Hidden Gems in New Orleans

Blogger: Michael Marchese

Hometown: Irvine, CA

Email: mmarches@tulane.edu

So you’ve already eaten at Café du Monde, strolled through Audubon Park, and had your photo taken in front of St. Louis Cathedral. New Orleans certainly has a ton of great tourist destinations, but once all those bases have been covered, where can a new NOLA resident go to blend in with the locals and experience some true New Orleans gems? Luckily, I’m here to answer that question for you with a list of my own favorite “Hidden Gems in New Orleans.”

1.     Coop’s Place

This restaurant and bar on lower Decatur in the French Quarter has all the makings of a true New Orleans hole-in-the-wall.  The dining experience which awaits the customers willing to brave the sketchy exterior and intimidatingly long line is absolutely worth the wait. In my opinion, the rabbit jambalaya served here is second to none, even the plates served at the city’s ritzier establishments. The shrimp creole and fried chicken are also some of the best I’ve had, so try the combo plate and get all three, plus red beans and rice. Coop’s Place’s low prices, authentic ambience, and high quality local cuisine make this local favorite stand out in a city that’s known for its food.

 

2.     Oak Street

Because most tourists generally don’t make it very far outside of the French Quarter, I consider all of Oak Street upriver from Carrolton to be a “hidden gem.” That’s because this street has recently become a gentrified avenue of trendy clothing stores, coffee shops, local and international cuisine, and bars featuring some of the city’s best live musical performances. Jacques-Imo’s is a Tulane favorite for creole and Cajun specialties, especially during parents’ weekend and around graduation. Squeal and Cowbell offer fantastic barbeque and burgers for all you meat lovers, and Zotz and Rue de la Course both offer great coffee (and a great place to study). During the fall semester, the street comes alive for Po-Boy Fest, a street fair honoring New Orleans’ favorite sandwich.

 

3.     La Crêpe Nanou

For a classy night out on a college student’s budget, this is the place to go. Perfect for date night or celebrating the end of finals with your friends, La Crepe Nanou offers French cuisine in a beautiful art nouveau building located in the Garden District, not far from campus. The Crepe Bourgogne and the Ratatouille are my favorites, but the menu boasts provincial cuisine for a wide range of palettes, including daily seafood specials. A friendly orange cat greets those waiting outside for a table every night, and local art depicting nearby antebellum mansions grace the walls.

 

4.     Piazza d’Italia

This large public space located on Poydras Street in the Central Business District is even unknown to most New Orleanians. A celebration of the city’s Italian heritage and the various architectural styles which were pioneered on the Italian peninsula, this plaza was hailed as a postmodern masterpiece even before its completion in the 1970s. Even after its restoration in 2004, it’s not a popular spot; every time I’ve wandered in, I’ve been the only visitor, and have had free reign of the fountains and gardens to myself. However, it’s a beautiful plaza, and in my opinion deserving of more attention and use.

Have you found these gems yet, and do you agree that they’re worth the search? Are there any gems that you think I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments!