39 Postcards
Nestled in a charming 19th-century Creole cottage, this French Quarter gem serves up exquisite cocktails and elevated dishes amidst a lovely garden courtyard.
"On the quieter outskirts of the Quarter, cocktail enthusiasts will are delighted to find an enchanting 19th-century Creole cottage that houses this beautiful cocktail bar and restaurant. Have a seat at the bar or in the Jewel of the South courtyard and sip some of the very best cocktails in town, and in the country — the tavern just won the 2024 James Beard Award for Oustanding Bar. While the drinks may have top billing due to its cocktail-expert founders, the food is also not to be missed, with tasting menus and other special dinners available from time to time." - Clair Lorell
"Jewel of the South’s 19th century Creole cottage offers a classy respite from French Quarter chaos, whether inside the elegant dining room or on the enchanting courtyard out back, strung with lights and tucked away from its busy surroundings. One sip of a cocktail and you’ll want to try them all, but make sure to try Chris Hannah’s expert Brandy Crusta." - Clair Lorell, Eater Staff
"Chris Hannah’s name was synonymous with Arnaud’s French 75 bar for 14 years, culminating in a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program in 2017. He opened Jewel of the South, an elegant French Quarter cocktail den with a fine-dining menu from Philip Whitmarsh, two years later in 2019. It pays homage to the original bar of the same name — a bar that was supposedly the birthplace of the brandy crusta, a version of which Jewel has become known for since opening. It won Outstanding Bar at the James Beard Awards in 2024." - Beth D'Addono
"Jewel of the South puts equal emphasis on the food and cocktails, and both are extremely quality, if not a little bit over the top. There are multiple cocktails that cost over $25, and you’ll find a lot of caviar on the menu, along with plates of wagyu beef tongue. We like it best for a sit-down dinner in the plant-filled courtyard, but it’s just as good for walking in for some drinks and snacks at the bar. The owner and bartender is somewhat of a local legend, and you can often see him behind the bar mixing up cocktails or shooting the sh*t with regulars and tourists." - zella palmer, carlo mantuano, megan braden perry
"Chris Hannah’s drink list at the James Beard Award-winning Jewel of the South is a wonder of global flavors and creative combinations in an inviting indoor-outdoor garden setting. The signature drink is a Brandy Crusta, said to be invented in New Orleans in the 1850s by an Italian bartender named Joseph Santini. Hannah’s extravagant version utilizes Remy 1738 Cognac, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, lemon, Luxardo Maraschino, and bitters." - Eater Staff, Clair Lorell
