Self-guided Po'boy Crawl

The Self-guided Po'boy Crawl is a do-it-yourself eating route in New Orleans, Louisiana, built around the city's signature sandwich, the po'boy, served on soft-crusted French bread. There is no operator or booking; the route is organised by the visitor, who orders and pays at each stop. It begins at Parkway Bakery and Tavern, 538 Hagan Avenue in the Mid-City neighbourhood, known for roast beef and fried seafood po'boys, and continues to two central stops: Killer Poboys at 811 Conti Street in the French Quarter and Mother's Restaurant at 401 Poydras Street near the Central Business District.

The crawl covers three stops across Mid-City, the French Quarter and the CBD, so it works as a half-day outing with travel between neighbourhoods by streetcar, rideshare or car. Mid-City is several miles from the Quarter, and the Canal Street streetcar line runs toward it, which keeps the route manageable without a car. The food is almost entirely savoury, built on roast beef with gravy, fried shrimp or oyster, and creative fillings at Killer Poboys, with dressed options that include lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise. Sweet items are not part of the route unless visitors add a stop for a praline or bread pudding nearby.

Prices are about US$12-20 per sandwich, and a practical approach is to order a half po'boy at each stop so three stops stay comfortable as a single meal. Nothing is included; drinks, tips and transport are paid separately. Visitors work at their own pace and in their own language, in groups of any size, and can choose stops according to hours, which vary and should be checked before setting out, since some po'boy shops close early or on certain days.

Visitors with dietary restrictions have more control than on a guided tour. Killer Poboys is known for varied fillings that can include vegetarian options, while Parkway and Mother's menus centre on meat and seafood. Those with shellfish or gluten allergies should avoid po'boy shops with shared fryers and bread-based menus, or ask staff before ordering. The sandwiches are messy and filling, so napkins and an empty stomach help.