The 26 Best Restaurants in New Orleans

"Housed in a relatively anonymous-looking building in the Central Business District, Herbsaint’s dining room is disarmingly casual and feels like a democratic venue to sample some of the city’s best food. As is the case with most well-loved New Orleans restaurants, Donald Link’s flagship shows skill with the classics, and the dirty rice and chicken, tasso, and andouille gumbo remain as popular as ever. But the Italian and French dishes on the menu will call out to you, with the gnocchi and homemade spaghetti being particularly memorable. Herbsaint may not have the swagger of some of the city’s more famous restaurants, but this plays to its advantage. It feels like a place for people more “in the know,” but without any undue snobbery." - Paul Oswell