CBD & Warehouse District
CBD & Warehouse District
Neighborhood Top Five
1 Ogden Museum of Southern Art Appreciating the moody landscapes and then strolling around the galleries that line Julia St.
2 Contemporary Arts Center Engaging with the next generation of art and expression or taking in a new temporary exhibition at the city’s most modern museum.
3 Aquarium of the Americas Watching tropical fish swim amidst Mayan ruins, otters play, penguins dive and an albino alligator, all while the kids lose their minds.
4 National WWII Museum Learning about the conflict that shaped the world at this interactive, educational theme park.
5 Insectarium Strolling through a Japanese garden full of flitting butterflies, snacking on fried bugs and learning all about local cockroaches and termites.
Explore the CBD & Warehouse District
The Central Business District (CBD) and Warehouse District stretch from I-10 and the Superdome to the river, and are bordered by Canal St and the elevated I-90. Poydras St divides the two neighborhoods, with the Warehouse District sitting ‘above’ (south) of Poydras.
Along Canal St, you’ll find an odd mix of cheap and tatty gift stores and down-at-heel business chains. On the other side of the spectrum, there are theaters like the Joy and Saenger, two Audubon museums and the posh Shops at Canal Place, plus several upscale hotels.
If you’re heading south, once you pass Poydras St you’re in the Warehouse District. You can walk down pedestrian Fulton St to soak in some of the old warehouse-style architecture. Julia St is the home of many of the city’s most expensive art galleries. Around Camp St and St Joseph St, you’ll find a cluster of important museums.
The eastern edge of the Warehouse District is taken up by the enormous New Orleans Convention Center, as well as the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk. The northwest edge includes the Superdome, Claiborne Ave and I-10.
Local Life
Walk this way It’s an easy walk from downtown offices and hotels to Warehouse District restaurants.
Lunch deals The city’s nicest restaurants often serve affordable lunches. Enjoy top chefs’ creations at Herbsaint, Drago’s and Emeril’s.
Free festivals Enjoy live music with families during Wednesday at the Square (http://ylcnola.org; Lafayette Sq; 
hMar-May) or stroll with the pretty people during White Linen Night (Center for Contemporary Arts, Julia St art galleries; hFirst Sat evening in Aug).
Getting There & Away
Car From the airport, most hotels are easily accessible off the elevated I-90. Cars coming in from the east should exit off the I-10.
Taxi or shuttle A cab from Louis Armstrong Airport to the CBD costs $36 for up to two people (for more, it’s $15 per person). Shuttles cost $24 per person one way.
Train/bus The Amtrak and Greyhound stations, also known as the Union Passenger Terminal, border Loyola Ave near the Superdome.
Streetcar The St Charles and Canal Streetcars run along their respectively named streets. The Riverfront Streetcar runs from the Quarter to the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk. The Rampart Streetcar connects the Union Passenger Terminal to Elysian Fields Ave.
TOP SIGHT
NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM
The National WWII Museum drops you into the action. Wall-sized photographs capture the confusion of D-Day. Riveting oral histories tell remarkable stories of survival. A stroll through the snowy woods of Ardennes feels eerily cold. Exhibits like these make this grand facility engaging; artifacts, battles and war strategies are humanized through personal recollections and heat-of-the-action displays.
The museum continues to open in several stages across three pavilions. The Campaigns of Courage Pavilion spotlights the European and Pacific theaters. Inside, the Road to Berlin galleries cover European battlefronts. A reconstructed Quonset hut – with a bombed-out roof – brings the air war powerfully close. The Road to Tokyo galleries highlight the Pacific theater, with visitors treading a route that begins in the days after Pearl Harbor and ends with the unconditional Japanese surrender. Beyond All Boundaries takes a 4D look at America’s involvement in the war on a 120ft-wide screen. Get ready for rumbling seats and a dusting of snowflakes! Final Mission is a similar experience that places visitors in the USS submarine Tang.
DON’T MISS
ARoad to Berlin
ABeyond All Boundaries
ARoad to Tokyo
Practicalities
A(MAP GOOGLE MAP)
A
%504-528-1944
A945 Magazine St
Aadult/senior/child $27/23.50/17.50, plus 1/2 films $5/10
Ah9am-5pm
TOP SIGHT
OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART
Although the Ogden Museum sits just a few steps away from the pedestal that once enshrined Robert E Lee, this vibrant collection of Southern art is not stuck in the past. It’s one of the most engaging museums in New Orleans, managing to be beautiful, educational and unpretentious all at once.
The collection got its start more than 30 years ago when Roger Ogden and his father began purchasing art as gifts for Roger’s mother. Ogden soon became a passionate collector and by the 1990s the New Orleans entrepreneur had assembled one of the finest collections of Southern art anywhere. Today his namesake museum and its galleries hold pieces that range from impressionist landscapes and outsider folk art to contemporary installation work. The Ogden is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, giving it access to that bottomless collection.
The glass-and-stone Stephen Goldring Hall, with its soaring atrium, provides an inspiring welcome to the grounds. The building, which opened in 2003, is home to the museum’s 20th- and 21st-century exhibitions as well as the Museum Store and its Center for Southern Craft & Design. ‘Floating’ stairs connect the different floors.
DON’T MISS
ASouthern Landscapes
ASelf-Taught, Outsider and Visionary Art
AMuseum Store
AOgden After Hours (after-hours performances on Thursdays)
Practicalities
A(MAP GOOGLE MAP)
A%504-539-9650
A925 Camp St
Aadult/child 5-17yr $13.50/6.75
Ah10am-5pm Fri-Wed, to 8pm Thu
1Sights
Hotels and skyscrapers fill the CBD, a no-nonsense grid of bland buildings anchored by the hulking Superdome. A few historic buildings add character, particularly in the area surrounding Lafayette Sq, the heart of the former Faubourg St Mary. The old warehouses that line most of the streets in the Warehouse District have proved perfectly suitable for the Arts District that now thrives here. The museums and galleries are joined by some of the city’s finest restaurants.
Ogden Museum of Southern ArtMUSEUM
See here.
InsectariumZOO
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-581-4629; https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/insectarium; 423 Canal St, US Custom House; adult/child/senior $23/18/20; h10am-4:30pm Tue-Sun; 
c)
We’ll be honest: if you’re not a fan of bugs and creepy-crawlies, you may be happier elsewhere, because at this lively museum, you’ll do more than stare at insects: you’ll listen to them, touch them and, if you dare, even taste them. It’s a multisensory adventure that’s especially fun for kids. Our favorite exhibit? The Japanese-inspired Butterfly Garden, a tranquil slice of Zen pathways where clouds of butterflies hover over pools of koi fish.
Adventurous visitors can munch on ‘chocolate-chirp cookies’ (topped with crickets) or mango chutney with waxworms in the Bug Appetit room. The Louisiana Swamp Gallery and Insects of New Orleans display highlight regional creepy-crawlies. The latter exhibit examines yellow fever, a mosquito-borne virus that killed more than 40,000 people in the city between 1805 and 1905. Other fascinating exhibits include the mesmerizing leaf-cutter ants, toiling daily for their queen and for your viewing enjoyment.
The museum is located inside the carriageway of the city’s historic US Custom House. Construction of the building began in 1848, but it took 33 years and nine architects to complete it. Confederate soldiers were imprisoned on the site when Union forces occupied New Orleans during the Civil War. Today, because it is a federal building, visitors’ bags will be searched.
8AUDUBON EXPERIENCE
Families and travelers who really like animals may want to visit all three of the facilities managed by the Audubon Institute: the aquarium and insectarium (in the CBD), and the zoo (in Audubon Park in Uptown). If that’s the case, buy the Audubon Experience package (www.auduboninstitute.org) and see all three within 30 days, as well as an IMAX movie, at a reduced overall price of adult/concession $45/35.
National WWII MuseumMUSEUM
See here.
Aquarium of the AmericasAQUARIUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-581-4629; www.auduboninstitute.org; 1 Canal St; adult/senior/child $30/25/22; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun; c)
The immense Aquarium of the Americas is loosely regional, with exhibits delving beneath the surface of the Mississippi River, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and far-off Amazon rain forest. The impressive Great Maya Reef lures visitors into a 30ft-long clear tunnel running through a ‘submerged’ Mayan city, now home to exotic fish. Upstairs, the penguin colony, the sea-horse gallery, a bird jungle and a tank for otters are perennially popular. In the Mississippi River Gallery, look for the white alligator.
On the way out, you’ll pass by the the 400,000 gallon Gulf of Mexico tank – home to sharks swimming placidly around a replica of oil-rig pilings. To that end, it may not surprise you that this exhibit was paid for by several major oil companies. ‘Reef Rescue,’ ($6) a virtual-reality undersea-exploration activity, is the latest addition to the aquarium’s slate of activities.
The adjacent IMAX theater screens educational and commercial movies throughout the day. There are a few pay parking lots around; we prefer the garage at the nearby Shops at Canal Place – the Aquarium will validate your parking ticket, which provides a decent discount.
Louisiana Children’s MuseumMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-523-1357; www.lcm.org; 420 Julia St; $10; h9:30am-4:30pm Tue-Sat, noon-4:30pm Sun; c) This educational museum is like a high-tech kindergarten where the wee ones can play in interactive bliss till nap time. Lots of corporate sponsorship equals lots of hands-on exhibits. The Little Port of New Orleans gallery spotlights the five types of ships found in the local port. Kids can play in a galley kitchen or they can load cargo. Elsewhere, kids can check out optical illusions, shop in a pretend grocery store or frolic in a paper-and-cardboard story forest.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The museum is slated to move to a new location in City Park in mid-2019.
Contemporary Arts CenterARTS CENTER
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; CAC; %504-528-3805; www.cacno.org; 900 Camp St; adult/student/child $10/$8/free; h11am-5pm Wed-Mon)
From the outside, the CAC is pretty unassuming. But once inside, with the grand modernist entrance, an airy, spacious vault with soaring ceilings and conceptual metal and wooden accents, it’s impressive. The best reason to visit? A good crop of rotating exhibitions by local as well as international artists, plus a packed events calendar that includes plays, skits, dance and concerts.
Admission for school children (K–12) is free.
Arthur Roger GalleryGALLERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-522-1999; www.arthurrogergallery.com; 432 Julia St; h10am-5pm Tue-Sat)
One of the most prominent galleries on Julia St, Arthur Roger represents several dozen artists from around the South. This spot hosts frequent gallery nights, exhibition openings and a slate of other events where wine is poured and art is discussed.
LeMieux GalleriesGALLERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-522-5988; www.lemieuxgalleries.com; 332 Julia St; h10am-5:30pm Mon-Sat)
Gulf Coast art is the emphasis in nationally recognized LeMieux Galleries, a good place to get a handle on the breadth of the regional arts scene.
Confederate Memorial Hall MuseumMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Louisiana’s Civil War Museum; %504-523-4522; www.confederatemuseum.com; 929 Camp St; adult/child $10/5; h10am-4pm Tue-Sat)
Tattered gray uniforms, rebel swords and faded diaries – this collection of Civil War memorabilia pays homage to the Confederacy and locals who fought for that cause. The museum used to be a center of Confederate apologia. Today it’s been largely politically corrected – note the different names it is known by – but it remains a collection of things, as opposed to a contemporary, interpretation-driven educational museum. With that said, many of the personal effects are fascinating.
Scrap HouseMONUMENT
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Convention Center Blvd, near John Churchill Chase St) 
F
Built entirely out of found and recycled material, this eye-catching sculpture by artist Sally Heller honors the victims of Hurricane Katrina. A ruined shack that resembles Dorothy’s house blown off-track, the sculpture sits in a tree constructed from pieces of oil drums. Inside, a light shines for those seeking to return home. It’s a powerful piece of work in an appropriate setting – across from the Convention Center, where so many refugees were displaced in the aftermath of the storm.
Gallier HallHISTORIC BUILDING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-658-3627; www.nola.gov/gallier-hall; 545 St Charles Ave) Architect James Gallier Sr designed this Greek-Revival structure, dedicated in 1853. It served as New Orleans’ city hall until the 1950s and far outclasses the city’s current one (a few blocks away). Today the building is only open for private functions and is a focal point for Mardi Gras parades, many of which promenade past the grandstand erected here on St Charles Ave. The LUNA Fête (www.artsneworleans.org/event/luna-fete/; Lafayette Sq & nearby blocks; hearly Dec) light festival is partially projected onto the sides of Gallier Hall.
Both Confederate president Jefferson Davis and local R&B legend Ernie K-Doe have lain in state here – only in New Orleans.
New Orleans Cotton ExchangeHISTORIC BUILDING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 231 Carondelet St)
For much of its history, the economy of New Orleans was built on cotton and slavery. The former industry was largely brokered out of this building, where the city’s Cotton Exchange was founded in 1871. In its heyday, thousands of cotton contracts were traded at this site, but, in time, Dallas replaced New Orleans as the nation’s most important cotton-trading center. The building here, dating from the 1920s, is the third Cotton Exchange to occupy this site.
Today, the building hosts a bank, offices and parts of a hotel.
Lee CircleMONUMENT
This traffic circle was called Place du Tivoli until it was renamed to honor Confederate General Robert E Lee after the Civil War. In 2017, after many political battles and protests, the statue of Lee finally came down from its column. For now, the statue is yet to be replaced and the circle is yet to be renamed.
Preservation Resource CenterHISTORIC BUILDING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-581-7032; www.prcno.org; 923 Tchoupitoulas St; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) F
If you’re interested in the architecture of New Orleans or a self-guided walking tour, then start here. The welcoming Preservation Resource Center, located inside the 1853 Leeds-Davis building, offers free pamphlets with walking-tour maps for virtually every part of town. The helpful staff shares information about everything from cycling routes to renovating a historic home. Check the website for details about the Shotgun House tour in March and the popular Holiday Home tour in December. The neighborhood brochures are also available online.
George Schmidt GalleryGALLERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-592-0206; www.georgeschmidt.com; 626 Julia St; h12:30-4:30pm Tue-Sat)
New Orleans artist George Schmidt describes himself as a ‘historical’ painter. Indeed, his canvases evoke the city’s past, awash in a warm, romantic light. His Mardi Gras paintings are worth a look.
Soren Christensen GalleryGALLERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-569-9501; www.sorengallery.com; 400 Julia St; h10am-5:30pm Tue-Fri, 11am-5pm Sat)
This impressive space showcases the work of nationally renowned painters and sculptors. The gallery is known for its nontraditional sensibility and its strong collection of regional, contemporary art.
2Local Life
The Past is the Present is the Future
In the Warehouse District, more so than any other New Orleans neighborhood, the city’s well-worn historical identity rubs shoulders with a 21st-century sense of contemporary cool. On this little tour you’ll take in elements of New Orleans ranging from its deep past to its envisioned new horizons.
Start at the 1 Ace Hotel & Seaworthy. The drop-dead gorgeous Ace Hotel chain can sometimes feel painfully hip and grounded in global hipster aesthetic. Yet the on-site restaurant, Seaworthy, goes to great pains to specifically draw from the bounty of local waters. We respect that, and the oyster bar, which you should partake of. Oysters = good walking fuel.
As millennial fresh as the Ace may be, walk just a few blocks east (or, in local parlance, towards the river) and you’re in 2 Lafayette Sq, second-oldest park in the city, named for a Revolutionary War hero and studded with statues of said hero’s contemporaries.
Within the 3 Ogden Museum of Southern Art, you’ll find both old-school and modern interpretations of the American South: its landscapes, its peoples, its hopes and its visions.
Across the street from the Ogden is the 4 Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), where the cutting edge of contemporary art is exhibited. In contrast to the solid, brick 19th- and early 20th-century architecture of the nearby warehouses, the flash CAC practically screams its modernity to the city.
At the 5 Preservation Resource Center, dedicated to preserving the city’s historical character, you can learn all about the deep histories of each of New Orleans’ neighborhoods.
Finish this walk at 6 Compère Lapin, a restaurant that fuses the food and folkways of both the Caribbean and Creole Louisiana with a distinctly 21st-century approach to food presentation and sourcing. Bonus: the cocktails are delish.
5Eating
New Orleans’ downtown isn’t great for cheap eats (with a few exceptions), but as far as fine dining goes, you’ve hit the mother lode. Many of the city’s big-name chefs – Donald Link, Emeril Lagasse etc – have posh outposts downtown. That said, even the high-end restaurants here have affordable lunchtime menus, if you want to sample fine food on the cheap.
oCarmoVEGETARIAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-875-4132; www.cafecarmo.com; 527 Julia St; lunch $9-12, dinner $9-15; h11am-3pm Mon, to 10pm Tue & Wed, to 11pm Thu-Sat; 
v) 
S
Carmo isn’t just an alternative to the fatty, carnivorous New Orleans menu – it’s an excellent restaurant by any measuring stick. Both the aesthetic and the food speak to deep tropical influences, from Southeast Asia to South America. Dishes range from pescatarian to full vegan; try Peruvian style sashimi or Burmese tea leaf salad and walk away happy.
oDrip AffogatoICE CREAM$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-313-1611; www.dripaffogatobar.com; 703 Carondelet St; affogato $8.25; h10am-10pm; c)
Drip serves all kinds of gelato and espresso, but it truly shines when it combines the two into an affogato – espresso or coffee poured onto ice cream. The result is culinary dynamite.
St James Cheese CompanyDELI$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-304-1485; https://stjamescheese.com; 641 Tchoupitoulas St; mains $7-14; h11am-6pm Mon-Wed, to 8pm Thu & Fri, 9am-8pm Sat)
Cochon ButcherSANDWICHES$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-588-7675; www.cochonbutcher.com; 930 Tchoupitoulas St; mains $10-14; h10am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat, to 4pm Sun)
Tucked behind the slightly more formal Cochon, this sandwich and meat shop calls itself a ‘swine bar and deli.’ We call it one of our favorite sandwich shops in the city, if not the South. From the convivial lunch crowds to the savory sandwiches to the fun-loving cocktails, this welcoming place encapsulates the best of New Orleans.
Pho Tau BayVIETNAMESE$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-368-9846; www.photaubayrestaurant.com; 1565 Tulane Ave; mains $6.50-13; h10am-7pm Mon-Fri; v)
If you ever have a health emergency around lunchtime, head here – this beloved New Orleans Vietnamese hangout is packed with medical staffers in scrubs on an almost daily basis. They come for delicious mains from banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) to bun cha (char grilled pork and vermicelli) to, of course, pho.
Company BurgerBURGERS$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-309-9422; www.thecompanyburger.com; Girod & S Rampart Sts; mains $8-12; h11am-10pm)
This outpost of the beloved Freret St burger joint of the same name does burgers and tater tots, and it does them exceedingly well. They’ve got ‘Not Burgers’ too – hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, fried chicken sandwiches etc – but, jeez, those burgers hit the spot when you’ve got a craving.
Ruby Slipper – DowntownBREAKFAST$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.therubyslippercafe.net; 200 Magazine St; mains $8-14; h7am-2pm Mon-Fri, to 3pm Sat & Sun)
This rapidly growing local chain specializes in down-home Southern breakfasts prepared with decadent oomph. How does fried chicken on a biscuit with poached eggs and tasso (spicy cured pork) cream sauce sound? Soon after the doors open, this lively joint is full up with solos, families, college-age kids, renegade convention-goers and folks revving up before the party that is New Orleans.
Mother’sDELI$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-523-9656; www.mothersrestaurant.net; 401 Poydras St; breakfast $3-12, mains lunch & dinner $11-27; h7am-10pm)
At lunchtime, expect to see a line out the door. Mother’s is a longtime crowd-pleaser that has drawn locals and tourists for years. The quality isn’t what it was, but the history and come-as-you-are hospitality make the difference. Mother’s invented the ‘debris’ po’boy (roast beef marinated in its own juices) and serves the justifiably famous ‘Ferdi Special’ – a po’boy loaded up with ham, roast beef and debris.
oPeche Seafood GrillSEAFOOD$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-522-1744; www.pecherestaurant.com; 800 Magazine St; small plates $9-14, mains $14-27; h11am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
Coastal seafood dishes are prepared simply here, but unexpected flourishes – whether from salt, spices or magic – sear the deliciousness onto your taste buds. The vibe is convivial, with a happy crowd savoring among the exposed-brick walls and wooden beams. A large whole fish, made for sharing, is a signature preparation, but we recommend starting with something from the raw bar.
oSeaworthySEAFOOD$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-930-3071; www.seaworthynola.com; 630 Carondelet St; mains $17-30; hbrunch 11am-3pm Sat & Sun, dinner 5-11pm daily, bar menu 11pm-1am daily) S
Many new restaurants in New Orleans have not lived up to the city’s intimidating culinary legacy. Seaworthy is not such a place. They serve, simply, seafood – gorgeously fresh, brilliantly executed seafood, from yellowfin and sea bass to redfish in chili butter to one of the finest raw oyster selections in the city.
CochonCAJUN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-588-2123; www.cochonrestaurant.com; 930 Tchoupitoulas St; small plates $8-14, mains $19-32; h11am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
HerbsaintLOUISIANAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-524-4114; www.herbsaint.com; 701 St Charles Ave; mains $16-34; h11:30am-10pm Mon-Fri, from 5:30pm Sat)
Herbsaint’s duck and andouille (smoked sausage) gumbo might be the best restaurant gumbo in town. The rest of the food ain’t too bad either – it’s very much modern bistro fare with dibs and dabs of Louisiana influence, courtesy of owner Donald Link. On our last visit, we enjoyed divine cornmeal fried oysters and crispy goat served alongside curried cauliflower.
LukeBISTRO$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-378-2840; www.lukeneworleans.com; 333 St Charles Ave; mains $16-35; h7am-11pm)
This spin on a European bistro has an elegantly simple tiled interior and a menu that will make you reconsider the limits of Louisiana-French fusion; the primary muse is the smoky, rich cuisine of Alsace, the French–German border. Yellowfin tuna is rubbed with tasso, while an entrecôte ribeye comes doused in a sinfully rich bearnaise.
BaliseSOUTHERN US$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-459-4449; www.balisenola.com; 640 Carondelet St; mains $16-34; hlunch & brunch 11:30am-2pm Fri, to 2:30pm Sat & Sun, dinner 4:30-10pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
Peeling plaster and brick accents ensconce a warm, wooden interior where decadent, yet classically inspired, Southern cuisine rules the roost – try the fried-chicken sandwich, a strip steak with roasted bone marrow or fries smothered in pork-cheek gravy and cheese.
DomenicaITALIAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-648-6020; www.domenicarestaurant.com; 123 Baronne St; mains $15-34; h11am-11pm; v)
With its wooden refectory tables, white lights and soaring ceiling, Domenica feels like a village trattoria gone posh. The ‘rustic’ pizza pies at this lively, often-recommended spot are loaded with nontraditional but enticing toppings – clams, prosciutto, smoked pork – and are big enough that solo diners might just have a slice or two left over.
Public ServiceAMERICAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-962-6527; www.publicservicenola.com; 311 Baronne St; lunch $7-14, dinner $10-30; h6:30am-10pm, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
There’s a whole eclectic mash-up of farm-to-table treats served in this airy, grand dining hall, which is attached to the NOPSI Hotel. Mix up your small plates (steak and cheese fries, black bean hummus) with flat breads (white anchovy and manchego) and some fine burgers and pasta.
Café AdelaideCREOLE$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-595-3305; www.cafeadelaide.com; 300 Poydras St; mains lunch $16-27, dinner $24-33; h6:30am-10:30am & 11:30am-2pm Mon-Thu, to 2:30pm Fri, 7am-1:30pm Sat & Sun, dinner 5:30-9pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat)
This jazzy restaurant is a Brennan family tribute to their endearingly eccentric aunt Adelaide. We love the pop-art portraits of her that hang above the dining room. The motto here is the namesake’s own: ‘Eat, drink and carry on,’ a philosophy realized by haute Creole cuisine – garlic and chili shrimp, Cajun-roasted drum fish, and pork shoulder cooked in milk.
Drago’s Seafood RestaurantSEAFOOD$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-584-3911; www.dragosrestaurant.com; 2 Poydras St; mains lunch $14-22, dinner $18-46; h11am-10pm)
Charbroiled oysters at Drago’s? Heaven on the half shell. This sprawling restaurant is loaded with tourists, but oyster creations are the real deal thanks to Drago Cvitanovich, a Croatian immigrant who brought a heady knowledge of shellfish from the Dalmatian Coast to the Gulf. Oysters drip with butter, garlic, parmesan and their own juices after kissing an open fire.
Willa JeanSOUTHERN US$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-509-7334; www.willajean.com; 611 O’Keefe Ave; mains $13-19; h7am-9pm)
Willa Jean sells itself as a contemporary Southern bakery/breakfast and lunch counter – you’ll find braised short ribs and poached eggs in a decadent breakfast bowl and New Orleans–style barbecue-shrimp toasts in the afternoon. Everything tastes pretty good, but the slick, loungey atmosphere and inflated prices aren’t the New Orleans norm.
MaypopASIAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-518-6345; http://maypoprestaurant.com; 611 O’Keefe Ave; mains $15-32; h11am-10pm)
This New Orleans spin on haute Asian fusion is popular with business-lunch types, foodies on the prowl for the next big thing and well-heeled tourists. A changing menu mixes up the American South and Southeast Asia via dishes like fried ‘hot chicken’ in vindaloo curry and softshell crab almandine (cooked with almonds) spiced up with coconut.
American SectorAMERICAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-528-1940; www.american-sector.com; 945 Magazine St; lunch $10-14, dinner $14-28; h11am-7pm Sun-Thu, to 8pm Fri & Sat)
This ode to the Greatest Generation looks like a 1940s doo-wop diner: white-capped waitstaff beside the tables and black-and-white photos on the wall. Look for burgers and sandwiches at lunch, and mains with a Southern spin at dinner, including Mississippi rabbit, pork chops with boudin dirty rice, and shrimp and grits.
Johnny SanchezMEXICAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-304-6615; www.johnnysanchezrestaurant.com; 930 Poydras St; lunch $8-22, dinner $8-28; h11am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
Day of the Dead meets vintage New Orleans at this stylish ‘taqueria’. The rallying line is traditional Mexican dishes with innovative flavors, sourced from local fishers and farms. Highlights include crispy brussels sprouts, lamb enchiladas, and tacos with savory fillings ranging from carne asada (spicy steak) to pork belly, goat and shrimp.
oCompère LapinCARIBBEAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-599-2119; http://comperelapin.com; 535 Tchoupitoulas St; lunch $14-28, dinner $26-31; hdinner 5:30-10pm daily, lunch 11:30am-2:30pm Mon-Fri, brunch 10:30am-2pm Sat & Sun; v)
Chef Nina Compton became a household name via the TV show Top Chef, but her New Orleans restaurant is anything but a celebrity flash in the pan. This is wonderful cuisine that sits at the intersection of the Caribbean and Louisiana Creole taste universes, serving curry goat and sweet potato gnocchi and jerk drum fish.
oRestaurant AugustCREOLE$$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-299-9777; www.restaurantaugust.com; 301 Tchoupitoulas St; lunch $23-38, dinner $34-48, 5-course tasting menu $98, with wine pairings $163; h5-10pm daily, 11am-2pm Fri; v)
For a little romance, reserve a table at Restaurant August. This converted 19th-century tobacco warehouse, with its flickering candles and warm, soft shades, earns a nod for most aristocratic dining room in New Orleans, but somehow manages to be both intimate and lively. Delicious meals take you to another level of gastronomic perception.
The five-course, two-hour tasting menu makes local foodies weep; there’s a specially tailored version for vegetarians as well ($77). There’s also a prix-fixe lunch ($28) with various options. Solo diners do just fine at the easygoing but professional bar.
La BocaSTEAK$$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-525-8205; www.labocasteaks.com; 870 Tchoupitoulas St; mains $38-60; h5:30-10pm Mon-Wed, to midnight Thu-Sat)
The steakhouse scene in New Orleans has been steadily improving over the last decade, and La Boca has given the city no small push in the polls. Meticulously sourced beef is cooked and cut Argentine style, from hanger steaks to sweetbreads to sirloin flap.
Emeril’sCREOLE$$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-528-9393; www.emerils.com; 800 Tchoupitoulas St; mains lunch $12-25, dinner $29-45; h11:30am-2pm Mon-Fri, 6-10pm daily)
The noise level can be deafening, but Emeril’s remains one of New Orleans’ finest dining establishments. The kitchen’s strengths are best appreciated by ordering the daily specials. The full-on Emeril experience includes partaking of the cheese board with a selection from the restaurant’s eclectic wine list. The bar is a favorite with visiting celebrities and is a fun see-and-be-seen local spot.
Bon Ton CaféCAJUN$$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-524-3386; www.thebontoncafe.com; 401 Magazine St; mains $18.50-48; h11am-2pm & 5-9pm Mon-Fri)
Whoa, where did all these people come from? Bon Ton looks low-key and stuffy beneath its Magazine St awnings, but come lunchtime you’d think half of downtown is here. This classy but sassy joint, an old-style Cajun restaurant that’s been open for half a century, maintains an old-school menu of redfish, rice, steak and lots of butter.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
CBD LANDMARKS
Scattered throughout the CBD are historic buildings that once controlled industries that participated in some of the darkest chapters of American history. Keep an eye out for them when wandering through the neighborhood. Note that both the Cotton Exchange and United Fruit Company have long closed or moved out of the below addresses.
New Orleans Cotton Exchange Although slavery was abolished by the time the New Orleans Cotton Exchange opened in 1871, it helped shape a regional geography that was the basis of the future cotton industry: a network of almost feudal plantations worked by generations of sharecroppers.
United Fruit Company (MAP GOOGLE MAP; 321 St Charles Ave) The tropical fruit that frames the entrance to this building implies a sunny history, but United Fruit Company was notorious for supporting some of the worst dictators of 20th century Latin America. Indeed, the term ‘Banana Republic’ – a powder keg country dependent on the export of a resource – was invented to describe the nations manipulated by United Fruit.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Downtown may look like a nightlife wasteland, but there’s some great live music peppered about the office blocks. More pertinently, New Orleans, while home to many great dives, can lack in the hip lounge stakes; the CBD works to remedy this situation.
AltoROOFTOP BAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-900-1180; www.acehotel.com/neworleans/alto; 600 Carondelet St; h10am-9pm)
If you want a good view of the city, or a good view of a bunch of millennials enjoying a good view of the city, head to the Ace Hotel’s rooftop bar. There’s lush greenery, cold mixed drinks, hot breezes and a general sexy-times vibe – as well as a small menu of bar bites.
Handsome Willy’sBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-525-0377; 218 S Robertson St; h11am-11pm Mon-Wed, to 1am Thu, to 2am Fri, 4pm-2am Sat, to midnight Sun)
Willy’s is one of the oddest bars in New Orleans, a neighborhood-style dive in a patch of empty parking lots that lacks a neighborhood. It’s consistently fun – there’s a nice outdoor area and DJs frequently spin excellent hip-hop and dance tracks.
CellarDoorCOCKTAIL BAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-265-8392; www.cellardoornola.com; 916 Lafayette St; h4-11pm Mon-Thu, 4pm-1am Fri, 5pm-1am Sat)
Although the CellarDoor is technically a gastropub, we tend to skip the New Southern food menu and lean into the excellent, extensive cocktail list and historic-chic ambiance. Once a brothel, this lovely space now doubles (or triples?) as a bar and miniature art gallery.
Café at RoulerCAFE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-603-2781; www.rouler.cc/service/the-cafe-at-rouler; 601 Baronne St; h7am-9pm; 
W)
This cafe serves as an excellent CBD meet-up corner and is popular with the local cycling community – unsurprising, as it’s connected to a bicycle shop and rental outfit (504-327-7655; www.spinlister.com/profile/rouler; per hr $5-20, day $35-100; h7am-7pm Sun-Thu, to 9pm Fri & Sat). Wi-fi is fast and the coffee is strong, so this is a good spot for getting work done (or procrastinating and ignoring said work).
PiscobarCOCKTAIL BAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-603-2442; www.catahoulahotel.com/piscobar/; 914 Union St; h1-10pm Sun-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat)
One of the more haute and hip options in downtown New Orleans, the downstairs bar at the Catahoula specializes in pisco-based cocktails, in case it wasn’t obvious (Pisco, for the uninitiated, is a brandy from Peruvian and Chilean wine regions). You’d think this would make for a one-trick-pony bar, but the cocktails here are diverse and delicious.
Swizzle Stick BarBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-595-3305; www.cafeadelaide.com; 300 Poydras St; h11:30am-11pm Mon-Thu, to midnight Fri, 10am-midnight Sat, to 11pm Sun)
This swell bar is the tipsy companion to Café Adelaide, and its good-time vibe seems poised to spill into the lobby of the adjoining Loews Hotel. A dash of adult fun massaged with heavy levels of quirkiness, it’s a snazzy spot for an after-work drink or pre- or post-convention tipple.
BarcadiaBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-335-1740; www.barcadianeworleans.com; 601 Tchoupitoulas St; h11am-2am Mon-Sat, to midnight Sun)
This sprawling, high-energy bar celebrates the games of your youth in a big and flashy way. There’s life-size Jenga, towering Connect Four, air hockey, pop-a-shot and loads of ’80s arcade games. Nope, it’s not relaxing and it can be a bit bro-y, but it’s also a potentially fun way to mingle.
Rusty NailBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-525-5515; www.rustynailnola.com; 1100 Constance St; h4pm-1am Mon-Thu, 2pm-3am Fri, 11am-3am Sat, noon-1am Sun)
The Rusty Nail is a dive bar for newbies. Yeah, it lurks in a dark spot under the I-90 overpass, but it’s also flanked by loft complexes that look downright trendy. The twinkling white lights are kinda cute. Come on in, have a beer or a scotch (there’s a long list) and kick back.
Wine Institute of New Orleans (WINO)WINE BAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-324-8000; www.winoschool.com; 610 Tchoupitoulas St; h2-10pm Sun-Wed, to midnight Thu-Sat)
Topping our list of New Orleans acronyms, WINO is the place to spend an evening wine tasting or learning more about a certain varietal or wine region. But we’re going to assume you’re simply keen to try some wines. Pop by to sample well over 100 different types of vino on tap, plus a fair amount of pâté and cheese.
Sazerac BarBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-648-1200; http://therooseveltneworleans.com; 130 Roosevelt Way; h11am-midnight daily)
Walking through Hotel Roosevelt’s chandeliered lobby and into the polished glow of the Sazerac Bar, you feel as if you’ve stepped back into a well-heeled era of hushed wheeling and dealing and high-society drinking. With its art deco murals, subdued lighting and plush couches, the Sazerac Bar is an OK – but overpriced – alternative to the rowdy French Quarter bars nearby.
Lucy’s Retired Surfers BarBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-523-8995; www.lucysretiredsurfers.com; 701 Tchoupitoulas St; h11am-midnight Mon-Wed, to 2am Thu & Fri, 10am-2am Sat, 10am-midnight Sun)
There’s always somebody sipping a drink at one of the sidewalk tables at Lucy’s, a beach-bum kinda spot oddly plopped in the middle of downtown. It draws the 20- and 30-something crowd, but it’s also decent for an after-work drink. Closing time is flexible based on how busy it is.
Polo Club LoungeBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-523-6000; 300 Gravier St; h11:30am-midnight Sun-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat)
Need to prep for the fox hunt? Try this bar in the Windsor Court. The overstuffed chairs, tweedy bookshelves, nightly jazz and soft clink of hushed merry-making are meant to evoke aristocratic old England. A wine cobbler or port, anyone?
LoaLOUNGE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-553-9550; www.ihhotel.com/loa; 221 Camp St; h5pm-2am)
Off the lobby of the fashionable International House hotel, Loa is a stylish, candlelit place to sip a well-crafted cocktail. If you practice voodoo, or you’re after a full-coverage religious plan, you can leave an offering at the voodoo altar on your way out. Loa, if you’re wondering, are voodoo spirits.
Fulton AlleySPORTS BAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-208-5569; www.fultonalley.com; 600 Fulton St; bowling lane rental $30; h4-11pm Mon-Thu, 11am-1am Fri & Sat, 11am-11pm Sun)
This is the downtown spot for bowling, bocce (a boules-style game), shuffleboard, foosball and similar activities – basically, a good spot to take friends who want fun sans alcohol. That said, there is a full bar on the premises. It’s a bit cheesy and plastic, but it does the trick if you’re in the mood for the above sort of games.
3Entertainment
The venues on S Peters St are within walking distance of several good restaurants, hotels and bars. To make a night of it, grab dinner before a show then see what’s happening later on.
Circle BarLIVE MUSIC
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-588-2616; www.circlebarneworleans.com; 1032 St Charles Ave; h4pm-2am)
Picture a grand Victorian mansion, all disheveled and punk, and you’ve caught the essence of this strangely inviting place to drink. Live acts of varying quality – folk, rock and indie – occupy the central space, where a little fireplace and lots of grime speak to the coziness of one of New Orleans’ great dives.
Howlin’ WolfLIVE MUSIC
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-529-5844; www.thehowlinwolf.com; 907 S Peters St; cover from $5; hhours vary)
One of New Orleans’ better venues for live blues, alt-rock, jazz, comedy and roots music, the Howlin’ Wolf draws a lively crowd. The attached ‘Den’ features smaller acts in a much more intimate venue.
Orpheum TheaterPERFORMING ARTS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-274-4870; https://orpheumnola.com; 129 Roosevelt Way)
Built back in 1918, this Beaux Arts beauty is a grand-dame theater that has undergone many incarnations – vaudeville stage, movie house etc – and is now the home of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. It also hosts a ton of gigs and performances – it’s a popular spot for visiting artists, who love the restored glory of this venue.
Louisiana Philharmonic OrchestraCLASSICAL MUSIC
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-523-6530; www.lpomusic.com; 129 Roosevelt Way, Orpheum Theater)
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra is the only musician-owned and -managed professional symphony. It is based out of the Orpheum Theater. The season generally runs from September to May, and tickets range from $20 to $140 for premium box seats.
Joy TheaterLIVE PERFORMANCE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-528-9569; www.thejoytheater.com; 1200 Canal St; cover $10-30)
Republic New OrleansLIVE MUSIC
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-528-8282; www.republicnola.com; 828 S Peters St; cover $10-50; hhours vary)
Republic showcases some pretty awesome live acts, but on any given night the crowd could range from a bunch of music-obsessed fanatics to some aggro meatheads coming in from the ‘burbs. With that said, the curation of acts has gotten better and better over the years and the sight lines to the small stage are awesome.
Mercedes-Benz SuperdomeSTADIUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-587-3822, 504-587-3663; www.mbsuperdome.com; Sugar Bowl Dr)
The Superdome hovers like a giant bronze hubcap between the elevated I-10 freeway and downtown’s skyscrapers. The immense indoor stadium, which seats more than 73,200, has hosted NCAA Final Four basketball games, presidential conventions, the Rolling Stones (largest indoor concert in history), Pope John Paul II and seven Super Bowls.
Cinebarre Canal Place 9CINEMA
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %888-943-4567; 333 Canal Place, Shops at Canal Place; tickets $12)
The screens at this multiplex are small, but if you’re without a car in the Quarter or CBD, this is the closest available movie theater. Shows the usual Hollywood fare and the occasional oddball indie screening.
Fountain LoungeLIVE MUSIC
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-648-5486; www.therooseveltneworleans.com; 130 Roosevelt Way; h4-10pm Tue-Thu & Sun, to midnight Fri & Sat)
Ever so chic, the Fountain Lounge inside the Roosevelt Hotel is an upscale place to listen to live music, from modern jazz to cool lounge classics. Check online for times.
Entergy Giant Screen TheaterTHEATER
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-565-3033; https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/theater; 1 Canal St; hshowtimes vary, closed Mon; c)
This 5½ story IMAX theater sits beside the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. It shows frequent nature movies and kid-friendly Hollywood blockbusters. Tickets are included with aquarium admission, but these cannot be used at various special screenings.
Harrah’s CasinoCASINO
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %800-427-7247; www.caesars.com/harrahs-new-orleans; 8 Canal St; h24hr)
You’d think all manner of vice would be welcome in the Big Easy, but Harrah’s, near the foot of Canal St, doesn’t get much local love. It’s a big casino – 115,000 sq ft for gaming – that’s part of a national chain and it pretty much feels exactly like that.
7 Shopping
This part of town is chiefly concerned with business and art. It’s not good for window shopping, but if you know what you’re looking for, you may find yourself zeroing in on that perfect little specialty shop.
oOgden Museum StoreART
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-539-9606; http://ogdenmuseum.org; 925 Camp St; h10am-5pm Fri-Wed, to 8pm Thu)
The Ogden boasts a very fine museum store, stuffed with prints, crafts and books that explore the theme of regional art. Start with graphite pencils, move on to locally penned coffee table books on New Orleans art and music, then finish with a handcrafted sycamore bowl.
StonefreeCLOTHING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-304-5485; http://shopstonefree.com; 611 O’Keefe Ave; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 6pm Sun)
This hip little boutique feels plucked out of Magazine St – or Brooklyn for that matter. Fun spangly dresses and styles that comfortably juke between vintage and modern are all present and accounted for.
Keife and CoFOOD & DRINKS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-523-7272; www.keifeandco.com; 801 Howard Ave; h10am-8pm Tue-Sat)
This chic gastronomic boutique is packed with fancy charcuterie, teas, caviar, condiments, wines, spirits and all the other ingredients of a fairly expensive, if extremely, enjoyable picnic.
AriodanteARTS & CRAFTS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-524-3233; www.ariodantegallery.com; 535 Julia St; h9:30am-4pm Mon-Sat, to 1:30pm Sun)
This small but well-stocked gallery sells jewelry, glass works, ceramics and fine art by local and regional artists. It’s a fun place to browse.
Meyer the HatterFASHION & ACCESSORIES
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-525-1048; www.meyerthehatter.com; 120 St Charles Ave; h10am-5:45pm Mon-Sat)
This cluttered shop a half-block from Canal St has a truly astounding inventory of world-class hats. Biltmore, Dobbs and Stetson are just a few of the milliners represented. Fur felts dominate in fall and winter, and flimsy straw hats take over in spring and summer. The selection of lids for the ladies isn’t as deep.
Outlet Collection at RiverwalkMALL
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-522-1555; www.riverwalkneworleans.com; 500 Port of New Orleans Pl; h10am-9pm Mon-Sat, to 7pm Sun)
Got your walking shoes? This outlet mall is half a mile long, stretching from Poydras to Julia St along the river. Retailers include Coach, Crocs, Forever 21, the Guess Factory Store and Neiman Marcus Last Call Studio.
Shops at Canal PlaceMALL
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-522 9200; www.canalplacestyle.com; 333 Canal St; h10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 8pm Sat, noon-7pm Sun)
No, you didn’t come to New Orleans to shop at Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, J Crew or Saks Fifth Avenue, but if someone spills a hurricane over your last white shirt or you forgot to pack your heels, this glossy mall will be a blessing.
The attached parking garage is a good alternative to finding street parking in the Quarter or CBD.
2 Sports & Activities
Escape My Room New OrleansLIVE CHALLENGE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-475-7580; https://escapemyroom.com; 633 Constance St; tickets $30)
If you’re not familiar with the Escape My Room concept, it goes like this: you and a team (of two to eight) are locked in a room. You scavenger hunt for clues to escape said room within a time limit. This local twist on the escape room genre is gorgeous, utilizing old art and history to deliver classic mystery scenarios.