Mister Mao's whimsical and globally-inspired menu is one of our favorites for brunch. Photo: Paprika Studios
There are a lot of influential New Orleans inventions — jazz, the Higgins boat, Richard Simmons’ “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” — but few are as widely adopted as brunch.
- Yep, the midmorning meal that’s not quite breakfast and not quite lunch was created in New Orleans.
Background: Sure, British author Guy Beringer may have come up with the word, but it was French Quarter restaurant H. Bégué’s Exchange that created “second breakfast” as a meal for French Market proprietors just coming off the overnight shift.
- The concept was wildly popular, and it spread quickly.
- And today, you can toast that early ingenuity over brunch in any number of New Orleans restaurants.
Here are 14 of our favorites.
14 Parishes
What’s cooking: This Jamaican restaurant serves up jerk chicken and biscuits, oxtails and grits, crabcakes and plenty of fun, fruit-forward brunch cocktails.
Where to find it: 8227 Oak St.
Alma
What’s cooking: A mix of contemporary American and Honduran breakfast standards, from avocado toast to baleadas sencillas, a tortilla served with eggs, refried beans, a house-made crema and avocado, and stuffed with chorizo, brisket, pork or mushrooms.
Where to find it: 800 Louisa St.
Birdy’s Behind the Bower
What’s cooking: A range of comforting egg dishes, like huevos rancheros and a hash skillet with roasted beef, and lighter options like salads and bowls. Feeling indulgent? Go for the funfetti bubble waffle.
Where to find it: 1320 Magazine St.
Brennan’s
What’s cooking: A boozy brunch perfect for a lazy Sunday with a menu focused on French and Creole classics, like turtle soup, eggs Sardou and Brennan’s own eggs Hussarde: poached eggs atop a house-made English muffin with coffee-cured bacon with hollandaise and marchand de vin sauce.
Where to find it: 417 Royal St.
Commander’s Palace
What’s cooking: Expect to stick around awhile as you work your way through multiple courses. Think pork belly cinnamon rolls, shrimp and grits and strawberry shortcake.
- Don’t forget to bring a few bucks to tip the jazz musicians who meander the restaurant for tableside performances.
Where to find it: 1403 Washington Ave.
Country Club
What’s cooking: Fresh salads, chicken and waffles, and fried green tomatoes with eggs. Bring a bathing suit and spend the afternoon by the backyard pool, and don’t forget some cash to tip the drag queens who entertain diners every weekend.
Where to find it: 634 Louisa St.
District All Day Delicious
What’s cooking: Indulgent comfort foods that might just send you back to bed for a nap, like the bacon, egg and cheeseburger, a bruleed cinnamon roll and the pigs in a blanket: A buttermilk pancake wrapped around a link of pork sausage and served with maple syrup and powdered sugar.
Where to find it: 611 O’Keefe Ave., Suite C7
Elizabeth’s
What’s cooking: Expect a line at this iconic New Orleans breakfast joint, but it’ll be worth the wait for the fried green tomatoes dripping in hollaindaise and bright yolks from poached eggs, old-school local breakfast fritters known as callas and of course the rave-worthy praline bacon.
Where to find it: 601 Gallier St.
Horn’s Eatery
What’s cooking: The vibe here is all home-cooking, whether you want something lighter, like oatmeal or grilled veggies and grits, are are looking for something to soak up last night’s sins, like a cornbread waffle with pulled pork, you’re in good hands.
Where to find it: 2440 Chartres St.
La Petite Grocery
What’s cooking: Chef Justin Devillier serves up Louisiana flavor at his Uptown corner restaurant. Think brioche pain perdu and Gulf shrimp and frits. Don’t forget a couple of orders of the blue crab beignets for the table, and maybe a side of duck fat hash for yourself.
Where to find it: 4236 Magazine St.
Mister Mao
What’s cooking: The menu here changes often, but it’s always whimsical and globally-inspired. Think chile-fried chicken, jelly doughnuts stuffed with cranberry miso filling and a steak and eggs dish served with harissa.
Where to find it: 4501 Tchoupitoulas St.
Paladar 511
What’s cooking: Fried egg sandwiches, lemon ricotta pancakes topped with blueberry compote and lamb sausage ragu with hummus and poached eggs.
Where to find it: 511 Marigny St.
Saba
What’s cooking: Chef Alon Shaya’s contemporary Israeli is perfect for a communal-style feast of dippable hummus filled with buttery blue crab or harissa and soft-cooked eggs, or simply a plate of shakshuka to warm you up from the inside.
Where to find it: 5757 Magazine St.
Up and Adam Eatz
What’s cooking: Waffles, pancakes and lots of southern flavors, like sticky wings with honey Tabasco, boudin balls and the Tchoupitoulas omelet, which is stuffed with crawfish, shrimp, cheese and a crabmeat cream sauce.
Where to find it: 3903 Canal St.
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