Our NOLA Guide
Maybe y'all already know what you want to do here, but if not, take a look below at some of our favorite places. Particularly important for anyone who is able to stay for longer than just the weekend.
Bryan's Restaurant Recommendations
Toups Meatery ($$$)
Cajun
This is my favorite restaurant anywhere in the world. And even when I make cajun food at home, I'm likely using Isaac Toups' cookbook.
Try: Double Cut Pork Chop, Cracklins, Couvillion
Lilly's Cafe ($$)
Vietnamese
There are a ton of great Vietnamese places in the city, but this is our favorite one near the venue. And pho is among the best hangover cures, just so you know.
Try: Pho, Banh Mi
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Turkey and the Wolf ($)
Sandwiches
Do you remember childhood? That's primarily what they serve here: childhood nostalgia. That, and amazingly inventive sandwiches.
Try: Collard Green Melt, Fried Bologna Sandwich​
Barrel Proof
Bar
I've read novellas shorter than their spirits list. Mostly whiskey, but a vast selection of everything else too, with rotating food pop ups if you need a snack.
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Megan's Restaurant Recommendations
High Hat ($$)
Southern
​I love it, and have brought a lot of family and friends here when they've been in town. Traditional southern foods with a neighborhood restaurant vibe.
Try: BBQ Gulf Shrimp, High Hat Burger (w/pimento cheese)
Cafe Abbysinia ($$)
Ethiopian
Want to eat food, but are tired of using silverware? ​Just tear off a piece of injera and use it to scoop up some deliciously spiced veggies or stewed meat.
Try: Veggie Combo, Doro Wot, Fish Gulash​
La Boulangerie ($)
French Bakery
Some of the finest pastries, sandwiches, and coffee around.
Try: Almond Croissant, Cheddar Chive Biscuit, Le Dindon Sandwich
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Cure
Bar
Great place to try classic New Orleans and other creative cocktails, as the drinks won a well-deserved James Beard award. Happy Hour 7 days a week until 6 PM.
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Things to Do
World War II Museum
It's an art museum, to the art of war. Sun Tzu would be proud. If you are museum people like us, this is the best one around.
Mardi Gras World
Yeah, we could've had the wedding around Mardi Gras, but we didn't want you to have to spend thousands a night on hotels. This is the best place to get an idea of what the parades here are like, on a tour through the studios where they make the floats!
Historic New Orleans Collection
If you're in the Quarter and want to take a break from drinking and eating, check out this free museum with rotating exhibits on the city and state's history.
City Park
There's trees, grass, and you know, other nature stuff, for people like my sister Colleen or if you are literally Colleen reading this right now. Boo! The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) can also be found here.
Pharmacy Museum
We briefly considered having the wedding here in their courtyard. It's another free museum in the Quarter, in this case about a pretty niche topic of old-timey drugs and medical tools.
The Sazerac House
It's a blatant advertisement for the Sazerac company, which owns over 400 alcohol brands, to convince you to buy a bottle or two on the way out. But it is also a free and fun museum about local history with stations to try cocktails throughout.
Southern Food and Beverage Museum
Pretty self-explanatory, and a very interesting place to visit. How many museums are there about food, anyway? Usually you have to go to a restaurant for that kind of thing.
Etc.
We are obviously museum people, but there are a whole lot of other things to do beyond these things that we like, we hope that you will have a great time while you are in our city.
Where to Stay
There are tons of hotels here for every budget, we recommend staying somewhere in the CBD (Central Business District) or the Garden District to be close to the venue.