Foods that are Worth the Hype

In New Orleans, food isn’t just a meal—it’s a celebration of our culture. Piping hot bowls of gumbo, po-boys stacked high with fillings, and beignets dusted in powdered sugar are just a few of the dishes that draw visitors from around the world. Discover the dishes that are truly worth the hype—and why locals never stop talking about them—below. 

Jump to: Traditional Foods | Twists on Classic Foods | Other Hype-Worthy Foods

Traditional New Orleans Foods 

These dishes are icons for a reason and loved as much by locals as they are by visitors.  

Gumbo 

Starting with a dark roux and often featuring chicken, andouille, seafood, or okra, gumbo is a must-try dish packed with tons of flavor.  

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Neyow’s Creole Cafe, Restaurant R’evolution, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant

Beignets 

Deep fried dough covered in mounds of powdered sugar: beignets are most like a donut yet so different. Often served in an order of three, beignets pair perfectly with a cup of café au lait or glass of milk. 

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Café du Monde, The Vintage 

Po-boys 

Originating during a streetcar strike in the late 1920s, the po-boy was made to support struggling workers. Today, find fillings with everything from fried seafood to roast beef. 

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Parkway Bakery & Tavern, Mahony’s, Domilise’s 

Pralines 

Pralines are a classic New Orleans candy made with sugar, milk, butter, and pecans. Enjoy the traditional or opt for a flavor such as chocolate, rum, coconut, or peanut butter. 

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Loretta’s, Aunt Sally’s 

Muffulettas

Meat lovers rejoice! A Sicilian specialty since the 1900s, the muffaletta is one heck of a sandwich, filled with ham, mortadella, salami, mozzarella, provolone, and olive salad. 

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Napoleon House, Central Grocery 

Red beans & rice 

What started as a Monday tradition is now an everyday staple: spiced beans are simmered low and slow and accompanied by jasmine rice and andouille sausage. 

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe, Liuzza’s by the Track, Joey K’s 

Bananas Foster 

Created at Brennan’s Restaurant, Bananas Foster is known for its dramatic tableside preparation, which includes bananas set ablaze by rum in a fiery burst known as flambé. 

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Brennan’s, Commander’s Palace 

Gulf Oysters 

It simply doesn’t get fresher than oysters straight from the Gulf to your plate, be it raw, fried, chargrilled, or baked. 

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Bourbon House, Fives, Maria’s Oyster Bar, Superior Seafood

Crawfish (seasonal) 

Crawfish boils are a tradition across Louisiana in the late winter and spring months. Red potatoes, corn on the cob, and andouille are boiled alongside the mudbugs and packed full of flavor. Though crawfish boils are seasonal, you can find crawfish tails in items like étouffée, pasta, sushi, and bread all year round. Find the best places to get boiled seafood here. 

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Hieux BOIL Seafood House, Clesi’s, Urban South Brewery, Bayou Beer Garden

King Cake (seasonal) 

Whether you like it traditional or unconventional, king cake season is here in abundance starting January 6. It’s considered bad luck by some to eat king cake out of season, but luckily for you it lasts until Mardi Gras Day. Check out some of our favorite king cakes here. 

Our Favorite Places to Get It: Haydel’s, Gambino’s, Manny Randazzo's

Creative Takes on Traditional New Orleans Foods 

These new takes on traditional classics will have your mouth watering and your stomach rumbling. 

Muffuletta Breadstick 

The muffuletta breadstick at Ayu Bakehouse weaves the star ingredients of the famous sandwich into a very portable wand of deliciousness. It’s a boatload of meats, cheeses, and olives encased in just enough dough to hold it all together. You can get it vegetarian as well. 

Gumbo Dumplings 

Sun Chong blends Asian and Louisiana flavors to create delicious bites, like the gumbo dumplings. Enjoy the steamed dumplings filled with New Orleans-style chicken and sausage gumbo with a seafood gumbo base. 

Lemongrass Fried Chicken Gumbo 

The lemongrass fried chicken gumbo at Palm&Pine is a new take on a New Orleans classic, combining Vietnamese and Creole flavors into one piping hot bowl of yum! This dish is made with a dark coconut roux, andouille from LaPlace, and lime leaf potato salad. Order it with a side of corn babies (buttermilk cornbread) for a crash-out worthy meal.

Crawfish Beignets 

Who said beignets must always be sweet? Copper Vine combines two of our most famous eats—beignets and crawfish—into a savory bite. Served with red pepper aioli and house pickles, you can order these alongside a seasonal curated wine flight for the ultimate Copper Vine experience. 

KFC Bao 

The KFC bao from Bao Mi is not only delicious, it’s award-winning! New Orleans is known for its fried chicken, and this dish has a Korean twist that delivers serious flavor: honey soy garlic chicken is dressed with cucumbers and mayo on pillow soft steamed buns.   

Other Viral Must-Try Foods That Live Up to the Hype 

These foods keep popping up on your social feed—and for a reason! Check out these drool-worthy dishes. 

Smothered Turkey Necks 

Café Reconcile is a workforce training program that empowers young people to pursue their potential. But you’d think these smothered turkey necks came right out of your grandmother’s kitchen! It’s a Friday special served with rice and gravy plus the choice of one side—but by the way the meat falls off the bone, you’ll want to set a calendar reminder for your chance to get a taste. 

Sweet Potato Cookie 

Loretta’s is known for their classic pralines available in a variety of flavors. More recently their praline beignets and crab beignets have gone viral. But we’re going to put you on to something else: the sweet potato cookies. The cookie is larger than your hand and features a generous dollop of sweet potato filling in the center. Delicious! 

Doubles 

“Vegan” and “drool-worthy” are not exclusive of each other when it comes to the doubles from Queen Trini Lisa. The dish is made of curried chickpeas between two turmeric flatbreads with chutney. Oh-so delicious. 

Sweet Heat Philly Roll  

Tsunami is a local’s favorite with happy hours almost daily and innovative sushi rolls. The sweet heat Philly roll features smoked salmon, cream cheese, and avocado, rolled in Doritos with a spicy, sweet chili drizzle.