This casual tavern has consistently been recognized by the press for serving the best burger in New Orleans, and for good reason. An in-house butcher grinds the burger meat daily, ensuring super-fresh patties. The half-pound cheeseburger is a particularly popular option. Chuck meat patties are grilled until medium-rare, then topped with a half-pound of shredded Wisconsin cheddar. Opt for the “All Potato” add-on and a spud loaded with fixings will come served as a side.

Swing by this former gas station to fill up on mouthwatering ‘cue. Try the burnt ends sandwich, a house specialty that’s served only three days a week. This beauty is stuffed with the flavorful tips of beef briskets that are seasoned and then smoked for 17 hours, resulting in a gorgeous char.

Bigger is better at this down-home joint, starting with its signature sandwich: The Jethro. This porky delight weighs in at nearly 2 pounds. It all starts with a breaded-and-fried pork tenderloin, which is placed on one half of a fluffy hamburger bun, then heaped with pulled pork, smoked ham and thick slabs of hickory-smoked bacon, then blanketed in an aged white cheddar cheese sauce and topped with the other half of the bun.

Chef-Owner Peter Chang beat out other chef contestants in China to become the executive chef at the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. After leaving the embassy, he opened this spot, where he serves dishes bursting with the spicy flavors of the Sichuan Provence in the south of China. The most-fiery item on the menu is the Kung Pao Chicken, made with mouth-numbing peppercorn powder to ensure maximum heat.

An ice-shaving machine invented by the original owner turns ice into a creamy snow at this spot. Housemade syrups are poured over the snow to make refreshing treats. A standout is the Banana Foster Snowball loaded with caramelized bananas and a sweet syrup that adds a vanilla custard flavor.

The moment Iron Chef winner Ed Lee lands in New Orleans he heads to Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar for their legendary fried oyster and roast beef po' boys. The fried oyster po' boy is made with crisp gulf oysters stacked on local bread and doused with mayonnaise, ketchup and hot sauce. It is, “the most perfect sandwich ever invented,” opines Chef Lee. The roast beef po' boy is draped with warm roast beef topped with mayo, lettuce and pickles doused in two mustards and hot gravy. “You hold on for dear life and you just go at it,” explains Chef Lee. 

Domenica has built up a loyal fan base with its menu of rustic cuisine inspired by Sunday dinners in the Italian countryside. Iron Chef winner Lee Anne Wong finds pasta perfection there,” it’s like you’ve left Bourbon Street and walked into Bologna,” she muses. Their house-made bucatini with shrimp is enrobed in an “unapologetic amount” of lemon-chile butter and crowned with fried oysters. The maltagliati, a type of pasta that is ripped to resemble rags, is topped with succulent braised beef shank. Chef Wong calls the first bite, “romantic.”

This longtime New Orleans eatery draws the crowds with its French Creole cuisine. Particularly popular is the Thanksgiving feast starring Cajun fried turkey. The bird is soaked in a spice-laden brine, seasoned with a secret blend, then roasted over oak and pecan woods to add sweet and smoky flavors.

This Creole restaurant is a big draw for couples, thanks to its romantic setting and indulgent dishes like shrimp remoulade and bananas Foster. For this dessert, halved bananas are caramelized in a decadent concoction of brown sugar and dark Jamaican rum, then served over vanilla ice cream.

Customers line up out the door for this craft brewery’s inventive pub menu. One genius creation is the mozzarella cheese curds, which are fried in a tempura batter made with one of 3 Floyds’ most-popular brews, the Zombie Dust pale ale. The fried curds come smothered in a tangy homemade kimchi aioli, creating a one-two punch of flavor that makes for one irresistibly funky fermented snack.

In a city known for its flavorful Cajun and Creole cuisines, fiery dishes abound, but the Spicy Gumbo at Liuzza’s really stands out by combining both culinary traditions. A savory base is punched up with a robust Cajun-style roux, while tangy crushed tomatoes and steamed shrimp add Creole flavor.

This garage-turned-restaurant offers innovative brunch dishes like the sweet-and-savory mash-up known as the BLT Dutch Baby Pancake. A puffy, pastrylike base made from pancake batter is topped with aioli and bacon jam, then loaded with peppery strips of bacon, marinated tomatoes and fresh greens.

Kountry Kitchen was once a tiny cafe with only a six-stool countertop, but the food drew in such large crowds that it expanded to seat 175 guests. The fried catfish is one of the most-popular menu items. For this dish, the catfish is dredged in a cornmeal-flour mixture, then seasoned with spices and fried in hot oil until perfectly crisp. Candied yams and collard greens finish the plate.

Need your deep-dish fix? Head to Pequod’s, where you’ll need a knife and fork to delve into the pan pizza. The pie is baked in a well-seasoned cast-iron pan lined with a sprinkling of mozzarella, so when the pizza comes out of the oven, it has a crust of crispy, salty, caramelized cheese.

Jam quickly became Jeff Mauro's go-to brunch spot, not only because the chef is named Jeffrey Mauro, but also because he’s a fan of the breakfast sandwiches and other morning staples. The menu is loaded with creative twists on brunch classics, like Malted Custard French Toast. This popular dish is topped with a macerated cherry puree laced with pink peppercorns for a floral note.