18 August 2023
Food from Sofia, Billy Blatty’s first partnership with Denver-based Creative Culinary Group. | Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA
Plus, a French Truck shop unionizes, parklets dodge shut down, and more news to know
New Orleans nightlife and restaurant veteran, Billy Blatty, has three new restaurants in the works, two of which are Denver imports resulting from Blatty’s merger with the Denver-based Culinary Creative Group. One, called Mister Oso, will replace Barcadia and the other, called A5 Steakhouse, is a Japanese steakhouse moving into an apartment building on Carondelet Street downtown. Both will have Colorado chefs at the helm. A third project is a “culinary park” set for Freret Street to include three shipping container food stalls, a bar, and an outdoor space with swings, ping pong tables, fire pits, and other games. Blatty first partnered with the group in 2019 to open Sofia in the Warehouse District.
French Truck French Quarter unionizes
The workers at French Truck coffee shop in the French Quarter (217 Chartres Street) have filed for union recognition with the Teamsters. “We are fighting for a livable wage and a workplace that takes diversity and disability seriously,” the workers wrote in an announcement. The workers follow in the footsteps of Starbucks employees at both the Maple Street and Poydras Street locations, and expect corporate to begin negotiations soon.
Parklets dodge new rules for now
Two weeks after the city alerted several Bywater and Marigny bars and restaurants to shut down their parklets by the end of the month, City Council member Freddie King says he is working with the city to delay enforcement, reports Gambit. The update follows a community meeting and the results of an online questionnaire that indicated nearly three out of four respondents were in favor of parklets. King says he will work with the city to amend the new rules in a way that allows the current parklets to continue to exist.
Francolini’s introduces online ordering, delivery, and new hours
New Orleans’s popular new Italian deli, Francolini’s, has had a big week, a little a month after opening. First, it introduced online ordering (which may not be available during peak hours), then, third-party delivery via DoorDash, and finally, reintroduced what should be the shop’s permanent hours: Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.