12 Best New Orleans Dishes from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

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Muffuletta — Parasol's Bar and Restaurant

Sticking with their nontraditional ways, the folks at Parasol's grill prosciutto to go on top of their muffuletta. The sandwich has also got ham, salami, Swiss cheese and olive salad. And while muffuletta is normally served cold, this version is served piping hot.

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Cajun Smoked Pork Pizza — Katie's Restaurant

This interesting creations starts out with homemade dough and the restaurant's signature dry-rubbed, smoked pork butt. It's loaded up with garlic butter, mozzarella and Provel cheeses, spinach, red onions and roasted garlic before it gets crispy in the oven.

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Oyster Sandwich — Casamento's Restaurant

The fastest shucker here can shuck about 10 oysters a minute, yet the restaurant still has trouble keeping up with demand. A portion of the nearly 3,000 oysters shucked here per day gets fried for these sandwiches, which are topped with butter, lettuce, tomato and mayo.

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Brisket — The Joint

While New Orleans isn't exactly the first place you think to go for barbecue, the locals agree this brisket is one you can't miss. With different styles — Carolina tangy, Kansas City sweet, chef's specialty — it's not hard to find something you'll like. After being covered in the rub, it's smoked in a custom smoker that's also used on the road for competitions.

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Beef Po' Boy — Parasol's Bar and Restaurant

All the locals Guy encountered at this place agreed on one thing: This is the best po' boy in the city. It's different from the rest because the beef is boiled (not roasted), topped with homemade gravy, lettuce, pickles, mayo and tomato, and then toasted after the toppings go on.

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Bagels and Lox — Surrey's Cafe and Juice Bar

House-cured for ultimate freshness, the lox here are covered in salt, sugar, and black and white pepper as well as fresh dill. Along with homemade bagels, it's a breakfast specialty the locals have come to love.

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Frozen Cappuccino — The Creole Creamery

If you're in need of a little pick-me-up, why not make it ice cream? This treat starts out with milk, vanilla ice cream, simple syrup, a shot of espresso and a scoop of cafe au lait ice cream. It's all blended up and served with whipped cream and espresso beans.

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Beef Brisket — Joey K's

The dry rub for this is made with salt, pepper, paprika, granulated garlic, thyme and basil. The brisket is covered in the rub, roasted low and slow, and served simply with a bit of gravy.

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Breakfast Hash — Surrey's Cafe and Juice Bar

While they're not boiling and baking their own bagels here, they're using local sausage to make the meatiest hash around. It's got the sausage, corned beef, andouille and roasted rosemary potatoes.

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Shrimp Magazine — Joey K's

Described by patrons as a typical neighborhood restaurant, this spot has been selling local favorites for decades. This dish, named for Magazine Street — where Joey K's is located — is a mixture of shrimp, ham, artichokes, green onions and Parmesan over angel hair pasta.

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Nectar Soda — The Creole Creamery

With over 400 flavors of ice cream, there are plenty of choices here. But the locals love this classic: simple syrup, milk, vanilla ice cream, vanilla syrup, soda water and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

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