Dining

In a city that relishes its relics and shuns change (even minute modifications are often met with disdain!), the New Orleans food culture continues to undergo a metamorphosis, much like that of other great food destinations. While many of the grande dames of the Quarter, such as Antoine's, Galatoire's and Arnaud's, continue to maintain their noble stature, others are handing over the reigns, while others are simply calling it quits. Fortunately, the old adage "when one door closes, another door opens" holds true for the culinary industry, too.

It's Carnival time and you know what that means"... Chasing floats for a coveted Zulu coconut, tossing beads from a Bourbon Street balcony, jamming to high stepping marching bands are all in a day's work. Not to mention the endless, float-sized "to go" cocktails, late night Mardi Gras balls and lack of nutritionally sound food. Let's face it, man can not survive on Lucky Dogs and King Cake alone!

These days it seems as though the New Orleans food scene is changing more frequently than Molly Cyrus changes her hairstyle! Exciting new eateries appear to pop up virtually every day, chefs are shuffling from restaurant to restaurant and long-time favorites are expanding into unfamiliar territories. That being said, keeping up with this ongoing culinary evolution is challenging to say the least. We've orbited the Quarter and just beyond to bring you the latest endeavors in this one-of-a-kind New Orleans restaurant world.

NEW TO THE SCENE:

Festival season lures hundreds of thousands of visitors to New Orleans every year for a concentrated dose of the city's best music, food, art and culture. After long days and nights of soaking up New Orleans and dancing in our streets, sitting down to a full-blown meal in one of the city's top restaurants might not fit the bill. If you're looking for easy eats - great bar snacks, small plates and casual, local fare - head to these restaurants.

Killer Po-Boys at Erin Rose Bar (811 Conti, 504.252.6745)