The Best Places For Outdoor Dining In New Orleans

If you are looking for an easygoing alfresco meal in good company, New Orleans, the legendary “food mecca of the South”, will have something for you. This city has hundreds of places to pick from, starting with high-end restaurants and ending with amazing street-side food trucks. Do remember that the ideal seasons for outdoor dining in New Orleans are spring and fall, and that popular places fill up quickly.

1. Bacchanal Wine, Bywater

Bar, Wine Bar, Bodega, American, Wine, Beer, Cocktails

Bacchanal is a casual place that’s more of a bar than a restaurant, with great wine and small French and Mediterranean dishes. They have nightly live music on the atmospheric patio and a young and creative crowd fills the place up on most nights.

2. Bayona, French Quarter

Restaurant, American, French, Vegetarian, Vegan

This upscale restaurant is housed in a 200-year-old cottage in Old Town and has a great courtyard for outdoor dining. The cuisine is an elegant mixture of local, Mediterranean and Asian. The wine list is excellent too. A wonderful pick for a special occasion.

3. Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard, French Quarter

Bar, Restaurant, Mediterranean

High end French-Creole cuisine in the heart of the French Quarter, Broussard’s has been operating in this 19th-century noble mansion since 1920. With a lovely courtyard outside, the restaurant takes pride not only in the tremendous tradition of the place but also in attention to detail.

4. Cafe Amelie, French Quarter

Cafe, Coffee, Vegetarian, Vegan

The courtyard of this cafe in the 150-year old Princess Monaco Courtyard and Carriage House is beautiful enough to warrant a visit on its own. The menu, however, with its American, Southern and Italian entrées, some traditional, some surprising, is also pretty attractive.

5. Cane & Table, French Quarter

Bar, Cocktails, Snacks

This Caribbean restaurant and cocktail bar on Decatur Street in the French Quarter is contemporary, cool and cozy at the same time. The cocktail menu is creative and the food is locally sourced, while the courtyard has an intimate atmosphere.

6. Elle-J’s, Lakeview

Restaurant, Italian

West of the City Park, this Creole-Italian concentrates on homemade seafood and pasta dishes. Make sure to book a table on the small and pretty patio. This friendly, informal spot is a real local insider recommendation – so don’t tell too many people.

7. Lilette, Milan

Restaurant, French, Italian

Chic and sophisticated, Lilette is definitely a place for special occasions. The French bistro-style restaurant has a carefully assembled menu, great wines and a hip, good-looking clientele. They also have a cute patio for balmy spring evenings.

8. The Delachaise, Garden District

Restaurant, North American

The simple but cozy porch of this eatery overlooking Saint Charles Avenue is often totally packed. Most visitors come to sit and chill over a glass of wine, but they also have a small menu with entrées and apps, such as frites, cheeses, and olives. The chocolate molten soufflé is unforgettable!

9. The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar, Lakeview

Restaurant, Seafood

Right on the Lake Pontchartrain waterfront, The Blue Crab serves excellent seafood with unmissable Louisiana oysters. The casual spot has a popular-among-locals deck overlooking the lake, along with friendly service.

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