainment before dinner. Locals know that lunch is where it’s at, and locals who work in downtown New Orleans flock to our very own Criollo Restaurant. It’s a great backdrop for doing business or relaxing for a leisurely lunch. The Criollo Blackened Ahi Tuna and Sugarcane Skewered Gulf Shrimp served with a tropical quinoa salad, mango, black beans, mint, and spicy coconut curry sauce are two dishes that our regulars keep coming back for.
