Discover the Best New Restaurants in New Orleans

This inventive and innovative Mexican restaurant is in the heart of New Orleans. Bright, open, and sunny, Otra Vez is the spot to go in town for a hearty meal after strolling around the heart of the Crescent City. Guacamole with guajillo salsa and corn tostadas or seasonal crudite is a must-get on the starters menu. A colorful taco selection includes roasted drum with pistachio mole and roasted oyster mushrooms with cashew crema and aji chile. Be sure to pair the meal with Spanish red rice and beans or yucca tater tots.

Right in the middle of the city, Sofia is one of the best new restaurants in New Orleans. The wood-fired oven at Sofia turns out some of the best pizzas in town. Go for "The Spicy" with Calabrese salami and chile, pickled Fresno chiles, red onion, and aged mozzarella. A creative "Rucola" pizza features fig jam, gorgonzola, prosciutto, and toasted hazelnuts. The house cocktails at Sofia are also standouts. Try the special "Opening Night," made with tequila, grapefruit, limoncello, bergamot, and cucumber. The "Dainty Vixen" is perfect for a night out, with vodka, lemon, banana, and egg white.

A new highlight on the New Orleans dining scene from celebrated chef Sue Zemanick, Zasu presents a creative menu of modern American dishes with Louisiana flavors. Stop into this relaxing and airy hot spot off of New Carrollton Avenue for an eclectic mix of cuisines. Begin with grilled baby octopus, spinach fettuccine, or seared scallops. Entrees feature seafood specials like grilled gulf shrimp with roasted pumpkin or sauteed snapper with Tumeric-coconut curry. This is also a spot to stick around in for dessert. Go for the chocolate cake with sweet port-fig ice cream and caramel sauce.

A quick walk from the water and in the midst of some of the coolest attractions in New Orleans, Justine is one of the city's premier destinations for excellent French food. This colorful and cozy bistro in the French Quarter vibrates with electricity. It offers an eclectic menu of hearty favorites. Start with some of the hors d'oeuvres, like foie gras torchon, salade Nicoise, and oysters en persillade with preserved lemon and butter. For an entree, go for the French favorites like a Croque monsieur with Parisian ham and Emmental or duck confit with English peas and spring onion. For a powerful drink alongside dinner, try the "Foreign Legion" with absinthe, creme de menthe, mint, and creole bitters.

This bright and airy tropical vegan-friendly restaurant on Julia Street is one of the most innovative and one of the best new restaurants in New Orleans. A perfect destination for any type of eater, Carmo's international-flavored tropical menu includes flavors from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and South America. Be sure to try the Singapore chili shrimp served with Chinese fried steam bread or the "Rico," grilled plantain with panela cheese, house-smoked wild boar, avocado, and house sauce. There's a wide selection for vegetarian and vegan eaters at Carmo, too.

The New Orleans outpost of this celebrated chain meaning "Horn of the Bull" delivers authentic Japanese barbecue to New Orleans. It's the perfect place for a dinner out with a group of friends and family. Stop in for the Happy Hour menu, with plenty of food and drink specials. For prime barbecue, try the house "Gyu-Kaku" menu. This selection of favorites features miso soup, beef sukiyaki bibimbap, and much more. Meals even feature a sweet S'mores treat for dessert!

The newest restaurant from celebrated Louisiana chef Pat Gallagher is in the heart of Olde Town Slidell. Stop into this Front Street favorite for an extensive menu of Louisiana favorites. Start with Louisiana-style blue cakes, eggplant Orleans or oysters Pablo with spinach and shallots. For the main course, try the mixed grill, pairing Louisiana grilled quail with "off-the-rack" Colorado lamb chops. The menu also boasts shrimp remoulade, barbecue spare ribs, and stuffed chicken with herbal cream cheese.

A classic, lively Louisiana spot in the heart of the French Quarter, Evangeline is one of the best new restaurants in New Orleans. Grab a seat in the courtyard to take in the ambiance of the city and grab some of the Acadiana-style cuisine. Fried alligator, "okra Evangeline," and Louisiana blue crab cakes are all appetizer favorites. The "From Down the Bayou" menu includes Acadia crawfish and grits and chicken and sausage jambalaya.

Healthy and hearty food is on the menu at the True Food Kitchen. Head to the Julia at St. Charles to eat well and healthy at this charming spot with a creative menu. Starters feature healthy favorites like butternut squash soup, edamame dumplings, charred cauliflower, and herb hummus. For the main course, try the Thai coconut sea bass with bok choy and green bean or the poke bowl with wild-caught albacore, avocado, and mushroom. The grilled fish tacos with pickled jicama and dried sweet corn are another house favorite.

There's a great story behind Gabrielle Restaurant. Originally lost in Katrina, Gabrielle reopened and is now one of the finest "new" restaurants in New Orleans. This welcoming and colorful spot on Orleans Avenue is a traditional Louisiana spot with a menu of classics. The "barbecue shrimp pie" with smashed sweet potato and New Orleans BBQ shrimp is a must-have appetizer, and the Traiteur fish with Gulf fish, a jumbo crab cake, preserved lemon, and chili aioli is an entree favorite. Stick around to try the apple upside-down bread pudding for dessert.