Réveillon Revelry: Classic Flavors and New Holiday Feasts in New Orleans

November 19, 2025
Réveillon has long been a celebration of heritage, a time when New Orleans families gather around tables brimming with traditional favorites. Yet the city’s culinary scene is never still. This season, we explore both cherished classics and dazzling new arrivals, savoring dishes that honor the past while adding fresh, festive flair to holiday tables.

Antoine’s Restaurant
antoines.com – 713 St. Louis St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Few places embody the spirit of New Orleans dining like Antoine’s, the oldest family-run restaurant in America and a cornerstone of the city’s holiday traditions. Since 1840, its elegant dining rooms, each with its own history and charm, have hosted countless Réveillon feasts, political gatherings, and family celebrations. Step inside during the holidays, and the glow of chandeliers reflects off polished mirrors and evergreen garlands, a setting that feels timeless and joyfully familiar.

Executive Chef Rich Lee and the Antoine’s culinary team preserve the restaurant’s French Creole legacy while embracing subtle touches of modern flair. Their celebrated Réveillon menu reads like a love letter to Louisiana tradition: rich Oysters Rockefeller, born in this very kitchen more than a century ago; Gulf Shrimp Étouffée, slow-simmered and soulful; and tender Beef Châteaubriand, carved table side with old-world ceremony.

Beyond its culinary pedigree, Antoine’s offers an experience that feels steeped in nostalgia. Servers glide through the labyrinth of dining rooms with precision and warmth, each course arriving as part of a larger pageant, a reminder that here, dining is an event to be savored, not rushed.

What to savor: Begin with Antoine’s original Oysters Rockefeller, a must for any holiday visit. Follow with the Châteaubriand or Shrimp Étouffée for a hearty winter indulgence, and end with the Baked Alaska, its meringue peaks torched to golden perfection. Whether for a grand Réveillon dinner or a family holiday gathering, Antoine’s remains the gold standard of New Orleans tradition, where every meal feels like a celebration 185 years in the making.

Delacroix
delacroixnola.com – 1 Poydras St., Spc 1005, New Orleans, LA 70130
Named for the storied fishing village east of New Orleans, Delacroix channels both coastal tradition and French Quarter sophistication. The restaurant’s name honors the fishing camps where generations of Louisiana families gathered, a heritage that informs every detail, from its menu to its relaxed, riverfront setting. Inside, soft lighting, brass accents and weathered wood create an atmosphere that feels both contemporary and steeped in local memory. With the Mississippi River just beyond its windows, Delacroix will glow with festive décor this season, offering an inviting backdrop for holiday dining.

Chefs Wiley Wilkinson Lewis and John Besh lead the kitchen with a shared vision: elevating Gulf seafood through French technique and Southern heart. Their partnership brings dishes that are rooted yet refined. The house-made buns, created in collaboration with Leidenheimer Baking Company, blend potato and French bread for a light, smoky flavor that perfectly complements the restaurant’s signature oyster and soft-shell crab sandwiches. The Crispy Boudin Balls, infused with pepper jack and paired with the chefs’ special sauce, deliver a comforting kick that sets the tone for the meal.

For the holidays, Delacroix leans into its coastal heritage with dishes that feel both celebratory and soulful: chargrilled Gulf oysters kissed with herb butter and breadcrumbs, crab-stuffed flounder draped in lemon beurre blanc, and slow-braised duck with cane syrup glaze, each one echoing the warmth of a Louisiana Réveillon.

What to savor: Begin with the Boudin Balls or half a dozen chargrilled oysters, followed by the crab-stuffed flounder or duck entrée for a festive twist on tradition. End with their signature bread pudding drizzled in bourbon sauce while watching the lights dance over the Mississippi, a holiday dining experience that’s pure New Orleans.

Izzat
izzatnola.com – 407 Iberville St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Tucked just behind the U.S. Customs House in the French Quarter, Izzat brings French-cuisine elegance down to earth, an inviting spot where the art of French technique meets warm Louisiana hospitality. The team set out to fill a surprising gap in New Orleans: truly affordable French food that’s still full of heart, comfort and care.

In a city rich with festive flavors and time-tested holiday menus, Izzat offers something refreshingly sincere, French-inspired comfort that doesn’t feel exclusive but still feels special. While classic Réveillon dinners often carry a grandeur befitting the season, here the mood is cozy yet refined, perfect for celebrating without the formality.

Co-owner Ji Un Choi and her team have transformed their Iberville Street corner into a light-filled bistro adorned with greenery, warm lighting, and the aroma of butter and herbs drifting from the kitchen. For the holiday season, they plan to introduce specials like Chicken Cordon Bleu and Pot au Feu, dishes that nod respectfully to French tradition while offering the kind of soulful comfort that belongs at a winter table.

You’ll also find their everyday menu filled with French staples like savory crêpes, steak frites, and French onion soup, simple pleasures done beautifully, and all priced to make fine dining feel accessible again.

What to savor: Start with a glass of house wine or a French 75 and their classic onion soup, then indulge in the holiday special Pot au Feu, brimming with root vegetables and slow-braised beef, or the Chicken Cordon Bleu layered with ham and Gruyère. Finish with a Crème Brûlée or Nutella-banana crêpe for a sweet ending that captures the season’s charm.

Izzat stands out this holiday season as a place where Réveillon feels heartfelt and human, a celebration of good food, good company and the simple joy of being welcomed in.

Le Moyne Bistro
lemoynebistro.com – 746 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Elegant, intimate, and steeped in quiet French sophistication, Le Moyne Bistro captures the holiday spirit with a four-course Réveillon menu that feels both nostalgic and new. Chef Ryan and his team have curated a $90 celebration of winter flavors, balancing local ingredients with refined continental flair.

The meal opens with a Coal-Roasted Pumpkin Salad, a play of textures and temperature, where warm pumpkin mingles with winter greens, goat cheese and spiced pepitas. For seafood lovers, the Louisiana Oyster Stew, enriched with pastis, cream and scallions, brings a whisper of coastal indulgence to the first course.

The second course offers a choice between Daube Glace, served with house mustard, chow chow, and toast points, or a Smoked Mushroom Parfait layered with pickled shallot and grilled bread, both dishes that honor traditional Réveillon roots while leaning into contemporary tastes.

For the main course, diners choose among Gulf Fish Provençal, with tomato, fennel, olive and potato confit; Chicken Colombo, bright with curried mirliton, squash, sweet potato and lime; or Carbonnades à la Flamande, a Belgian-inspired short rib braised in beer and onions until rich and tender.

The evening concludes with Chef Ryan’s Holiday Dessert, a seasonal finale that changes nightly but always ends the meal on a sweet, celebratory note.

What to savor: The Oyster Stew and Gulf Fish Provençal pair beautifully with a crisp white wine, while the Carbonnades à la Flamande invites a darker, malt-forward companion. A menu that feels tailor-made for the holidays, layered, luxurious, and unmistakably New Orleans.

MaMou
mamounola.com – 942 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, LA 70116
Nestled along North Rampart in the Lower French Quarter, MaMou offers a luxurious yet inviting take on Réveillon-style dining. Bright floral arrangements, art-nouveau accents, and the soft glow of candlelight welcome guests into a modern French brasserie infused with Louisiana warmth. Chef Tom Branighan blends classical French technique with subtle Creole notes, think cassoulet reimagined with red beans and couscous, or a delicate Poisson à la Florentine elevated with Gulf fish.

Owner and sommelier Molly Wismeier curates a wine and cocktail list that feels both festive and refined, each pairing enhancing the celebratory spirit of the season. During Réveillon, the dining room transforms into a feast of textures and flavors, a space where heritage meets innovation, and every plate feels like a toast to New Orleans itself. What to savor: Begin with the warm bread service and an artful cocktail. For the main course, try the seasonal fish or the timeless steak tartare with a holiday twist, and finish with a delicately spiced dessert that lingers long after the last bite. Reservations are highly recommended for this intimate gem.

Spicy Mango
spicymangonola.com – 405 Frenchmen St., New Orleans, LA 70116
At the heart of lively Frenchmen Street, Spicy Mango brings a tropical pulse to the New Orleans dining scene, where island spice meets Crescent City soul. The restaurant’s energy hums with warmth and color, the kind of place where music filters through the doors and the air carries the scent of grilled seafood and sweet heat. During the winter season, Spicy Mango offers its own brand of celebration, a gathering spot that radiates good cheer, flavor, and the spirit of togetherness that defines New Orleans dining.

Chefs craft a menu that dances between comfort and adventure, blending Caribbean flavors with a New Orleans sensibility. Favorites like the Fish Branzino, perfectly crisped and finished with citrus butter, and the Snapper, delicately seasoned with tropical spice, highlight the kitchen’s deft touch with fresh Gulf catch. The Jerk Chicken, smoky and tender, pairs beautifully with the restaurant’s signature Jerk Mac and Cheese, a rich, peppery indulgence that feels tailor-made for a cool evening. Together, these dishes offer warmth and celebration, making Spicy Mango a spirited stop for a seasonal dinner that feels both relaxed and special.

What to savor: Start with the Jerk Mac and Cheese, served bubbling and golden, then move to the Branzino or Snapper for a bright, coastal centerpiece. Pair your meal with a Mango Mojito or Rum Old Fashioned, and finish with a light, fruit-forward dessert for a meal that feels sun-kissed yet unmistakably New Orleans.