OFFBEAT EATS

Pêche Seafood Grill: 800 Magazine St., 504-522-1744 Chefs Donald Link, Stephen Stryjewski, and Ryan Prewitt designed Pêche Seafood Grill with the cooking of South America, Spain, and the Gulf Coast in mind. The menu includes Baked Drum with Mushroom Broth and Calas; Grilled Tuna with Lentils, Carrots, and Kumquats; and Grilled Hanger Steak with Salsa Verde.

La Petite Grocery: 4238 Magazine St., 504-891-3377 Chef and Owner

Justin Devillier puts a creative spin on traditional New Orleans cuisine with dishes like Gulf Shrimp and Grits, Panéed Rabbit, and Alligator Bolognese. One of the restaurant’s signature dishes is Blue Crab Beignets, served with malt vinegar aioli and lemon.

OLD STANDBYS, CASUAL

Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar : 5240 Annunciation St., 504-899-9126

Domilise’s was founded around 1918 by Peter and Sophie Domilise as a neighborhood bar with a friendly and welcoming vibe. This spot has fed generations of New Orleanians. The menu here is classic, with an assortment of po-boy options such as fried shrimp, hot smoked sausage, and, of course, roast beef.

R & O Restaurant and Catering: 216

Metairie-Hammond Hwy., 504-8311248

If you’re in the mood for some Italian classics, look no further than R & O Restaurant and Catering. Founded in 1980 by Ora and Roland Mollere, R&O has an extensive menu that includes lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, and soft-shell crab parmesan. The restaurant also serves a variety of po boys and pizzas.

Breakfast And Brunc H

3rd Block Depot:316 Chartres St., 504-552-4095 Executive Chef Nick Ocheltree serves brunch in a lively, welcoming atmosphere. Located in the W New Orleans hotel in the French Quarter, 3rd Block Depot’s menu features dishes such as Bananas Foster French Toast, Boudin Benedict, Pecan Crusted Gulf Fish, and a wide selection of fun cocktails. Every Saturday and Sunday, the restaurant hosts “Legs and Eggs” featuring burlesque dancer Bella Blue, who performs with live music while guests dine on two creative courses and bottomless bellinis and mimosas.

Birdy’s Behind the Bower: 1320 Magazine St., 504-302-2992

Chef Graham Wolfe has created a menu of brunch classics with a New Orleans flair at Birdy’s Behind the Bower. Menu selections include Fried Chicken Biscuit, Bubble Waffles, Birdy’s Burger, and a Brunch Board. The atmosphere is fun, with bright colors and outdoor seating.

Saint John: 1117 Decatur St., 504-581-8120 Chef Eric Cook brought the magic he stirred up at his Uptown restaurant Gris Gris to his restaurant on Decatur Street. Saint John has become a brunch destination in the French Quarter in just over a year. Brunch menu selections include Catfish Amandine, Grits and Grillades, and Pain Perdu. This spot also offers daily bottomless Mumm Mimosas with a choice of Mumm Napa Brut Prestige or Brut Rose for only $45.

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE FOOD

Gabrielle: 2441 Orleans Ave., 504-603-2344 Since 1992, Chef

Greg Sonnier has served his take on Cajun food with New Orleans flair at Gabrielle. The restaurant’s Duck, Rabbit, and Guinea Hen Gumbo is considered one of the best gumbos in town. Other menu highlights include Slow Roasted Duck, Seafood Cassoulet, and Filet of Gulf Fish.

Lil Dizzy’s Café: 1500 Esplanade Ave., 504-766-8687 Founded by Wayne Baquet, Sr., in 2005, Lil Dizzy’s is a family-owned restaurant famous for its fried chicken and gumbo. Other menu selections include po boys, seafood platters, and delicious sides such as mac and cheese and southern greens.

Rosedale Restaurant: 801

Rosedale Dr., 504-309-9595

Since 2016, Chef Susan Spicer has been serving her take on Southern cuisine in a building that used to be a police station. The menu here includes a cochon de lait po boy, shrimp creole, and my personal favorite, fried chicken with mac ’n’ cheese, smothered greens, and Tabasco honey.

Vaucresson’s Creole Cafe & Deli: 1800 St. Bernard Ave., 504-7273653 Vance Vaucresson is a 3rd generation sausage maker who has been making sausage since he was eight. Vaucresson’s Creole Café and Deli is a nod to Vaucresson’s father, Robert “Sonny” Vaucresson, and Vaucresson meat markets, which have been a staple in the neighborhoods of the seventh ward for 122 years. The menu here includes a selection of sausages such as Creole hot sausage, crawfish sausage, and Italian sausage served on platters or po boys.