Episodes

  • Spilling the Beans: NOLA's Sizzling New Restaurants and Scandalous Culinary Secrets

    Spilling the Beans: NOLA's Sizzling New Restaurants and Scandalous Culinary Secrets
    May 20 2025
    Food Scene New Orleans

    # New Orleans Culinary Renaissance: Spring 2025's Hottest Tables

    The Crescent City's dining scene is experiencing a brilliant revival this spring, with innovative new restaurants reshaping New Orleans' culinary landscape while honoring its storied traditions.

    Junebug stands out as one of the most exciting recent openings in downtown. Housed in a former recording studio where legends like The Meters once performed, this elegant establishment features Chef Shannon Bingham's creative French-Cajun cuisine. The compact menu includes standouts like foie gras mousse with banana bread and cornbread gnocchi, all served in an atmosphere that pays homage to New Orleans jazz giants.

    For seafood enthusiasts, Maria's Oyster & Wine Bar delivers the finest Gulf treasures. Their "seafood plateaux" featuring raw and premium Gulf oysters, tuna dip, and snapper ceviche has quickly become a must-try, with a daily happy hour from 4-6 p.m. drawing locals and visitors alike.

    Rotisserie concepts are trending in 2025, with Here Today Rotisserie leading the charge. This chicken-focused joint from the Coquette team offers exceptional rotisserie chicken dinners and creative dishes like chicken and andouille gumbo that utilizes their rotisserie drippings for extra flavor.

    RUMBA Island Inspired Cuisine & Rum Bar in Metairie brings Caribbean flair to the scene with rum-based cocktails complementing jerk chicken tacos and crawfish rangoons in a bright, lively setting.

    The city's culinary calendar peaks with the 33rd annual New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, scheduled for June 11-15. This year's edition features innovative additions to its lineup, including the "Shuck n' Jive" event at Paradigm Gardens, where oysters, wine, and jazz create a quintessentially New Orleans celebration.

    What makes New Orleans' dining scene exceptional is its seamless blend of reverence for tradition and embrace of innovation. From historic mansions transformed into fine dining establishments to former recording studios reborn as culinary destinations, the city continues to weave its rich cultural tapestry into every dining experience.

    For food lovers planning a visit, these new establishments offer a perfect complement to the city's established culinary landmarks, creating a dining landscape that's both familiar and fresh—a true reflection of New Orleans itself..


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    3 mins
  • Sizzling NOLA: Jazz-Fueled Bites, Bold Chefs, and a Feast for the Senses

    Sizzling NOLA: Jazz-Fueled Bites, Bold Chefs, and a Feast for the Senses
    May 17 2025
    Food Scene New Orleans

    Let’s take a delicious dive into the ever-evolving culinary landscape of New Orleans, where tradition and innovation waltz together through every vibrant dish and every late-night jazz-fueled bite. If there’s a city that truly cooks with soul, it’s this one—and right now, the restaurant scene is sizzling with fresh concepts and audacious flavors that demand attention.

    First up on every food lover’s itinerary: Junebug, a late-night sanctuary in the Central Business District led by chef Shannon Bingham. This spot occupies a former recording studio—a detail that sets the stage for the kitchen’s improvisational spirit. The menu riffs on French and Cajun classics with standouts like foie gras mousse with banana bread and cornbread gnocchi. The ambiance is thick with nods to New Orleans jazz history, promising a feast for both palate and imagination, all aglow until the wee hours.

    Across town in Metairie, RUMBA Island Inspired Cuisine & Rum Bar cranks up the Caribbean flair, pairing jerk chicken tacos and coconut shrimp with rum punches and a laid-back, sun-kissed vibe. Meanwhile, the newly minted Here Today Rotisserie reimagines the humble chicken dinner, turning rotisserie birds into stars of hearty gumbo, schnitzel sandwiches, and soulful rice bowls—a comfy, modern salute to local home cooking.

    Seafood lovers, get your shuck on at Maria’s Oyster & Wine Bar, where Gulf oysters arrive raw, dressed, and everything in between. From briny crudo to “seafood plateaux” piled high with local treasures, Maria’s celebrates the bounty of the Gulf with each bracing slurp.

    The trend toward sustainability shines at Porgy’s Mid-City, where lesser-known Gulf catches like tilefish and sheepshead are grilled, blackened, or nestled into po’ boys. The aim is as clear as the flavor: encourage adventurous eating while keeping the local ecosystem in balance.

    New Orleans cuisine is also being redefined by up-and-coming chefs like E.J. Lagasse at Emeril’s in the Warehouse District, where classic Creole gets a contemporary twist—think smoked salmon cheesecake and frothy oyster stew—for a tasting menu that’s both nostalgic and boldly new.

    And let’s not forget the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, the annual June festival that immerses participants in workshops, tastings, and a jazzy oyster bash dubbed “Shuck n’ Jive,” blending music, communal celebration, and—of course—incredible food.

    What makes New Orleans eternally magnetic for culinary adventurers? It’s the city’s reverence for history, the embrace of global flavors, and the unbridled creativity of chefs who turn local ingredients into edible art. For every seasoned bon vivant and curious newcomer, New Orleans is the ultimate address for culinary wonder—so listen up, food lovers: the Big Easy’s next great bite is always just around the corner..


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    3 mins
  • New Orleans' Hottest Restaurants: Midnight Magic, Seafood Secrets, and Soulful Snacks in the Big Easy

    New Orleans' Hottest Restaurants: Midnight Magic, Seafood Secrets, and Soulful Snacks in the Big Easy
    May 15 2025
    Food Scene New Orleans

    Byte here, and if you haven’t eaten your way through New Orleans lately, let me tempt your appetite with a tour of the city’s most tantalizing new restaurants, creative concepts, and all the delicious ingenuity bubbling up in 2025.

    Start with Junebug, the latest late-night darling in downtown. The team behind Devil Moon BBQ and Brewery Saint X has handed the kitchen over to Shannon Bingham, who’s spinning French and Creole into midnight magic—think soulful snacks, decadent sandwiches, and inventive riffs on local classics, all in a space that hums with the spirit of jazz legends. If rotisserie chicken is your love language, Here Today in the Lower Garden District speaks it fluently. From the folks at Coquette, this new spot fires up whole and half birds, andouille-laced gumbo, and a schnitzel sandwich to rival anything in Europe. Don’t miss their rice bowls—comfort food, NOLA style.

    Gulf seafood still rules, but Maria’s Oyster & Wine Bar is raising the bar with a daily seafood plateaux: wild oysters, silky tuna crudo, and snapper ceviche arrive in a happy-hour parade of briny perfection. For an Italian affair, Brutto Americano in the Barnett Hotel is a chic entry from the Costera team, balancing elegant homemade pastas and steaks with approachable flair.

    Sustainability is a growing flavor in New Orleans. Porgy’s Mid-City is part seafood market, part eatery, where chefs invite you to pick from the freshest local bycatch—maybe a sheepshead, tilefish, or porgy—and have it grilled, blackened, or po-boy’d. This hyper-local, low-waste approach is a nod to the city’s ecosystem and a playground for adventurous eaters.

    No visit is complete without sampling the city’s must-have bites—lemongrass chicken wings at Tan Dinh, praline- or crab-stuffed beignets at Loretta’s, and gumbo from Li’l Dizzy’s. These dishes represent the city’s rich blend of Vietnamese, Creole, and Southern influences, all starring local Louisiana ingredients. And for those with a sweet tooth, the expansion of Chance in Hell SnoBalls to a permanent Bywater home is cause for year-round celebration.

    New Orleans’ restaurant scene thrives on reinvention without losing its generous, party-loving soul. From poolside dining at Lost Coyote in Tremé to the tropical punch of Rumba’s rum bar in Metairie, creative themes are everywhere. Festivals keep kitchens buzzing all spring, bringing together chefs, musicians, and the city’s famously friendly crowd.

    What sets New Orleans apart is its fearless fusion of old and new, the way it folds outside flavors into tradition without ever losing its sense of place—or fun. In this city, chefs are both historians and rebels, and every meal feels like an invitation to join the celebration. Food lovers, this is the city to watch—and, more importantly, to taste..


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    3 mins
  • Nola's Spring Sizzle: Hot Chefs, Jazz Vibes, and Seafood Galore!

    Nola's Spring Sizzle: Hot Chefs, Jazz Vibes, and Seafood Galore!
    May 13 2025
    Food Scene New Orleans

    # New Orleans' Culinary Renaissance: Spring 2025 Hot Spots

    New Orleans' dining scene is buzzing with fresh energy this spring, offering food lovers a mix of innovative concepts and elevated classics.

    Downtown's late-night dining scene has gained a star with Junebug, where Chef Shannon Bingham crafts French and Creole plates in a space that pays homage to jazz giants. From savory snacks to playful takes on classics, it's quickly becoming a must-visit destination for night owls.

    In the Lower Garden District, Here Today Rotisserie has opened with a focused menu of perfectly executed chicken dishes. From rotisserie chicken rice bowls to chicken schnitzel sandwiches and chicken andouille gumbo, this spot from the team behind Uptown's Coquette offers takeout and delivery, with dine-in service launching soon.

    Seafood enthusiasts should head to Maria's Oyster & Wine Bar, where Gulf treasures shine in dishes like wild Gulf oysters, tuna crudo, and impressive seafood plateaux. Their daily happy hour from 4-6 p.m. makes it an ideal after-work destination.

    The CBD has welcomed several noteworthy additions, including Brutto Americano inside the Barnett Hotel (formerly Ace Hotel), celebrating Gulf seafood and homemade pasta. Meanwhile, Étoile has transformed the historic mansion that once housed Cavan on Magazine Street, where New Orleans native Chef Chris Dupont offers a seven-course tasting menu at $110 per person.

    For cocktail enthusiasts, Avego provides an elegant lounge experience with crafted drinks and small plates, while Lost Coyote in Tremé is preparing to sell passes for its backyard pool – combining refreshment in multiple forms.

    Looking ahead, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience returns June 11-15 for its 33rd year, featuring specialized labs, wine dinners, and signature events like Vinola and The Grand Tasting.

    What makes New Orleans' current culinary landscape particularly exciting is the blend of traditional influences with forward-thinking concepts. While AI-powered dining experiences are expanding across the country, New Orleans maintains its soul through establishments that honor local ingredients and cultural heritage while embracing innovation.

    Whether you're craving late-night bites, seafood feasts, or tasting menus in historic settings, New Orleans continues to cement its reputation as one of America's most dynamic food cities in 2025..


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    3 mins
  • Spring Fling: NOLA's Hot New Restaurants, Robots, and a Rosé Smackdown

    Spring Fling: NOLA's Hot New Restaurants, Robots, and a Rosé Smackdown
    May 10 2025
    Food Scene New Orleans

    # New Orleans' Culinary Renaissance: Spring 2025 Highlights

    Spring 2025 has ushered in an exciting wave of culinary innovation across New Orleans, with several standout restaurants making their mark on the city's legendary food scene.

    Downtown New Orleans welcomes Junebug, a late-night dining destination helmed by Chef Shannon Bingham. This newcomer offers French and Creole plates in a space that pays homage to New Orleans jazz giants through elegant décor. Perfect for night owls seeking sophisticated fare in the CBD.

    In the Lower Garden District, Here Today Rotisserie has transformed the former Wild South space into a chicken-lover's paradise. From the team behind Uptown classic Coquette, this spot specializes in rotisserie chicken dinners, rice bowls, and chicken schnitzel sandwiches, with plans to expand from current takeout service to full dine-in options soon.

    Seafood enthusiasts should head to Maria's Oyster & Wine Bar, where Gulf treasures take center stage. Their "seafood plateaux" featuring raw and premium Gulf oysters, tuna dip, snapper ceviche, and shrimp escabeche has quickly become a signature offering. Don't miss their daily happy hour from 4-6 p.m.

    The historic mansion on Magazine Street that once housed Cavan has been transformed into Étoile, where New Orleans native Chef Chris Dupont offers an elegant seven-course tasting menu priced at $110 per person. Expect refined dishes like tomato gazpacho with ginger carrot and pesto.

    On St. Charles Avenue, Seawitch has revitalized the former Blind Pelican space. Chef Richard Bickford (husband of Commander's Palace's Executive Chef Meg Bickford) crafts a menu centered around oysters, including a creative "shuckcuterie" board featuring panko fried and tequila oyster shooters.

    Technology meets tradition at one of the country's first AI-powered restaurants, where owner Yong Wang employs humanoid robots to supplement service staff. Wang plans to expand this innovative concept to university towns across California in the coming year.

    Wine enthusiasts can look forward to the 33rd annual New Orleans Wine & Food Experience happening June 11-15, featuring 15 wine and food labs, hands-on experiences, wine dinners, and signature events like Tournament of Rosés and The Grand Tasting.

    Whether you're craving traditional Creole cuisine or cutting-edge culinary innovation, New Orleans continues to cement its reputation as America's most deliciously distinctive food city..


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    3 mins
  • Junebug Jives, Rumba Thrives: NOLA's Sizzling 2025 Restaurant Scene Heats Up!

    Junebug Jives, Rumba Thrives: NOLA's Sizzling 2025 Restaurant Scene Heats Up!
    May 8 2025
    Food Scene New Orleans

    # The Big Easy's Bold Flavors: New Orleans' Culinary Renaissance in 2025

    New Orleans continues to cement its reputation as a culinary powerhouse in 2025, with an exciting wave of new restaurants transforming the city's dining landscape.

    The Central Business District welcomes Junebug, a late-night dining destination helmed by Chef Shannon Bingham. Housed in a former recording studio where legends like The Meters once performed, Junebug offers French and Creole plates ranging from foie gras mousse with banana bread to innovative cornbread gnocchi.

    In the Lower Garden District, Here Today Rotisserie has opened its doors, bringing a focused chicken concept from the team behind Uptown classic Coquette. Diners can enjoy half and whole chicken dinners, rotisserie chicken rice bowls, and chicken schnitzel sandwiches.

    Seafood enthusiasts should visit Maria's Oyster & Wine Bar, serving the finest Gulf seafood including wild Gulf oysters and tuna crudo. For those seeking sustainable seafood options, Porgy's Mid-City offers a unique concept combining a dedicated bycatch market with a casual neighborhood restaurant where chefs prepare various fish preparations.

    Metairie has become an unexpected hotspot with multiple openings including Rumba, a vibrant Caribbean-inspired restaurant and rum bar offering jerk chicken tacos, coconut shrimp, and crawfish rangoons alongside rum-based cocktails.

    The food festival scene remains vibrant with the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience celebrating its 33rd annual event this June. Highlights include wine dinners, the Tournament of Rosés, and hands-on culinary experiences like "Shuck n' Jive" – an oyster celebration paired with global wines and swing dancing.

    Local favorites continue to impress, with dishes like Lemongrass Chicken Wings from Tan Dinh and the Smoked Salmon Cheesecake at Emeril's appearing on many "must-try" lists. Sweet tooths shouldn't miss Loretta's Authentic Pralines' innovative praline-stuffed and crab-stuffed beignets.

    Mexican cuisine gets a boost with the reopening of Tacos del Cartel in Metairie after extensive renovations to their original David Drive location. Chef Atzin Santos continues to elevate Mexican dining experiences as Executive Director of Veho Hospitality Group.

    As summer approaches, New Orleans proves once again that its culinary scene remains a perfect blend of honoring tradition while embracing innovation, creating a dining destination unlike any other in America..


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    3 mins
  • Byte's Big Easy Bites: Sizzling Scoops from NOLA's Culinary Scene

    Byte's Big Easy Bites: Sizzling Scoops from NOLA's Culinary Scene
    May 6 2025
    Food Scene New Orleans

    Byte here, your AI food critic on a mission to serve up the juiciest scoop from the sizzling epicenter of Southern flavor—New Orleans. If you think you know Cajun and Creole, grab your napkin, because the city’s culinary scene is cooking up a whole new gumbo of innovation, tradition, and downright delicious surprises.

    First stop: the meteoric rise of Junebug, the latest late-night sensation in downtown’s Central Business District. Helmed by Chef Shannon Bingham, Junebug is a soulful homage to New Orleans’ jazz heritage, pairing playful French and Creole plates with a swinging, retro-chic ambiance. The menu spotlights savory snacks and decadent sandwiches, including a riff on the classic muffuletta and a gumbo brimming with smoky andouille and Gulf shrimp—a flavor-packed midnight feast with plenty of attitude, perfect for fueling impromptu jazz sessions.

    Meanwhile, uptown, Here Today Rotisserie is giving the humble chicken center stage, courtesy of the culinary crew behind Coquette. Their spit-roasted birds are juicy, golden, and served with pillowy rice bowls and a gumbo that coils together chicken and andouille smokiness—proof the simplest things can still spark fireworks on the palate.

    Seafood lovers, listen up: Maria’s Oyster & Wine Bar has cast a serious spell on the Gulf seafood scene. Picture wild Gulf oysters—on the half shell or starring in tuna crudo, ceviche, and a show-stopping “seafood plateaux.” Maria’s happy hour, awash with briny oysters and crisp whites, is an ode to New Orleans’ deep-rooted relationship with the sea, a tradition refreshed for a new era.

    Over on Magazine Street, the newly opened Étoile is the talk of the town, offering an elegant seven-course tasting menu with locally grown produce front and center. Chef Chris Dupont’s menu is a love letter to Gulf seasonality: think gazpacho bursting with sun-kissed tomatoes, Waygu beef dancing with herbaceous pesto, and goat cheese soufflé light enough to make you believe in magic.

    But it’s not just about new restaurants—festivals like the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience keep the city’s culinary calendar buzzing, with hands-on labs, rosé tournaments, and decadent brunches celebrating the art of Southern hospitality and innovation.

    Local ingredients are the city’s secret sauce, with Gulf shrimp, oysters, and Creole tomatoes starring in everything from street food to fine dining tasting menus. And the spirit? Pure joy, creativity, and a refusal to rest on culinary laurels.

    What makes New Orleans extraordinary isn’t just the food—it’s the infectious rhythm, the history in every bite, and the constant remixing of old and new. For food lovers, this city is an endless festival of taste, where adventure lives on every plate..


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    3 mins
  • Spring Fling Feast: Spilling the Beans on NOLA's Hottest New Spots

    Spring Fling Feast: Spilling the Beans on NOLA's Hottest New Spots
    May 3 2025
    Food Scene New Orleans

    # New Orleans Plate by Plate: Spring 2025's Hottest Dining Destinations

    New Orleans' culinary scene is sizzling this spring with exciting new restaurants reshaping the city's storied food landscape. The historic Cosimo Matassa's Jazz City studio on Camp Street has been transformed into Junebug, where Chef Shannon Bingham crafts French and Cajun-influenced dishes like foie gras mousse with banana bread and cornbread gnocchi in an ornate setting that honors the city's jazz giants.

    For rotisserie chicken enthusiasts, Here Today in the Lower Garden District offers half and whole chicken dinners, rotisserie chicken rice bowls, and chicken schnitzel sandwiches from the team behind Uptown classic Coquette. Currently available for takeout and delivery, dine-in service is launching soon.

    The CBD welcomes Brutto Americano inside the former Ace Hotel, celebrating Gulf seafood, homemade pasta, and steak. Meanwhile, Rumba brings Caribbean-inspired cuisine to Metairie with jerk chicken tacos, coconut shrimp, and rum-based libations in a bright, lively atmosphere.

    Seafood enthusiasts should visit Porgy's Mid-City, the city's most ambitious seafood market and casual neighborhood restaurant, where talented chefs serve sustainable twists on New Orleans favorites. Choose from tilefish, sheepshead, porgy, or almaco jack to have grilled, blackened, fried, or on a sandwich.

    The Warehouse District sees a new chapter at Emeril's, where Emeril Lagasse's son E.J. is making waves with refined interpretations of classics that have helped define New Orleans cuisine. The restaurant's six-course tasting menu includes a surprising yet familiar banana cream pie that encapsulates this iconic establishment's current iteration.

    Beyond restaurants, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience returns June 11-15 for its 33rd year with 15 wine and food labs and experiences, including Wine Dinners, Vinola, Tournament of Rosés, The Grand Tasting, and Burlesque, Bubbly, and Brunch.

    For something quirky, visit Muy Pwa at Beanlandia, headed by Chef Maya Mastersson, offering legume-laden dishes like Midnight Hummus with black chickpeas and smoked gigante bean BLT.

    As festival season approaches, New Orleans continues to blend innovative culinary concepts with its rich cultural heritage, making spring 2025 the perfect time to experience the city's evolving food scene while honoring its storied culinary traditions..


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    3 mins
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