Dining out is easy for solo travelers in New Orleans. With a city as friendly as the food is delicious, we’ve got plenty of restaurants suitable for dining alone. Truthfully, any restaurant in New Orleans welcomes solo diners, but we’ve hand-picked a few that stand out.

Dakar NOLA

Chef Serigne Mbaye invites diners of all party sizes to his nightly seven-course tasting menu. Several dishes are observed family-style to bring strangers, acquaintances, and loved ones together through authentic Senegalese cuisine. Dining as a party of one may ensure you a reservation at this hot new restaurant with a tough-to-get reservation.

Mosquito Supper Club

At the Mosquito Supper Club, every dish is served family-style. Enjoy listening to stories from Chef Melissa M. Martin’s rural Louisiana upbringing while dining communally on Cajun cuisine. You’re bound to strike up an interesting conversation with the person seated next to you.

Coquette

Situated on the edge of the Garden District and Irish Channel with a dark dining room and ornate bar, Coquette is great for solo diners wanting a taste of French cuisine. Cozy up to the bar and order a specialty cocktail.

St. Roch Market

Food halls are perfect for the solo diner. With so many different cuisines to choose from, plus open seating indoors and a patio outdoors, you’ll quickly feel right at home at this spot in the Bywater. Many people perch up with a book while enjoying coffee, oysters, wings, and cocktails.

Sylvain

As a modern Southern bistro located in the historic French Quarter, Sylvain offers a distinct ambiance in addition to regional flavors. The intimate dining room and courtyard, as well as the bar offers diners a cozy space to chow down on fried chicken sandwiches and Zapp’s-potato-chip-crusted drum.

Manolito

New Orleans meets Cuban cuisine at Manolito in the French Quarter. Enjoy Cuban sandwiches and shrimp ceviche, plus a litany of cocktails and beverages while dining at the bar or upstairs in the mezzanine.

Queen Trini Lisa 

As a native of Trinidad & Tobago, Lisa Nelson, better known as Queen Trini Lisa, serves her sought-after cuisine at her off-the-beaten-path restaurant in Mid-City. Stop by for authentic Caribbean cuisine, including doubles, a famous Trinidadian street food. The casual atmosphere is perfect for solo diners.

Lilly’s Café

Lilly’s Café is the spot for phở, bánh mì, and other Vietnamese dishes in Uptown New Orleans. Dine during lunch hours and you’ll see many others grabbing a quick tasty bite.

Sweet Soulfood

Think soul food has to be bad for you? Think again. At Sweet Soulfood, Southern staples are given vegan makeovers. Stop in for lunch and order your choice of cornbread dressing, jambalaya, Shepard’s pie, red beans, stuffed pepper, and more­–all vegan.

Sukeban

Inspired by Japan’s small informal bars known as “izakaya,” Sukeban specializes in temaki hand rolls utilizing incredibly fresh ingredients in a sleek (and tiny) space. It’s dinner and a show—grab a seat at the bar and watch as your meal is prepared right before your eyes. And while they don’t take reservations, you can call ahead and check on wait times (or put your name on the list).

Heard Dat Kitchen

At this casual restaurant serving decadent dishes like BBQ shrimp fries and crawfish mac, dining solo is no problem—you’ll want to try everything at Heard Dat Kitchen. Go for a signature dish like the Superdome: blackened fish topped with mashed potatoes and lobster cream sauce.

Union Ramen

Union Ramen is a modern take on traditional Japanese ramen noodles in a sleek atmosphere. Order the Original Tori, a poultry-based ramen noodle soup packed with flavor.

Arabella Casa di Pasta

This Italian hotspot is all about creating your own pasta dishes in single-serving sizes, perfect for solo diners. Pick your pasta, pick your sauce, and choose your destiny.

The Elysian Bar

Located inside Hotel Peter and Paul, the Elysian Bar is a work of art. Imaginative patterns, tiled floors, and a large, carved bar make this place dreamy. Grab a cocktail and sit inside or out, soaking in the beauty around you. Enjoy dining on small plates in the afternoon hours and decadent delights for dinner.

Kuro

From the sushi chef at Shogun comes this new restaurant. The specialty is dressed nigiri, with fish pressed into rice and a dash of sauces, making colorful plates out of tuna, salmon, snapper, and scallops. The set-up allows you to watch the chefs as they work, lending to a delicious and entertaining dining experience, perfect for solo dining.

Fives

Housed in a small, inviting space on St. Ann Street in Jackson Square’s Lower Pontalba building, Fives is the perfect stop after a day full of exploring the French Quarter. Specializing as a raw bar, Fives has oysters, caviar, beef tartare, and tuna crudo. Enjoy martinis, wine by the glass, or a New Orleans classic cocktail with your meal.

Bar Pomona

Imagine the perfect fusion of a wine bar and a jam shop – that's Bar Pomona for you! Picture this: shelves lined with an array of natural and small-production wines hailing from Italy, South America, California, and beyond. And the magic doesn't stop there. Pair your selections with their tantalizing array of delicious foods and sweets. The inviting environment welcomes solo diners.

The Chloe Restaurant & Bar

Perfectly placed along scenic St. Charles Avenue, The Chloe Restaurant & Bar is the perfect spot for people-watching. Enjoy a cool cocktail on the front patio, porch, or out by the pool. The Chloe offers a boutique hotel stay, if you’re feeling like going on a solo vacation.

La Petite Grocery

From blue crab beignets to panéed rabbit, La Petite Grocery knows how to entertain. You'll want to come hungry and take a seat at the bar to enjoy your culinary feast.