19 Best Restaurants For Brunch In New Orleans

Few cities in the United States are as celebrated for their food as New Orleans. For the locals and many transplants who call the city home, the culture revolves around eating and drinking. Festivals, crawfish boils, and Saints game watch parties are all huge food events of the season. You can find something to eat (and a beer) at any time of day or night in the Big Easy: After all, Cafe du Monde is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The city is home to an amazing volume of restaurants and bars for breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night eats, and everything in between.

Naturally, whether you're a born-and-raised native or visiting the city for the first time, you'll want to kick off your adventure in America's culinary capital the right way, and the best way to do that is brunch ... but with so many options, where does one begin? It's tough to go wrong food-wise in New Orleans — the Crescent City's most mouthwatering bites can be found in an unassuming hole in the wall or even a gas station. To avoid FOMO, you'll probably want a starting point. Consider these the absolute best restaurants for getting your brunch on in NOLA.

In New Orleans' bustling Mid-City area, Katie's Restaurant and Bar is a rich part of the neighborhood's history. Established in 1985 and purchased by the Craig family in 1991, the restaurant was severely hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and closed its doors for five whole years while the owners, like so many New Orleanians, worked tirelessly to rebuild. It wasn't until 2010 that Katie's reopened, fully renovated, remodeled, and with a visit from Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives."

Today, the restaurant is immensely popular for all meals of the day, but brunch at Katie's is something special. With appetizers like biscuits and country gravy, crab cakes, and chargrilled oysters; "neighborhood favorites" of chicken and waffles or a hot breakfast po'boy; plus NOLA-inspired frittatas, eggs Benedicts, and lunch options, there's something for everyone at this friendly neighborhood brunch spot. Don't miss the bottomless mimosas or the famous $6 double Bloody Marys.

With 20+ locations throughout the South, it might be tempting to brush Ruby Slipper off as a chain — after all, there are plenty of one-of-a-kind restaurants to be found in the Big Easy. Yet, the operating restaurant group, Ruby Sunshine, knows how to maintain local flavor and quality across all of its locations. While each brings its own unique flair, decor, and overall vibe, every slipper has one thing in common: Top-tasting brunch food.

The menu is a hodgepodge of Southern favorites with funky, elevated twists. Take, for example, the pig candy bacon bites starter, consisting of Applewood-smoked bacon bites with a mouthwateringly crunchy, caramelized candy glaze. Eggs Benny are a specialty — Ruby Slipper offers quite a few varieties. The eggs cochon, a Southern twist on eggs Benedict in which slow-cooked braised pork is swapped out for traditional Canadian bacon, acts as a standout item. Craving something sweeter? The berry Chantilly pancakes and seasonal stuffed French toast are sure to impress.

Commander's Palace, housed in a dreamy blue and white-striped structure in the Garden District, is home to some of the absolute best authentic NOLA cuisine the Crescent City offers. The historic restaurant has been slinging up Cajun and Creole-tinged dishes since 1893 and has offered a jazz brunch complete with live band for years.

CP's jazz brunch may not be the most traditional brunch regarding the food. (Unless, of course, you usually dream of turtle soup and pecan-crusted fish when the subject of brunch foods comes up.) Yet, the chance to sip an Irish coffee and enjoy world-class Creole cuisine while getting your live jazz fix is a one-of-a-kind experience. That said, there are plenty of breakfast-forward items on the special menu, including Eggs Lafayette #1 (poached eggs cooked with a tomato and onion piperade, crispy peppers, and hollandaise) or the Commander's Palace take on eggs cochon.

Commander's isn't the only place in New Orleans with a swingin' jazz brunch. Palace Cafe, a classic Dickie Brennan restaurant located on the world-famous Canal Street, serves up brunch favorites with a NOLA twist every Saturday and Sunday morning. Compared to others, you'll find more true breakfast-forward items on Palace Cafe's menu: Palace Cafe benedict, shrimp and grits, duck hash, and a fresh berry crepe, for starters.

If you or your dining companions aren't in the mood for brunch, there are plenty of other foods to choose from as well — shrimp remoulade, moules frites, and the Brasserie Burger are all great choices. Drinks-wise, the build-your-own Bloody Mary bar is a huge hit, but there are a number of other cocktails to choose from here, too (the frozen bananas foster is truly unique).

Atchafalaya's humble exterior belies the sophisticated yet homey cooking that awaits diners inside this Irish Channel gem. The building has been around for nearly a century, and the restaurant has undergone as many eras as Taylor Swift, but it wasn't until current owners Rachel Jaffe and Tony Tocco took over in 2008 that it became what it is today: An upscale, yet approachable venue with elegant takes on rustic New Orleanian cuisine.

Atchafalaya is open for brunch and dinner throughout the week (be sure to check the hours, as it's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays), and while the restaurant's dinners are fantastic, brunch is a total showstopper. Kick things off with deviled eggs featuring kimchi, furikake, and chicharron, then make your way to the bulk of the menu, where stars the likes of breakfast risotto, crab cake benedict, and Tuscan eggs over mascarpone polenta shine through.

The diverse brunch menu at Brennan's is filled with classics like quiche Lorraine and omelets alongside more eclectic dishes such as a Breton ham buckwheat crepe and the restaurant's signature eggs Hussarde (English muffins, hollandaise, coffee-cured Canadian bacon, and a house-made Marchand de Vin sauce). The delicacies may vary, but all are owed to a founding family with a long lineage as prominent members of the New Orleans culinary community.

It all started when Irishman Owen Brennan opened up a French restaurant, Brennan's, in 1946. Today, Owen's descendants operate a number of restaurants around Southern Louisiana, but the original Brennan's remains a local favorite. Known for its creative play of French, Spanish, and Creole cooking, Brennan's is a fine dining restaurant that also serves one of the best brunches in the Crescent City — including the Bloody Bull, a Bloody Mary elevated by beef broth to become the perfect hangover cure for last night's hand grenades.

Religion has played a major role in New Orleans's history, and the city is home to some truly impressive historical churches. Though it may be unorthodox, a number of these churches have been turned into bars and restaurants. Beautiful architecture and rich history transform them into a new kind of sacred space, and Mid-City's Vessel is not to be missed. The New Orleans church-turned-bar features stunning arched windows, ceilings that stretch to heaven itself, and a menu that could make the angels sing.

Friday through Sunday, you'll find the Vessel staff slinging out some of the tastiest brunch dishes the city has to offer. The blueberry waffles with pistachios and lemon curd are not to be missed, while the vegetable frittata is another great option for vegetarians. There's a brunch burger or fried chicken sandwich for those with a hearty appetite, and the pan-fried Monte Cristo is a crispy, sweet, and savory gem.

Like many of Bywater's best-kept secrets, Elizabeth's Restaurant may not look like much on the outside, but as the restaurant's slogan happily proclaims, inside, you'll find "real food done real good." While a handful of lunch-friendly items are on the menu (gumbo, salad, fried green tomatoes), Elizabeth's focuses primarily on breakfast and brunch food, and the food is an incredible showcase of New Orleans cuisine.

If you're dining with a group (or just really hungry), indulge in some of the appetizers. Kick things off with fried grit cakes dressed in tasso gravy or the sweet and savory fried chicken livers served with housemade pepper jelly, all reasonably priced with generous portions. The main entrees — including highlights like a duck waffle and the Bayou Breakfast (fried catfish and eggs) — all come with a choice of cheese grits or hash browns.

NOLA's Garden District is well-known for meandering streets, grand houses, and lush vegetation. It's also home to the juice bar Surrey's Cafe, but you'll find much more than standard café fare at this oft-overlooked gem. The menu at Surrey's is relaxed — you won't encounter exotic ingredients or extravagant cooking techniques here — the focus is on creating comforting and delicious food, often incorporating house-made (biscuits, bagels, focaccia, and buns are all baked in-house) and locally-sourced ingredients.

The boudin breakfast biscuit is a hearty way to kick off the day, boudin being a regional sausage filled with savory spiced pork and rice. The tofu breakfast platter is a fantastic savory option for vegetarians, and if you're craving something sweet, don't miss the gigantic banana pancake (you're going to want it with peanut butter). Lastly, Surrey's fresh-squeezed organic juices are essential for rounding out any meal.

Willa Jean has made major waves in the Big Easy's brunch scene since its inception in 2015. Earlier this year, Mashed listed the hotspot as one of the best breakfast restaurants in America, and the restaurant is beloved by locals and tourists alike. Its reputation is so legendary that the Queen herself, Beyoncé, has popped in (per NOLA.com). The brunch joint melds elegant cooking with rustic charm, and while breakfast is available all week, the weekend brunch menu takes things to a new level.

Appetizers, like griddled banana bread and artichoke dip, are the best way to brunch at Willa Jean. You can't go wrong with any of the options nested under the "biscuit situation" portion of the menu. Entrees span lighter fare like a granola bowl and avocado toast to heartier plates; the Hangover Bowl (brisket and grits) or pastrami smoked salmon are both belly-filling examples. Pro tip: Do NOT leave without ordering the homemade cookies (served with cookie dough and vanilla milk) for dessert. They're $11 but worth every penny.

La Petite Grocery has undergone many a transformation throughout the years, but since 2004, it's played a starring role in the New Orleans culinary community as an award-winning restaurant. Aiming for NOLA-inspired food with an innovative twist, the Magazine Street staple serves lunch, dinner, and brunch. La Petite Grocery guarantees a fantastic experience for any meal, but you'll find some truly inspired and hard-to-beat dishes for brunch in New Orleans.

For starters, there aren't a whole lot of restaurants serving up blue crab beignets. The malt vinegar aioli they're served with might be more accurately named the sauce of the gods. The B.E.L.T., La Petite's take on the BLT sandwich, is also wildly good and stuffed with cooked bacon, fried egg, Creole tomato, arugula, and herb aïoli. A well-done rendition of Gulf shrimp and grits featuring roasted shiitake mushrooms may also be your new favorite.

Emeril Lagasse is a name with which every foodie should be familiar. The Food Network star rose to fame via live cooking shows, and while he's not a native New Orleanian, Emeril, and Cajun food go together like beignets and powdered sugar. The highly entertaining chef currently operates a handful of restaurants in New Orleans, Miramar Beach, and Vegas. Although New Orleans's Emeril's Restaurant may be more popular, the lesser-known Meril may just be one of his best.

Up until 2023, Meril was limited to slinging out lunch and dinner, but earlier this year, the restaurant kicked off a Saturday brunch. It may not satisfy brunch purists clamoring for eggs and bacon, but it's well worth a visit for the fried chicken and waffle bowl, the bacon, egg, and cheese flatbread, and a barbeque shrimp and grits dish.

NOLA's City Park is like a daydream come true. With several whimsical attractions to be found within the winding paths and live oak trees, the park is a major draw. Subsequently, the surrounding neighborhood is one of the city's most beautiful. Here, you'll find the aptly named Ralph's on the Park restaurant, a special occasional favorite.

At Ralph's, you'll find all of your brunch faves with a special Big Easy twist, and while the price tag may be intimidating, the food is worth taking the bait. We recommend the shrimp skully (fried shrimp, toasted almonds, pepper jelly reduction, and cream) and salmon toast. The menu boasts impressive creations for entrees: stuffed French toast and a jumbo lump crab wedge salad in classic tangy and acidic ravigote sauce. Want to try a bit of everything? Opt for the $45 three-course brunch.

Dickie Brennan, yet another Brennan family member, operates some of the Crescent City's finest dining establishments, and among them is Tableau.  Like many Big Easy restaurants, seafood is heavily featured on Tableau's roster, and the brunch menu gives a quintessential local-fisherman-meets-fine-dining vibe embodied in choices like a fried oyster pan roast, which is heaven on earth. 

Based in the dreamy, otherworldly French Quarter with a balcony overlooking picturesque Jackson Square, Tableau offers the perfect blend of Southern charm and laid-back elegance. More traditional brunch main courses include selections of Wagyu steak and eggs, a mushroom duxelles omelet, and the restaurant's signature Eggs Tableau (tasso ham, poached eggs, and pepper jelly on a Hollandaise-doused English muffin). Don't forget the tarte à la bouillie for dessert — the caramel rum sauce is transcendent.

French cuisine has a big influence on the flavors of New Orleans. German food? Not so much. However, Luke Restaurant blends French, German, and Creole ingredients, dishes, and techniques into something magical. The Central Business District eatery is part of Besh Restaurant Group, a well-known operator around the city, and while most think of it as a lunch and dinner joint, Luke's brunch menu deserves recognition.

Dine at Luke on Saturday or Sunday morning, and you'll be treated to a small but high-quality selection. The cast iron cinnamon roll is perfect for sharing something sweet, and the brunch-only entrees are top-tier. Whether you order the croque madame or monsieur, a blue crab omelet, or the chicken and waffles served with Tabasco pepper jelly and pecan butter, you'll leave stuffed and satisfied.

The Country Club is a bit of a legend in New Orleans (if you know, you know). With a gorgeous indoor dining space as well as a large pool out back, complete with cabanas, locals and tourists alike flock to the Bywater hangout for great food, strong drinks, and the chance to escape from the year-round humidity. Sure enough, it's one of the most fun places in the city to grab a bite and experience a truly magnificent drag brunch.

The Country Club's drag brunch menu is almost as impressive as the performers. Here, you'll find innovative, NOLA-inspired eats like polenta and eggs; fried green tomatoes; and a not-to-be-missed corn, curry, and blue crab bisque. As mentioned, the food is only outshined by the roster of local drag queens who sing and dance their hearts out from room to room throughout the Country Club.

Founded by husband and wife team Arvinder and Pardeep Vilkhu, Saffron is a NOLA staple and James Beard-alum. The Magazine Street eatery was awarded Best New Restaurant in 2018 thanks to its specialty of infusing Southern dishes with touches of ingredients and cuisine from the owners' Indian heritage.

Sunday brunch at Saffron differs from anywhere else in the city — you're not going to find eggs benny or French toast here. Instead, dig into several versions of uttapum, a classic Indian breakfast made up of rice and lentil pancakes with sweet or savory toppings, or try an anda dosa (with egg, onion, chile, and spices). The Say Cheese dish, consisting of paneer, white cheddar, peppers, onions, and chicken curry, is another fantastic, unique menu option.

Gris-Gris hasn't been around for long — the Magazine Street hotspot opened its doors in 2018 — but it's already made a mark on the Big Easy, earning a number of awards in just five short years, including several for serving the city's best brunch. Upon first glance, the brunch menu might appear a little chaotic (most brunch menus don't include pot roast, right?) but take a deeper look. Gris-Gris took home its awards for a reason.

Gris-Gris's brunch leans heavily on the "lunch" part of the word. Some of the standout items include oyster pie, a catfish and Cajun caviar po'boy, and yes, the open-faced pot roast on Texas toast. Still, there are a couple of breakfast-forward items available: Try the chicken gizzard grillades with grit cakes, the Big Brunch Sammy (elevated by elderberry jam), or the cochon de lait benedict for a real treat.

It's hard to talk about NOLA's best restaurants without mentioning Antoine's. Established in 1840, it's one of the country's oldest restaurants, and anyone who's had the pleasure of eating there in the past 180+ years will happily tell you why it's still in business. The fine dining establishment is best known for dinner but also serves both regular and jazz brunch, the primary difference being the presence of a live band.

Brunch at Antoine's starts with a French pastry basket, but don't fill up on the sweet and savory baked goods — you'll want to save room for one of Antoine's generously portioned entrees. Main courses include everything from favorites like eggs sardou and grillades and grits to meatier plates like Pompano Pontchartrain (a pompano filet with jumbo lump crab meat, white wine reduction, and onion rice) and the vegan champignon bourguignon. Not to mention ... bottomless mimosas are only $18. You're welcome.