20 Tips For A Food & Drink Experience In New Orleans
October 2009
Beverages:
- Take a Tales of the Cocktail walking tour. Did you know that strolling down the street with your Margarita in a plastic glass is perfectly legal here?
- Visit the Museum of the American Cocktail (inside the Southern Food and Beverage Museum) and learn about the New Orleans native Sazerac.
- Consider yourself more a wine connoisseur than a Sazerac imbiber? Drink it, buy it, and learn about it at Wino, get yourself a bit outside the quarter, to 610 Tchoupitoulas Street.
- Climb aboard a seat at the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone, sister hotel to the Bienville. Ride slowly around the bartenders under an authentic carousel top with its bright colors and blinking lights. OR snuggle into a banquette, knowing that Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote and Ernest Hemmingway got there first. The Monteleone has been recognized as a National Literary Landmark Hotel because of the long line of writers who stayed here.
Relax:
- Try your luck at Harrah’s huge casino adjoining the river.
- Drop into Preservation Hall or any one of a hundred or so French Quarter clubs for jazz.
- Take advantage of the ties between Bienville House and Monteleone to use the top floor, top rate gym facilities at the Monteleone. As you walk on the treadmill, you will be admiring the view over rooftops to the Mississippi River.
- Schedule a visit to the full-service Spa Aria at the Hotel Monteleone and let the masseuse soothe those up-tight muscles into a New Orleans frame of mind.
Food-Centric Party Time:
Schedule your getaway to coincide with one of New Orleanís famous food and drink festivals (Mardi Gras is not the ONLY one).
- French Quarter Festival (April) Food booths lining Jackson Square
- Jazz and Heritage Festival (late April-early May) Huge music festival spills over through NOLA with food and cultural events.
- Wine and Food Experience (May) Royal Street Walk from Monteleone Hotel down three blocks of Royal Street with bands and small groups playing, booths set up by fine restaurants and vintners. And the main event so big it fills the floor of the Super Dome. You can’t believe how much wine they are pouring!
- Tales of the Cocktail (July) Celebration of bartenders centered at the Monteleone Hotel.
Lagniappe (NOLA-speak for a little extra)
- Laissez le bons temps roullez at Mardi Gras!
The writer obtained some of the information for this article on a hosted press trip.
More about the Bienville Hotel on UpTake.
16 thoughts on “20 Tips For A Food & Drink Experience In New Orleans”
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Hi, It is nice to see…….
I like it.
No mention of early morning beignets at Cafe du Monde in the Quarter? Piles of beignets, covered in powdered sugar and a big hit of chicory coffee?
Oh, my, Kiwi, I DID mention Cafe du Monde and beignets and chicory coffee. Number Five! Don’t you see those powdered sugar sprinkles all over my jeans?
Highly recommend Preservation Hall, some of the best music ever. Must go, must hear the tunes!
Thanks Judy for the tip about Preservation Hall – will definitely check it out next time I am in NOLA!
Wow, this is some list! I’ve been to N.O. a few times, but next time I go, it’ll be a whole new experience with all this info – thanks!
Thanks Sheryl for checking out our new website – hope you come back often! We will be posting new stories each week. And don’t forget to try out our trip talk section – let us know about your girl getaways!
mmm, beignets my favorite food in the world! Thanks for tip about Cafe du Monde but we didn’t forget:) It’s # 5 on Vera’s list!
I’ve been to New Orleans a bunch of times and have always loved it. Next time I go, I’ll be armed with your list and it’ll be a whole new experience for me!
And Frugal, I’m with you on the Cafe du Monde and beignets – the best!
No fair, now I have this massive craving for beignets!
What a list! I’ve never been to New Orleans but feel like I need to. So much to do…thanks!
I have yet to visit ‘Nola, and I have to say I feel like there’s a hole in my life because of it. Must get out there!
I’ve never been to New Orleans, but I hope to visit someday and this gives me some great ideas!
I was just in New Orleans yesterday on a quick assignment and we ate at Mother’s. Not a girls’ getaway but a great local joint full of character and craziness!
Jennifer: I haven’t tried Mother’s, but have heard of it. Next time. And for those of you who haven’t been there–it indeed will steal your heart. Thanks for the outpouring of comments, everybody. New Orleans has that affect on people, doesn’t it?