New Orleans has long been an accidental playground for celebrities, with tons of actors and musicians making regular visits and a surprising amount who call the city home (at least part-time) — stars like Jennifer Coolidge, John Goodman, and Solange. This past spring, between Jazz Fest, major headliner tour stops, and Bocuse d’Or, New Orleans had a stream of famous visitors, and they made sure to support the city’s restaurants, old and new. Here’s a roundup of where these well-known personalities dined, so you can eat like a celebrity, too.
Kat Kimball/Eater NOLA
Megan Thee Stallion at Morrow Steak
Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion made a much-anticipated tour stop in New Orleans on June 10, and while she was in town she visited the city’s splashiest new restaurant: Morrow Steak. The vibey downtown steakhouse, which local restaurateur Larry Morrow just opened earlier this month, posted photos of Megan and GloRilla on the bar to Instagram a few days after their show at the Smoothie King Center with the caption, “Private Dinner.”
Keith Lee at Fantasy Tacos
TikTok food critic sensation Keith Lee visited Baton Rouge in mid-June for his most recent food tour, leaving mixed reviews for the four restaurants he visited (The Bayou Affect, Smoke Bayou, Dr. Feel Good, and Fork N Spoon). But he couldn’t leave Louisiana without a quick stop in New Orleans, which he declared his favorite food city of 2023 after visiting last year. At the end of his week in Baton Rouge, he made the hour-and-a-half journey to Fantasy Tacos, a Mexican fusion restaurant in Gretna on the West Bank of New Orleans. Much like his previous experiences at New Orleans spots like Monday (a Larry Morrow restaurant), and B Sweet Bistro, Lee had high praise for the restaurant.
Bill Addison/Eater
Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller at Emeril’s and Miss River
On June 12 and 13, the esteemed Bocuse d’Or Americas Selection was held in New Orleans, marking the first time the international competition took place in the U.S. As such, some of the world’s most famous chefs descended on the city, and they made sure to spend their time off dining well. On the last night of the competition, Emeril Lagasse and his son, E.J. Lagasse, hosted Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, and Gavin Kaysen (who make up Ment’or) at Emeril’s, Lagasse’s flagship New Orleans restaurant. The group also visited Miss River, Alon Shaya’s Four Seasons New Orleans restaurant, enjoying flaming Baked Alaska, and had lunch delivered from Turkey and the Wolf, Mason Hereford’s acclaimed sandwich shop, for Team USA during the competition. It’s very likely that Turkey and the Wolf’s collard green melts and fried bologna sandwiches helped lead them to victory.
Lana Del Rey at Tic-Toc Cafe
Lana Del Rey first got Cajun Country buzzing in mid-May when she posted a photo of her in Des Allemands, Louisiana, less than an hour outside of New Orleans, where she hit up Airboat Tours By Arthur for a swamp tour. Turns out that wasn’t the only stop she made on her way to Hangout Fest in Orange Beach — last week she posted shots from New Orleans, an artsy roundup of film-style photos of the singer on city streets, in front of a Budweiser painting in the French Quarter, and at Tic-Toc Cafe, a Metairie diner. We probably would’ve recommended one of New Orleans’s other excellent greasy spoons, but the aesthetic was on point.
Mick Jagger at Antoine’s and Commander’s Palace
All the way back in late April and early May when Jazz Dads and their ilk descended on New Orleans, one of Jazz Fest’s most long-awaited headliners was dining all over town before and after their gig. Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger ate dinner at New Orleans’s grand dame of fine dining, Commander’s Palace, on Wednesday, May 1 ahead of the Rolling Stones’ show on Thursday, May 2. According to the restaurant, executive chef Meg Bickford served the singer’s group soft shell crab, the restaurant’s famed shrimp and tasso Henican, gumbo, and bread pudding souffle. Then on Friday, May 3, Jagger visited French Quarter stalwart Antoine’s for lunch, where he posed with a Jazz Fest-themed Baked Alaska.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA
The Killers at Atchafalaya
The Killers were also in town for Jazz Fest 2024, helping kick off the first weekend of the festival with a performance on Friday, April 26 (and a performance at Tipitina’s the night before). Band members Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Dell Neal, and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. dined together at Atchafalaya, Tony and Rachael Tocco’s Uptown Creole restaurant known for brunch, shrimp and grits, and gumbo.
New Orleans is world-renowned for its distinctive music, Creole cuisine, unique dialects, and its annual celebrations and festivals, most notably Mardi Gras. The historic heart of the city is the French Quarter, known for its French and Spanish Creole architecture and vibrant nightlife along Bourbon Street.
French, Spanish, Congolese, Haitian, Native American, Creole, Latino, Sicilian, Anglo-Americans and a half dozen more nations and peoples converged on the high ground of the Mississippi to forge a new identity – one unique in all the world.
Dishes invented in New Orleans include po' boy and muffuletta sandwiches, oysters Rockefeller and oysters Bienville, pompano en papillote, and bananas Foster, among others.
Whether you're a life-long local or you're in town for your first visit to The Big Easy, there are plenty of things to explore for every taste and preference. French Quarter Phantoms has been voted Voted #1 in New Orleans & America's Top Ten for over 8 years in a row, so we know a thing or two about our city!
Orléans is the city of Joan of Arc. Its reputation would not be the same without the famous Maid of Orléans, who helped to end the siege of the city on 8 May 1429. Tribute is paid to her at the Maison de Jeanne d'Arc and, of course, there is a street named after her.
Beignets. No trip to New Orleans is complete without experiencing the simple pleasure of a bag of beignets. The fried, fluffy square-shaped doughnuts covered in powdered sugar were made famous at Café du Monde and have been a staple since 1862.
New Orleans is one of the best food cities in the US, Food & Wine says. See our rank. People line up outside Dooky Chase's Restaurant for the traditional Holy Thursday gumbo z'herbes.
An irresistible amalgamation dark roux (butter or oil mixed with flour), rice, seafood or chicken & sausage, "trinity" (a combination of onions, bell peppers and celery) and often okra. Fun fact: gumbo is the official dish of Louisiana.
In present Louisiana, Creole generally means a person or people of mixed colonial French, African American and Native American ancestry. The term Black Creole refers to freed slaves from Haiti and their descendants.
The 5 largest ethnic groups in New Orleans, LA are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (56.7%), White (Non-Hispanic) (30.8%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.11%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.8%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (2.2%).
Racial distribution of New Orleans population: 32.44% are white, 57.01% are Black or African American, 0.22% are American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.81% are Asian, 0.02% are Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 2.21% are some other race and 5.31% are multiracial.
1. GUMBO. Gumbo is found on both Cajun and Creole tables in and around New Orleans. Originating from the African word for Okra, gumbo began as a boiled or stewed okra dish with rice.
Perhaps more than anywhere else, New Orleans is a city filled with iconic dishes. Po' boys, jambalaya, gumbo, beignets — these dishes define the city's cuisine and culture to the outside world.
The French Quarter, also known as the Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. After New Orleans (French: Nouvelle-Orléans) was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the Vieux Carré ("Old Square" in English), a central square.
It is called the “French Quarter” because it is the oldest area of New Orleans, which just happened to have been settled by the French. The oldest building in New Orleans still stands — the Ursulines Convent, which dates back to 1752 and was built by — you guessed it — the French.
Although originally traced back to mediaeval Europe, this unique carnival now takes place all over the world. New Orleans offers some of the most colourful and exciting celebrations on Earth, and it's the most famous Mardi Gras in the United States.
While the exact origin may be unclear, "The Big Easy" has become a beloved and widely accepted nickname for New Orleans, evoking a sense of the city's vibrant and leisurely atmosphere. The nickname reflects the rich cultural heritage, music scene, and the generally easygoing lifestyle that characterizes New Orleans.
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