The young E.J. Lagasse, son of the indomitable namesake, now oversees a remarkable dining room that has celebrated Creole cuisine for more than three decades. His determination is palpable as he charts a new course, bringing contemporary refinement and vibrant originality to the fore. BBQ shrimp tarts, deep-flavored gumbo and superb, golden-brown cornbread paired with French butter feel familiar and new at once. This is cooking that bursts with personality and class.

The old adage about not judging a book by its cover couldn’t be more apt for this little restaurant in Bywater. An unassuming front advertising "natural wines and garden patio" leads to a quaint bar where Chefs Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith start the meal with a few pleasant bites. Once inside the intimate dining room, the contemporary tasting kicks into high gear with a griddled cornbread cake smeared with butter aged and cultured in-house. The combination is outrageously satisfying.

Chef Sue Zemanick is no stranger to the New Orleans dining scene, having spent time in the kitchens of some of the city's famed restaurants before opening Zasu in 2019. Set in an easy-to-miss cottage in Mid-City, it's an elegant oasis with a sleek dining room marked by wood floors, dark green walls and gold tones. The menu is tightly edited, featuring a dozen or so dishes focused on seafood and blending local flavors with French techniques.

Are we in Bywater or Mexico? Pastel pink tile, gorgeous stonework and striking breeze walls set a stylish, dramatic stage for Chef Ana Castro. Not to be outdone by the room’s good looks, she offers an inspired, seafood-driven menu that showcases equal levels of boldness and flair. Hearty masa-dough dumplings tossed with Higgins crab, oyster mushrooms and a corn beurre blanc deliver warmth and refinement in spades.

Set within a corner of a large warehouse in the Central Business District, Cochon charms with exposed brick and wood-paneled walls, black floors with rust accents, and a mix of tables, booths and banquettes. It's Southern food at its finest here, where you'll find everything from wood-fired oysters to fried alligator. Order a drink from their wide selection of whiskey, rye and bourbon, then settle in for a snack like chili-dusted cracklins with Steen's cane syrup.

How does one possibly decide at Donald Link’s beloved butcher and deli? Open since 2009, the nose-to-tail charcuterie program is impressive, and one could make a meal out of thin slices of mortadella and gorgeous wedges of head cheese. But it would be a mistake to fill up just on appetizers and miss the many sandwiches heading your way. A superb muffuletta layered with house meats and an olive salad stands as one of the city’s very best. It could feed two.

There are some places that have earned cult status for their offerings, and Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar, opened since 1918, is one of them. Here in their humble sandwich shop on a corner of Uptown, they serve a small menu of sandwiches. They're not just any sandwiches, of course. These are po'boys, and they're legendary. Walk in, chat with the friendly staff and place your order for a shrimp po'boy—it's what everyone else is here for too.

The legacy of Leah Chase shines as bright as ever. In the 1960s, her dining room hosted countless Civil Rights activists and leaders. Today, it is under the care of her grandson Chef Edgar Dook Chase IV, who continues the family tradition of cooking heartwarming Creole cuisine. Gumbo, red beans and rice, and golden fried chicken strike honest chords alongside mustard greens and peach cobbler.

Is subtlety overrated? Chef Mason Hereford makes a compelling case at this kitschy restaurant on Magazine Street. Those familiar with his sandwich sensations at Turkey and the Wolf will not be surprised to find a similar kind of culinary maximalism. Big, bold, loud flavors that adhere to no one cuisine course through the cooking and consistently harmonize into something delicious.

Two friends with a passion for food and respect for their roots. That's the origin story of Lufu, or "let us feed you," Nola. Aman Kota and Sarthak “Shan” Samantray originally did pop-ups but after adding partner and chef Sachin Darade, the three opened this brick-and-mortar in the Central Business District. This is craveable Indian cooking. Tandoori-grilled naan, charred and puffy, wafts with the scent of garlic and butter. Then, if you only get one thing, let it be the dosa.

Miles away from the French Quarter in Uptown, find a lively dining room painted top to bottom in bubblegum pink and emerald green. The colorful setting is as vibrant and upbeat as the cooking. This is not food that fits into a tidy box, as inspiration leans Asian and Indian with detours all over. Fried chicken dumplings with date and poblano chile chutney are as satisfying as garlicky egg noodles glossed in butter, oyster and fish sauce, and Parmesan.

Parkway is designed for a crowd, both inside and out, and the crowds come. It's a neighborhood gathering place where people come to have a few drinks, catch a Saints game and eat poor boy sandwiches and other traditional fare like jambalaya. The menu is large but it's mostly single-minded, with seafood, specialty and meat poor boys on offer. Overwhelmed by the options? You'll never go wrong with the Creole barbecue shrimp.

For the last decade, the city has feasted on Alon Shaya’s hummus served with puffy pita bread charred in a wood-burning oven. Creamy and smooth, this time-tested combination is immensely satisfying. At Saba, which means “grandfather” in Hebrew, blue crab and lemon butter take this classic dish to another level. Where has this twist been all this time? Much of the menu at this expansive restaurant in Uptown reads straightforward—pickles, dips, salads—but what lands on the table is vibrant.

In a city where sandwiches have their own fabled history, this kitschy kitchen in the Irish Channel quickly made a mark of its own shortly after opening in 2016. First timers must swing for the collard green melt, a trademark favorite with pickled cherry peppers, coleslaw, Russian dressing, and toasted rye. Fried bologna is another must-order. It is a towering, crunchy sensation brushed in hot mustard and stacked with potato chips.