Essential New Orleans Restaurants

This is not a list of the best New Orleans restaurants. It is not a top ten or greatest hits list, either. I have lived in cities where political dogfights, sex scandals and earthquakes generated less heated discussion than the debate over the "best" in food in New Orleans -- whether it's in fine dining, a bowl of red beans, or okra versus filé in a gumbo.

These are New Orleans' dining essentials -- restaurants that anyone visiting or living in this city should dine in at least once (although preferably more). These restaurants illustrate the long, lively history of eating in this city, from the grand old dining rooms serving fine French-Creole cuisine to the new generation of restaurants making their mark on New Orleans' culinary landscape.

And, by the way… this list also includes some of the very best restaurants in the city.

-- By Colleen Rush, NewOrleans.com Food Editor