5 restaurants pushing the envelope in New Orleans

No time for a tour of Napa, a jaunt to Willamette Valley, or a trip through the vineyards of Bordeaux? Fear not. Wine country comes to the table at Copper Vine. Sommelier Emily Walker guides diners through the vineyards, varietal characteristics, and innovative cellar practices surrounding some of the best wines in the world. The tasty New American plates here, such as saffron and wild American shrimp risotto and gulf fish amandine, come courtesy of chef Amy Merhtens (who once served as sous chef at the iconic Commander’s Palace). The final product is an imaginative intersection of food and wine. Each experience, whether it’s a wine tasting or a private dinner, is carefully curated, resulting in a laid-back but exclusive atmosphere starring wine and good times.

GW Fins’s executive chef Michael Nelson is obsessed with sustainability, butchering all the fish in house. His latest breakthrough involves dry-aging fish in a specially designed walk-in fridge that stays at 31 degrees. One hundred to 150-pound cuts age for up to two weeks, losing about 30 percent of their weight as the skin dries, the proteins break down, and the meat intensifies in flavor. That tuna chop for two channels a tomahawk ribeye—incredibly tender, with crisp skin and an unmatched flavor. GW Fins, open seven nights a week, regularly runs specials that might feature anything from Tyee salmon (the Kobe beef of seafood) to an all-lobster menu to Saints-themed dishes and cocktails. Even the regulars at this ever-evolving spot are used to being surprised—just another reason why this restaurant is one of New Orleans’s most cutting-edge spots.

Skipping the booze is no reason to stay away from the Peacock Room, a sexy blue bar and lounge at the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot. Here, smart bartenders know that their creative muscles don’t entirely depend on spirits. Peacock’s stunning zero-proof cocktails showcase the team’s ingenuity and presentation skills. You won’t find a mocktail as unique or beautiful as the “fuzzy drama” (peach, chamomile, lemon, celery, fennel, and non-alcoholic beer) or the coconut water-forward “mocktale as old as time.” It’s a thoughtful lineup confirming that low- and no-alcohol drinks are here to play. Peacock Room delivers a vibrant vibe by day and a sexy, moody atmosphere come sundown, ideal for an afternoon aperitif, social dinner, or a nightcap—spiked or not.

Cajun Creole cuisine, heavy on the crawfish and Andouille sausage, isn’t necessarily known for vegetarian dishes. At Jack Rose, a whimsical spot in the Pontchartrain Hotel decked with Instagrammable accents such as vintage tile floors and eclectic chandeliers, sous chef Takara Hein, a vegan herself, showcases some of the most inventive plant-based plates in New Orleans. Cases in point: the vegan pozole, with woodsy mushrooms standing in for the usual pork, bathed in a chile broth with hominy and crispy fried tortilla strips, or the jackfruit barbecue plate. Eat on the hotel’s rose garden patio, in any of the restaurant’s dining rooms, or in the funky living room, adorned with an over-the-top portrait of rapper Lil Wayne.

Staying local is at the heart of this farm-to-table brunch hotspot serving boundary-pushing New Orleans cuisine. Locally sourced ingredients stay at the forefront on practically all the plates here: steak and eggs use Raines Farm sirloin; seasonal salad Lyonnaise is made with Covey Rise Farm’s frisée and French breakfast radish and topped with Bellegarde Bakery’s French bread croutons. The dishes are just a few examples of how Atchafalaya champions small local businesses. Helmed by chef Chris Lynch, a Commander’s Palace alum, the restaurant continues to be a standard-setter for local cuisine. Feast on it all in an inviting Creole cottage, filled with creations by area artists.