Tops of the Town
OUR READERS’ PICKS
A couple of notes: to make the list, a choice had to have a significant number of votes; places without enough votes were eliminated. Categories without enough voters were also removed. Where there was evidence of ballot stuffing (and there wasn’t much) the votes were adjusted accordingly. We know that there are some significant places that didn’t make the list, nevertheless we’re confident that those that are listed are all worthy and are among the tops in their field.
Top Bloody Mary
Ruby Slipper Café
The Ruby Slipper Café’s selection of award winning Bloody Mary’s gives new meaning to the term “rise and shine.” Diners can choose between vodka, house made bacon-infused vodka, or tequila based bloody’s. Pair with the restaurant’s classic breakfast and brunch favorites at any of the city’s five locations (or three locations when in Baton Rouge, Pensacola or Orange Beach.) Therubyslippercafe.net.
King Cake
1. Nonna Randazzo’s Bakery
2. Manny Randazzo
3. Haydel’s Bakery
Fried Chicken
1. Popeye’s
2. Willie Mae’s Scotch House
Poor Boys
1. Parkway Bakery & Tavern
2. Parran’s Po-Boys
3. Domillise’s Po-Boy & Bar
Tacos
1. Superior Grill
2. Taqueria Corona
3. Juan’s Flying Burrito
Sushi
1. Tsunami
2. Sake Café
3. Rock N Sake
Wings
1. Hooters
Onion Rings
1. Mr. Ed’s Oyster House
2. Hooter’s
Pizza
1. Midway
1. Pi
3. Katie’s Restaurant
Snowballs
1. Sal’s Sno-Ball Stand
2. Hansen’s Sno-Bliz
3. Plum Street Snowballs
Local Grocery Store
1. Rouses
2. Dorignac’s
3. Langenstein’s
3. Zuppardo’s
Local Sandwich Shop
1. Stein’s Deli
2. World Deli
3. Francesca’s
Food Truck
1. Bona Fried
Places for Cajun
1. Mulate’s
2. Cajun Cookery
Places for Creole
1. Creole Cookery
Middle Eastern
1. Saba
1. Byblos
2. Lebanon Cafe
Top Sushi
Tsunami
Tsunami Sushi, located in the CBD, has quickly become one of New Orleans’ favorite places for creative sushi rolls, traditional sashimi and grilled items, along with daily specials, hot sake and desserts. Servingsushi.com.
Italian
1. Vincent’s
2. Red Gravy
3. Venezia
Japanese
1. Hoshun
1. Mikimoto
Chinese
1. Five Happiness
2. Little China Town
Vietnamese
1. Pho NOLA
2. Hoshun
Thai
1. La Thai
2. Banana Blossom
Korean
1. Little Korea BBQ
Indian
1. Saffron NOLA
2. Taj Mahal
Mexican/Southwest
1. Superior Grill
2. El Gato Negro
2. Taqueria Corona
Tapas
1. Saba
2. Avo
2. Baru
Steakhouse
1. Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse
2. Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
2. Mr. John’s Steakhouse
Burgers
1. Company Burger
Hot Dogs
1. Dat Dog
2. Lucky Dog
Gumbo
1. Mulate’s
2. Commander’s Palace
2. Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop
Turtle Soup
1. Commander’s Palace
Coffee House
1. PJ’s
Coffee House For Food
1. PJ’s
2. District Donuts
Dessert Menu
1. Commander’s Palace Sweet Shop
1. Sucre
2. Angelo Brocato
3. Maple Street Patisserie
Ice Cream/Gelato Shop
1. Angelo Brocato
2. Creole Creamery
Place for Seafood
1. Mr. Ed’s Seafood
Place for Raw Oysters
1. Acme Oyster House
2. Drago’s
Barbecue Shrimp
1. Pascal’s Manale
Top Restaurant
1. Commander’s Palace
Top Restaurant in 2018
1. Saba
Restaurant Worth the Drive
1. Middendorf’s
2. Zydeco’s
Top Local Sandwich Shop
Stein’s Deli
Imagine bringing together the best New York bagel shop, Jewish deli and Italian eatery and sprinkle liberally with New Orleans laissez faire attitude and you have Stein’s Market And Deli. Steins serves up customers with cured meats, cheeses, and fully loaded sandwich creations in the lower garden district, as well as attracting a dedicated following of those who drive across town specifically for their loaded specialty sandwiches. Steinsdeli.com.
Top Vietnamese
Pho NOLA
Pho Nola puts a local twist on its traditional dishes; check out “NOLA Combination” Banh Mi Po-Boy that will give any traditional roast beef poor boy a run for its money. Pho-nola.com.
Caterer
1. Joel Catering World Deli Pigeon Catering
Outdoor Dining
1. Avo
2. Broussard’s
Fine Dining
1. Commander’s Palace Power Lunch
1. Galatoire’s Commander’s Palace
Neighborhood Restaurant
1. Katie’s Restaurant
Margarita
1. Superior Grill
1. El Gato Negro
Sports Bar
1. Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant
Dive Bar
1. Snake & Jake’s
2. Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant
Hotel Bar
1. Carousel Bar
Local Beer
1. Abita
2. Dixie
Happy Hour
1. Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant
Craft Cocktail Bar
1. Cure
French Bread
1. Leidenheimer
2. Maple Street Patisserie
Vegetarian Dishes
1. Byblos
2. Sala
Breakfast
1. Ruby Slipper Café
Brunch
1. Red Gravy
Buffet
1. Court of Two Sisters
Late Night Dining
1. Hoshun
Live Music
1. House of Blues
2. Tipitina’s
Live Theater
1. Southern Rep
2. Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre
Radio
1. WWL
2. WWOZ
3. Magic 101
Carnival Parade
1. Endymion
State Festival
1. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
2. Sugar Festival
New Orleans Festival
1. French Quarter Festival
2. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Museum
1. New Orleans Museum of Art
2. National WWII Museum
Art Gallery
1. Gallery Osborne
2. Newcomb Gallery
Top Hot Dogs
Dat Dog
The Hawaiian-shirt sporting Dat Dog team have been providing hot dogs with all, and we do mean ALL, the fixins’ since 2011. Since then, that first solo restaurant on Freret Street has grown to a doggone dynasty, with five locations across New Orleans, in Lafayette and College Station, Texas. Datdog.com.
Bookstore
1. Barnes and Noble
2. French Library
Antiques
1. M.S. Rau Antiques
2. Keil’s Antiques
Furniture Store
1. Compass Furniture Lawn/Garden Store
1. Perino’s
2. Jefferson Feed, Pet & Garden
Place to Gamble
1. Harrah’s Casino
Place to Buy Liquor and Wine
1. Martin Wine Cellar
2. Dorignac’s
Top Bank
1. Iberia Bank
2. Fidelity Bank
3. Regions Bank
Top Realtor
1. Robert Ripley
2. Steve Bean
Top Hotel
1. Royal Sonesta
2. Windsor Court
3. Ritz-Carlton
Bed And Breakfast
1. Degas House
2. Terell House
Golf Course
1. TPC
2. Bayou Oaks at City Park
Gym
1. Orange Theory
Yoga/Pilates Studio
1. NOLA Pilates
Fitness Studio
1. Orange Theory
Day Spa
1. Woodhouse Day Spa
2. EarthSavers Spa + Store
3. Chronos Body Health Wellness
Dry Cleaner
1. Young’s Dry Cleaning
1. One Cleaners
Men’s Clothing Store
1. Rubensteins
2. Perlis
Womens’ Boutique
1. Bra Genie
2. A. Renee Boutique
Children’s Boutique
1. Auraluz
Local Shoe Store
1. Good Feet Store
Local Jeweler
1. Aucoin Hart
Wedding Dress
1. Wedding Belles
2. Bliss Bridal
Gulf Coast Getaway
1. Beau Rivage
Gulf Coast Hotel
1. Beau Rivage
2. Scarlet Pearl
Local Charity
1. LA SPCA
2. Real Men Wear Pink
Local Craft Brewery
1. Abita
2. Urban South
Top 2018 Restaurant
Top Middle Eastern
Top Tapas
Saba
Chef Alon Shaya’s restaurant Saba, the first launch for his own Pomegranate Hospitality Group, attracts guests who are looking to share a home-cooked, modern Israeli menu that is inspired-with a New Orleans twist. Warm and inviting, the menu, which recently grew to include lunch, dinner and a brunch menu is the perfect place for families, date night, and fun with friends Uptown. Eatwithsaba.com.
