There is too much food in New Orleans, a city renowned for its famous chefs and fabulous fare, and too little time to try it all. It really is difficult to get a bad meal here, so reservations for most restaurants are advised. All restaurants closed after Hurricane Katrina have reopened, along with notable new ones.

The restaurants below have been listed alphabetically within five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations, and given the price brackets below.
$$$$ (over US$70)
$$$ (US$35 to US$70)
$$ (US$20 to US$35)
$ (up to US$20)
The prices above are for a three course meal and the equivalent of a half-bottle of wine per person. The 9.5% sale tax and tip are not included.

Arnaud's
A portrait of Arnaud Cazenave gazing down at the diners dominates the main dining room. The décor - old chandeliers, etched glass, bentwood chairs and white tablecloths probably haven't been changed since this landmark restaurant opened in 1908. Its Richelieu Bar was a speakeasy during the prohibition era. A picture gallery paves the way to its Mardi Gras costume exhibit in the upstairs museum. The shrimp rémoulade, oyster stew and creme brûlée are outstanding. Jacket is required in the main dining room. Open for dinner seven days a week and for a jazz brunch on Sunday.

813 Rue Bienville
Tel: 1 866 230 8895.
Website: www.arnauds.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

Brennan's
Since 1946, this New Orleans institution has been the place for sumptuous, calorie-laden breakfasts like eggs Benedict or original creations such as eggs Hussarde - poached eggs on Holland rusks with Canadian bacon, marchand du vin sauce and hollandaise sauce. Just as decadent is another speciality, oysters Rockefeller, as well as savoury veal and beef, which appear as lunch and dinner main courses and Brennan's original dessert - Bananas Foster (ice cream with brown sugar, fresh bananas and banana liqueur). Located in an historic, old French Quarter mansion.

417 Rue Royale
Tel: (504) 525 9711.
Website: www.brennansneworleans.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

Galatoire's
Not much has changed here in the last 100 years. Even now, brass chandeliers and bentwood chairs fill the narrow downstairs dining room and it is still a joy to just chat with the waiters. Most have been here forever or are second generation. Let them recommend some specialities that have made this place famous - crab canapé Lorenzo, oysters en brochette and lamb chops with béarnaise sauce, trout Meunière Amandine or a dessert like sweet potato cheesecake. Galatoire's has always been a favourite with chattering locals, many of whom participate in the traditional four-hour lunch on Friday afternoon, so it can sometimes get a bit noisy. Jacket required at dinnertime and all day Sunday.

209 Bourbon Street
Tel: (504) 525 2021.
Website: www.galatoires.com
Price: $$-$$$$

Bayona
Think intimate, romantic and cosy and Bayona will come to mind. Inside a 200-year-old French cottage sits a small dining room decorated with photographs, murals and fresh flowers. It is here chef Susan Spicer creates her acclaimed eclectic cuisine. Favourite starters include French-Mediterranean aubergine caviar and tapenade and a goat-cheese crouton with mushrooms and Madeira sauce. The sautéed salmon main with Gewurztraminer sauce is a popular choice and is served by attentive, friendly staff.

430 Rue Dauphine
Tel: (504) 525 4455.
Website: www.bayona.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse
Carnivores will be happy to know that at Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse they will find their favourite classic cuts of cow. All can be smothered with a variety of sauces including hollandaise, béarnaise, marchands du vin and pepper-cream bourbon. For others there is fish, duck and pork. The venue, with its long bar, lots of wood, cherry walls and beamed ceilings, has a clubby feel to it.

716 Iberville Street
Tel: (504) 522 2467.
Website: www.dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com
Price: $$$$

Restaurant August
One of New Orleans hottest chefs, John Besh, orchestrates the delicate dishes at the August, located in the Central Business District. Amid lavish brocades and crystal chandeliers, cuisine like Moroccan spiced duck with polenta, halibut with shrimp, citrus and fennel and seared fillet of prime beef with marrow-stuffed morels and oxtail jus are elegantly presented.

301 Tchoupitoulas Street
Tel: (504) 299 9777.
Website: www.rest-august.com
Price: $$$$

Café Adelaide
Named after the Brennan family's beloved but eccentric aunt, Café Adelaide tries to capture the local culture of the 1950s and 60s. Earth-toned upholstery and semi-circular booths with table lamps and wooden blinds make the large dining room area quite inviting. Two-thirds of the changing menu is seafood and fish, but desserts such as Creole white chocolate bread pudding should not be missed, nor should the Adelaide Swizzle served at the table or at The Swizzle Stick Bar.

Loew's New Orleans Hotel, 300 Poydras Street
Tel: (504) 595 3305.
Website: www.cafeadelaide.com
Price: $$-$$$

Café du Monde
A visit to the Big Easy is not complete without a stop for mouth-watering beignets and chicory coffee au lait. Since 1862, these square, deep-fried fritters doused in mounds of powder sugar have titillated the taste buds of its patrons. There is not much more on the menu except juice, tea and milk, but who would desire anything else? Located in the French Market across from Jackson Square. The Café du Monde shop is across the street.

800 Decatur Street
Tel: (504) 525 4544 or 1 800 772 2927.
Website: www.cafedumonde.com
Price: $

Mother's
Locals will tell you that there is no better spot for authentic New Orleans grub. It must be true because since 1938, celebrities and ordinary folk alike have endured long lines in order to sidle up to the stainless-steel counter to order po-boys (French bread filled with shrimp or roast beef), jambalaya, étouffée or Mother's signature Ferdie special - baked ham and débris (roast beef pieces that drop into the gravy while cooking). This place is tiny so customers should not be surprised if they have to squeeze into a table or perch against the window to eat.

401 Poydras Street
Tel: (504) 523 9656.
Website: www.mothersrestaurant.net
Price: $

Praline Connection
Ribs, collard greens, fried chicken, alligator sausage. Deep South home-cooked, Cajun-Creole-style soul food rules at this funky part-restaurant, part candy store venue. Many locals believe that this is the place to go for fillet gumbo and sweet-potato pie. The staff is friendly and there is live music every night as well as a Sunday gospel brunch. Old-fashioned handmade pralines and sweet potato cookies are cooked fresh daily.

542 Frenchmen Street
Tel: (504) 943 3934.
Website: www.pralineconnection.com
Price: $-$$

Camellia Grill
The last of the classic New Orleans dining spots to reopen post-K, this tried-and-true old diner has regained its position among must-visit places in the city. Found at the end of the St Charles streetcar route in a Greek revival-style building that summons plantation images, it's a destination that almost always has a line of people waiting to be seated - even very late at night. The 1946 landmark is beloved for its omelettes, waffles, and burgers, as well as friendly counter service.

626 South Carrollton Avenue
Tel: (504) 866 9573.
Price: $

Commander's Palace
For 125 years, Commander's Palace has been a New Orleans gastronomic favourite, and with such treats as shrimp Cognac with andouille grits, poached oysters in cream or spicy turtle soup, how can it not be? Dine in the blue and mahogany dining room or on the second floor Garden Room where huge windows reveal the patio's giant oak trees. The weekend jazz brunch is good value. Jacket preferred at dinner; no shorts.

1403 Washington Avenue
Tel: (504) 899 8221.
Website: www.commanderspalace.com  
Price: $$$-$$$$

K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen
Paul Prudholmme, the chef that put Cajun cooking on the map and was the first chef on the street feeding rescue workers in the Katrina aftermath, is the owner of this popular restaurant. A friendly staff, open kitchen, unfinished walls and white tablecloths bordered with Cajun recipes make it inviting. Though new items on the changing menu are tempting, classics like shrimp étouffée, turtle soup, gumbo or fried green tomatoes should not be missed. Everything, including the rolls, bread pudding and the luscious green onion salad dressing, is made from scratch.

416 Chartres Street
Tel: (504) 524 7394 or 596 2530.
Website: www.kpauls.com
Price: $$$

Pascal's Manale Restaurant
This neighbourhood eatery in the Garden District is vintage N'Awlins. Since 1913, with its old-fashioned oyster bar and casual atmosphere, its focus has been on food and friendliness. Barbecued shrimp, cooked in the shell with butter and spice, was created here. While the latter is the hands-down favourite, steaks and Italian dishes are also featured. Dinner only.

1838 Napoleon Avenue
Tel: (504) 895 4877 or 1 800 772 2927.
Price: $$$

Tujague
For 150 years, Tujague's recipe for beef brisket in Creole sauce has not changed and it is still delicious. There is no menu, just a six-course prix fixe dinner which always includes shrimp rémoulade, soup, the brisket and a choice of main courses. Hopefully one of them is garlic chicken. Located across from Café du Monde, the décor is simple - panelled walls covered with autographed pictures and cabinets which contain airline-sized bottles of whiskey. Service can be on the slow side, but don't let that put you off.

823 Decatur Street
Tel: (504) 525 9713.
Website: www.tujaguesrestaurant.com
Price: $$$