Beyond Bourbon Street For Those With Boutique Taste

Discovering the KOGEI Art Fair in the hotel where I was staying in Kanazawa, Japan, in December 2025. Artists and galleries took over three floors of the hotel, turning hotel rooms into shoppable suites.

Currently based in Austin, Texas, with plans to move to Houston next month after almost twelve years in ATX.

I used to try to plan every minute of each day, but since meeting my fiancé Adrian, I have learned that one or two anchor activities or reservations per day with time to explore without a plan is the perfect balance for both of us. I like to research before traveling, using food and travel publications I trust to discover exciting neighborhoods and must-dos.

Restaurants, without question.

New Orleans is often misunderstood as a party-only destination! Sure, you can spend four days on Bourbon Street, but you can also create an itinerary centered around eating some of the best bites in the country, soulful live music, and stunning boutique hotels that you will not want to leave. It’s become a very special city for my fiancé and me. We’ve visited five or six times, and on our most recent trip, we got engaged!

The winter months in New Orleans are my favorite. Sweater weather paired with the architecture and walkability makes for a very special stay. If you’re brave and used to the heat, you can get excellent room rates over the summer, making it a great time to check out the boutique hotels while supporting restaurants during slower months.

Bourbon Street is the only answer here, but there is a time and place for it. We love the jazz bar Fritzel’s, which sits on Bourbon, but I can, and will, politely turn down a hurricane.

Cocktails at Jewel of the South. It’s hard to visit without stopping by for a Brandy Crusta (a classic cocktail with cognac, dry curacao, lemon, Luxardo Maraschino and Angostura Bitters).

New Orleans is built on fascinating history that is both haunting and thrilling. A fun nugget is the history of the Sazerac cocktail. You can learn about the history at The Sazerac House for free, including a few cocktail samples throughout the tour. It’s a fun, touristy French Quarter activity that I always recommend, especially if it’s particularly hot and humid and they're seeking an indoor option. TLDR: the cocktail has strong French ties, dates back to the 1800s, and became the city's official cocktail in 2008.

Mardi Gras is an official state holiday.

How could you have a rivalry with New Orleans?! Nothing competes.

App based car service is super helpful, especially at night or on a hot and humid day. The trolley cars are fun and easily accessible to locals and tourists. Certain neighborhoods are walkable but going long distances can be difficult.

Dinner at Mister Mao!

Ooh! Sleeping past 8 am and waking up at Hotel Peter and Paul. Then heading down to The Elysian Bar for a hot latte and a game of Gin Rummy with Adrian. Breakfast follows at a spot like Molly’s Rise and Shine, which we frequent on most visits to the city. 

We’ll usually window shop in the French Quarter for a little while, starting at Papier Plume, a pen and stationery store. It’s fun to walk down Royal and check out some of the antique stores. 

We’ll walk to Ayu Bakehouse from here to get a Boudin Boy (boudin pork sausage with boiled egg wrapped in croissant dough!) as a lunchtime snack, as breakfast was likely hearty. We usually play the afternoon by ear and have, in the past, checked out museums and visited art galleries and stores, which have led to amazing finds (like the handmade denim jacket) that have become staples in my closet. The evening starts early with checking out a bar (usually rock, paper, scissors over whether it’s a new bar or one of our long-time favs), followed by dinner, live music, and a surprisingly early bedtime to enjoy the robes in the hotel room.

I really hope to snag a resy at Saint Claire the next time I’m in town! The ambiance looks dreamy, and I love every iteration of a menu I’ve seen to date.

New Orleans has it all but it’s far and away a top food city in the world.

There are monthly markets at Hotel Peter & Paul, and I have had great success with finding funky art and jewelry from local makers, worth finding room in my carry on for.

Margot’s for pizza and cocktails; Lagniappe Bakehouse & Coffee for a second pastry fix after Ayu Bakehouse; Saffron for an Indian dinner in Uptown; N7 for cool vibes and a glass of wine; Saba for overdoing it on mezze and pita. Restaurants where my shellfish allergy gets in the way, but I can recommend with confidence from afar: Dakar, Mosquito Supper Club, and Acamaya.

Marigny-Bywater, Garden District, and Uptown

We also love Surrey’s Café and Juice Bar. A visit to New Orleans without breakfast here would feel wrong for us.

I’m usually too full from breakfast for a proper lunch in NOLA, but I do love Turkey & the Wolf’s famous collard green melt.

On our most recent trip, we had drinks that led to dinner at Manolito. Sharing the arroz con pollo and the Cuban sandwich was delightful.

Happy hour is a great time to check out some of the hotel bars in town. In addition to The Elysian Bar, we’ve enjoyed drinks at Bar Marilou, in addition to lobby bars at The Columns, and The Chloe.

 Sunday Best!