Galatoire's

Galatoire's is one of the defining Creole French restaurants of New Orleans, operating at 209 Bourbon Street in the French Quarter since 1905 and still run in the tradition of its founding family era. The kitchen cooks classic Creole French dishes in the style that shaped Louisiana fine dining, and the menu has changed little in decades, which is much of the appeal. Signature dishes include shrimp remoulade, crabmeat maison, oysters en brochette and puffed souffle potatoes, all of which have become emblematic of the house. Many regulars also order fish with meuniere or amandine sauces and finish with bread pudding or a classic Creole dessert.

The dining room is the second draw. The ground floor is a bright, noisy hall of mirrors, ceiling fans, bentwood chairs and tiled floors, where veteran waiters in tuxedos or white jackets manage long, social lunches that regularly run for hours. Friday lunch is a local ritual and the room is loud, convivial and crowded. Upstairs rooms are quieter and more formal. Jackets are expected for gentlemen at dinner and on Sundays, and the restaurant describes itself as a dressy, traditional venue, so visitors should confirm the current dress code before arriving.

The beverage programme leans on classic cocktails such as the Sazerac and French 75, with a French-leaning wine list suited to seafood and cream sauces. Prices sit in the roughly US$60-110 per person range at dinner, with lunch usually a little lower.

Reservation practice is unusual. Reservations are accepted for the upstairs rooms by calling (504) 525-2021, while the first-floor dining room has traditionally seated parties first come, first served, which creates a line on Bourbon Street at peak lunch times. For Friday lunch, holiday periods and the Carnival season, upstairs tables should be requested as far ahead as the restaurant allows, often several weeks. Louisiana visitors seeking a classic French Quarter meal will find Galatoire's among the most atmospheric options in the city.