Craig KerstiensDrinking / Food
- Three Muses - One of the best bars in the area. Great cocktails including orange blossom sazerac. Their food is quite great as well, amazing things had there – lobster spring rolls, crispy pork belly, fish tacos, edamame with toasted sesame oil and star anise
- Jackson Brewery - As with many a pretty solid brewery with good food. The few isn’t quite traditional bar food, slants more to new orleans cuisine, but definitely have a few good items. The seared tuna salad is quite the helping of tuna and blackened alligator is delcious.
- Pat Obriens - Well known for creating the hurricane. Their drinks are definitely sweet most and not the place for bargain drinks, but an evening in the courtyard or near the piano bar is a must do experience at least once if not many times in your lifetime.
- Abita - Its a bit of a drive out of town, but a nice different experience. All of their beers are of course nice and fresh here and a good selection of quality bar food here as well.
Food Only
- Crabby Jacks - The place for a Po Boy. Their King Po Boy is ~ $12 and probably has 2 pounds of perfectly fried shrimp on it. Feels like a New Orleans City Cafe
- Cafe Du Monde - Sure its a given, but its still great. Beignets and Cafe Au Lait are a must anytime in new orleans.
- Meltdown popsicles - In several days I walked by this place many times before even realizing it was there, but what a treat. Gourmet popsicles, i.e. strawberry basil, vietnamese coffee, pineapple cilantro
- Angelo Brocato Gelato - As I right this I’m returning from Florence Italy. There’s not many places I could say even come close to the gelato I consumed this past week, this place though was truly great. Of course still not quite as good, but it does come close.
Shops
- Fleur de Paris - Awesome true milinery. No photos allowed. Hats are $$$$ but dresses can be fun and affordable for an amazing quality.
- Goorin Brothers - With something that has a little more for the men as well here’s another hat shop. This has a variety of very style-ish both mens and womens hats if you can find the occasion to wear them.
- Caliche and Pao - For a city filled with local art and music this studio always jumps out to me. So much so I had to grab his well known set of light posts. The color and emotion within it captures the city so well.