Where to Find New Orleans’s Most Iconic Dishes

Perhaps more than anywhere else in the country, New Orleans is a city characterized by iconic foods. Po’ boys, jambalaya, gumbo, beignets — these dishes define New Orleans cuisine and culture to the outside world. Many also serve as part of a restaurant’s identity and lore, like the gumbo z’herbes at Dooky Chase or turtle soup at Commander’s Palace. This guide outlines where to find the city’s most iconic dishes, in some cases because it’s their birthplace — like bananas Foster at Brennan’s, barbecue shrimp at Pascal’s Manale, and a muffuletta at Central Grocery — and other instances because it’s simply one of the best versions made today.

For specific iconic New Orleans dishes, see Eater’s guides to the city’s essential spots for po’ boys, muffulettas, gumbo, beignets, and sno-balls. And for a complete visitors’ guide to Crescent City dining, check out An Eater’s Guide to New Orleans.