Nora in Nola: A Day on Magazine Street

Nora in Nola: A Day on Magazine Street

As we all know, Magazine street is one of the best parts of New Orleans. Each time people ask me for restaurant recommendations, it's my "go to" - but there are so many options that it's even hard to narrow down my list of recommendations. So I've put together my favorite options so you can spend a lovely day on Magazine street filled with food, shopping, and happy hours - even on a student budget. Enjoy!

Breakfast/Brunch

Surrey's Cafe and Juice Bar, 1418 Magazine st.

Surrey's is one of my favorite brunch places in New Orleans. My favorite dishes include Bananas Foster French Toast ($9) and Huevos Rancheros ($7.75). They also have good sandwiches (including poboys!) and salads in case you're having a late brunch. Their juice bar is definitely a savior after a day of traveling or not eating healthily for a few days.

Check out the menu here: http://menuorleans.com/surreys-cafe-juice-bar

Bananas Foster French Toast - too good to be true

Another Broken Egg Cafe, 2917 Magazine st.

Another Broken Egg Cafe has the best Eggs Benedict I've ever had! You can get the classic, but there's also great variations including one with smoked salmon on a bagel and other with crab cakes! You can easily spend $15 and under on the meal, and the portions are great sizes. I also highly recommend the blueberry grits and the biscuit beignets. If you have to wake up early for breakfast, this is the place to do it.

Check out the menu here: http://www.anotherbrokenegg.com/menu

 

District: Donuts. Sliders. Brew., 2209 Magazine st.

If you are ever going to eat a donut, this is absolutely the place to do it. If you follow any Nola foodie on Instagram, Facebook, etc, I guarantee there is at least one picture of District Donuts. The amazing donuts are enough to fill you for a whole day, but if you're not full, you can wash it down with a slider and coffee. The donuts are categorized by "simple", "fancy", and "extra fancy" - for no more than $3. I've had too many to remember, but my favorites have been Boston Cream Pie, Wedding Cake, Mexican Hot Chocolate and Vietnamese Iced Coffee and Maple Sriracha. Seriously. So. Good.

Check it out here: http://www.donutsandsliders.com/menu/

Nutella mousse with caramelized bananas

Lunch

Dat Dog, 3336 Magazine st.

Now I've never been a huge fan of hot dogs, but these gourmet hot dogs are completely different (and better!) than any others. You get to choose which "dog" you want (beef, pork, smoked sage vegan, chipotle veggie, veggie patty, Guinness, italian, turducken, duck, crawfish, alligator, slovenian sausage, bratwurst, kielbasa, and fish) and then load it up with as many toppings as you like! They also have amazing fries - chili, cheese, and even crawfish! The hot dogs are less than $8 - an amazing deal for a lot of food! They also have a happy hour and outdoor seating, so it's a great place to go when the weather is nice!

Check it out: http://datdognola.com/

Magasin Vietnamese Cafe, 4201 Magazine st.

If there's one place to get Pho in New Orleans, this is the spot. They range from between $7-12 each and are enough to fill you for the rest of the day. I also recommend the vermicelli noodle dishes and the Vietnamese crepe. It's a great option to have a lighter meal in between a heavy brunch and another heavy dinner. It even won an "Eat Fit Nola" for having so many menu options under 500 calories!

Check out the menu: http://magasin-cafe.wl-6548.happytables.com/content/uploads/sites/6518/2015/01/2014-November-Magasin-Menu_final.pdf

Del Fuego, 4518 Magazine st.

Del Fuego is fairly new to Nola, but has already achieved a lot of success. Their guacamole is to die for - seriously, my mom and I had 3 helpings before our entrees came. They have a taco deal (3 for $12 with yummy sides) with options from chicken, steak, goat and pork to even cactus! Their burritos are also fantastic and last over 2 meals. Del Fuego is definitely now one of my favorite restaurants and the best Mexican restaurant in the city. They even have a great happy hour from 3-7 as well!

Probably the best guacamole I've ever had

Happy hour and Dinner

Rum House, 3128 Magazine st.

Rum House is one of the all time best places to eat in New Orleans. Its Latin/Caribbean food appeals to even the pickiest of eaters. I'd recommend the Queso Blanco Dip ($6.75), Damn Good Nachos ($12.95), and the following tacos: Jerk Chicken, Lamb Vindaloo, Calypso Beef and Fried Oyster. The tacos are only $3-4 each, but you can get 3 with 2 sides for only $12! Although there is usually a wait, I guarantee Rum House is absolutely worth it and you'll be surrounded by Tulane students as well! Taco Tuesday ($2 each) and Happy Hour (which they call "Island time") are opportunities that Tulane students love to take advantage of. 

Check out the menu here: http://www.rumhousenola.com/food-menu/

Peche Seafood Grill, 800 Magazine st.

Peche is also new to New Orleans, and already a huge hit - since this summer, it's already won lots of major awards. I brought my parents and it was one of the best meals we've ever had here. We shared a whole grilled fish, fried bread with sea salt, roasted carrots, and hushpuppies. This is definitely a restaurant to bring your parents to as it isn't exactly ideal for a student's budget, but the meal is completely worth it. Be sure to make reservations, as it's now one of Nola's hottest spots!

Check out the menu here: http://www.pecherestaurant.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Peche-Menu-2-11-2015.pdf

Whole grilled redfish - a Nola classic!

Salú, 3226 Magazine st.

Salú is my "go to" for birthday dinners. Between amazing paellas (don't make the mistake my friend did and try to eat it alone, it's meant for 4!), sweet and savory (including Nutella) flatbreads and delicious tapas, you can't go wrong. They also have my favorite happy hour deals on Magazine: Thursday nights you get a free bottle of wine with a paella, and every day between 4-7 there's half priced drinks, mussels and flatbreads. They also have amazing brunch deals, including bottomless mimosas for $15. Like I said - you can't go wrong.

Check out their menu: http://www.salurestaurant.com/menu/index.html

Don't be fooled - this is only the half portion

Good luck and happy eating!