Family Ties
Emeril Lagasse and E.J. Lagasse
Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse owns multiple restaurants in the city. In 2023, his rising star son, E.J., took the helm of his flagship, Emeril’s. The family also recently opened 34, a buzzy Portuguese restaurant and bar on Baronne Street.
On a day off work, where can you be found in New Orleans?
E.J. Lagasse: “I like to go for coffee and beignets at Morning Call, located in City Park, near the sculpture garden and the New Orleans Museum of Art. It’s a fun way to start the day. I’ll have dinner at Saint-Germain, which is owned by my friends Trey Smith and Blake Aguillard. Later, I’ll swing into Tipitina’s for live music and maybe have a nightcap at 34.”
Emeril Lagasse: “I’m a big football fan, so if it’s Saints season, I’ll likely be at the Superdome watching a game with family and friends. Or my wife and I will have dinner at one of the many amazing restaurants here in the city, from the legendary Commander’s Palace to newer restaurants like Acamaya in the Bywater.”
Where do you go to find fun?
E.J.: “You don’t have to go far—there’s always so much going on here! I’m a big fan of the Pelicans and the Saints, so I’ll be there if they have a game going on. I’ll also visit Frenchmen Street to walk around and listen to music. It’s always lively.”
Your favorite hidden gem?
Emeril: “Not as hidden as it used to be, but one of my longtime favorites for Vietnamese food is Pho Tau Bay on Tulane Avenue. I’m also a fan of Dian Xin for Hong Kong–style soup dumplings in the French Quarter.”
Through His Lens
Lolis Eric Elie
The filmmaker and writer Lolis Eric Elie was born in New Orleans and now lives in Los Angeles. He wrote for the hit HBO series Treme, and coproduced and wrote the PBS documentary Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans. When he’s back in his hometown he’ll be sure to:
Start strong: “Lagniappe means ‘a little something extra,’ and I love Lagniappe Bakehouse. When Kaitlin Guerin created her bakery, she wanted to reflect her New Orleans roots with that name. People used to say that New Orleans was too humid to make great croissants, but Kaitlin has nailed it. She stuffs them with local Vaucresson’s sausage.”
Break for beignets: “I urge people to consider the Morning Call location near City Park for beignets and coffee. One of the things I love: They have a big pail of hot milk and a big pail of coffee and they make your café au lait by mixing the two, and it’s a beautiful experience to watch. Order the beignets, and bottom line, be careful. All that powdered sugar? Folks with experience know how to not get too badly damaged, but the first time, you’re going to walk out with a powdered sugar mustache.”
Hear music: “Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro has got the best vocal talent, and you’ll hear New Orleans greats there. It’s small, it’s intimate, and the tourists who are there, alongside the locals, are serious about music.”
Celebrate seafood: “Porgy’s Seafood Market is a real neighborhood spot, and I like how owner Marcus Jacobs is doing a mix between a traditional market and a small restaurant with great po’boys. I love their boiled seafood, barbecue fish plate, and salads topped with grilled fish.”
Dinner with the greats: “Dakar NOLA does two things that are very important to me: It reminds me of the African origins of Creole cuisine, and it reminds us all that ‘fancy’ cuisine is only fancy because professional chefs have refined home cooking. Chef Serigne Mbaye demonstrates that African cuisine can be as innovative, as visually appealing, and as tasty as any other fine dining cuisine.”
Culinary Light
Nini Nguyen
Born and raised in New Orleans by Vietnamese immigrants, Nini Nguyen brought layers of flavor to her first cookbook, Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook. She competed on Top Chef as well as Top Chef: All-Stars, and still calls New Orleans home.
A perfect day in New Orleans looks like: “I’d start with a pastry at Ayu Bakehouse, then head over to Pond Coffee to enjoy it with a coffee in their beautiful glassware. For lunch, Pêche is hard to beat. If it’s a Thursday, I’d swing by the farmers market on the Lafitte Greenway for a little afternoon browsing. Dinner would depend on my mood—Paladar 511, Houston’s, or Clancy’s. And if I’m up for a nightcap, it’s either Barrel Proof or Cure.”
Best place for a walk: “The Fly at Audubon park. I love bringing my dog here because it’s one of the few spots where they can roam off leash. Walking along the levee, you get these amazing views of the Mississippi River.”
Neighborhood you wish more people knew about: “Algiers Point. It’s such a charming, historic area—one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. There’s something magical about it, and there are some hidden gems waiting to be explored.”
Secret hideaway: “Bouligny Tavern. They make my favorite martini in the city, and I love their fries! They’re open pretty late, so it’s my go-to for a solo treat, a quiet place to get some work done, or just to unwind.”
Favorite family-run spot: “Mosca’s Restaurant, out on the West Bank. Going there always feels like a celebration—it’s a whole experience. But for something I crave more often, Dong Phuong Bakery is a family-run gem where I just love to eat.”
A good souvenir or gift: “Smoked sausage or boudin are my go-tos! Teet’s smoked sausage or Billy’s boudin from Lafayette are top-notch, but Rouses carries some fantastic locally made smoked sausages too.”
And All That Jazz
Jeremy Davenport
Renowned trumpeter and jazz musician Jeremy Davenport moved to New Orleans in 1989, “just for six months,” he said. Fast-forward to 2025 and Davenport is celebrating, along with The Ritz-Carlton, his twenty-fifth anniversary playing at the hotel’s Davenport Lounge. The hotel opened in 2000 and named the lounge after Davenport in 2006. Two of his band members have been with him from the very start. When he’s not playing there (every Wednesday through Saturday), find him:
Taking a stroll: “I always tell people, If you’re going to see New Orleans, either do it by bicycle or foot,” Davenport says. “You miss so much if you just do a bus tour or someone drives you around. You really have to walk it, if you’re able, of course.” He often starts his strolls at the Canal Streetcar Line, making sure to dodge any oncoming trolleys. He then makes his way to the Mississippi River, where he joins and follows a path that spills into the French Quarter. Exploring the Quarter is easy, he says, because it’s all on a grid. “If you get lost in the French Quarter, you know you’ve had too much to drink.”
Coffee break: “My latest obsession is French Truck Coffee for an iced latte.” With multiple locations across the Big Easy, like on Magazine Street, Canal Street, and Chartres Street, a quick caffeine boost at French Truck is right around the corner.
Shops: On a run or walk, he might stop into Rubensteins, a men’s apparel store, and Adler’s, a jewelry store, both of which have been open for at least a century. “These two families have been in these two same stores for generations,” Davenport says. “And I’m sure every city might have that kind of lineage, but I know these people personally, and they’re just wonderful.”
Two types of restaurants: “Fancy and not fancy.” Some of Davenport’s favorite lunch spots include Dooky Chase, Li’l Dizzy’s, and Mr. B’s Bistro, all of which are a short walk from the Ritz. His guilty pleasure is “fried shrimp at Deanie’s. That’s the ultimate fried food experience. I have to limit myself because I want to live a long and prosperous life,” he says with a chuckle.
Special night out: Perhaps no other restaurant impresses Davenport more than Emeril’s. “It’s really inspiring to see that kind of creativity; it’s just beautiful to see it happen,” Davenport says. “Emeril and E.J. are including the elements of traditional New Orleans cooking, but just taking it to the total next level.”
Keep exploring: Davenport has traveled and toured the world, but he says nothing compares to the unique spirit and personality of New Orleans. He mentions some more of his favorite spots to visit on walks: the botanical gardens, museum, and sculpture garden at City Park. “There’s always new territory for me to see,” Davenport says. “There’s still that magic in New Orleans’ authenticity and its charm that will never change.”
Threads in Time
Jane Scott Hodges
Jane Scott Hodges is a renowned host, art lover, tastemaker, and owner of Leontine Linens, the luxury custom linens company. She recently renovated Leontine Linens’s elegant showroom on Magazine Street. Her shop sits temptingly close to one of her favorite dinner spots, Dakar NOLA. She shares a few more of her best tips for visiting the city in style:
Host with the most: “This morning, I was at the Rink in the Garden District, which has a lot of wonderful shops like Judy, a great resource for gifts. I also stopped into PamelaDennis Flowers, who does all my florals. I think it’s so nice to have a go-to florist when you’re visiting somewhere, someone you can call on to send someone a nosegay or where you can swing by to pick up something beautiful.”
Morning: “In the Garden District, I’ll stop into the Chicory House for coffee and cheese grits. Then I might walk over to the Garden District Book Shop, a real anchor for our community.”
Lunch: “Le Petit Bleu is new and part of Commander’s Palace. They have crepes, great coffee, and the best lunches to go—you can get shrimp rémoulade or the famous Commander’s salad with egg, bacon, and their magic dressing.”
Afternoon: “A perfect day in New Orleans would involve hitting the Cabildo in Jackson Square. Last year I cochaired the Hunt Slonem exhibition and events, and this year it’s going to be a big focus on George Rodrigue. And there’s a super cute bar next door called Fives with cocktails and oysters.”
Stroll: “We take the dog for a daily walk at the Audubon Park up by Tulane. There are big oak trees, and it’s just a beautiful spot.” Tips visitors should remember: “Mind the streetcar—they have the right-of-way! And don’t drink a hurricane before noon.”
See more: A Local’s Guide to New Orleans: What to Eat, Drink, See, and Do in the Crescent City
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