How to enjoy Restaurant Week in New Orleans

It's summer in New Orleans (as it is approximately nine months of the year) and that means a much slower tourist season. The good news for the rest of us is this means 1) much smaller crowds and lines around town and 2) it's Restaurant Week in New Orleans!

This annual summer kick-off campaign aims to boost sluggish summer traffic in the city's sublime culinary scene with curated prix-fixe menus from a plethora of incredible restaurants. (It's very similar to the annual Coolinary promotion that happens in August and September). You'll find mouthwatering summer specials from legendary establishments at ridiculous bargains: two-course lunch, $25; two-course brunch, $36; three-course dinner, $32; or premium three-course dinner, $56.

Browse all the participating restaurants and their special menus here (makes for ideal bedtime reading). Here's everything else you need to know to fully enjoy Restaurant Week in New Orleans:

• Double check your dates; most participating restaurants offer Restaurant Week menus on all their regular open hours, but a few have slightly alternate opening hours.

• Absolutely make a reservation. This is dearly beloved local promotion, plus it's already 800 degrees outside, so everyone and their mama will be seeking out that frosty AC.

• Beverages are generally not included in the promotional menus, but many restaurants offer specially priced add-ons for wine pairings, custom Bloody Marys, or bottomless mimosas.

• Take the opportunity to mark a special occasion. You can easily spend at least double on many of the upscale restaurants' regular menus, so use Restaurant Week as a chance to celebrate somewhere that wouldn't usually be in range.

• Please dress up! It's worth it to engage all your senses in making a special memory. Wear something floaty (try these affordable linen pieces).

Here are the menu items I'm eyeing for Restaurant Week in New Orleans 2025:

• Jaiba frita (fried soft shell crab, coconut crab roe rice, herbs, radishes) at Baru

• Fried chicken hummus at Shaya

• American red snapper crudo (cucumber ginger vinaigrette, pickled fresnoes, pistachios) at Costera

• Guinea hen gumbo at Gabrielle

• Country-fried chicken thigh and waffle at Appolline

• A perfect fried shrimp poboy at Katie's

• Rootbeer-braised short rib (spicy cucumbers, roasted carrots, gem lettuces, fried peanuts) at Le Petite Grocery

• Italian budino (butterscotch, sea salt, whipped cream) at Annunication

• Dark chocolate pecan tart (pecan-brown sugar crust, salted caramel creme anglaise, chantilly creme) at Muriel's

• Olive oil cake (pistachio, citrus, strawberry compote) at Rosella

• You can also find Restaurant Week menus at grande dames like Antoine's, Arnaud's, Commander's Palace, and Galatoire's, and local legends like Mr B's and Mother's.

I'd love to hear what you're eating! Let's get together over brunch and talk about lunch and dinner.

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