I got the opportunity to go to New Orleans twice last year, and both times I was blown away by the magic of the city. Two things stood out to me, the food and the music. Here’s a quick run-down of this enchanted little city from someone who took it all in with only two short visits.
Best Food Downtown
Oh my lanta, New Orleans’ food is unreal. Beignets are irrelevant compared to the variety of other foods the city has to offer. When you walk onto Bourbon Street, you want to try and ignore the smell, and search for a lunch place ASAP before you lose your appetite. My friends and I found the perfect spot, Cafe Beignet on Bourbon Street We all ordered sandwiches, and they were all unreal.
Pictured above was our favorite, a ridiculously fluffy roll loaded with veggies and meat. Topped with an incredible sauce, it drips down your hands after a single bite. Definitely would stop here again.
Best Food Uptown
Just a short walk from Tulane University, I found what I can confidently say was the best breakfast of my life. Satsuma Cafe was an adorable, incredibly trendy breakfast place. The sandwich shown above had spinach, tomato, the world’s most perfect croissant, and an egg, all lathered in an avocado spread. The coffee was amazing as well. In a perfect world, I could wake up to this breakfast sandwich every day.
Music
Food rocks, but from my short experiences, music was clearly the heart and soul of this city. I heard some of the best artists I’ve ever listened to during my visits, and all of the instruments and voices were quirky and original. On my first trip, I was blown away by an electric violinist, watched him for about an hour, and when I saw him again a few months later, I was shocked that he hadn’t been discovered yet.
Attending a Nola parade was definitely one of the best experiences of my life. I stood front row at the Halloween parade last year. The music was deafening and catching beads was such a thrill. I was blown away by how happy everyone was around me, and jealous that the locals can experience this virtually any time they want.
Take a trip here, you won’t regret it. The people live in the moment, the Uptown area is beautiful, and it’s truly unlike anywhere I’ve ever been. If you’re dancing sober in the middle of the street on a Wednesday in a costume, you’ll be the most normal person in the French Quarter. See you at Mardi Gras, Nola.