New Orleans Magazine December 2025 by Renaissance Publishing

FROM THE EDITOR

Each December, New Orleans Magazine celebrates something that this city does better than any other: dining and hospitality. It’s one of our favorite annual issues, as we get to review new and classic places that bring us delight all year.

For this year’s Best of Dining cover feature, we take a look back at some of the wonderful, winning, weird moments throughout 2025. From debut restaurants, new takes from favorite chefs, and award recognitions to headline grabbing issues and neighborhood favorite institutions, our yearbook includes the personalities and places that have made this year delicious.

We also bring you a special, unique community reunion story. This past November, more than 500 families gathered in City Park to celebrate their fertility journeys, tied together through their experiences at Audubon Fertility Clinic. The event highlights the difficult stories many families and parents endure on their paths to create a family. It gives new meaning to a holiday that is merry and bright.

Plus, we have plenty of holiday dining, menus, recipes, celebrations and cheer to keep you and your friends and family warm all month long.

The holiday season is in full swing! For many places, winter can be a time to slow down, but for New Orleans, things are just getting started. The December holidays gather families and friends to share good cheer, with an eye on the upcoming new year for even more festivities, glitter, glam and Carnival fun. We hope to help guide your end of year celebrations with some of our favorite highlights coming up.

We wish you and your favorite people a wonderous and warm winter celebration and a prosperous new year on the horizon.

Send us a line! Have something you want to share with us? Email ashley@ myneworleans.com

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Holiday Happenings

From festive soirees to Réveillon meals, happy hours and winter warmers, MyNewOrleans.com has you covered on all the latest places to go and things to do.

Editors’ Picks

Each week our editors’ dish about their favorite city highlights. This month, see if your favorite winter places and picks made our list!

NOLA News

Sign up for the latest community news, best bars and restaurants, philanthropic endeavors, shopping, parties and more with our collection of newsletters, delivered right to your inbox. MyNewOrleans.com/newsletters

InterContinental New Orleans Thursday, January 8 5:00-7:30 pm

Get Tickets: neworleansbride2026. eventbrite.com

Photos of Home

“Louisiana from the Sky” features gorgeous full color photos of our home state from documentary photographer Philip Gould. The book highlights Louisiana’s rich array of landscapes, landmarks and environments (and the challenges each faces) from a unique angle. Also included is a series of heartfelt essays from author, musician and folklorist Ben Sandmel for an in-depth look at the history and current state of the land and its people.

BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN

Shop Local Reader friendly books, gifts, accessories and more

Historic New Orleans Collection

Shop from a variety of books, reading accessories, pens, paper plus plenty of locally made craft and art items for your favorite bookworm at The Historic New Orleans Collection’s holiday market located on Royal Street in the French Quarter. The Shop at the Collection is open 9:30 to 4 p.m. or visit hnoc.org.

Blue Cypress Books

Browse the Oak Street indie bookseller’s collection of new, used and rare books to find the perfect match for the reader on your list. The shop also has great stocking stuffers from book plates to bookmarks, stickers, puzzles, cards, gift certificates (for the hardto-buy-for) and some great merch. Be sure to say “hi” to bookstore cat Kitty Meow! Bluecypressbooks.com

Garden District

Book Shop

Nestled in The Rink on Prytania, the Garden District Book Shop has best sellers, hard to find titles, book-related accessories and more. While there be sure to stop by Bar Epilogue for some literary inspired cocktails, wine, and small plates. Gardendistrictbookshop. com

Associate Publisher Kate Henry

Editorial

Editor Ashley McLellan

Creative Director Tiffani Reding Amedeo

Digital Media Editor Kelly Massicot

Style Editor Andy Myer

Contributing Writers Jyl Benson, Cheré Coen, Lee Cutrone, Fritz Esker, Scott Gold, John Kemp, Misty Milioto, Liz Scott Monaghan, Elizabeth Pearce, Eve Crawford Peyton, Mike Scott, Melanie Warner Spencer

Advertising

Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Kate Henry, Kate@MyNewOrleans.com

Account Director Meggie Aune

Senior Account Executives Erin Chiartano, Brooke Genusa

Account Executives Jennah Dillon, Lauren McCanse

Spectacular

Dec. 18

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will perform timeless carols and holiday classics in a concert for all ages at the Orpheum Theater. orpheumnola.com

Caroling in Jackson Square

Dec. 21

One of New Orleans’ signature communal holiday events returns to Jackson Square. Participants will be given song sheets and candles. patioplanters.net/ events/caroling-in-jacksonsquare

NOLA ChristmasFest

Dec. 20-29

NOLA ChristmasFest returns to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center with its winter wonderland featuring an ice-skating rink, rides, an ice slide, and live entertainment. nolachristmasfest.com

25th Annual New Orleans Bowl

Dec. 23

Kick off college bowl season with the 25th annual New Orleans Bowl at Caesars Superdome. caesarssuperdome.com

The Revivalists

Dec. 30-31

The Revivalists will perform their RevHeads ball on Dec. 30, followed by a New Year’s Eve show on the 31st. Both will be at the Orpheum Theater. orpheumnola.com

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Dec. 5-14

The Jefferson Performing Arts Center presents a live musical adaptation of the beloved animated TV special about Rudolph learning to appreciate what makes him different. jpas.org

“It’s a Wonderful Life Y’all”

Dec. 5-21

Ricky Graham’s retelling of “It’s a Wonderful Life” includes a wide variety of colorful Crescent City characters. rivertowntheaters.com

Holiday Cheer

New Orleanians can celebrate Christmas with a tropical twist at Latitude 29’s Sippin’ Santa, where Santa appears on a surfboard, not a sleigh. The vibe is less “Let it Snow” and more “Surf’s Up.” This year marks the 10th anniversary of this collaboration between Cocktail Kingdom and Beachbum Berry, with more than 60 bars across the world participating. All locations serve the same menu (created by “the Bum”) and offer Cocktail Kingdom’s line of mugs and glassware for sale, which are only available at Sippin’ Santa locations. New Orleanians in particular should be on the lookout for a festive pelican mug. New holiday recipes from Beachbum Berry include “Coco Ho Ho,” featuring gold Jamaican rum, lime, coconut, pineapple, pandan syrup and banana liqueur, and “Frost Bite” with tequila, sage, pineapple, lime, cranberry syrup and spiced cranberry bitters. Non-alcoholic drinks include the “Designated Sledder,” which mixes lime, coconut, pineapple, pandan syrup and tonic water. Latitude 29 will be featuring Sippin’ Santa from Nov. 6 to Jan. 1. If you are travelling for the holidays, find other Sippin’ Santa locations at sippinsantapopup.com/locations2025. 321 N Peters St., 504-609-3811, latitude29nola.com.

Award-Winning Brew

Irish Channel Miel Brewery & Taproom has been awarded a Gold Medal at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival Competition. The competition, the largest for the industry in the United States, included 108 beer categories, six cider categories and 273 breweries and cideries participated. Miel’s winning beer, Flor de Jamaica, was recognized in the American Sour Ale beer-style category. This sour ale is brewed with hibiscus flowers, pink salt, and cinnamon bark, and was inspired by agua de jamaica, the Latin iced hibiscus tea.

Alexander Peyroux, Miel co-founder and brewmaster, noted, “We’re still in disbelief. As a small, independent team, without the large-scale resources of bigger breweries, this recognition feels deeply validating. It’s an incredible honor that celebrates our commitment to brewing beer that reflects our community." Miel Brewery prides itself on being a Latina- and brewerowned brewery dedicated to crafting fresh, small-batch beers and cultivating an inclusive, welcoming space for everyone.

405 Sixth St., 504-372-4260, mielbrewery.com.

Bitters Sweet

If you need a quick holiday gift, local bitters company El Guapo has a variety of cocktail kits to suit any palate. They take the guesswork out of making some of the most popular drinks and can be enjoyed with or without alcohol. The Espresso Martini kit includes two bottles of Espresso Syrup (which is only sold in the kit), a bottle of Classic Orange Bitters and La Mosca Espresso Bean Garnish For a cocktail with a kick, order the Spicy Margarita Cocktail Kit which includes two bottles of Lime Cordial, a bottle of Spicy Fuego Bitters and dried lime wheel garnish. Other favorites include a Holiday Old Fashioned Kit and Champagne Cocktail Kit. elguapobitters.com

No Dice

Locals know that our bars serve more than just spirits; they also serve as a place to recover, revel and, in the case of Marigny bar No Dice, to feed our creativity. In addition to presenting live music almost every night, starting this month the bar hosts live figure drawing classes led by local artist Julia Marshall. Models for each class come from the local burlesque community. Folks looking for a more active education can attend two-step dance lessons, which start in January, just in time for any New Year’s resolutions to “move more.” Learning is thirsty work, so you can wet your whistle on beer and shot specials that won’t break the bank. 2239 St Claude Ave, nodicenola.com

Rare Releases

Saltire Rare Malt whisky has selected Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse as its partner in Louisiana to serve its limited-edition single malts. Saltire’s most prized releases — ultra-rare, single-cask Scotch whiskies — draw from lost distilleries. Now, whisky lovers in New Orleans will be able to sample these remarkable bottlings. Their Speyside Cask Strength, Tormore, and Teaninich expressions are all currently available. Guests can also savor Saltire’s whisky in a new cocktail the “Second Line,” created by Susie Bohnstengel, mixologist and spirits educator for the Dickie Brennan’s team. The Second Line features Saltire, Drambuie and an absinthe rinse. Inspired by the city’s second line tradition, Susie said, “Saltire is the first line, the whisky that leads. This cocktail is the party that follows.” 716 Iberville St., 504-522-2467, dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com, saltireraremalt.com

Holiday Pop-Up

French Quarter residents who have been watching the Omni Hotel renovation unfold over the last year now have a festive reason to stop in and check on its progress. With the Blitzen holiday pop-up bar, a wintery wonderland filled with over-the-top décor and tasty cocktails. The Blitzen’s innovative cocktails are crafted by world-renowned mixologist, author and Drink Masters judge Julie Reiner. The menu features eight seasonal drinks, a zero-proof mocktail, and a rich hot chocolate (booze optional). Signature sippers include “The Blitzen,” the “Espress-Ho Ho” martini and the “Naughty or Spice.” Seasonal snacks include Reindeer Fuel (smoked maple-chili nut and pretzel crunch), Miso Tinsel (an umami holiday mix), and Choco Sleigh Ride (dark chocolate pistachio cream bark), among other festive treats, all of which can be enjoyed to holiday sounds from the lobby piano. Blizen’s pop-up will be open from Nov. 28 through Jan. 9. 621 St Louis St., 504-529-533, omnihotels.com/ hotels/new-orleans-royal-orleans.

RANDY KRAUSS SCHMIDT PHOTO

Forever Fall

If you missed The Elysian Bar’s fall menu drop, you’re in luck. The Hotel Peter & Paul’s restaurant and bar will continue its autumnal offerings through December. We’re here for the pumpkin everything, including pumpkin soup with vermouth foam and pepitas; fettuccine with pumpkin cream sauce and lump crab; and venison and pumpkin carpaccio with pickled shallots and crème fraîche. There’s also talk of puff pastry escargo with beef fat and a leek puree among other delights. Clearly, we need to move closer to the Marigny. ash.world/dining/the-elysian-bar

Sweet Victory

This year, the Saints are, well, in need of our thoughts and prayers, which is why we are ever grateful to Martha Gilreath, owner and head baker of Nolita Bakery in Mid-City, for her soul-soothing, black-and-gold “Who Dat treats” (available through the end of the season). The pro-baker is a case study in triumphant underdog stories: She won sobriety after 16 years of addiction and homelessness, enrolled at New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute and the rest is sweet victory. Some major Saints victories would also be sweet, but at least Gilreath’s delectable creations are a sure thing. Pro-tip: Get ahead on your holiday pies and rolls by letting Gireath do the baking for you. Touchdown! Check for the bakery’s holiday-themed markets this month. nolitanola.com

Stars are Born Since an April release announcing the forthcoming MICHELIN Guide American South, New Orleans chefs, restaurateurs and culinarians have been on high alert. In a little armchair foodie inside baseball, hours ahead of its longawaited November ceremony to reveal which lucky restaurants would be graced with the coveted stars, MICHELIN pulled the trigger on its press release, causing quite the social media and web-first news scramble. When the dust settled, three New Orleans restaurants had a little extra sparkle next to their names.

Downtown’s Emeril’s is the only restaurant in the American South to nab two of the storied stars.

“The young E.J. Lagasse, son of the indomitable namesake, now oversees a remarkable dining room that has celebrated Creole cuisine for more than three decades,” read the press release.

“His determination is palpable as he charts a new course, bringing contemporary refinement and vibrant originality to the fore.”

One star each was awarded to the innovative Saint-Germain in Bywater, helmed by Chefs Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith, and the elegant Zazu in Mid-City, the brainchild of chef and owner Chef Sue Zemanick.

Gay Parée

Speaking of sweets, at the end of October, the Omni Royal Orleans in the French Quarter announced the opening of its new coffee shop, Fifi Parée. According to a press release, Fifi Parée is named after the first cat to cross the English Channel by airplane. The cozy shop’s design is inspired by a French flower shop, awash in that certain shade of muted green found throughout France, and decorated with hand-painted floral murals and black-and-white marble flooring. Expect top-notch coffee beverages from Congregation Coffee, sinful baked goods from Ayu Bakehouse, cafe fare — including wine, beer and seltzers — as well as grab-and-go sandwiches and salads. omnihotels.com/hotels/new-orleans-royalorleans/dining/fifi-paree.

Charmed, I’m sure

The former MoPho Mid-City location near City Park is getting a makeover and a new life. Veteran hospitality husband-and-wife team Chris and Bonnie Borges are filling the space with European charm via Charmant (French for charming, captivating or lovely, depending on who you ask). Some will know Chris Borges from his time as chef at Josephine Estelle and the Virgin Hotel, respectively. Bonnie Borges’ background is in management, and as a sommelier, she will serve as general manager. Hello, #dreamteam. Go to Charmant for European-style classics, like Croque Madame, with New Orleans flair and flavors. Graze brunch and lunch menus by day and, by night, wine and small plates. charmantnola.com

JESS KEARNEY PHOTO

OMNI

ROYAL ORLEANS PHOTO

Style

BY ANDY MYER

1. Sue Sartor’s Flounce Maxi is now available in a range of vibrant hues in luminous hand-dyed silk taffeta – ideal for holiday gatherings. Each piece is finished with piping, a lined bodice and discreet side pockets. Available at Sue Sartor, suesartor.com.

2. Leontine Linen’s silky-soft satin quilt is sure to become your little one’s favorite blankie. The heirloom quality Buttons quilt is available in a number of beautiful colors, machine washable and crafted for everyday use. Available at Leontine Linens, leontinelinens.com.

3. Made from fuzzy faux fur, Maria la Rosa’s Nita Mini Game Bag adds a pop of color and texture to your look. Finished with a coated chain strap, wear over the shoulder or tucked in and carried as a cozy clutch. Available at Angelique Boutique, shopangeliqueboutique.com.

4. Raise a glass with Estelle’s Regal champagne flutes in Emerald. Made by artisans in Poland, these stylish sippers add a festive element to any celebration. Available at Jade, jadenola. com.

5. Elevate your stature and your look with Cecelia New York’s bold teal heels featuring a sculptural velvet bloom. A comfy block heel and padded insert make these the perfect pair for dancing the night away. Available at Em’s Boutique, shop-ems.com.

KELLY MASSICOT

Dr. Mamina Turegano

Dermatologist,

Internist, Dermatophathologist

If you scroll on any social media site long enough, chances are you’ll spot an influencer or two telling you why this new beauty product is going to tighten, lift or remove (or all three) some blemish, wrinkle or the like, and you need to click the link in their bio immediately to grab one for yourself. But it’s doctors like triple board-certified dermatologist, internist and dermatophathologist Dr. Mamina Turegano who are trying to use their platform to factually educate people on the ins and outs of our skin and bodies. Turegano hit her stride on social media during the pandemic and now brings her knowledge to name brands like actress Lili Reinhart’s Personal Day.

Q: What first made you interested in your field of medicine? Much of my life, I was very interested in integrative medicine, or taking a more holistic approach to skin health. I didn’t even know I wanted to go to med school. I thought I was actually going to be a researcher. I was interested in chemistry. And then I was also a music major; a piano performance major initially. I ended up minoring in it. Later in college, I did become interested in medicine, but I was more interested in holistic or alternative medicine. I thought, “You know what? What if I had my M.D.?” I think there are so many more paths. I have options. Yeah, I could always practice integrative medicine with a medical degree. What was really cool with dermatology, I love the concept of how the skin can be sort of a signal or a sign of what’s going on internally and

I think that also studying internal medicine really helped understand or bridge that connection for me, too. What I’ve come to learn as just being a doctor, is that our bodies are smarter than we are, and when our body is acting in a certain way, it’s trying to tell us something.

Q: How did you get started on social media? I started posting when I first moved back home in 2016. I didn’t realize New Orleans was actually pretty saturated with dermatologists, but I was joining a practice and not starting from scratch. I joined Dr. Patty Farris, and it was kind of slow in the beginning, because nobody knew who I was, and so I thought “Let me establish a social media presence so I can make a name for myself.” I didn’t want to just be a dermatologist. I’m so interested in looking at other approaches to healing the skin, like what supplements can be supportive for acne or what supplements can be helpful for hair loss, anti-aging. What are other things that you can do that are supportive in addition to all the conventional medicine out there? So, I started posting about that. I slowly garnered about 10,000 followers over the following four years going up to 2020 and it was fun. In 2019 people started doing videos and then things got crazy, especially with TikTok, during the pandemic. TikTok, the company, reached out to me in May of 2020. I don’t know why or how they found me. I had a TikTok account that I started in 2019, but it was nothing, I had like one video. They wanted more educational content on TikTok and so they started this initiative called “Learn on TikTok.” They wanted people who were experts in their field to create content. I guess they found me because of my Instagram, and they said they’d love for me to be a part of this cohort of creators to make as much educational content as we can. I thought it was perfect because I was wanting to do more

on TikTok, I just didn’t know how to make the best videos. For the cohort I had to make videos five days a week for six weeks straight. The pay was minuscule for what it was, but I needed something to force me to do it right. And so I did it. For people out there who are doing social media, I understand it feels like such a thankless job.

Q: Do you have any advice for people on how to change their routine per weather changes? Because of colder weather, the air gets more dry, and when the air gets more dry, your skin gets more dry. Potentially. When it comes to products, especially if you are prone to dry skin, we recommend switching to using a cream-like moisturizing cleanser. Same with moisturizers, lightweight moisturizers; there’s like lotions and gels, you might want to consider going to a cream, which is cream is thicker. It has more oil than a lotion. Lotion has more water. I feel like it may not be as necessary because we are so humid here, but having a humidifier in your room is actually helpful, especially if you do have eczema. I recommend that [more so] for people with eczema. And then moisturization is best, on your body right after you get out of a shower on damp skin. That’s when your body is most receptive to the moisturization. Those are the main [ideas]. And just be glad we don’t live Minnesota.

Q: What’s the one thing people should take away from any conversation about dermatology… and why is it to wear sunscreen? Yeah, it is sunscreen! It’s crazy how it seems like such an underrated product, but we experience the most consequences from the sun just from daily exposure. The criteria is very minimal; we tell people at least an SPF of 30.

My mother-in-law

Ms. Larda always does her Christmas shopping early. Sometimes too early. Grandkids who wanted inflatable fighting roosters for the pool when she was shopping in August are now jabbering about magnetic building blocks and Barbie Twinkle Toes.

Ms. Larda says, well, it gives her a chance to take a last lap around the stores.

So last year, in the first week in December, she hitches a ride with me — who am just starting my shopping, naturally — to this shopping center we go to (out of a abundance of caution, I ain’t going to say which one.)

Now, Ms. Larda is getting a little older, and she is worrying that she won’t be able to trot around the store like she has always done. And then — would you believe — at the door to one particular store we like (I also ain’t going to say which one) they have them riding carts.

So she gets on one and tries to figure out how to make it go. Seems to be easy enough.

Turns out, it ain’t.

I read the sign next to the carts out loud. “Simply press the handle to go. Just let go of it to stop.”

“There ain’t no brake,” I tell her. Well, she gets inside the store just fine, but I notice she keeps slamming her foot down like she

Last Minute Shopping

Be careful what you wish for

is driving a car with brakes.

And her steering ain’t exactly perfect, either. She hits me twice, and pins me up against the wall once.

After that I keep my distance.

She knocks over a trash can — it was the trash can’s fault for being in the way, she tells me. She has to tell me loud because I am staying behind as far away as I can without losing her.

But unfortunately, she turns her head to ask me something just before she gets to the glass display. Everything in this display is glass, and they are stacked on shelves made of glass.

You got to admit this is stupid.

Suppose some poor woman with a couple of toddlers passes that display. It could be a disaster.

Lucky for that woman, Ms. Larda crashes into it first.

Then a whole lot of things happen at once. She and the cart are covered with glass, and she is still slamming her foot down and clutching the handlebar that makes the scooter go. The manager rushes up and presses a button that backs her up into the aisle.

Well, Ms. Larda is thinking she will get sued for breaking all that glass, and evidently the manager is thinking he will get sued for possibly breaking a elderly customer. She

tries to apologize and he says, “If you are not hurt, Ma’m, would you please leave?” His voice is shaking.

Well, she don’t need to be told twice. She grabs her purse and is off that scooter and out the store with me behind her in seconds. Nano seconds, even. We are 10 minutes away before I can stop her and brush off the glass.

It’s a miracle, but she ain’t hurt at all. No blood. Nothing. Just breathing heavy.

So I take her home and she finishes her shopping online.

The store ain’t so lucky.

The next day, I sneak back over there. I wear a Santa Claus hat pulled low on my head covering my hair and sunglasses on my face. I see they got the scene of the crash all taped up like a crime scene. It looks like not many customers are brave enough to go past that scene. There’s hardly anybody shopping. So would you believe, I start and finish almost my entire shopping list in one fell swoop.

I asked a saleslady if the manager was around and she says that he is having “a protracted leave for rest.” I hope he has a merry Christmas, poor thing.

You too. Stay away from glass displays. That’s my advice.

Midnight By Design

New Years

Eve-inspired looks for any celebration

The perfect perch for a midnight kiss, the Fringes bar stool offers a chicly coquettish vibe. The two fringes run along the front and reverse of the seat, set against a curved backrest that completes its timeless appearance. Villa Vici, 4112 Magazine St., 504-899-2931, villavici.com.

Add a spirited touch of libation exclamation to your entertaining space with the retro-inspired “Cocktails” wallpaper from Jacqueline Colley with Milton and King (miltonandking.com). Source locally by appointment at Spruce, 504-265-0946, spruceshowroom.com.

Serve your signature sip for the festivities in a vintage brass grapevine serving bowl, featuring a grape and vine design on the rim and handles. chairish.com/shop/ perrierdesigns.

Present your walls with a splash of celebratory fizz all year long with the subtle strokes of Champagne

from

Better to admire than to swing from, the Acadia Large Chandelier by Julie Neill for Visual Comfort & Co has an antique gold leaf finish to complement the elegant dips that resemble champagne flowing up from a bottle. Julie Neill Designs, 2032 Adams St., 504-8994201, julieneill.com.

Countdown to midnight upon a pocket watch clock, crafted of brass and paired with a small easel for easy peering at the black Roman numerals keeping time. Pottery Barn, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-219-0168, potterybarn.com.

Cocktail paint

Behr. behr.com.

Ring in the New Year or draw guests in for a toast with a charming antique brass dinner bell with twisted rope detailing. Eclectic Home, 8211 Oak St., 504-866-6654, eclectichome.net.

Every year basically since forever, I’ve told myself my family would “do a REAL New Orleans Christmas.” I’d picture us bundled up in matching pajamas (even though it’s 78 degrees), driving down St. Charles to see the elegant houses wrapped in lights, singing carols in Jackson Square, going to a Réveillon dinner and the Christmas Eve bonfires and the St. Louis Cathedral holiday concerts.

And every year, without fail, I’d fail. Yes, we usually did Celebration in the Oaks, and we even got it together enough to go caroling one year (though not in Jackson Square), but by the time Christmas Eve rolled around, I was frantically wrapping presents, stuffing stockings, baking cookies, and usually in a fight with at least one member of my family. I was in no mood to take a trip down River Road, let alone start eating a five-course meal at 2 a.m.; I just wanted to collapse and wake up sometime before New Year’s Eve.

But this year feels different. First of all, my kids are definitely old enough by now that I no longer need to worry so much about making all of the magic happen. Yes, we still do stockings – and we even still leave out cookies on the special Santa plate – but it’s tongue-in-cheek now, more about tradition than earnest wide-eyed

A Classic New Orleans Christmas (For Once)

Reeling through the holidays

belief and joy and wonder. Also, Rowan is now home from college on winter break and telling me all about how superior Christmas is in New York City – the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, the shop window displays, iceskating in Central Park, actual cold weather with the actual possibility of a true white Christmas – and I

suddenly feel this urge to show her that we can do a damn fine Christmas here in New Orleans, too – if only I got my act together.

So this year – and maybe (probably!) I really mean it this time – we are going to do all the things. We’re going to ride the train through Celebration in the Oaks and drink hot cocoa even if we’re sweating. We’re going caroling. We’re going to

catch the streetcar down St. Charles (with the windows down, letting the smell of sweet olive waft in) and we’re going to eat beignets and po’ boys and pralines and Roman candy and gumbo.

When the kids were little, I thought family traditions were things you had to start early and repeat until they stuck. Now I know you can start them anytime, even at the very moment you realize how fleeting your time together has become. Because that’s really what this Christmas is about – not checking traditions off a list but trying to capture our time together before it slips completely away.

Next year – and if not next year, then one year soon enough – Rowan may not even come home for Christmas at all. Life will pull her elsewhere. She will make new friends, create new traditions, and before too much longer, she will start her own new family.

But this year, in this city that never really gets cold, I want her to feel the warmth that raised her and be aware of the rich traditions that surround her.

Because if she’s going to go out into the world and tell people where she’s from, I want her to say proudly: “I’m from New Orleans. And you should see how we do Christmas down there!”

BEST OF DINING

25 TOP DINING MOMENTS OF 2025

by Jyl Benson, Cynthea Corfea, Beth D'Addonno, Scott Gold, Kelly Massicot photographed by Sam Hanna profile illustrations by S.E. George

1 SAINT CLAIRE

Opens in a Hidden Spot in Algiers

From fine dining to neighborhood haunts, breakout chefs and tried-and-true favorites, New Orleans has no end of great places to eat. For our annual Best of Dining review, we are counting some of this year’s top moments highlighting the food, restaurants, hospitality and people that make going out to eat a true celebration. *This list is not in any specific order

Chefs Melissa Martin and Cassie Dymond, longtime friends, dreamed of opening a restaurant as a retreat from city life. After years of looking, they knew they had found their spot as soon as they stepped onto an oak-shrouded fouracre property just 10 minutes from downtown.

1300 Richland Road, 504-766-9316, saintclaire.me

“The property was a siren,” Martin said. “We purchased it and opened a restaurant in six months to share the space with other weary city folks in New Orleans. Being on the grounds makes your blood pressure drop, maybe it's the 18 live oaks or the proximity to the Mississippi River. “

The historic building in which Saint Claire is housed, along with delicate floral china,

pewter candlesticks holding old-fashioned tapers, rustic secondhand furniture, and handcrafted pieces from local artisans, makes the space feel warm, homey and romantic, as if it has been there forever. The food is equally comforting and rustic — lamb Bolognese with pappardelle and Parmesan; pillowy gnocchi with hunks of jumbo lump crabmeat; duck confit with cardamom-kissed plum confiture; richly fatty rabbit rillettes for spreading on rounds of toasted sourdough. Guests are invited to explore the porch, the courtyard and the grounds. Lovely picnic baskets brimming with delicacies are available for order and can be enjoyed anywhere on the property. – JB

STAR STUDDED

In a Nov. 3 ceremony, the MICHELIN Guide to the American South honored several New Orleans restaurants for culinary excellence.

Two MICHELIN Stars

Emeril's (New Orleans; Creole cuisine)

One MICHELIN Star

Saint-Germain (New Orleans; Contemporary cuisine)

Zasu (New Orleans; American Contemporary cuisine)

Michelin Young Chef/ Culinary Professional Award

EJ Lagasse

Bib Gourmand (11 in New Orleans)

The MICHELIN Guide inspectors awarded 50 restaurants the Bib Gourmand distinction, which recognizes eateries for offering great food at a great value.

Acamaya Cochon Cochon Butcher Domilise's Dooky Chase Hungry Eyes

Lufu Nola

Mister Mao Parkway Bakery & Tavern Saba Turkey and the Wolf

Michelin Recommended Restaurants (18 in New Orleans)

34 Restaurant and Bar

Addis Nola

Atchafalaya

August

Clancy's Compere Lapin

Dakar NOLA

Galatorie’s Herbsaint

Killer Poboys

Molly's Rise and Shine

La Petite Grocery

Osteria Lupo

Patois

Peche

Saffron NOLA

The Kingsway

Willie Mae's Nola

About the MICHELIN Guide, from a recent press release: “Recognized globally for excellence and quality, the MICHELIN Guide offers a selection of world-class restaurants. The MICHELIN Guide remains a reliable companion for any traveler seeking an unforgettable meal and hospitality experience. The Guide was first published in France at the turn of the 20th century to encourage the development of car mobility as well as tire sales by giving practical advice to motorists. Progressively, the Guide has specialized in restaurant and hotel recommendations. Michelin’s inspectors still use the same criteria and manner of selection that were used by the inspectors in the very beginning.”

Chef Kelly Jacques is no overnight success. “I started when I was 14 and I’m 37 now,” said the pastry chef and Ayu Bakehouse co-owner. When she was named among Food and Wine’s top chefs for 2025, she was gob smacked. “Never in a million years would I have expected that. It’s definitely very validating. We’re so in the sauce, it’s hard to see ourselves from a mile out.”

BAKEHOUSE

Chef Kelly Jacques, Best New Chefs 2025

801 Frenchmen St., 504-302-7985, ayubakehouse.com

Jacques and business partner Samantha Weiss opened the bakery on Frenchmen across from Washington Park in 2022. The parade of innovative baked goods hasn’t slowed, same for the wholesale business selling to hotels and restaurants. The pastry chef combines whimsey with local culture in her wildly popular muffaletta sticks with and without salami. And that three-and-ahalf-pound savory Challahgator pull-apart bread is on so many short lists for a holiday table wow. As for holiday pies, pumpkin is taking a break, replaced by a sweet and salty bar nut pie that inspires bar top nostalgia.

As thrilled as she is about the recognition, the chef’s been busy on another front. Jacques was eight months pregnant with her daughter Josie two Mardi Gras ago. “I’m convinced that’s why she’s always moving. I was eight months pregnant making king cakes for Mardi Gras. She was born right after.”

As to what comes next, that’s in the thought bubble for sure. “We’re figuring out where do we go from here? We feel we can do exciting things and keep growing at our location. New Orleans is a one-of-a-kind place. It feels like Ayu should be a one-of-a-kind place too.” - BD

COMMANDER’S PALACE

The Commander’s Palace’s Instagram feels like scrolling through Food Network. With encouragement from their social media team, co-proprietors Ti Martin and Lally Brennan have used Instagram Reels to create episodic videos sharing humorous and engaging stories about the restaurant’s rich history.

“We really pride ourselves on surrounding ourselves with young people with young ideas,” Brennan said. Martin adds that the restaurant is constantly evolving and open to trying new things, including filming feelgood social media content with their creative marketing team.

Martin and Brennan make the perfect cohosts, bouncing jokes off of each other like only old friends could. Like a breath of fresh air, their familiar New Orleans spirit and natural camera presence, make the videos digestible, informative and somehow comforting (like a PBS special).

Martin and Lally first recall filming social media content in 2021. Since then, Commander’s Palace’s Instagram Reels have taken off, with some videos reaching more than 720,000 views.

Whether they’re talking about the restaurant’s signature Milk Punch, launching new merch or sharing about their 25 cent martinis, Martin and Brennan’s reels have become our new favorite show to watch. - CF commanderspalace.com

ABITA TAPROOM NEW ORLEANS

SALON SUPPER CLUB AT NOMA

There are plenty of ways to dine happily in the Crescent City, from picnics in the park or by the river to ultra-luxe fine dining, 3 a.m. po-boys in the Quarter, at the top of a skyscraper or in the clamor of a bawdy barroom. But is any of it…artistic? Well, this year the New Orleans Museum of Art answered that question with its Salon Supper Club presented by First Horizon Bank series, which aimed to pair some of the city’s best chefs and their artistic creations with the more traditional artwork found in NOMA’s permanent collection, and of course live music. That’s right: fine art met fine dining in City Park this year, and by all accounts the series made a splash. In May, Chef E.J. Lagasse contributed his efforts to the evening with his signature savory cheesecake topped with smoked salmon, caviar, dill, and a gold leaf garnish. Later, in July, attendees were treated to “A Taste of West Africa,” with a collaboration between Café NOMA’s chefs Chris Montero and Chris Fite with beloved local Chef Serigne Mbaye of Dakar, all while gazing at the stunning work of artist and photographer Nicolas Floc’h. The October event highlighted Arts of the Americas, in collaboration with Chef Alfredo Nogueira. In a city filled with feasts for the senses, this enchanting amalgam of art, food and music certainly took the cake in 2025. – SG New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Cir., 504-658-4100, noma.org

Craft beer-loving New Orleanians have long taken delight in a long afternoon sipping selections at the Abita Brew Pub. The only hitch, of course, is that doing so requires that long drive to the North Shore. If you’ve ever daydreamed of partaking in that experience without a trek across the Causeway, 2025 is the year your dream came true, with South Louisiana’s iconic beer brand opening up a new Brew Pub on the new “brewery row” that is a particular stretch of Tchopitoulas St. Uptown. Naturally, you’ll find a wide selection of ales and lagers from Abita’s crafty beiermeisters, including everything from favorites like Abita Amber and Andygator to more esoteric offerings with appropriately fanciful names like Fruity Pebbles, Vanilla Triple Dog Dare, and Bourbon Barrel Aged Pecan. But the fun doesn’t end with beer alone, and to that extent Abita has smartly cultivated its taproom space for weekly events ranging from savory barbecue courtesy of Cochon King BBQ, trivia Tuesdays, beer flight Fridays, beer and yoga pairings (yes, really), live jazz bands on Thursdays, and a rotating variety of food pop-ups for when you need to to soak up some of those suds. All of which you can gleefully enjoy while not having to worry about that long drive home across the lake. – SG 2375 Tchoupitoulas St., abita.com

New Orleans locals have filled up their homes with Mardi Gras cups, Krewe of Bacchus socks, Muses napkins, and Femme Fatale beauty essentials for years. Now, there’s a new prized throw on the route: Krewe da Bhan Gras cookbooks. Since being founded in 2022 by New Orleans doctors and dance enthusiasts Monica Dhand and Anjali Niyogi, Krewe da Bhan Gras has always honored South Asian culture and cuisine with parade throws such as spice packets and cookbooks.

Before becoming the beloved graphically designed cookbook it is today, the Krewe da Bhan Gras cookbooks started as 200-300 handprinted and assembled booklets. Since then, it has evolved into both a digital and printed resource and will return in 2026 with even more member recipes, Jayeesha Dutta throw co-lead for the krewe said.

COOKING

UP THROWS

“It makes so much sense to represent food and culture on the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras,” Dutta said. “It’s awesome that it's not a traditional New Orleans cuisine that's being represented, but a diasporic community that's growing in the city. In these times, it feels really important to elevate and amplify the beauty immigrants bring to the United States and just how much richer we are for our presence here.” - CF krewedabhangras.com

More than a few New Orleanians found themselves utterly crestfallen when Terranova’s Supermarket, a local institution serving the city for a century, shuttered its doors this past year. But like a delicious phoenix rising from its own smoky ashes, the Terranova family decided to reinvent their business, pivoting from a grocery to an old-school South Louisiana butcher shop, in all the best ways. Sure, the new spot might be smaller than the beloved grocery, but also more focused, a good thing if you have a carnivorous bent. You’ll still be able to find your favorites there, from Terranova’s signature sausages, boneless stuffed chickens, juicy double-cut pork chops stuffed with sausage, and of course their famed hog’s head cheese, one of our favorites to slap on a Cajun-style charcuterie board. And of course, you’ll also find more traditional steaks and chops, expertly trimmed to order, with the kind of old-school personal, friendly neighborhood service that’s long been a New Orleans hallmark. We don’t like to imagine a world without Terranova’s in it, and though the grocery might now be dearly departed, the “new” butcher shop proudly carries those traditions on to the next generation, and hopefully will continue to do so for another hundred years. - SG

We scream at parades, and we scream at concerts, but when the dog days hit hard, New Orleanians tend to scream for ice cream. Nothing hits quite so sweet when the mercury spikes than a frosty cup or cone of dairy delights, a phenomenon that has only increased in recent years with the availability of small batch, hand-crafted ice creams from a variety of local artisans, among them Super Witch, which continued to dazzle Big Easy denizens through 2025. The only catch, at least for now, is that the operation is limited to pints available only through online ordering, but cyber-stalking Super Witch is a fun activity in its own right. You never know what fancies each week might bring, courtesy of owner and ice cream obsessive Briggs Barrios. One day might offer “Airline Skate Center” (vanilla with Funfetti Cake Batter Swirls and Oreo Chunks), or maybe “Chicken’s Peach Cobbler, which sports vanilla ice cream with peach swirls and spiced yellow cake crunchies. And if procuring artisan ice cream via social media isn’t quite your bag, start getting excited now, because Barrios and his team are hard at work planning a brick-and-mortar location in town in the near future. Until then, we’ll continue to hit refresh on Instagram to find out what magnificent creamy concoctions lie in wait for us this week. – SG 5640 Jefferson Hwy., Harahan, superwitchicecream.com

THE BATTURE

For decades, New Orleanians have understood and enjoyed the singular local pleasure of packing up a picnic and heading over to the Audubon Fly to enjoy a lovely evening al fresco on the riverfront, watching the sun set over the Mississippi and sharing food and fun with our friends and loved ones. If you’ve wondered what could possibly improve this experience, wonder no more: The Batture, which opened on an industrial section of riverside space this year, became an instant hit with locals and visitors alike. The great lawn affords plenty of space for activities both leisurely and active (especially for little ones), and there’s also a modest petting zoo featuring a variety of barnyard friends, but the standout feature, of course, is the rotating selection of food trucks on hand. Craving a burger? Bub’s is there to scratch that itch. Chicken sandwiches? Bootsy’s has some of the best in town. For seafood, it’s impeccable lobster rolls from The Nell Shell, and sweet-toothed New Orleanians of all ages can get their fix from Imperial Woodpecker sno-balls and organic fro-yo from Stelly’s. No matter which trucks happen to be catering to your whims on a given weekend, one thing is for certain: The Batture might be the best outdoor dining experience in New Orleans in recent memory, no reservations needed! – SG

25 Walnut St., batture.com

Bring on the bad ass lady mongers. Camille Staub and Caitlin Carney are the two women behind Porgy's Seafood Market, the "Lady Mongers" who break down primal cuts of local seafood to retail in the fish case and serve in the homespun café. This past summer, they started a Lady Mongers dinner series, collabs with women chefs like Rebecca Wilcomb and Nini Nguyen, to spotlight local catch.

Porgy’s, which Carney owns with her partner chef Marcus Jacobs, takes a sustainable approach to Gulf seafood, something both women can relate to. “When I was first doing research on mongering, I talked to so many women about their relationship with the Gulf, their memories of seafood growing up,” said Carney. “Like chef Nini who grew up here, who remembers being sent to the dock to pick up shrimp. We don’t want to lose these stories,” said Carney.

Priced around $75 per person, the three to four course Tuesday night dinners include chats with the participating chef and mongers about seafood. If a chef grew up elsewhere, like Wilcomb in Massachusetts, there would be a nod to those roots on the menu. “For Nini we had four types of Gulf shrimp Gulf. For Rebecca, we used hake instead of cod and added in Ipswich clams and scallops.” For other women curious about what lady mongering is all about, Porgy’s plans a series of monthly classes. “Come cut with us!” said Staub. “Honestly this is my favorite job ever.” - BD 236 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-429-3474, porgysseafood.com

11

CHEF REBECCA WILCOMB AT EVVIVA

When restauranteurs Heather Lolley and Humberto Suazo were asked to reimagine the Franklin in the Marigny, their yes was conditional. “Only if Rebecca would be the chef,” said Lolley, who also owns Galaxie Tacos. Chef Rebecca Wilcomb, a James Beard Foundation award-winner formerly of Herbsaint and Gianna, had exited stage left from the Link Restaurant Group in 2021.

“I stepped away to figure out what balance actually looks like in my life,” said the Bywater resident. She and her partner are now the proud parents of a three-year-old daughter. In the past four years, she’s reflected on what her career looked like, and what it would look like moving forward.

“I started feeling like I was out of balance in a different way. Restaurants and kitchens are where I feel my most authentic self. I missed it. When Heather asked, I was ready.”

She arrived armed with newly minted patience. “You change when you become a parent!” Wilcomb works closely with chef Marcus Jacobs, another Link alumnus. “Opening a restaurant with people who I respect and are truly my friends is a gift, a best-case scenario,” she said. “Beyond balance, I was searching for connection and community. That was the main reason I came back.”

The chefs change Evviva’s seasonal menu frequently. As to her favorites, Wilcomb confesses that when she’s at the bar as the end of service nears, Velma Gene’s anchovy bread, a riff on Jacobs’ grandmother’s recipe, is her go to. Built on a foundation of crispy focaccia from another LRG pal Maggie Scales at La Boulangerie, fat anchovy filets, fresh mint, onion and crushed tomatoes bring a world of flavor in every bite. “So delicious and so simple.” - BD

2600 Dauphine St., 504-267-0640, evvivanola.com

In August, French Quarter residents were horrified to learn that Mona Lisa, one of the tourist-driven neighborhood’s few restaurants that catered to neighborhood folks with a quirky, cozy atmosphere, familiar dishes and thrifty prices, would be closing after nearly 40 years due to eviction and the sale of the building that housed it. Owners Farrow Stephenson and Tom Moore were alerted to the sale and ordered to vacate within 60 days via an offhand text message sent from a real estate agent. A rally, “Night of 1,000 Mona Lisas,” was organized to protest the eviction of the beloved local spot. Hundreds planned to dress like the lady with the mysterious smile and descend upon the restaurant’s Royal Street block on. Letters from devoted customers started appearing. The loss of a spot for pizza and pasta known for hand-drawn reveries and handwritten notes left for customers in the window was more than the community could bear. Following the visceral reaction, Stephenson and Moore met with the building’s new owners and worked out a deal that would allow them to stay. The protest rally was reorganized as a day of celebration. – JB 1212 Royal St., 504-522-6746, monalisaneworleans.com

14 EDGAR “DOOKIE” CHASE HITS FOOD NETWORK

Earlier this summer, New Orleans and Southern cooking became the stars when the Food Network and actress Octavia Spencer came together with a show highlighting family recipes and traditions. The Big Easy has no shortage of family legacies and traditions, but when it comes to a culinary dynasty, few match the history and success of the “Queen of Creole Cuisine” Leah Chase and the Chase family.

2025 was a banner year for chef Kaitlin Guerinx. After starting her business as a pop up, the New Orleans native celebrated the first anniversary of Lagniappe Bakehouse in Central City. Lagniappe, which she runs with her partner filmmaker Lino Asana, was also named among the nation’s best 22 bakeries by The New York Times. And most amazingly to the 32-year-old trained dancer turned pastry chef, she was a finalist for a James Beard Award in the Emerging Chef category. While she didn’t take home the award as a first timer, she and Asana crushed the red carpet. Guerin rocked a dress from Nigerian designer Michelle Adepoju of Kilentar, a fringed strapless number a shade lighter than the chef’s perfectly proofed French croissants.

Beyond the accolades, Guerin has her feet firmly rooted to the terra firma she’s chosen as home base on Euterpe Street. “I’m very proud of the community support and feedback we’ve gotten from the neighborhood,” she said. “I took a risk opening in a part of New Orleans that is trying to revitalize. But we feel so supported.” Her commitment to storytelling through ingredients like West African benne seeds and grains of paradise connects her pastries to the Black foodways of the American South. While maintaining her stunning pastry case, she’s added made to order breakfast sandwiches and the option for mimosas. She hopes to expand her bread program down the line.

As to the thrill of the James Beard experience, Guerin says it helped take away the imposter syndrome that sometimes whispers in her head. “I really wanted people to understand the story we are trying to tell. The nomination let me know that I am heard.” -BD

Edgar “Dook” Chase IV is part of the fourth generation of the Chase family to continue pushing the legacy and memory of Edgar, Leah and Dooky Chase’s Restaurant forward. Following the success of the family’s WYES show “The Dooky Chase Kitchen: Leah’s Legacy,” Dook was approached by the Food Network about interest in another show they were producing set in New Orleans and highlighting family recipes, family traditions and culture.

“Family Recipe Showdown” follows similar cooking show styles with a set time limit, round by round eliminations and even celebrity judges; but Dook’s favorite part was the contestants.

“[The show] sets a scene of different cultures, different traditions, no matter whether it’s a grandmother and grandson, two brothers, a mother and son-in-law but they showcase their traditions, their recipes,” said Dook. “Seeing that love of food and that love of presentation and letting the world know who they are through food is pretty cool.”

Family Recipe Showdown episodes are available on HBO and Discovery+. -KM

Chef Ana Castro and Acamaya

Milestones have their place. For Chef Ana Castro, the first anniversary of Acamaya, the restaurant she owns with her sister Lydia in the Bywater, was epic. “We had a great first year, so much fun. I feel like the project was well received nationally, and more importantly to us, by the locals. We were embraced by the Bywater neighborhood and the city of New Orleans as a whole.”

For Castro, working with her sister and her team is everything. She credits her sister with talking her off the hospitality ledge when she came home filled with despair after toiling in New York kitchens. “She got me to try one more time.” That resulted in Lengua Madre in 2021. The sisters always wanted to collaborate as owners, and Acamaya opened in July 2024.

It's been a year of learning. “I’ve been working on my leadership, on removing myself from the equation sometimes so others can learn and do. Let them do their thing a little bit without me always trying to be there.” This has made room for traveling, which inspires her creative side. She credits her chef de cuisine Daniel Levy with moving Acamaya forward. “We have a really cool relationship, so much trust and friendship.” Her relationship with her sister has evolved as well.

Castro sees the restaurant as a catalyst for personal growth. “It’s catapulted me truly into a different era of my life,” said the 36-year-old chef. “It was my first restaurant. I made some decisions regarding the use of space that I would change next time.” As to next time, it’s something she and her sister are talking about. “We’re thinking about looking for another space. When it’s the right fit, we’ll know.” – BD 3070 Dauphine St., 504-299-3477, acamayanola.com

No16

Restaurateur Larry Morrow is on a roll. With concepts ranging from his eponymous eatery, Morrow’s, to a steakhouse (Morrow Steak), upscale Asian fusion (Sun Chong), a cozy American joint in MidCity (Monday Restaurant and Bar) and a couple of lively night spots, diners might easily have concluded that Morrow can rest on his laurels for a while. Well, 2025 had different plans, notably the opening of Morrow’s fifth eatery, the exuberant Frenchmen Street Caribbean affair called Spicy Mango, which taps into island flavors and energies equivalent to the revelers haunting the Marigny music and bar scene. A visit there absolutely must start with the fried

SPICY MANGO

Joshi bread with guava honey butter and a side of their spicy grilled elote with herbed ranch and Tajin, and of course you don’t want to miss those crawfish conch fritters. And we hate to say it, but the entree options are a bunch of jerks… literally. Between jerk chicken mac and cheese, perfectly medium rare jerk lamb chops, and a whole or half jerk chicken, we’re starting to wonder why being a jerk is considered so distasteful. Also, they have flaming margaritas and a tree in the middle of the dining room. Frenchmen might be a hard place to stick out, especially for restaurants, but Spicy Mango nails that trick and then some. - SG 405 Frenchmen St., 504-708-2651, @spicymangonola

17. FRENCH TRUCK AND CHEF JEREMY FOGG

French Truck has set a high bar for specialty roasted coffee since its founding in 2011, notable in a city dominated by coffee since the early 1800s. Now, with chef Jeremy Fogg in the role of culinary director and executive chef, the locally owned chain is bringing it with elevated culinary offerings.With 13 locations in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Memphis, the first order of business was to centralize production at a company-owned commissary.

Fogg, whose experience ranges from haute to homespun, is the man for the job. He worked high volume resorts in his native Orlando, then oversaw Emeril’s stellar pastry program for six years. Fogg opened Mae’s Bake Shop Uptown as homage to his family’s Southern roots. While closing was bittersweet, French Truck offers a creative challenge, said the chef.

“I was tasked with taking a look at what we’re currently doing and seeing how to improve,” said the chef. That meant breaking down and rebuilding recipes, doubling down on consistency while ramping up production. Upping the game meant adding seasonal offerings, like a pumpkin praline cruffin and apple cream cheese croissant. On the savory side, breakfast wraps filled with choices like roasted potatoes, eggs, cheese and breakfast meats, so easy to eat on the go, are a top seller.

For lunch, there’s always a turkey sandwich, maybe with smoked gouda, arugula and housemade pepper jelly, homemade pickles on the side. Chicken salad gets a Mediterranean accent with fresh pesto. Vegetarian and vegan options are also in the mix. Fogg is overseeing the expanded bread program which includes house made focaccia and sandwich buns.

“This is a positive move for me,” said the chef. “I’m working with a great team of people, all focused on the same goal. There’s a lot more that we’re going to do. We’re just getting started.” – BD frenchtruckcoffee.com

18 19

REALLY REALLY NICE WINES

Darrin Ylisto and Miriam Matasar are the fourth owners of a small wine shop on Magazine Street. They upped the game at Really Really Nice Wines (RRNW) last year when they brought on Chef Luci Winsberg, formerly of Gautreau’s, Zas, and Sukeban, as culinary director to offer a limited menu of seasonal, chef-driven shareable small plates with their selection of uncommon natural wines in a pale-wood setting that feels more like a relaxed, upscale snack shop than a restaurant. The space functions as both a wine shop/hangout and a retail shop. Culinary offerings include tartines, duck fat popcorn, anchovies on toast, white beans with grilled artichokes, charcuterie and cheese boards, entrée salads, and farmed oysters from Justin Trosclair at Lady Nellie Oyster Farms in Grand Isle, paired with citrus mignonette; and ricotta toast with fig jam and pistachios. Many dishes are served cold or at room temperature. Through the RRNW Club, the shop offers members two to four wines with a specific theme each month. A Cheese Monger’s Pick of the Moment is available as an add-on. Special events include evening workshops whereby guests enjoy wine while designing custom sets of press-on fingernails and enjoying self-care from celebrated nail artist Morgan Dixon. - JB 3500 Magazine St., 504-309.-8744, reallyreallynicewines.com

THE BELL

Pouring from the heart

3125 Esplanade Ave., 504-381-4399, thebellnola.com

The Bell’s British proprietor Andrew Bell is a selfdescribed Guinness nerd. And he’s not alone. The stout, with its trademark crown of froth, has led the stout market since it was first brewed in Dublin in 1778. The Guinness formula is sacrosanct. And so is its delivery system, said Bell, who helped open the British style pub on Esplanade Avenue earlier this year. ¶ There was no question that Guinness was going to be on tap at The Bell, he said. “The company is quite specific as to how they’d prefer it to be served.” ¶ So specific that there are regular training sessions for staff. The Guinness reps weighed in on exactly where the taps would be and that they’d be powered only by pure nitrogen, no CO2. That ensures consistency, explained Bell. The Bell’s bartenders have already poured more than 11,000 pints of the brew. ¶ As to how to pour a perfect Imperial pint of Guinness — four more ounces than a U.S. pint — there’s a formula. “Pull the tap towards you and fill the glass three-quarters of the way,” said Bell. “Let it sit for 119 and one-half seconds and top it off to get the perfect head. That’s the folklore. We approximate that, but it works.” ¶ For something different, try a black and tan, equal parts Guinness and pilsner. Paired with a hearty steak and Guinness pie topped with the flakiest of crusts, and even skeptics will come over to the dark side. – BD

20. EMERIL’S RESTAURANT

If you still think of Emeril’s as a “young” restaurant, you might be surprised to learn that Chef Lagasse’s flagship dining destination is actually approaching middle age. And though age might just be a number, Emeril’s seems to be maturing like a fine wine. It doesn’t hurt that E.J. Lagasse has been absolutely dazzling local diners since inheriting the torch from his famous father, taking the Creole fine dining spot to inventive and elegant new heights. E.J’s tenure at Emeril’s so far has clearly revealed him as something of a culinary wunderkind, and though he might be too modest to accept the label, his talent, spark and ingenuity has certainly been a bright spot on the New Orleans dining scene. In addition to his reimagining of Emeril’s menu, E.J. also got a chance to impress further with the restaurant’s 35th anniversary celebration, which not just included a birthday party dinner, but even more impressively, featured a pantheon of culinary stars collaborating in the Emeril’s kitchen, including Chef Eric Ripert of the world-famous La Bernardin. We imagine few turns could be more welcome for New Orleans diners than to see a beloved restaurant reinvent itself in such unexpected and gratifying ways, certainly a local culinary highlight of 2025, and likely for many more years to come. - SG 800 Tchoupitoulas St., 504528-9393, emerilsrestaurant.com

NIKKEI IZAKAYA

AT THE BROADSIDE

“The overall concept is that this is a Nikkei restaurant first that happens to be in a bar, which also makes it an izakaya,” said Dana Honn, who, along with his wife Christina and long-time collaborator Wataru Seaki, for years ran the celebrated Cafe Camo raw bar.

“There are people who think Nikkei is a Peruvian style of Japanese food, but there are Nikkei communities all over the world,” Honn said. “We are trying to highlight the cuisine of all Japanese immigrants.”

The chefs work exclusively with Gulf seafood they bring in at least five times a week as whole fish and break down themselves. The menu in the casual space features small plates, a raw menu of ceviche, tiraditos and sushi, and entrees to be paired with craft cocktails, sake and beer. Weekly specials are a cornerstone. Tuesdays bring $6 Sushi Night with selections that do not resemble discount offers at sushi buffets. On Wednesdays, the price rises to $7 for a night of sushi specials plus temaki handrolls and silken nigiri. Thursday brings Ceviche and Ramen Night. Fridays usher in Gulf Fish & Fry with fresh Gulf fish coated in panko, fried and served with hand-cut fries. - JB

600 N. Broad St., 504-224-5657, nikkeiizakaya.com

Chef Nina Compton Cookbook

The Crescent City’s connection to Caribbean culture and cuisine are undeniable. From cultural similarities like Creole languages and dishes to festivals such as Mardi Gras and Carnival, there’s a reason New Orleans is known as the northernmost Caribbean city.

James Beard Award winning chef and owner of Compère Lapin Chef Nina Compton did a deep dive into Caribbean cuisine in her debut cookbook “Kwéyòl / Creole: Recipes, Stories, and Tings from a St. Lucian Chef's Journey: A Cookbook” released in April 2025.

“I was trying to shine a spotlight on a cuisine that is not really focused on,” Compton said. “Carribean food is having a moment, but we're still playing catch up with getting those folks out there. We’re seeing a lot of chefs that have Caribbean heritage find their culinary voice in restaurants and now they're doing it in books.”

The “Top Chef” star’s book takes the reader on a journey starting in her homeland St. Lucia, then to Jamaica, Miami and New Orleans. It includes family recipes from her childhood and new recipes developed from her exploration of different flavors and countries.

After book tour stops and cookbook-themed events around the U.S., Compton said this will likely be her first and last cookbook, as she wants to pour her energy into the kitchen and traveling. - CF

23. CONGREGATION COFFEE ROASTERS

Wake up, Magazine Street, there’s a new coffee shop on the block.

When Congregation Coffee Roasters opened in July 2025, it breathed new life into the former CC’s Coffee House, a neighborhood spot that had remained dark since the pandemic. Patrick Brennan, son of esteemed New Orleans restaurateur Ralph Brennan, took on the project to restore the long-vacant corner building to the cozy cafe he remembered.

“It's an old coffee shop that I grew up going to when it was a CC's for something like 20 years before they closed down,” Brennan says. “It's nice to get a great community spot back in commerce for the community.”

The chic cafe fits right into the hip, shopping and art-centric Magazine Street culture. Its modern bar, warm tones and decorative details feel like they’ve been there all along. The uptown cafe preserved the building’s original layout and structure by uncovering the historic wooden floors and retaining the previous coffee shop’s layout. Customers can stop in for coffee and tea drinks, pastries, breakfast burritos, bags of coffee beans, and prepackaged half gallons of cold brew.

With two cafes and one roastery, Congregation Coffee plans to continue growing with another coffee shop in the French Quarter. We can’t wait to start our day with the congregation. - CF congregationcoffee.com

24 LOST COYOTE

EQUAL PARTS SWIM CLUB, BAR AND RESTAURANT

In July, when most restaurateurs were sweating it out through the slow season, Colin Kennedy, chef/owner of Lost Coyote, was opening a new restaurant driven by Louisiana ingredients and Asian and South American influences that immediately threw him into the weeds.

“The pool is a huge draw,” Kennedy said. “We have been welcomed with very strong support from the neighborhood.” ¶ The restaurant/bar/ swim club/hangout is housed in a historic mansion in Treme, close to the Claiborne overpass. A day pass to the pool costs $20 and comes with a towel and a glass of sparkling wine. The pool menu includes crispy olives with fried herbs and lemon, and red bean hummus with crudites and sumac. Weekend brunch brings bottomless mimosas, and Kennedy hosts crawfish boils by the pool during the season. When the weather warrants it, the heated pool will be kept between 85 and 90 degrees. Inside, there is a 100-seat restaurant, a long wooden bar, and a moody, sexy vibe. Evenings bring a more formal dinner menu that includes shrimp boulettes with Chamoy aioli; pan-seared Gulf fish with coconut-carrot purée and salsa verde; and parmesan-crusted double-cut pork chop with whipped potatoes, smothered greens and a Dijon velouté. – JB

1614 Esplanade Ave., 504-381-4829, lostcoyotenola.com

THE KINGSWAY

After a long wait and two years of delays, The Kingsway opened in June to immediate applause.

The kitchen is headed by Ashwin Vilkhu, the son of the father-son co-executive chef team that has garnered several nods from The James Beard Foundation for their exceptional fare at Saffron. The younger Vilkhu developed the prix fixe, Pan Asian tasting-style menu as an homage to the multicultural cuisine he grew up eating at home, due largely to his father’s (Arvinder Vilkhu) having worked with and learned from some of the world’s great culinary talents throughout the course of his international career in the hospitality business.

“The Kingsway was born because of the hospitality my parents offered at the home where I grew up,” said Ashwin Vilkhu. “My parents were avid entertainers who did everything with class and sophistication.” The chef’s menu is a study in measured precision that explores the colorful intricacies of cuisines and flavors from across Asia within a pristine space designed by Farouki Farouki. “I want diners to come here and invest their time in an immersive experience,” he said. Diners create their own four-course meals from categorical selections, including Tuna Solera in a five-year chili sauce, salt-baked jumbo shrimp, and Peking-style duck breast à l’orange with Chinese five-spice. - JB

4201 Magazine St, 504-506-9272, kingswaynola.com

FAMILY MATTERS

A ONE-OF-A-KIND REUNION

BY KELCY WILBURN

On Nov. 8, families from across the region gathered in New Orleans City Park to celebrate — children lined up for face painting, cookies dusted small hands with sugar, and cameras snapped images of smiles and hugs. What may have looked to an outsider like a large weekend birthday party or family reunion was actually more a combination of the two. This first-ever “Baby Reunion,” hosted by Audubon Fertility, celebrated the thousands of births and journeys of families who have sought fertility treatment at the practice over its 15 years of service.

“The Baby Reunion is something that’s been in the works — at least in our hearts — for many, many years,” said Lindsay Wells, MD and medical director at Audubon Fertility. “Honestly, our staff has been talking about doing this almost since the day we opened our doors. Every time a patient would come back to visit with their little one, we’d all say, ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing to get everyone together one day?’”

Hitting the 15-year milestone felt to Wells like a meaningful time to host such an event. Having watched families grow over more than a decade, she and her staff saw a unique opportunity to gather infants, toddlers, kids, and even teenagers in one special place. According to Wells, City Park was chosen for its liveliness, beauty and community — exactly what the reunion was all about.

In particular, family portraits as party favors excited Wells. Not only would

special moments be captured on camera, but families would be able to take a new portrait home in time for the holidays. Prior to the event, Wells anticipated the sight of it all would stop her and staff in their tracks — hundreds of families with children who started as hopes and dreams in the Audubon Fertility clinic now running around, laughing, and celebrating together.

“It’s hard to put into words what that means,” she said. “It’s the most tangible, joyful reminder of why we do what we do every single day.”

Hosting the event was particularly meaningful to clinic staff, said Wells.

“It’s truly a dream come true for our whole team,” she said.

Wells’ own dream for Audubon Fertility grew from personal experience, first from watching her sister navigate fertility treatment and then navigating the journey herself. When Wells was a fourth-year medical student, her sister went through treatments. Hearing about her experience opened Wells’ eyes to what she describes as a fascinating intersection between science, medicine, and human emotion.

“I realized what an incredible impact helping someone build their family could have,” she said. “That was it — I was hooked.”

After medical school, Wells completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology in New Orleans before pursuing a three-year fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Iowa. During her years in Iowa, Wells was diagnosed with infertility herself, specifically

premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). According to the Cleveland Clinic, POI is considered rare, only affecting about one percent of women between ages 15 to 44, and is a condition where the ovaries stop working properly at an earlier than average age. For Wells, this meant the odds of successful treatment were very low. She navigated a difficult and emotional journey, one she said she wouldn’t wish on anyone. In the end, she was fortunate. Wells conceived two children following diagnosis.

“Going through that experience gave me a completely different perspective on what my patients endure, not just physically but emotionally and mentally,” she said. “I understand the hope, the heartbreak, the endless waiting, and the courage it takes to keep going.”

After finishing her fellowship, Wells knew she wanted to return home to New Orleans to create something special. She had a clear vision for the kind of practice she wanted, one that felt warm, personal, and deeply connected to its patients and their journeys.

“I wanted our patients to feel like they weren’t just a chart number but part of a community, and, eventually, a big extended family — which is exactly what’s happened,” she said.

It was also important to Wells that the practice be at the forefront of science and success. At the time, single embryo transfer was just starting to gain traction and appeared promising for achieving excellent success rates while minimizing the risk of multiple pregnancy. This science has become key within assisted reproductive technology at reducing complications. For Wells, a combination of cutting-edge technology and compassionate care would become the foundation for Audubon Fertility. Her personal experience with infertility treatment would also have a tremendous influence on her approach to medicine.

“Because of that, I approach every patient interaction with empathy and honesty,” she said. “I know how important it is to feel seen and supported, and how much it helps to have a doctor who truly ‘gets it.’ Sometimes that means celebrating even the smallest victories or knowing when to pause and just listen.”

“

IVF — she’d heard it was hard both physically and emotionally. Osgood’s first IVF cycle was successful, but it resulted in a chemical pregnancy, a form of pregnancy loss that occurs before any fetal development can be visually detected through ultrasound. She and her husband were devastated; this was her first time achieving pregnancy.

“Dr. Wells and her staff were absolutely incredible in how they treated me and encouraged me not to give up hope,” she said. “I know that she had faith that it was going to happen.”

And it did happen—the Baby Reunion provided the first opportunity for Wells to meet Osgood’s son Anthony. For the Osgoods, the reunion provided a special way to stay connected to the staff and doctors who helped with their “little miracle.” Osgood and her husband plan to return to Audubon Fertility for her next IVF transfer when they are ready.

Wells said the excitement of families leading up to the Baby Reunion was contagious. Many of the families are in treatment again, some for their second, third, or fourth babies. Some families joked about reuniting with their “first babysitters,” the embryologists who watched over their embryos from day one.

The journey for every patient and family is different, according to Wells, and involves unique histories, differing challenges, and individuals’ hopes and dreams. Different journeys require different reproductive services, and Audubon Fertility offers a full spectrum: fertility testing, IVF, intrauterine insemination (IUI), egg freezing, and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), as well as fertility preservation for medical or personal reasons.

I understand the hope, the heartbreak, the endless waiting, and the courage it takes to keep going.”

“Some people may need something as simple as a bit of guidance and a few tests to help things fall into place,” she said. “Others may need more advanced treatments like IVF or donor egg cycles. For some, it’s a short, straightforward process. For others, it can be a longer road with a few detours along the way.” What’s important to Wells is making sure no one feels they’re walking that road alone. For many families, the Baby Reunion served as a reminder of just how not alone they are.

Wells said that her personal journey taught her that fertility medicine isn’t just about science — it’s about resilience, compassion, and holding on to hope. She tries to bring that perspective into her work at Audubon Fertility, where compassion is a key part of the business model. She wants patients to sense from the moment they walk in the door that fertility treatment isn’t just a job — this work is a genuine passion, something she and staff feel compelled to do. It’s one thing to know the science and another to be able to connect with a patient on a personal level.

“We laugh with them, we cry with them, and we celebrate every success along the way,” she said.

Wells credits the entire team — the front desk, nurses, embryologists, and andrologists — for the positive culture of the practice.

“It’s truly a team effort, and every single person plays a critical role in helping our patients grow their families,” she said. “We hold ourselves to a very high standard, but we also make sure our patients feel supported and cared for every step of the way.”

One of those patients is Faith Osgood, whose severe endometriosis led her to seek In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Osgood was unhappy with the first clinic she visited, and a friend recommended Dr. Wells and Audubon Fertility.

“I decided to have a consultation with Dr. Wells, and it was the best decision my husband and I ever made,” said Osgood. “I didn’t feel like a number. I truly felt valued and cared for there.”

Osgood said it’s the combination of Wells’ calm, collected personality and knowledge that made her feel hopeful. She was initially scared to try

“I don’t have an exact count of how many families we’ve served over the course of my career, but it’s definitely in the many thousands,” said Wells. “It’s amazing to think about how many lives have intersected with ours in that time and how many babies are now out there in the world who got their start in our clinic.”

Wells’ commitment to patients is just as fervent as it was 15 years ago — she continues to keep an eye on cutting-edge technologies and navigate the unique and sometimes challenging laws of Louisiana as they pertain to IVF.

“Despite these challenges, our focus remains the same: helping families achieve their dreams in the safest, most ethical, and most effective way possible,” she said.

Wells anticipates that artificial intelligence (AI) could be a game-changer in reproductive medicine, and she expects the topic to be front and center at national meetings and conferences.

“What’s most exciting is its potential to help us non-invasively assess embryo viability — in other words, to identify which embryos are most likely to lead to a healthy pregnancy without additional procedures,” she said. “That could mean faster and less costly treatments, fewer interventions, and less stress for patients.”

Thinking back over the last 15 years, Wells said it’s incredible how far fertility treatment has come.

“It’s even more incredible to imagine where this technology could take us next,” she said.

EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN IN MEDICINE

With over 30 years’ experience researching, reviewing, and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible healthcare research and information company. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers.

Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Its online nomination process is open to all licensed physicians in America who are able to nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether the nominated physician(s) is, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medical specialty or among the best in the nation in their medical specialty. Then, Castle Connolly’s research team thoroughly vets each physician’s professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history and if available, outcomes data. Additionally, a physician’s interpersonal skills such as listening and com-

ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

METAIRIE

Margaret Huntwork

East Jefferson General

Hospital

Tulane Lung Center

4320 Houma Boulevard, Suite 603 (504) 988-8600

NEW ORLEANS

Reena Mehta

Uptown Allergy & Asthma

2620 Jena Street (504) 605-5351

Laurianne Wild

New Orleans VA Medical

Center

2400 Canal Street (504) 988-8600

BARIATRIC SURGERY

METAIRIE

Shauna M. Levy

LCMC Health

Tulane Weight Loss Center 4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 501 (504) 988-2274

CARDIAC

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Colleen J. Johnson

LCMC Health

Tulane Multispecialty 1415 Tulane Avenue, Floor 5 (504) 988-1001

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

NEW ORLEANS

Sapna V. Desai

John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute

1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 3 (504) 842-4721

CHILD & ADOLESCENT

PSYCHIATRY

NEW ORLEANS

Ashley Weiss

Tulane Doctors Specialty Psychiatry - Mid City 4000 Bienville Street, Suite G (504) 988-0301

CHILD NEUROLOGY

METAIRIE

Allison H. Conravey

Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics & Specialty Care 3040 33rd Street (504) 896-2888

NEW ORLEANS

Ann Tilton

Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics & Specialty Care 200 Henry Clay Avenue (504) 896-2888

Maria B. Weimer

Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics & Specialty Care 200 Henry Clay Avenue, Suite 3040 (504) 896-2888

COLON & RECTAL SURGERY

METAIRIE

Jennifer D. Silinsky Colon & Rectal Surgery Associates 3100 Galleria Drive, Suite 303 (504) 456-5108

Jacquelyn S. Turner East Jefferson General Hospital Tulane Surgery 4224 Houma Boulevard, Suite 330 (504) 988-5110

DERMATOLOGY

MANDEVILLE

Martha E. Stewart

Martha E. Stewart, MD, LLC, Dermatology 4060 Lonesome Road (985) 727-7701

METAIRIE

Erin E. Boh Lakeside Hospital Tulane Dermatology 4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 201 (504) 988-1700

Elizabeth F. Bucher

The Skin Surgery Centre 1615 Metairie Road, Suite 101 (504) 644-4226

Mara Alena Haseltine Pure Dermatology

3100 Galleria Drive, Suite 203 (504) 226-7873

Leah G. Jacob Family Dermatology Specialists 3421 North Causeway Boulevard, Suite 202 (504) 832-6612

Andrea T. Murina Lakeside Hospital Tulane Dermatology 4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 201 (504) 988-1700

Marilyn C. Ray

Ochsner Dermatology 2005 Veterans Memorial Boulevard (504) 842-3940

Nicole Elaine Rogers

Hair Restoration of the South 3100 Galleria Drive, Suite 201 (504) 315-4247

Laura C. Williams Sanova Dermatology 111 Veterans Boulevard, Suite 406 (504) 838-8225

NEW ORLEANS

Patricia R. Hickham Hickham Dermatology & Med Spa 4141 Bienville Street, Suite 108 (504) 962-7771

Deirdre O’Boyle Hooper

Audubon Dermatology 3525 Prytania Street, Suite 501 (504) 895-3376

Kathryn G. Kerisit

Ochsner Health Center - MidCity at Canal 4100 Canal Street (504) 703-2750

Mary P. Lupo

Lupo Center for Aesthetic & General Dermatology 145 Allen Toussaint Boulevard, Suite 302 (504) 777-3047

Julie Mermilliod

Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 11 (504) 842-3940

municating effectively, demonstrating empathy, and instilling trust and confidence, are also considered in the review process. The Castle Connolly Doctor Directory is the largest network of peer-nominated physicians in the nation.

Through the nomination process, Castle Connolly also identifies female physicians for their annual Exceptional Women in Medicine award. This award was created by Castle Connolly in order to recognize female physicians who are often underrepresented among award recipients in the medical community. Physicians selected to be recognized for this honor are a subset of the female Top Doctors on their website who are the best in their specialties, in their communities and throughout the nation, delivering exceptional patient care. This award not only recognizes physicians who have greatly contributed to healthcare through clinical care, research, community service, education and leadership, but they have also improved healthcare outcomes for issues specific to women. Physicians do not pay and cannot pay to be selected and profiled for Exceptional Women in Medicine award.

Suneeta S. Walia

Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 11 (504) 842-3940

Katy L. Wiltz

Southern Dermatology of New Orleans 2633 Napoleon Avenue, Suite 1020 (504) 891-8004

ENDOCRINOLOGY, DIABETES & METABOLISM

NEW ORLEANS

Brandy Panunti

Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway (504) 842-4023

FAMILY MEDICINE

COVINGTON

Lisa Casey St. Tammany Physicians Network - North Covington Clinic 17240 Heartbeat Circle (985) 898-4001

MANDEVILLE

Nathalie MascherpaKerkow St. Tammany Physicians Network - Mandeville Clinic 201 Saint Ann Drive, Suite B (985) 898-4001

NEW ORLEANS

Vernilyn N. Juan Touro

Buckman Health Center 3434 Prytania Street, Suite 105 (504) 897-8240

Radha Raman 914 Joliet Street (504) 865-0805

Priya P. Velu

Ochsner Health CenterTchoupitoulas 5300 Tchoupitoulas Street, Suite C2 (504) 703-3070

GASTROENTEROLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Natalie H. Bzowej Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans

Multi-Organ Transplant Institute 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 1 (504) 842-3925

Rebekah H. Lemann Metropolitan Gastroenterology Associates 2820 Napoleon Avenue, Suite 720 (504) 896-8670

Shamita Bhupendra Shah Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway (504) 842-4015

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY

METAIRIE

Jessica J. Shank East Jefferson General Hospital

Tulane Cancer Center 4204 Houma Boulevard (504) 883-2968

NEW ORLEANS Pui C. Cheng Touro

Buckman Health Center

3434 Prytania Street, Suite 320 (504) 897-7142

HAND SURGERY

METAIRIE

Kelly L. Babineaux East Jefferson General Hospital

LSU Health New Orleans 3601 Houma Boulevard, Suite 300 (504) 412-1240

HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE MEDICINE

NEW ORLEANS Sonia Malhotra University Medical Center New Orleans Palliative Care 2000 Canal Street (504) 702-3000

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

NEW ORLEANS

Katherine Baumgarten Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 1 (504) 842-4005

Sandra A. Kemmerly Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 1 (504) 842-4005

Paula Seal University Medical Center New Orleans Infectious Disease 2000 Canal Street, Floor 5 (504) 702-4344

Sonya Trinh Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 1 (504) 842-4005

INTERNAL MEDICINE COVINGTON

Susan F. Ovella Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group 728 West 11th Avenue (985) 730-7195

METAIRIE

Rachana Sus Lakeside Hospital

Primary Care

4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 101 (504) 988-8050

NEW ORLEANS

Jennifer M. Bertsch Touro

St. Charles Health Center 3700 Saint Charles Avenue, Floor 4 (504) 897-7007

Jan Cooper

New Orleans East Hospital Multispecialty 5646 Read Boulevard, Floor 2, Suite 200 (504) 372-5100

Geraldine E. Menard

East Jefferson General Hospital

Primary Care

4200 Houma Blvd. (504) 988-5263

Erica V. Tate

University Medical Center

New Orleans Primary Care

2001 Tulane Avenue, Floor 2 (504) 702-3000

MATERNAL & FETAL MEDICINE

METAIRIE

Chi P. Dola

Lakeside Hospital

Tulane Women’s Health

4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 302 (504) 988-8070

Cecilia Gambala

Lakeside Hospital

Tulane Women’s Health 4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 302 (504) 988-8070

Gabriella C. Pridjian

Lakeside Hospital

Tulane Women’s Health

4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 302 (504) 988-8070

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

METAIRIE

Bridgette Collins-Burow

East Jefferson General

Hospital

Tulane Cancer Center 4204 Houma Boulevard (504) 883-2968

NEPHROLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Catherine Staffeld-Coit

Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans Multi-Organ Transplant Institute 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 1 (504) 842-3925

NEUROLOGY

METAIRIE

Elizabeth C. Crabtree

East Jefferson General Hospital

Neurosciences Center 4224 Houma Boulevard, Suite 550 (504) 503-7500

NEW ORLEANS

Bridget A. Bagert

Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans Department of Neurology 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 7 (504) 842-3980

Jessica B. Kraker

LCMC Health

Tulane Multispecialty 200 Broadway Street, Suite 230 (504) 988-9000

Holly C. Rutherford

LCMC Health

Tulane Multispecialty 1415 Tulane Avenue, Floor 5 (504) 988-1001

RACELAND

Jamie B. Huddleston

Ochsner Specialty Health Center 141 Twin Oaks Drive (985) 537-2666

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

COVINGTON

Nancy N. Thomas

Ochsner Women’s Health Center

71380 Highway 21 (985) 875-2828

KENNER

Veronica Gillispie

Ochsner Health CenterKenner

200 West Esplanade Avenue, Suite 501 (504) 464-8506

Amy Truitt

Ochsner Health CenterKenner

200 West Esplanade Avenue, Suite 501 (504) 464-8506

METAIRIE

Amy N. Grace

Lakeside Hospital

Tulane Women’s Health 4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 205 (504) 779-8282

Elizabeth W. Kelly

Lakeside Hospital

Tulane Women’s Health 4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 502 (504) 988-2160

NEW ORLEANS

Elizabeth Lapeyre

Ochsner Health Center - Baptist McFarland Medical Plaza 4429 Clara Street, Suite 640 (504) 842-4155

Amber Naresh LCMC Health Tulane Multispecialty 200 Broadway Street, Suite 230 (504) 988-9000

Angela M. Parise

Ochsner Health Center - Baptist McFarland Medical Plaza 4429 Clara Street, Suite 640 (504) 842-4155

Rebecca U. Perret Touro

Buckman Health Center 3434 Prytania Street, Suite 130 (504) 897-7580

Margaret Roberie

Ochsner Health Center - Baptist McFarland Medical Plaza 4429 Clara Street, Suite 640 (504) 842-4155

Janet Ross Touro

Pyrtania Health Center 3525 Prytania Street, Suite 206 (504) 897-8281

Donna S. Waters

Touro

Buckman Health Center 3434 Prytania Street, Suite 320 (504) 897-7142

Anna White

Ochsner Health Center - Baptist McFarland Medical Plaza 4429 Clara Street, Suite 640 (504) 842-4155

SLIDELL

Diana L. Clavin

Camellia City OB/GYN 1150 Robert Boulevard, Suite 360 (985) 781-4848

OPHTHALMOLOGY

MANDEVILLE

Marilu O’Byrne

O’Byrne Eye Clinic

1580 West Causeway Approach, Suite 3 (985) 624-5573

METAIRIE

Rebecca C. Metzinger

East Jefferson General

Hospital

Tulane Ophthalmology 4224 Houma Boulevard (504) 503-7500

NEW ORLEANS

Christine W. Connolly

Touro

LSU Health New Orleans 3700 Saint Charles Avenue, Floor 6 (504) 412-1200

THIBODAUX

Nano Karen Zeringue

Southern Eye Institute 807 Ridgefield Road (985) 448-3353

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

NEW ORLEANS

Leslie Elaine Sisco

Ochsner Medical Center -

New Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 5 (504) 842-3970

OTOLARYNGOLOGY

COVINGTON

Kathy L. Chauvin

Ear, Nose, Throat & Plastic

Surgery Specialists of Louisiana 350 Lakeview Court, Suite A (985) 845-2677

NEW ORLEANS

Elisabeth H. Rareshide

Baptist ENT 2820 Napoleon Avenue, Suite 820 (504) 897-4455

PAIN MEDICINE

COVINGTON C. Ann Conn

Advanced Pain Institute 187 Greenbriar Boulevard, Suite A (985) 345-7246

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Cathryn C. Hassett

Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway (504) 842-6742

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Tamara T. Bradford

Manning Family Children’s Heart Center

200 Henry Clay Avenue (504) 896-9751

Kelly Gajewski

Manning Family Children’s Heart Center

200 Henry Clay Avenue (504) 896-9751

Patricia E. Thomas

Ochsner Health Center for Children - New Orleans 1319 Jefferson Highway (504) 842-3900

PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Ilana Fortgang

Ochsner Health Center for Children - New Orleans 1315 Jefferson Highway (504) 842-3900

PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Lolie Yu

Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics & Specialty Care

200 Henry Clay Avenue, Suite 4109 (504) 896-9740

PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES

NEW ORLEANS

Margarita Silio

Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics & Specialty Care

200 Henry Clay Avenue (504) 896-9820

PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Kimsey H. Rodriguez

Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 4 (504) 842-4080

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Adrienne P. Savant

Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics & Specialty Care

200 Henry Clay Avenue (504) 896-2888

Kristin N. Van Hook Ochsner Health Center for Children - New Orleans 1315 Jefferson Highway (504) 842-3900

PEDIATRIC SURGERY

NEW ORLEANS

Jessica A. Zagory

Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics & Specialty Care 200 Henry Clay Avenue (504) 896-2888

PEDIATRICS

COVINGTON

Nancy Mula Fairway Pediatrics 7020 North Highway 190, Suite C (985) 871-7337

MANDEVILLE

Pamela E. Richard Ochsner Health Center - East Mandeville 3235 East Causeway Approach (985) 875-2828

METAIRIE

Theresa L. Dise

Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics 4740 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 200 (504) 894-5479

Patrice Evers

Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics 4740 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 200 (504) 894-5479

Reita Lawrence

Manning Family Children’s

Pediatrics 3100 Kingman Street (504) 887-6355

Betty P. Lo-Blais

Ochsner Health Center - Old Metairie

800 Metairie Road (866) 624-7637

Quynh-Anh Tran Ochsner Old Metairie

Pediatrics

800 Metairie Road (504) 842-3900

NEW ORLEANS M. Nora Oates

Manning Family Children’s

Hales Pediatrics

3525 Prytania Street, Suite 602 (504) 897-0744

Elizabeth Olson

Ochsner Community Health

Brees Family Center

5950 Bullard Avenue (504) 354-4189

RIVER RIDGE

Janine T. Lissard

Ochsner River RidgePediatrics

9605 Jefferson Highway, Suite J (504) 842-3900

SLIDELL

Tara E. Mitchell

Ochsner Health Center for Children - Slidell

2370 Gause Boulevard East (985) 639-3755

THIBODAUX

Anne T. Boudreaux

Preferred Pediatrics 142 Rue Marguerite (985) 449-7529

PLASTIC SURGERY

METAIRIE

Abigail E. Chaffin

Lakeside Hospital

Tulane Breast Care

4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 100 (504) 576-9450

PSYCHIATRY

NEW ORLEANS

Holly MacKenna

Dara Wellness

1900 South Carrollton Avenue (504) 356-1624

PULMONARY DISEASE

METAIRIE

Christine Bojanowski

East Jefferson General Hospital

Tulane Lung Center

4320 Houma Boulevard, Suite 603 (504) 988-8600

Nereida A. Parada

East Jefferson General Hospital

Tulane Lung Center

4320 Houma Boulevard, Suite 603 (504) 988-8600

RADIATION ONCOLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Ellen L. Zakris

Touro

Imaging 1401 Foucher Street (504) 897-8387

REPRODUCTIVE

ENDOCRINOLOGY/ INFERTILITY

NEW ORLEANS

Lindsay M. Wells

Audubon Fertility & Reproductive Medicine 4321 Magnolia Street (504) 891-1390

RHEUMATOLOGY

METAIRIE

Madelaine Feldman

The Rheumatology Group 111 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Suite 404 (504) 899-1120

NEW ORLEANS

Karen A. Toribio

Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 5 (504) 842-3920

Tamika A. Webb-Detiege Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 5 (504) 842-3920

SURGERY

METAIRIE

Mary Killackey East Jefferson General Hospital Tulane Transplant Institute 4320 Houma Boulevard, Floor 7 (504) 988-5344

NEW ORLEANS

Shawn A. McKinney University Medical Center New Orleans Surgery 2000 Canal Street (504) 702-3311

Alison A. Smith University Medical Center New Orleans Surgery 2000 Canal Street (504) 702-5700

UROGYNECOLOGY/ FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE & RECONSTRUCTIVE

SURGERY

METAIRIE

Margie Kahn Lakeside Hospital

Tulane Women’s Health 4720 South I-10 Service Road West, Suite 302 (504) 988-8070

NEW ORLEANS

Leise R. Knoepp Ochsner Health Center - Baptist McFarland Medical Plaza 4429 Clara Street, Suite 640 (504) 842-4155

UROLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Melissa M. Montgomery Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway, Floor 4 (504) 842-4083

VASCULAR & INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

NEW ORLEANS

Dee Malkerneker Ochsner Medical CenterNew Orleans 1514 Jefferson Highway (985) 646-5075

A Southern Christmas

Winter wonderlands

Turn on the Hallmark Channel and you’ll likely see many Southern towns decked in holiday finery as backdrops for holiday stories. Our charming small towns light up beautifully for the holidays and are home to numerous festive events. And unique ones, at that! We’ve compiled a few destinations for you to visit this time of year.

A German Christmas

German immigrants settled among the rolling hills around Fredericksburg, Texas, and their heritage — regional wines and food, a variety of unique accommodations — is a major tourism draw. Naturally, Fredericksburg is the perfect getaway for the holidays. Stay at the new boutique Albert Hotel in the heart of downtown, or one of the 1,500 Airbnb and guests

houses, then head to the Marktplatz with its holiday lights, ice skating and a 26-foot German Christmas Pyramid.

Cullman, Alabama, also celebrates its German heritage with special events and its annual Cullman Christkindlmarkt, which means “Christ Child Market” in German. This winter wonderland of German food vendors, ice skating, gift shops and music, among so much more, has been selected by Southeast Tourism Society as a Signature Event of the Southeast Award Winner.

“Jerusalem in Miniature”

Not far from downtown Cullman is Ave Maria Grotto at St. Bernard Abbey featuring 125 handcrafted sculptures of famous landmarks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon — all in miniature. The grotto, adorned with lights to celebrate Christmas, was built by Brother Joseph Zoettl, a Benedictine Monk from Bavaria

who spent nearly 40 years creating this masterpiece on a four-acre parcel of Abbey land.

Take a European Vacation

The city of Natchez, Mississippi assembles local vendors selling handmade goods and seasonal snacks on the Mississippi River bluff in a festive European-style Christmas shopping village. Grab a “Christmas in Natchez” passport at the Postal Shoppe, take the free trolley to visit downtown merchants and return the completed passport for a holiday gift.

Walk Among Stars

Take a chair lift high above Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and leave the world behind. Of course, you’re still in the Smoky Mountains, but at Anakeesta mountaintop attraction you’ll find a Treetop Skywalk, the Hellbender Smoky Mountain Coaster, an imaginative children’s area and the AnaVista Tower,

the highest point in downtown Gatlinburg. A special addition this holiday season is Astra Lumina, a nighttime magical immersion in light and sounds with an astral theme. Visitors walk through a forest on the side of a mountain but swear they’re roaming the universe. Asta Lumina is the 15th experience in the Lumina Enchanted Night Walk series from Canada, and the first to debut in the United States.

100 Years of Lights (Almost)

Natchitoches, Louisiana is a famous holiday town with officials spending weeks installing 300,000 lights and more than 100 unique set pieces throughout town and along the Cane River. And it’s just one year shy of a centennial celebration! The 99th Annual Natchitoches Christmas Season begins Nov. 22 with a “Turn on the Holidays” event with music and food vendors culminating in fireworks over the river. Then it’s holiday events through the New Year, including the Northwestern State University Christmas Gala Dec. 5, the Christmas Festival Dec. 6 and the Christmas Tour of Homes Dec. 11, among so much more. For a detailed schedule of events, visit natchitocheschristmas.com

Closer to Home

The historic Windrush Gardens at Baton Rouge’s Burden Museum & Gardens becomes a winter wonderland when “Louisiana Lights” returns this holiday season. New displays include light-up swings at the end of the decorated trail and themed evenings such as Mistletoe & Moss, Barks & Brights for four-legged friends and University Night with discounts for students.

Anakeesta mountaintop attraction

The Treety Takeover

A viral New Orleans bounce song made her the next big name out of New Orleans

Treian “Treety” Jackson was away on a birthday vacation when she found out her newly released music video for the 2023 New Orleans bounce song “Making Love” was gaining millions of views.

After returning home, she had a full schedule of meetings with record labels that led to her signing with Create Music Group in 2024, the independent music distribution and publishing company behind artists like Omarion, Sublime and Keri Hilson.

While New Orleans bounce may have been the sound that propelled Jackson’s career, the 30-year-old rapper refuses to get boxed into becoming known solely for that music subgenre.

“I am not a bounce artist,” Jackson said. “I just know how to make bounce songs.”

Jackson has been rapping independently since 2017. She went from filming rap videos for social media challenges in her car to being booked at her alma mater, Southern University, to perform at the homecoming show for both the Baton Rouge and New Orleans campuses.

On the night of our interview, Jackson was anxiously awaiting her next milestone: releasing “Trick or Treat,” her first album since 2021 and debut project as a signed artist. The bold album includes her viral hit “Making Love” along with new songs such as “Ain’t No Fun” with New Orleans rapper Rob49 and “Cash Out.” This album channels in-yourface confidence, New Orleans attitude and New Orleans dance beats for wild nights out.

“I gotta be in a mood to make a bounce song,” Jackson said. “I’m always in the mood to record a regular song. And I don’t think I ever said that out loud. But it seems like the only time I make bounce music is when I’m pissed off.”

Studio time is where Jackson thrives.

When she’s ready to make a bounce song, she calls Grammy Award-winning producer, songwriter and entrepreneur BlaqNmilD and knows they will

make magic, she says. Like an athlete, she has different postures for different music styles. When making bounce music, she likes to stand up and rap on the mic, whereas with other music styles, she prefers sitting down to rap. No matter the pose, words naturally flow from her mind, creating song after song.

Even on the eve of her album release, Jackson is already looking ahead, excited to release more music. She says she has dozens of unreleased songs in the treasure

trove waiting to be published. Next up, she plans to go on a road tour for “Trick or Treat,” performing city to city and checking off bucket list items with her friends on tour.

With her growing fame, Jackson has been on the move in and out of New Orleans. While she’s still adjusting to her new jet-setting lifestyle, she says she is still a New Orleans girl at heart.

“I’m really so New Orleans,” Jackson said. “Whatever you think about New Orleans, I’m that.”

Must-see performances this month

Dec. 5

Brandy & Monica “The Boy is Mine Tour” at Smoothie King Center at 8 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., smoothiekingcenter. com

Dec. 6

Jonas Brothers “JONAS20: Greetings From Your Hometown” Tour at Smoothie King Center at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., smoothiekingcenter.com

Dec. 10

Andy Frasco & The U.N. at Tipitina’s at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m., tipitinas.com

Dec. 12

Tank and the Bangas with Dawn Richard at Tipitina’s at 9 p.m. Doors open at 8 p.m., tipitinas. com

Dec. 19:

Jason Ricci & The Bad Kind at Maple Leaf Bar at 8 p.m., mapleleafbar.com

Town and Country The Delacroix opens on Spanish Plaza

here are times when new restaurant openings in New Orleans garner attention for being wildly inventive and envelope-pushing, with experimental modernist cuisine that breaks rules and boundaries at 100 miles an hour. And as much as we appreciate culinary ingenuity and razzle-dazzle pyrotechnics, sometimes we yearn for something that’s familiar, but not staid. That can be a tall order and a difficult tightrope for even the most seasoned chefs and restaurateurs, but when executed properly, elevated Louisiana comfort food is something we’ll come back to time and time again. In that vein, the recently opened Delecroix restaurant hits the mark with aplomb, deftly marrying a rustic Louisiana “fish camp” aesthetic with fine dining technique and craftsmanship.

TIt shouldn’t surprise anyone that Delacroix’s success in treading this fine line comes at the hands of John Besh, whose restaurant Borgne had a similar philosophy. For this project, located in Spanish Plaza with stunning views of the Mississippi, Besh tapped Louisiana native Wiley Lewis to steer the ship (or pirogue, rather), her first restaurant opening after extensive experience in Crescent City fine dining ranging from Ralph’s on the Park to Sucre, Borgne, Domenica and Restaurant August. According to Lewis, “I met with John, and he said, ‘You know, this is a fish camp. This is a hunting camp. We have all this incredible South Louisiana heritage and wildlife we get to honor.’ And I was like, ‘Well, that’s how I grew up, and I would love to be able to honor that and tell

those stories. So, whether it’s a celebration or just having a small bite and some oysters, we kind of hit on every level. It’s just very ‘come as you are.’”

Given its prime location on the river, Delacroix is perfectly situated to appeal to a variety of diners, as fitting for a business lunch as it is for a date night, cocktails and snacks with friends, or perhaps just popping by for a generous fried seafood sandwich after roaming the Quarter on a muggy afternoon. Even the decor feels like it’s occupying two separate worlds simultaneously, given its spacious and sleek modern design decorated with taxidermy and antique photographs celebrating the people and landscapes of southern Louisiana. In less artful hands, this might seem a jarring juxtaposition, but here it comes off as natural and comforting, much like the cuisine.

Speaking of which, the menu at Delacroix is filled with familiar favorites, but it’s not without some pleasant and unexpected surprises. The raw bar options, for instance, include off-bottom Gulf oysters, briny Royal Red shrimp, and a luscious smoked oyster dip paired with fried saltines, crowd pleasers all. But you’ll also find stone crab claws, something that many people (including this writer) might associate more with South Florida than South Louisiana, however these meaty and delicate claws are both locally cultivated and an absolute joy. Said Lewis, “It’s one of those special items that you can only get a certain amount of at certain times a year, and it’s a short season. We haven’t seen them since Katrina, so we’re just as lucky as y’all to be able to have them right now.”

Perhaps the most difficult proposition when dining at Delacroix is not

Seafood Plateau

About the Chef

A Shreveport native, Chef Wylie Lewis grew up appreciating the “sportsman’s paradise” of hunting and fishing with her family on Caddo Lake and Grand Chenier. An interest in nutrition as a high school athlete naturally led to a career in culinary arts. With a degree in hospitality from the University of New Orleans, Lewis scored her first kitchen gig at Ralph’s on the Park, which led to her specializing in baking and pastry, and followed by stints at Sucre, Sainte Marie, and then the Besh Restaurant Group, including Borgne, Domenica and Restaurant August. When Delacroix opened in late 2025, she seemed a natural fit to helm the nascent eatery’s kitchen team. Chef Lewis couldn’t feel more at home at Delacroix. “I’ve never opened a restaurant, so it’s been absolutely incredible, and it doesn’t feel like work,” she says. “It feels like I’m supposed to be here, and I feel really good about what I’m doing every single day. To have the love and support of my family and all the people that come into the restaurant, it’s just been amazing.”

filling up entirely on appetizers. Take, for instance, the fried duck popper meat pies stuffed with smoky Benton’s bacon and jalapenos, the satisfying hybrid between an empanada and a classic Natchitoches meat pie inspired by a snack Besh favored at his duck hunting camp. Similarly are the crispy boudin balls, which are always a welcome proposition if not a particularly novel one, only here they incorporate gooey pepper jack cheese, making them more like Cajun-style arancini. Also worth checking out are the crispy snapper collars with spicy herbed butter, a dish not normally available at your traditional fried fish joints around town. “The collar is underutilized, almost a delicacy,” said Lewis. “We batter and fry it, then we put this little tomato butter at the very bottom, and then this little herb chili glaze. It’s so tasty, and it’s a product that people just throw away. You can’t just throw that away! You can fry it and batter it and put a delicious sauce on it. And there’s still plenty of fish, and it’s excellent.”

There are also a number of sandwich options at Delacroix, all served on potato buns specially crafted for the restaurant by Leidenheimer Baking Co., and featuring your choice of fried shrimp, oysters, soft-shell crabs or a combination thereof. You’ll also find a pepper jellyglazed fried chicken thigh version that Chef Lewis claims is, “the best piece of

fried chicken I’ve ever had. It’s just the sweet heat that everybody loves. It’s not too spicy, it’s not too salty, it’s just the best kind of flavor profile.” And then there are the more traditional entrees, a smorgasbord of comforting staples like southern fried chicken with red beans, wild boar cavatelli, an absolutely massive 8-ounce, shrimp-stuffed bone-in pork chop, and a pitch-perfect drum almondine swimming in buttery meunière sauce. Another notable and surprising addition to the menu is a pairing of fried catfish with turtle sauce piquant and fluffy jasmine rice. “We just had to have it on the menu,” says Lewis. “It just tastes like this down home, Cajun delicious bayou dinner that you never knew you needed.” If that didn’t quite put you over the top, you’ll definitely want a taste of Chef Lewis’ signature “Baked Bismarck” a riff on a classic baked Alaska named after her grandmother’s houseboat.

As for her first restaurant opening after an already impressive culinary career in the Crescent City, Lewis appears happy and grateful for the opportunity to showcase her talents – and her love of Louisiana – with local diners and visitors alike. “The heritage and the culture of the city, either you get it or you don’t. And so I love it,” she said.”Life is hard enough, so let’s try and have a good day, because tomorrow’s not promised.”

High Hat Cafe

On the list of “most criminally underrated New Orleans restaurants,” you’ll likely find the High Hat at the very top. The Freret Street spot has long been a local favorite for ages, and for good reason: beneath the casual, funky vibe, you’ll find a menu stacked with comfort food winners, from the spot-on chicken and andouille gumbo to classic BBQ shrimp, po-boys spilling over with slow roasted pork or golden-fried seafood (we have a soft-spot for the fried oyster remoulade), and hot plates like smoked chicken or flat-top catfish paired with braised greens, black eyed peas and pimento cheese grits. Oh, and did we mention that they have one of the best burgers in the city hiding in plain sight? Because it’s absolutely true. If you’re looking for a meal that feels like a warm hug from a good friend, the High Hat is the place for you.

Pêche Seafood Grill New Orleans is the kind of place in which “elevated fish camp” isn’t just an understandable restaurant ethos, it’s always a welcome one. To that end, Donald Link hit the bullseye with Pêche, which opened in 2013 and has been going strong without losing a step ever since. Of course you’ll want to start off with a selection from their raw bar, including a thoughtfully cultivated selection of oysters, not to mention a brilliant steak tartare with oyster aioli. But the centerpiece of the restaurant is its central hearth, used for flameroasting Gulf seafood to perfection. Baked drum with coconut greens or grilled tuna with butternut squash and chiles are mouthwatering options, but a trip to Pêche for us is never complete without indulging in their iconic whole-grilled fish sauced with salsa verde, the perfect fuel and a festive start to a long night of downtown revelry.

NOSH

BY JYL BENSON / PHOTO BY SAM HANNA

Just Desserts

Save the best for last this holiday

Late last year, Chef Emeril Lagasse made it a family affair when he and his son, Chef E.J. Lagasse, opened 34, their Portuguese-inspired restaurant honoring Hilda Lagasse, the late mother of the elder Lagasse. The Warehouse District restaurant’s menu is built around shareables, including plates of paper-thin Iberico de Bellota, the supremely rich ham resulting from Black Iberian pigs sustaining themselves on a hand-fed diet of regional acorns. The meat is aged for 36 to 48 months.

On a recent visit, after savoring all those rich, umami-laden bits of meat, I opted to polish things off with a Portuguese-style flan, its rich custard base flavored with fresh bay leaves and baked atop a complex Madeira caramel. The recipe was adapted from a family recipe from 34’s Chef Chris Dos Reis. The combination of the slightly herbal custard married with the sweet, dark complexity of the Madeira caramel was simply mind-blowing.

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Make the Madeira Flan up to three days in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Stirring the sugar syrup while the caramel is cooking will encourage crystallization, so resist the urge to stir and simply swirl the pan if the sugar begins to darken around the edges. If you happen to see the beginning of any crystals forming, adding a drop or two of lemon juice to the sugar as it cooks should dissolve them and inhibit further crystallization.

Just before serving, carefully dunk the bottoms of the ramekins holding the flans in hot water, taking care to keep the water out of the custard. Then, run a thin knife around the edges of the flan before inverting it.

If you are making this just to have for your own indulgence, prepare a single glass vessel large enough to hold about nine cups of liquid instead of fooling with the small ramekins. You may need to increase the cooking time by 10 minutes or so.

Madeira Flan

Serves 8

Madeira Caramel

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup Madeira

For the flan base:

2 ½ cups heavy cream

1 bay leaf (fresh)

1 cinnamon stick

7 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place the sugar and water in a heavybottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar melts and forms a golden amber caramel.

2. Have eight 1/2-cup ramekins nearby, and as soon as the sugar syrup has caramelized to a deep amber color, add the Madeira (taking care – mixture will steam and bubble excessively). When the mixture has ceased bubbling and the Madeira has been incorporated into the caramel, pour a small amount into the bottom of each ramekin and swirl to coat the bottom and partially up the sides.

3. Set ramekins aside to cool.

Flan base

1. In a separate small saucepot, heat the heavy cream with the bay leaf and cinnamon stick to just below boiling. Turn off the heat and set the cream aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat the oven to 325F.

3. Combine the yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. When the cream is cooled, whisk it into the egg mixture until it is smooth and the sugar has dissolved.

4. Strain the cream mixture to remove solids, then divide it evenly among the ramekins.

5. Place the ramekins in a baking dish just large enough to hold them snugly and add enough hot water to reach two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the custards to the oven and bake until they are just set in the middle, usually for about 35 minutes.

6. Remove and cool on a wire rack, then loosely cover ramekins and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours and up to three days in advance.

7. When ready to serve, run the tip of a sharp paring knife around the inner edge of the custard, invert ramekin onto a small plate, and tap the plate on a countertop to release the custard onto the plate. Drizzle the caramel around the custard and serve.

Sugar and Spice

Everything nice for the holidays

Kris Paladino was named executive chef of Brennan’s last spring, ushering in a new era for a fabled New Orleans institution. She hails from a large Italian family that takes Christmas traditions very seriously, among them this airy, orange-kissed zeppole.

The airy fried fritters originated in ancient Rome, where people started frying bits of dough, then sprinkling them with sugar or cinnamon. They continue to hold a close association with Rome, Naples and Lecce.

“Zeppole represents the heart of a Sicilian Christmas celebration and other holidays - like the Feast of San Gennaro and Saint Giuseppe - for our family,” Paladino said. “The act of making them together is just as important

Eliminate the orange zest in the batter and serve the zeppole with cinnamon sugar instead of the sugar and orange mixture.

as enjoying them. Early on, as a young adult, my parents tasked me to make them. They were not difficult to make, and all ingredients were found in our neighborhood grocery store. Being a pastry chef was not even in my thoughts, but perhaps this was a premonition of some sort for me. A little Christmas gift! That is one thing that is wonderful about Italian culture — honoring the beautiful ritual of families gathering in the kitchen during the holidays, transforming simple ingredients into something that connects past and present. That is something we do daily at Brennan’s, which makes me feel I am right where I need to be.”

Zeppole

Executive Chef Kris Padalino of Brennan’s, New Orleans Serves 6 -8

2 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar, in all

Zest of one large orange, in all

1 cup whole milk

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1. Fill a medium pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer with a mixture of olive oil and vegetable oil. The oil should be 2 inches deep. Heat over medium heat until the thermometer registers 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, ricotta, vanilla, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, and milk until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg and whisk until smooth.

3. In a shallow bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining orange zest. Using your fingers, work the zest into the sugar until evenly incorporated.

4. Working in batches, using a 1-ounce scoop (about 2 tablespoons), drop the batter into the oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per batch. You will likely need to adjust the heat occasionally to maintain the oil between 350F and 375F.

5. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer zeppole to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain briefly.

6. Transfer to orange sugar and roll to coat. Serve hot.

More is More

A winter warmer

The Windsor Court Polo Club’s Lead Bartender Simone Brown began bartending in her native Jamaica. Her homeland inspired cocktail “For the Grater Good,” is a pun that highlights the drink’s key ingredient: fresh nutmeg. Simone explains, “In my country, nutmeg is a big thing.” She isn’t stingy when grating the spice on the drink. “Go to the edge of the glass!” she said. Simone fell in love with New Orleans’ culture 10 years ago after a brief stint in Alabama. “I came to New Orleans,” she said, “went back to Birmingham, packed my suitcase, and came right back.” Her lengthy tenure at the hotel means she has regulars from around the world and around the corner. “I know their names, their cocktails...I know I’m going to see them for Christmas, Thanksgiving or next week.” Her favorite time behind the bar? Mardi Gras. It may be busy, but it has perks. “I get all the nice throws from guests. Even though I’m working, it feels like I’m having fun as well.”

Podcast

Listen to Elizabeth’s podcast “Drink & Learn;” visit elizabeth-pearce.com

For the Grater Good

1 ounce Myers’s Rum

1 ounce Coco Lopez

(See note)

½ ounce Hoodoo Chicory Liquor

½ ounce cinnamon syrup

Garnish: Fresh nutmeg

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake all hard then strain into a chilled coupe class. Grate fresh nutmeg on top, making sure to cover the entire top of the cocktail.

*Simone strains room-temperature Coco Lopez through a sieve to remove any coconut pieces and make it easier to pour. This is not required, but creates a smoother texture

Cinnamon Syrup

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

10 cinnamon sticks

1 ounce vodka

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Heat water and sugar on the stove or in the microwave until sugar is dissolved. Cool. Pour into a non-reactive bowl and add the cinnamon sticks, making sure they are submerged. Refrigerate overnight. Remove cinnamon sticks. Stir in vodka and ground cinnamon. Syrup keeps 4 to 6 weeks in the refrigerator.

Adding vodka to the cinnamon syrup helps it last longer, since the alcohol deters bacteria growth.

Cinnamon syrup is great in classic whiskey drinks like an Old Fashioned. Simone also recommends it stirred into your morning coffee or “porridge,” what Jamaicans call oatmeal or Cream of Wheat.

Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur, made by Mississippi distillery Cathead, is delicious in White Russians, Irish Coffee, and Espresso Martinis.

1908

New Orleanians of a certain age might remember the old New Orleans Public Library seen here on St. Charles Avenue at Lee’s Circle, now Harmony Circle. At its dedication in late October 1908, orators described it as state-of-the-art center of knowledge for “the men and women of the unborn to-morrow.”

With a $275,000 grant from the industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, construction began in late 1906 and completed in March 1908. Soon after, library employees faced the tedious task of moving furniture and books from the city’s then main library on Prytania Street to its new home on St. Charles. Describing that move, the DailyPicayune, forerunner to the Times-Picayune, quoted Librarian Henry Gill on Oct. 27, saying it was like “Hercules must have felt when he faced those Seven Labors of his which helped give him a reputation of his which time has not affected.”

Apparently, Professor Gill, as he was called, was proud of the new children’s reading room. “It is for all the world like the reception-room in Hop o’ My Thumb’s palace,” the article continued, “and Prof. Gill thinks the lads and lassies (or Lilliputians as he called them) will be among his regular and constant visitors after they once see the room.”

The formal opening took place on Oct. 31 with windy speeches by a long list of local political, social and religious dignitaries. The task of giving the main address, however, fell to City Attorney Samuel Gilmore who spoke long and eloquently in the flowery

style of the day.

“To none is denied,” he said in part, “but all are urged to use, the inestimable privilege of drinking at this well containing the collected wisdom of all ages and nations, offering the ancient ‘liquor of Knowledge,’ which has not lost its savor, but which is continually increased and refreshed by the sweet waters of new springs.”

The following day, Nov. 1, the Daily-Picayune described the building in detail down to its flooring:

“The Library Building is largely a reproduction of the Mars Ultor Temple, of Rome, built in honor of Mars, the God of War, by Augustus Caesar, to commemorate the victory of Phillippi. It is of the classic order, inside and out, of the Roman-Corinthian plan, and was carefully studied by Allison Owen, the architect of the firm of Diboll, Owen & Goldstein, from the style of the Temple of Mars the Avenger. . . The building of steel-concrete fireproof construction, the walls are of Bedford stone, and the dome of copper.

Siena marble effect, reach from the floor to the ceiling. The floors are of maple; the furniture quarter-sawed oak, and the light fixtures are verde antique bronze. The basement contains a lecture hall, conference room for the use of educational and literary societies, newspaper room, book tiers for non-fiction works, rest room for the library staff, book repair room, reading room, lavatories, engine room, receiving room for books, and vault.

“The building stands on a slight elevation and the stately portico, with its four limestone columns, each 30 feet high, is approached by wide steps, which ascend from either side of the mound. The building is 160 feet long, 65 feet deep, and the dome rears 78 feet.”

New Orleans Public Library, Lee Circle, c. 1908. Detroit Publishing Company, Library of Congress

“The main floor contains reading rooms, reference-room, periodical-room, children’s room, board-room, work rooms and the Librarian’s office. The books on this floor are shelved upon three tiers of steel stacks, backed in green enamel, and the floors upon which the stacks stand are of glass, which permits the light from the basement to percolate through, and add to the illumination.

“The interior of the main floor is very striking in its design and 22 Scagliola columns, reproducing

The library officially opened its doors to the public on Nov. 2.

Unfortunately, this faux “Temple to Mars the Avenger” on St. Charles Ave. lasted only 50 years. According to a Dec. 20, 1958, article in the TimesPicayune, the city sold the property at public auction to a single bidder, the Harshep Realty Co., for the sum of $279,166. A few months later, work crews demolished the building once celebrated as the “well containing the collected wisdom of all ages and nations.” The vacant land was then sold to the John Hancock Insurance Company which built a modernistic office building on the site that later became K&B Plaza. The “new” library on Loyola and Tulane Avenues opened Dec. 15, 1958.

YULETIDE DINING GUIDE

Fine food is always in season. Make your Yuletide merry and bright at these incredible New Orleans Restaurants!

Alma eatalmanola.com

At Alma, we are deeply rooted in tradition, honoring the rich culinary heritage passed down through generations. We take pride in working closely with local farmers and purveyors to bring you the freshest, highest-quality ingredients. Our farm-to-table philosophy ensures that every dish reflects the season’s best offerings, crafted with care and intention. From our kitchen to your table, we invite you to experience the warmth of honest food, made with love and the finest local products.

Juan’s Flying Burrito juansflyingburrito.com

If you need a respite from the notorious uptown school zone traffic, Juan’s Flying Burrito has the remedy. Come in for happy hour featuring Louisiana-made sweet crude rum mojitos, skinny margaritas, and delectable crudite with guacamole, chips, queso deluxe, and shrimp cocktail.

Briquette briquette-nola.com

A historic gem tucked cozily among the historic warehouse district, Briquette offers the finest in modern tastes and design. Join Briquette on December 12th for their Prisoner Wine Dinner with AJ’s Sicilian Meal, $150.00 per person for 5 Courses at 7 PM. Reservations via OpenTable. Briquette is also open on Christmas Eve, on New Year’s Eve for their Three Course Pre-Fixe or Regular Dinner Menu, and on New Year’s Day for Brunch.

La Petite Grocery lapetitegrocery.com

Nestled in a century-old building on Magazine Street, La Petite Grocery has been delighting diners for over 20 years. Known for its refined take on New Orleans cuisine, signature dishes like Turtle Bolognese and Blue Crab Beignets continue to draw both locals and visitors to this Uptown favorite.

Dickie Brennan & Co. frenchquarter-dining.com

A true New Orleans holiday tradition, Dickie Brennan & Co.’s famous Bourbon Milk Punch returns for the season. Available at The Commissary in elegant 750ml bottles or by the gallon, it’s the perfect festive gift or indulgent treat for any celebration.

Galatoire’s Galatoires.com

What’s your tradition? From the world-famous New Orleans cuisine to impeccable service, every aspect of the dining experience at Galatoire’s reflects the traditions guests have enjoyed for generations. Open TuesdaySunday for lunch and dinner. Visit Galatoires.com or call 525-2021.

Mother’s Restaurant mothersrestaurant.net

During the holiday season, Mother’s Restaurant offers New Orleans oyster dressing and many other trimmings for your table—including sweet potato casserole, cornbread dressing, giblet gravy, and macaroni n’ cheese. Call to order whole hams & turkeys too.

New Orleans Creole Cookery neworleanscreolecookery.com

New Orleans Creole Cookery offers the finest Cajun and Creole cuisine in an innovative fashion that ignites appetites. Join NOCC for Holiday Oyster Happy Hour: 11/28-1/1, 2 pm-6 pm. Oyster Specials with the purchase of a Holiday cocktail or beer. Open Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

Palm & Pine palmandpinenola.com

Palm&Pine serves Shareable, Seasonal Dishes inspired by Local Growers and the Foodways of New Orleans, the South, and South of that. Bring 2 or 3 Friends, and order one of everything from the eclectic menu!

Parkway Bakery & Tavern parkwaypoorboys.com

When it’s cold outside, there is no better time to belly up to the bar and order a hot roast beef Poboy. Slow-roasted beef ladled with gravy and stuffed in between a loaf of Leidenheimer French Bread.

Pulcinella dirtydimeproductions.com

The Meatball! has quickly become a cult favorite at Pulcinella! 8 ounces of beef and pork blended, simmered in-house Sunday gravy, and served with whipped ricotta and grilled, house-baked focaccia. A meal in its own right can be paired with a generous portion of angel hair pasta.

Dallas Alexander @ dallasmaphotography photo

Restaurant R’evolution

Royal Sonesta revolutionnola.com

Restaurant R’evolution’s “Venison”: Chicory Charcoal, Confit Fennel, Butter-poached Tomatoes.

SukhoThai SukhoThai-NOLA.com

Serving the finest Classical Thai cuisine in New Orleans for over 20 years. Uncompromising authenticity, bold Thai spices, and healthy ingredients make SukhoThai a foodie favorite. Distinctive seafood, spicy curries, scrumptious noodles, broad vegan/ gluten-free options, specialty cocktails, and sake.

Tacos del Cartel tacosdelcartel.com

Tender, slow-braised birria presented hanging from a clothesline, accompanied by our rich, aromatic consommé for dipping.

Restaurant August restaurantaugust.com

Restaurant August - a newly announced MICHELIN Recommended Restaurant - serves Diver Scallops that are seared to perfection and accompanied by zephyr squash and courgette blossoms, finished with a table-side pour of sauce meunière.

The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar thebluecrabnola.com

The Blue Crab Restaurant & Oyster Bar is the newest addition to the New Orleans Lakefront area. Overlooking beautiful Lake Pontchartrain, the restaurant is locally owned and operated, and proudly serves only the finest Louisiana seafood.

Holiday Gift Guide

Giving gifts to all the unique people in your life can be an overwhelming task. Get inspired by our top holiday gift picks, sure to suit every taste.

Lakeside Shopping Center

3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie | 504.835.8000

Lakeside Shopping Center, Where the holidays come together! Abercrombie & Fitch Sweater: $70; Bath and Body Works Gift Set: $38.95; Dillard’s Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Spray: $176; Apple Air Pods: $250; Mignon Faget: Celebrating 55 years of iconic design.

PERLIS Clothing Perlis.com | 800.725.6070

6070 Magazine Street, New Orleans

600 Decatur St, French Quarter 1281 N Causeway Blvd, Mandeville 8366 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge

Keep him warm in a super soft brushed poly 1/4 zip pullover with a suede trim and the iconic Perlis Crawfish Logo embroidered on the chest. Also available in black, blue, and tan.

Earthsavers earthsaversonline.com | 5501 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115 | 504.899.8555

Give the gift of true relaxation with an Earthsavers gift card. Imagine a cozy robe, soothing tea, and a blissful massage or facial that melts stress away. Easy to give, unforgettable to receive. The perfect way to give self-care!

Introducing the Kira Turnlock shoulder bag. Sharp angles with graphic hardware: a chunky curb chain strap and a turnlock closure. The classic flap silhouette is crafted in subtly textured leather and opens to three compartments that expand and contract for optimal organization.

Bayou St. John Slim Cuff, by Brandi Couvillion - $195. Show love for NOLA by wearing a sterling silver bracelet crafted from a historic 1880s map of New Orleans.

Wellington & Co. Fine Jewelry store.wcjewelry.com | 505 Royal St, New Orleans | 504.525.4855

Blue Topaz, Lapis, and Diamond Necklace in 18 kt yellow gold, $3,950.

Aucoin Hart Aucoinhart.com | 1525 Metairie Rd, Metairie | 504.834.9999

Exquisite 18 karat white gold earrings showcasing 3.36 carats of captivating pear shape blue sapphires, gracefully accented by marquise cut, pear cut, and round brilliant cut diamonds.

Art & Eyes

artandeyesneworleansla.com | 3708 Magazine St, New Orleans | 504.891.4494

Sparkle for the holidays, put a special glow about the eyes. Handmade in Paris, the best are FRANCIS KLEINS, smattered with Swarovski crystals.

Specialty Medicine

Feeling your best is always in season. From cosmetic specialists to medical aftercare assistance, these New Orleans Specialty Medicine providers are here to help.

Sean Weiss Facial Plastic Surgery

A New Orleans plastic surgeon who specializes in procedures of the face, head, and neck, Dr. Sean Weiss brings world-renowned expertise and unique attentiveness to his patients. By focusing exclusively on surgery of the face, head, and neck, Dr. Weiss has become one of the select few surgeons in the world who is double board certified in Facial Plastic Surgery and OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery. Though his surgical skills are unparalleled, Dr. Weiss prides himself on his relationships with his patients above all else, offering himself as a guide throughout every step of the surgical and recovery process. One of his prime specialties is extended deep plane Facelifts, a procedure meant to empower those looking for a more youthful look as they age and to enhance their natural beauty. Every face is different, and Dr. Weiss is ready to help you find your ideal look to last a lifetime. To see before and after photos of Facial plastic surgery performed by Dr Sean Weiss, visit seanweissmd.com.

Family Connects New Orleans

The days and months after giving birth are some of life’s most beautiful and most vulnerable moments. Between the sleepless nights, new routines, and endless questions, it’s easy for parents to feel both overjoyed and overwhelmed. That’s why the New Orleans Health Department, in partnership with Touro and Ochsner Baptist, launched Family Connects New Orleans, a program that brings expert care, comfort, and confidence right to your doorstep.

NOLA Boards nolacuttingboards.com | 3316 Magazine St, New Orleans | 504.360.1347

Louisiana Pantry Gift Box $100

Family Connects New Orleans is a free program available to all families in Orleans Parish who deliver at Touro or Ochsner Baptist. Designed to bridge the gap between hospital and home, the program connects families with a highly trained registered nurse who visits after birth to check on both parent and baby, answer questions, and link families to trusted community resources and parenting support groups. Each visit is personalized, focusing on the unique needs of the family—from feeding and sleep routines to recovery and emotional well-being. This personalized and compassionate care is helping to improve postpartum health outcomes and address Louisiana’s high rates of maternal and infant mortality. Families who participate often share how much relief and reassurance the visit brings, turning what can be a stressful transition into a moment of genuine connection and confidence. By meeting families where they are, both literally and emotionally, Family Connects ensures every parent feels seen, supported, and ready for the journey ahead.

The mission is simple but transformative: to strengthen families, build community connections, and create a healthier future for every newborn in New Orleans. Because when families thrive, the whole city grows stronger.

Learn more at www.nola.gov/FCNO.

Stream your favorite PBS and WYES programs — plus discover new releases — with your member benefit, WYES Passport.

Enjoy this exclusive streaming benefit with a yearly contribution of $96 or more. Learn more at wyes.org/passport.

Wednesday, January 7

MASTERPIECE

“All Creatures Great and Small, Season 6”

Dinner & Screening Save

Saturday, January 24

WYES KING CAKE AND CONVERSATION

Thursday, May 7

WYES JULEPS & GENEROSITY GALA presented by Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust

Details, Tickets & Sponsorship at wyes.org/events.

WYES PROGRAM SCHEDULE AT WYES.ORG

Canadian Rockies & Glacier National Park

June 19 — June 25, 2026 • 7 Days • 10 Meals

Booking deadline: December 19, 2025

Starting at $4,499: Air Taxes and Fees/Surcharges, Hotel Transfers, Round Trip Air from New Orleans

Tuscan & Umbrian Countryside featuring Italy’s Charming Hill Towns

November 14 — November 24, 2026

11 Days • 15 Meals

Booking deadline: April 15, 2026

Starting at $4,999: Air Taxes and Fees/Surcharges, Hotel Transfers, Round Trip Air from New Orleans

Learn More About the Tuscan & Umbrian Countryside Trip

FREE Travel Presentation — No Obligation

Tuesday, February 25 at 5:30pm

WYES, 916 Navarre Ave., New Orleans

Reserve your spot: wyes.org/events

See the full itineraries at wyes.org/travel.

WYES invites you to step into the charm, wit, and romance of the Regency era

WYES AFTERNOON TEA: CELEBRATING 250 YEARS OF JANE AUSTEN

Wednesday, December 3

WYES-TV studios | 916 Navarre Ave. | New Orleans Tickets: wyes.org/events

Patron Party | Early Entry 2pm | $150

Champagne and live piano by Michael Harold

General Admission | 3pm |$100

Music by the New Orleans Celtic Harp Ensemble with Champagne

Enjoy teas from the Great Mississippi Tea Company and Fleur de Lis Tea Co., plus scones, Le Crêpe Nanou tea sandwiches, and confections. Bae’s Bakery will provide Jane Austen’s birthday cake.

Attendees are encouraged, though not required, to don tea or Regency-inspired attire and take part in the promenade. A costume contest will honor the Most Creative and Most Authentic looks.

Special guest Nell Nolan will present a reading from “Pride and Prejudice,” and English Country Dance Master Rebecca Anne Calvert will share insights into Regency fashion.

Events like these support WYES’ quality PBS programming, award-winning local documentaries and cooking series.

Insincerely Yours

BY MIKE SCOTT/

Dear Kansas City,

I write to you today not out of admiration, but concern.

During a recent fit of social media doomscrolling, I ran across an inquiry from one of your residents seeking advice. It seems this anonymous poster was planning a visit to New Orleans. He or she was bringing a car. They wanted driving tips.

I immediately became concerned. That concern, I should note, is rooted in a fear that you have spoiled your residents — and that they will show up in New Orleans assuming we drive like you.

Out of an acute pang of civic duty, and in my continued effort to educate the outside world on our curious ways, I feel obligated to disabuse you of that notion.

For starters, let me reassure you: Regardless of what you might have heard, New Orleans’ drivers are not reckless. They are not careless. They do not all possess death wishes. To the contrary, they are elite, the best drivers in the world.

They have to be to have survived this long.

Without proper instruction, the lily-livered and well-mannered

Road Rules

A drive from within

stand no more chance on our local roadways than a paper plate at a crawfish boil.

Part of that is due to the state of the roads themselves. With all due respect to A. Baldwin Wood and his celebrated screw pump (get your mind out of the gutter), that is what happens when one paves over a swamp.

Mere potholes, we could manage. But ours have a tendency to mature into craters or sinkholes. Consequently, driving in New Orleans is as much a test of one’s prowess behind the wheel as it is of their vehicle’s suspension.

Then there is the fact that, as with pretty much everything else, the usual traffic ground rules do not apply in New Orleans. As I understand it, your roads in Kansas City are wide, your signage is clear, and your drivers use turn signals as a matter of civic virtue.

Adorable.

Ask Mike

Have a question or a thought to share about New Orleans etiquette or tradition? I’d love to hear it. Email it to mike@ myneworleans.com

But you are not in Kansas anymore.

Here, we treat stop signs as suggestions, red lights as opinions, and one-way streets as dares.

Not even a compass will help you here. That is because the cardinal directions are largely irrelevant to the motoring public. You mainlanders have north, south, east and west. Here on the Isle of Orléans, we have lakebound, riverbound, upriver and downriver.

It can be as headspinning to newcomers as a Hand Grenade with a Hurricane chaser, but do not mistake our traffic habits as evidence of disorder. In fact, it is evidence of community. It is evidence of a grand trust experiment through which thousands of wordless social contracts are carried out daily between strangers, forged in brake lights and mild panic.

Here, a blinker is less a signal and more of a mood. Sometimes it’s on. Sometimes it’s not. Sometimes it’s left on for three miles, just in case.

More often than not, lane changes here are communicated through a complex language of wheel angles, head nods and deeply spiritual intuition. We drive not with our eyes but with our souls.

But do not deign to call it recklessness. That is heritage you are

witnessing. That is local rhythm. Jazz, baby. Jazz. At speed.

Now, as highly trained as they are, our fire-forged drivers are not infallible. Most are only human. (So far.) To wit: Most don’t know a zipper merge from their zip-a-deedoo-dah. They also tend to get lost in traffic roundabouts.

Still, it all somehow works in its own magical way — and not because of rules, but rather because of an unspoken code built around honks, head bobs and mutual understanding. After all, we’re all just trying to get to Popeyes without dying.

You call it aggressive, we call it fluid. You call it lawless, we call it efficient.

So, the next time one of your residents considers visiting and asks, “Should I drive in New Orleans?,” by all means tell them yes. But only if they check their logic and Midwest Nice at the state line.

Otherwise, they might be better advised simply to park it, grab a daiquiri and hop on the streetcar. It will not get them to their final destination with any measurable degree of haste, but it will get them there eventually — and, honestly, that is the New Orleans way if ever there was one.

Insincerely yours, New Orleans