New Orleans Insider .com

New Orleans Restaurants

Many of the restaurants in the New Orleans area come from a long and distinguished background. Consider their history as you sit down to dine in one of these exceptional locations, and with each succulent bite, contemplate how that restaurant came about, the personalities behind it, and the tradition it holds.

One of the oldest and most respected restaurant in New Orleans is Antoine's, established by the 19th century Frenchman Antoine Alciatore. Having tried and failed at launching a restaurant in New York City, Antoine moved to New Orleans to try again. Feeling the New Orleans culture of French influence would welcome his lavish cooking, he set up shop and quickly gained prominence. His successes rapidly increased after he brought his fiancee to the city, and together they garnered such approbation that they had to move to a larger building, just a block away. His son, Jules, learned the business from his mother before traveling to France to further learn the trade. After returning to New Orleans, Jules gained fame and fortune for himself and the restaurant with his creation of Oysters Rockefeller, cleverly named to reflect the richness of the sauce. Jules' son, Roy, took over the restaurant and led it through the difficult years of Prohibition. Roy's son also had a hand in managing the restaurant, and today it is run by Roy Jr.'s cousin, Bernard Guste. It retains not just the family name, but the family's desire to set high standards by which other restaurants would be judged.

The Court of Two Sisters Restaurant features the largest historical courtyard dining area in the French Quarter. The restaurant was named after two Creole sisters with a notions shop on the site in the 19th century. Fitting the aristocrats of the region with delicate gowns and perfumes imported from Paris, the two sisters were said to have died within a month of each other in 1944. Consider also, when dining among the lilting trees and bubbling fountains, that the block on which Two Sisters is located once housed a future President of the United States. Though the Two Sisters is not owned by the building's original family, the proprietors today intend to maintain tradition, keep visitors informed of the history, and entertain to the best of their abilities.

Many restaurants in New Orleans offer not just savory and innovative menus, they also provide windows into the city's past. Observe the old buildings many of these restaurants occupy while you consume superb cuisine, whether innovative or traditional, and take with you a dining memory of a lifetime.

New Orleans was settled by people from Spain, France and Africa--to name a few--but nowhere is the French influence felt stronger than in "The Crescent City's" baked goods. Many of the treats have been given a local flare, with strong elements of pecan, chocolate and rum appearing in many dishes. The city is also home to the king cake, created specifically to celebrate Fat Tuesday. A king cake is a breaded coffee cake shaped into a ring with a hole in the center. They are typically iced with shimmery purple, green and gold icing and of course there must be a plastic baby or bean baked inside the cake. The person who receives the piece of cake with the baby is expected to throw the next king cake party or bring the next cake to work. You can find these cakes in popular bakeries all over New Orleans starting as early as Christmas and available through Mardi Gras.

Haydel's started out as a small, drive up window service bakery and has expanded to a full-service bakery. In addition to the king cakes, they also offer the Cajun Krinkle--a buttery pastry stuffed with pecan filling and topped with caramel icing. You might also want to sample their praline cheesecake, New Orleans famous chewing candy, and their French almond croissant. Gambino's Bakery is known as the original "King of King Cakes." It has been delivering its baked goods all over the country for more than fifty years. Gambino's is famous for its red velvet cakes as well. They boast of a secret family recipe that allows them to produce their mouthwatering Doberge cake, which is filled with custard. Dorignac's is a grocery store that offers a French bakery. The store is located on Veteran's Memorial Boulevard and also offers pastries, pies, and kosher foods. Finish up your visit with a trip to the Cafe Du Monde. Cafe Du Monde is the oldest coffee stand in New Orleans and was established in 1862. It is open 24-hours a day, 7 days a week and only closes for Christmas Day and the occasional hurricane. In additional to a wide variety of coffees they also offer beignets, which are square donuts covered with powdered sugar.

New Orleans is all about food and fine dining. Visit just a few of these bakeries during your stay and you’ll soon feel like a native of bayou country.