Compere Lapin: Situated in the Warehouse Arts District, in the lobby of the funky boutique Old No. 77 Hotel is award-winning restaurant, Compére Lapin, helmed by James Beard “Best Chef: South” Chef Nina Compton. There, Compton creates robust dishes that meld the flavors of her Caribbean upbringing and love for French and Italian cuisine, while highlighting the Gulf and Louisiana’s beautiful indigenous ingredients. Standout dishes include Whipped Ricotta with collard green pesto, and garlic milk bread; Scialatielli with marinated shrimp and corn purée; and Compton’s signature Curried Goat with sweet potato gnocchi and cashews. The restaurant just unveiled a new cocktail program with libations that perfectly complement Compton’s cuisine. The restaurant is located at 535 Tchoupitoulas Street and serves dinner and Sunday brunch. For additional information, visit: www.comperelapin.com
Tales of the Cocktails 2023: Your Dining, Drinking & Entertainment
Bakery Bar: Bakery Bar is an intimate eatery and cocktail bar featuring savory dishes, weekday brunch, craft cocktails, and NOLA’s famed layered cakes, doberge, from Debbie Does Doberge. Executive Chef Lydia Solano, a dual-citizen of Costa Rica and the United States, showcases a savory menu that marries Latin American and Creole cuisines. Solano’s roots are evident in nearly every dish at Bakery Bar, with fare such as Oxtail Croquettes with Sous vide in mirepoix and red wine; Chicken and Sausage Gumbo with veal bone broth and cassava flour roux; and Hibiscus Fried Pickles with Chef’s special brine, confit garlic, and housemade chamoy. Weekday Brunch, a rarity, is a hallmark of Bakery Bar and gives guests the chance to enjoy craveable dishes and booze from Tuesday – Friday from 11 AM – 3 PM. The cocktail program is as creative and unique as the menu with drink names nodding to pop culture. Current cocktails, inspired by theme “Pretend,” include libations such as Mr. Beaverton’s Pistachio Fiasco which is inspired by the children’s series, Knotty Pine Mysteries, the cocktail features vodka, Cocchi Americano, Monin Pistachio syrup, lemon and Prince de Lise bubbles; and Abolish the Monarchy! with Pimm’s, Lillet Blanc, green chartreuse, and lemon. Bakery Bar is located at 1179 Annunciation Street. For more information, visit https://bakery.bar/#.
Mister Mao: Named one of the “50 Best New Restaurants 2022” by Bon Appètit, Mister Mao is the tropical roadhouse restaurant from Chef/Owner Sophina Uong and husband/partner William Greenwell. Mister Mao is the perfect perch to gather with friends for a festive evening filled with creative, “inauthentic” food and killer cocktails. The restaurant features a static menu of eclectic, globally-inspired cuisine, along with an ever-changing selection of small plates served from roving carts. The whimsically-themed menu categories include Drinking Snacks, Foods We Love to Share, These Bring Us Joy + Hellfire Heartburn, and Here Comes the Chuck Wagon. Guests can enjoy creative dishes like Kashmiri Fried Chicken; Plaquemine Parish Kale Pakora; Pani Puri with fiery mint water, Alabama Corn Pudding, and Backwater Duck Confit. Mister Mao is located at 4501 Tchoupitoulas Street. For more information, visit https://www.mistermaonola.com/.
Osteria Lupo: In spring 2023, Osteria Lupo opened in New Orleans’ Uptown neighborhood. The brainchild of former Link Restaurant Group alum Chef Brian Burns and Reno De Ranieri, who own wildly-popular Spanish-inspired restaurant Costera, Osteria Lupo showcases Northern Italian cuisine with a variety of house-made pastas; roasted meats and vegetables from the wood-fired oven; seafood and other regional specialties. Guests can enjoy a menu of shareable plates including Black Truffle Arancini with fresh Umbrian truffles over a creamy Val d’Aosta fonduta; Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka with crispy garlic and Calabrian chili; and Pesce Crudo with red snapper, tomato walnut pesto and fried capers, along with a stellar wine program and full bar. Osteria Lupo is located at 4609 Magazine Street. For more information, visit https://www.osterialupo.com/.
Jack Rose: Jack Rose brings an eclectic and exciting dining experience to New Orleans’ Garden District. The lively atmosphere at Jack Rose encourages spontaneous celebration whether enjoying brunch “Chambongs” or dinner in the Jack or Rose rooms, hosting an escapade in the Mile High Pie Club, snacking on small plates under the Lil Wayne Portrait in the Living Room, or sipping sparkling rosé in the rose garden patio. Chef/Owner Brian Landry’s menu showcases a mix of New Orleans’ craveable Italian, French, and Spanish dishes, with a unique spin. The cuisine is simultaneously unpretentious and skillfully executed. Guests can expect the Crescent City’s joie de vivre atmosphere coupled with creative interpretations of classic dishes alongside modern delicacies that are complemented by vibrant cocktails and a wine list that skews towards bubbles. And, of course, the famed Mile High Pie is not-to-be-missed. Jack Rose is located at 2031 St. Charles Avenue in the Pontchartrain Hotel.
For more information, visit https://www.jackroserestaurant.com.
Tujague’s: The second oldest restaurant in New Orleans and the third oldest continuously operating restaurant in the U.S., Tujague’s Restaurant is the birthplace of brunch and the Grasshopper cocktail. From Presidential visits by Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and France’s De Gaulle to the many obstacles and challenges the restaurant faced, the story of Tujague’s is multi-faceted. Under the auspices of Executive Chef Gus Martin, the menu at Tujague’s features classic and creative Creole dishes, including Oysters en Brochette with bacon-wrapped Gulf oysters with wilted spinach, Crystal butter sauce and tomato jam; Grilled Duroc Pork Chop and a Pan Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Breast with foie gras mashed potatoes, wilted spinach, and orange rosemary demi-glace. New brunch offerings and a brand-new selection of cocktails make Tujague’s the perfect stop for modern Creole cuisine and innovative libations served up in a four-story space complete with private dining rooms and courtyard seating. Tujague’s is located in the French Quarter at 429 Decatur Street. For more information, visit https://tujaguesrestaurant.com/.
The Bower: Located in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District, The Bower is the culinary darling of Latter Hospitality. Executive Chef Marcus Woodham, who has worked at some of NOLA’s most acclaimed restaurants, including Luke, Restaurant Patois, and Galatoire’s, works closely with partner farm Sugar Roots to provide a menu featuring the best seasonal ingredients from the fields and garden. Everything at The Bower begins with the soil; from house-made pastas such as Pappardelle Bolognese with pork, beef, Parmigiano, aged balsamic, and truffle cultured cream, to mains like Gulf Fish with crispy basmati rice, Maggie’s mushrooms, lobster and tomato broth, citrus and arugula salad; and Crispy Soft Shell Crab with chilled rice noodle salad, mint, basil, carrots, quick pickles, miso remoulade. Cocktails, under the direction of Mickey Mullins, are created with the same farm-fresh ingredients from Sugar Roots and are an exercise in both creativity and meticulous execution. The Bower is located at 1320 Magazine Street. For more information, visit www.thebowernola.com.
Birdy’s: Birdy’s Behind the Bower is the charming Instagram-worthy spot perched in the back of New Orleans’ Framework building in the Lower Garden District. The restaurant serves an all-day brunch featuring Southern-inspired, locally sourced American cuisine inside and in the welcoming outdoor courtyard. Chefs work closely with partner farm, Sugar Roots, to source fresh, local ingredients for dishes that range from comforting house-made breakfast items and specialty toasts to health-conscious power bowls and salads. Standouts include Polenta Toast with crispy white cheddar polenta, Buster crab, roasted poblano pepper and corn vinaigrette, queso fresco; Funfetti Bubble Waffle served with Louisiana strawberries, Chantilly cream and granola; and Birdy’s famed Brunch Board with donuts, granola, slab bacon, hot Coppa, bubble waffle, fruit, seasonal jam, mini cookies, mini pancakes, triple crème brie, soft-boiled eggs. Also available are $20 Bottomless Mimosas and Birdy’s Bloody Mary. Birdy’s Behind the Bower is located at 1320 Magazine Street.
For more information, visit https://birdysnola.com/.
DRINK
Hot Tin: Sitting atop the Pontchartrain Hotel, Hot Tin is a rooftop bar that boasts a breathtaking 270-degree view of the Mississippi River and downtown New Orleans. Behind this bar, guests find elevated cocktails, classics, Champagne and signature drinks. The space captures the look and feel of a 1940s artist loft with nods to American playwright Tennessee Williams, who lived at the hotel. Yet, beyond the sweeping views and sexy space, is a top-tier cocktail program that focuses on both the classics and creative with perfectly-balanced concoctions that utilize local ingredients and spirits like Rita Hayworth with Herradura tequila, smoky chipotle chiles, apricots, and lime; Tia One On with Plantation pineapple rum & Neisson rhum Agricole, Violette, lime, and orgeat; and Back to Black with Cathead honeysuckle, blackberry lavender syrup, lemon, egg white and vermouth. Hot Tin is located at 2031 St. Charles Avenue. For more information, visit
Bayou Bar: Nestled on the ground floor of New Orleans’ charming Pontchartrain Hotel, the Bayou Bar is a cozy & convivial 40-seat gathering place with a stellar whiskey collection, inventive cocktails, elevated small plates, and live music (no cover charge) with some of the city’s best musicians including Dave Torkanowsky, Stanton Moore, and Peter Harris. The casual tavern-style bar is filled with history and memories, including serving as a drinking den for both Sinatra and Capote and being the locale where the New Orleans Saints football franchise was christened in 1966. Exposed wood, rod iron chandeliers, velvet couches and eclectic art give the space a warm, intimate vibe perfect for friends to enjoy great conversation and cocktails. Live music is offered Wednesday through Sunday. Bayou Bar is located at 2031 St. Charles Avenue. For more information, visit https://www.bayoubarneworleans.com/.
Images: Bayou Bar
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Bower Bar: Located in the New Orleans’ Lower Garden District, the Bower Bar is the perfect location to gather with friends for cocktails, conversation, and bites. The reimagined Claret Wine Bar space has the same lush look and feel of its adjacent restaurant, The Bower. The cocktail program is under the direction of Beverage Director Mickey Mullins and features field-to-glass libations focusing on the seasonal herbs, flowers and produce available at Sugar Roots Farm. Zero-proof drinks are also on offer and wines are equally impressive and include small production vintners, as well as widely-known global collections. The Bower Bar is located at 1320 Magazine Street. For more information, visit https://www.thebowernola.com/the-bower-bar.
PLAY
Southern Food & Beverage Museum (SoFAB): New Orleans has no shortage of museums, but one of the most unique is the Southern Food & Beverage Museum. Join an interactive cooking class and learn how to make jambalaya, Bananas Foster and more. Named as one of “11 of the World’s Top Food Museums” by CNN and one of the “12 Best Museums Around the World” by Elle Decor, SoFAB celebrates the food and drink of all cultures, with a focus on the history of cuisine and cocktails, through a variety of exhibits, programming, and a range of media. Located inside SoFAB are The Museum of the American Cocktail’s (MOTAC) New Orleans collection, Deelightful Roux Cooking School, and spectacular exhibits, including La Galerie d’Absinthe. SoFAB is located at 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. For more information, visit https://southernfood.org/.
