Scoop: Larry Morrow to open Caribbean fusion restaurant
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Larry Morrow was crowned the 2024 king of the Six Ward Steppers in January. Photo: Thaddaeus McAdams/Getty Images
Larry Morrow is expanding his dining empire with Spicy Mango, which he tells Axios will be a Caribbean-New Orleans fusion restaurant.
Why it matters: Morrow runs some of the trendiest restaurants in the city.
The big picture: Morrow says Spicy Mango is "all about bringing vibrant flavors and a unique dining experience to New Orleans."
- The restaurant will open on Frenchmen Street in the coming months, he says.
- The space is under construction, and an early photo shows a large tree in the center of the dining room with orangey red mangoes hanging on the top branches.
- Here's an interior video of the restaurant.
State of play: Morrow is in growth mode, telling Axios he wants to "create the largest Black-owned hospitality group in the country."
- He opened Morrow Steak this summer and made a splash last week when he hosted Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla for a private dinner.
- He also opened a lounge called Hide/Seek NOLA in the French Quarter this year. Plus, he has Morrow's, Sun Chong and Monday.
- "We aim to reshape how people perceive dining in New Orleans, making our restaurants places where people feel welcomed and never want to leave," he told Axios in an emailed interview.
Flashback: Last year, viral TikToker Keith Lee visited Monday and gave a rave review about the restaurant's sweet potato beignets.
- It led to a "huge spike" in diners and TikTok followers, Morrow says.
- "With our increasing popularity, we recognized the need to revamp our reservation system and streamline our operations," he added.
Zoom in: Morrow collaborated recently with Lee and Microsoft to add AI tools to his restaurants to help make operations more efficient.
Case in point: He's using Microsoft Copilot to transcribe calls to make note-taking easier.
- "Every second counts as a business owner," Morrow says.
- Morrow talks more about the collaboration in this episode of "The Reheat with Keith Lee."
Fun fact: Lee was back in New Orleans this week and reviewed a Gretna taco shop.
- It was part of his food tour in Baton Rouge.
Go deeper:
- Sun Chong's gumbo dumplings and crawfish fried rice are worth the visit.
- Everywhere Keith Lee went in New Orleans.
- What Keith Lee had to say about food in Baton Rouge.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with more information about Spicy Mango.