"This family-owned Creole Italian restaurant remains New Orleans’s gold standard for homey, cheesy Italian goodness. Open since 1992, Irene’s is much loved for its lasagne Bolognese and crispy duck St. Philip. Although it now accepts reservations, cutting down on the wait for a table, it’s still fun to have a martini in the piano bar before tucking into a feast." - Beth D'Addono, Clair Lorell