It's Gumbo Season!
It’s King Cake Time in New Orleans!
It’s time to bring on the music, dance, and celebrate, and don’t forget to leave plenty of room for king cake!
New Orleans Thanksgiving: Add Some Remoulade
Whether it’s a starter of oyster soup, a side of jambalaya, or a delicious remoulade sauce to top off your favorite dish, you’re sure to have more than enough to eat when you celebrate Thanksgiving NOLA style.
Tips for a Safer Holiday Gathering
If you choose to get together with family and friends this holiday season, ensure you follow these helpful tips to do so as safely as possible.
New Orleans Thanksgiving: Try Some Étouffée
Whether it’s a starter of oyster soup, a side of jambalaya, or a hearty helping of our featured New Orleans favorite, étouffée, you’re sure to have more than enough to eat when you celebrate Thanksgiving NOLA style.
New Orleans Thanksgiving: Start with Muffulettas
Whether it’s a starter of oyster soup or a tray of our featured New Orleans favorite, muffulettas, you’re sure to have more than enough to eat when you celebrate Thanksgiving NOLA style.
New Orleans Thanksgiving: A Side of Jambalaya
When it comes to food, no one does it better than New Orleans.
To Beignet or Not To Beignet: The History of One of NOLA’s Favorite Foods
There's nothing quite like the irresistible smell and doughy goodness of the classic New Orleans beignet; just make sure you don't laugh or sneeze as you take a bite, or you and your fellow beignet lovers will be covered with powdered sugar. These popular NOLA goodies have been around for ages, and they are undoubtedly one of the foods for which New Orleans is best known.
Are You Ready To Fall for New Orleans?
Whether you’re a seasoned visitor, staycation-loving local, or a first-timer to the Big Easy, you’re sure to fall for NOLA when you stay in the heart of the city.
Dining in New Orleans During COVID-19
A closer look at COOLinary participants: GW Fins, Tommy’s Cuisine, Haiku Sushi and Bar, and Atchafalaya Restaurant
Dining in New Orleans During COVID-19
A closer look at COOLinary participants: The Bower, The Commissary, Annunciation Restaurant, and Coterie Restaurant and Oyster Bar
COOLinary in August Keeps Cooking in New Orleans
COVID-19 has changed how we do things in New Orleans, but it definitely hasn’t changed the fact that the Big Easy has some of the most incredible cuisine on the planet. For years, NOLA has been indulging in a fabulous culinary tradition to support local restaurants during the slow summer months, known as COOLinary.
Guide to Crawfish Season in New Orleans
Crawfish is a staple of Louisiana culture and cuisine, and its peak season is early March through mid-June. Crawfish boils and fests celebrate the mini lobster in all its forms, whether as etouffee, pie or boiled.
Breakfast Spots in New Orleans for Early Risers
Are you an early riser? Don’t delay the most important meal of the day! While there are diners open 24/7 across the French Quarter, let’s suppose you want a breakfast meal that starts with a clean slate. Check out these breakfast spots around the French Quarter during your stay at Hotel St. Pierre, open especially for the early birds.
New Orleans Crawfish Season Guide
Are you a fan of seafood, spicy foods, or classic New Orleans foods? If so, don't miss your chance to try boiled crawfish! Our New Orleans Crawfish Season Guide tells you everything you need to know to take part in this seasonal culinary tradition.
Café Au Lait & Beignets: A New Orleans Treat
Beignets paired with café au lait (pronounced "o-LAY") is specific to New Orleans, and made a Nola staple at Café du Monde. Not really sure about what it’s all about? Here’s some background on the chicory in your coffee or why a beignet at 3 a.m. is the perfect sugary treat.
Gumbo is consumed year-round in Louisiana, but it really hits the spot when the temperatures are a little cooler. Made of a mix of protein, whether from the sea or land, a thick roux, and the “holy trinity” of all Louisiana cuisine – celery, bell pepper and onion – many compare gumbo’s mix of ingredients to the complexity of the south.
Gumbo is certainly a hodge-podge of cultures, made up of the culinary pickings from across the globe. “Gumbo” comes from the African Bantu word for okra, “nkombo.” Gumbo is typically thickened with either okra or filé. Never heard of filé? It’s a Native American cooking powder, made up of dried and ground sassafras leaves. Then there’s the roux, which comes from France and other places in Central Europe.
Best of all, there’s no “right way” to make gumbo. Gumbo’s just about as ambiguous as food comes. You can make it with sausage and chicken, duck, squirrel, or rabbit. Or, make it a seafood gumbo, with shrimp, crawfish, crab meat, and fish. You can toss in andouille sausage. Make a vegetarian gumbo, or a vegan gumbo if you feel compelled. It can be thick or thin. It’s versatile for any palette and best served with rice.
Want to eat like a local? Read our blog, your guide for the best New Orleans eats.