Top Best Italian Restaurants in French Quarter

"Despite the traditionally American method of saving time with premade ingredients such as dried pasta or jarred sauces, they prefer to do things on the more traditionally Italian side of cooking by making everything that they possibly can from scratch. In fact, they make all of their pastas in house, which means that you’ll be receiving some of the freshest pasta in the city when you dine here. And if we’re being honest, fresh pasta is exponentially better than dried pasta."

"MarignyChic neighborhood spot for pizza, pasta, and seafoodWhile the main dining room is a bustling hodgepodge of families, groups of friends, and servers navigating it all, the more intimate balcony above is the best place to be seated before digging into lemonfish crudo or squid ink spaghetti. Order a pizza to share, and spend some time inspecting the cocktail menu. After your meal, head toward the river to find the entrance to Crescent Park for a sunset stroll."

"Everything they do at Paladar 511 is so simple and so good, and when you take a bite of their food, all the flavors come together wonderfully. The restaurant’s right down the street from my house, in the Marigny Faubourg neighborhood, and I end up going there quite a lot. The space is beautiful, but still sort of industrial, with weathered, painted brick walls, high ceilings, and large windows that let in good light."

"Originally opened in a tiny section of a warehouse on an out-of-the-way French Quarter street, this ode to “civilized decadence” is the lifework of namesake Irene DiPietro, a Sicilian immigrant raised in the French Quarter in a family of restaurateurs. The little restaurant that could, Irene's opened in 1992, is a hybrid of colloquial hospitality and sophisticated cuisines from around the Italian peninsula and indigenous New Orleans cultures with dishes like Oysters Irene—baked with pancetta, pimento and Pecorino Romana—a San Francisco-style Cioppino, and crispy Duck St. Philip glazed in a pecan/raspberry demi. All are now served within the new, slightly roomier location within the Quarter that has maintained the bawdy ambiance among the elegant environs."

"White tablecloths, votive candles and a mishmash decor—the elegant main dining room is illuminated by a stained-glass fleur-de-lis skylight, while the more casual bar is accented with wooden casks and framed photos of celebrity visitors—encapsulate the unpretentious charm of this Italian-focused restaurant. Irene’s has a sense of playfulness, but the deliciousness of its food is no game, beginning with the expertly mixed cocktails (you can’t leave here without downing a Sazerac) and extending through the decadent desserts (the Creole cheesecake, topped with Grand Marnier–soaked berries is a house favorite). The name of the game here is to please with big, bold flavors."

"Irene’s may be in newish digs on Bienville Street but this family-owned Creole Italian restaurant remains the gold standard for homey, cheesy Italian goodness. Open since 1992, Irene’s is much loved for its lasagne Bolognese and crispy duck St. Philip. Although it now accepts reservations, cutting down on the wait for a table, it’s still fun to have a martini in the piano bar before tucking into a feast."

"Opened in 2016 in the grand, Art Deco auspices of the Ace Hotel in the trendy Warehouse District, Josephine Estelle might be the epitome of New Italian in New Orleans. The osteria from James Beard Award-nominated chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman mingles the Southern upbringing of the chefs with their Italian backgrounds. The result consists of modern interpretations of classic recipes featuring seasonal, local ingredients, and homemade pastas, including a ravioli with crab meat, green garlic, basil, and ricotta or a pork porterhouse with pistachio, brown butter, coriander and vignole."

"Ace Hotel stands in the Warehouse District, where you can check out Alto, the hotel’s rooftop garden. Get a mix of seasonal cocktails, wines, craft beers, frozen drinks and rotating on-tap specials at Alto’s bar. Poolside dining includes a selection of Italian-inspired small plates for any growing appetites."

"This list couldn’t be complete without Alon Shaya’s Italian love letter in the Roosevelt Hotel. The Napoli-style pizzas are always a favorite, especially during happy hour, when they’re half-price (2-5pm daily), and you’d be a fool indeed to miss out on its selection of house-cured salumi, from lardo to coppa, prosciutto, biroldo, and even a chicken liver mousse."

"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. The perfect Domenica trifecta: Lasagne, Calabrese, & Squid Ink Tagliolini. Remember, we have happy hour until 5pm and dinner is served until 9pm!"

"The Roosevelt New Orleans, 123 Baronne St., (504) 648-6020; www.domenicarestaurant.com. Tortellini is served with wild mushrooms, asparagus and robiola cheese. Reservations accepted."

"This birthplace of New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp, Pascal’s Manale opened in 1913. Today, you'll still find great service, and killer oyster bar with friendly shuckers, and a laid back attitude at this Uptown legend."

"Head over to Arabella, housed in the space next to Kajun’s Pub on St. Claude Street. Choose your fresh, house-made pasta style, sauce, and any add-ins (gluten-free and vegan options are available for all). There are also small plates and salads."

"A Four Seasons pizza includes artichoke hearts, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus and Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily."

"833 Howard Ave., (504) 299-8792; G’s Kitchen Spot, Balcony Bar, 3201 Magazine St., (504) 894-8888; 4840 Bienville St., (504) 483-6464; www.gspizzas.com. A Bienville Supreme pie includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, black olives, mozzarella and tomato sauce."

"After exploring the Mid-City cemeteries, stop by G's Pizza to refuel. This funky little spot is tucked away on Bienville (there are two other NOLA locations, too), and they serve delicious pizza, pasta, salads, and sandwiches. I love their NOLA Green Roots Pizza!"

"Open for just under a year, The Courtyard Brewery has already changed the New Orleans beer game. It provides a very different—but still excellent—craft beer experience from the nearby Avenue Pub. Co-founder Scott Wood brews and sells his own beers amongst a variety of hand-picked guest taps."

"New Orleans has long been the stronghold of Dixie and Abita beer, but recently several new breweries have moved in on their territory. The two best options are Urban South and NOLA Brewing, both located on Tchoupitoulas Street. Both offer lively bars and delicious craft beer."

"It opened in 2014 and is well-known for being neighbor-oriented. Courtyard Brewery currently offers 27 drafts which brews cruisers can enjoy while eating at food trucks. You will find various food trucks just outside of Courtyard Brewery."

"Eric and Leah Jensen have created a community haven on the corner of Lesseps and Royal Streets, with a giant beer garden and a cool, funky vibe. Try hop-forward beers like Green With Envy NEIPA, lagers like the Czuck Pilsner, or something similar to a farmhouse style like the Berry Poppins black and raspberry gose. Parleaux also serves non-alcoholic drinks and hosts food trucks and pop-ups like La Monita and Tacocat."

"A post shared by Parleaux Beer Lab (@parleauxbeerlab) on Oct 31, 2017 at 12:53pm PDT. A rotating choice of small-batch beers served in an offbeat, industrial-chic bar with outdoor seats. 634 Lesseps Street | Website"

"Located in New Orleans East not far from the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, Royal Brewery has one of the most original tap rooms to have sprung up in the past 5-10 years. Taking inspiration from brewing styles from around the world, Royal’s brewers concoct a litany of unique flavors from ales fermented with a British Ale yeast to California Common Steam Lagers. They even feature their own ginger ale which you can sample in-house (trust us, it’s worth the trek)."

"Raymond and Mandy Pumilia have been doing some heavy lifting bringing the first (but rumor has it, not the last!) brewery to New Orleans East. Royal Brewery stays open during the weekend and brings a lot to the table to entice you out that way. First of all, their live music offerings are the best any brewery in this city has."

"Marjie’s Grill is the casual Mid City neighborhood joint serving some of the most inventive and mouth-watering food in town. Herbsaint alumni Marcus Jacobs and Caitlin Carney create dishes based on the cuisine and flavor profiles of Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos with a Delta twist. Crispy pig knuckles, head-on prawns with a chili dipping sauce, a melty slow grilled beef, and any specials are not to be missed, but Marjie’s vegetable-focused dishes also shine."

"Honey-buttered Yard Bird is a slow-cooked locally raised chicken basted with Louisiana honey butter. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner Mon.-Sat."

"Thai hot is only for the very brave at Suko Thai, a Thai eatery with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and dishes some of the best Thai cuisine in town in a setting that will soothe and delight. Everything is good, from the pad Thai to curries as fiery as you like and stir fries perfumed with Thai basil. Service is most accommodating and gluten free is the order of the day, since flour isn't a common ingredient in Thai cooking."

"Sukho Thai endeavors to bring her patrons the true cuisines of Thailand right at the heart of New Orleans. They have an a-la-carte menu designed to be shared by everyone at the table, and each menu item is individually prepared using only the freshest ingredients and secret homemade sauces. This is also one of the very few Asian restaurants where you will find a decent chunk of the menu dedicated to vegan options."

"Drunken Noodles, Dirty Noodles, Rad Da Noodles, Pad Thai and more - the carb overload is well worth it at Sukho Thai. In addition to their expansive noodle selection, this authentic Thai eatery offers a range of wok dishes, curries, vegan options and gluten-free choices. With locations in Uptown New Orleans and the Marigny, paying a visit to Sukho Thai is as convenient as it is delicious."

"Using both French and American influences, Cafe Minh takes a modern twist on traditional Vietnamese cuisine. Vietnamese BBQ Catfish, Honey-Glazed Chicken, Slow Braised Asian Short Ribs and much more are all part of Cafe Minh’s savory and sophisticated menu. Under the leadership of Vietnam natives Chef Minh Bui and Chef Cynthia VuTran, Cafe Minh offers unique entrees, familiar Vietnamese favorites and an extensive bar selection."