17 Legendary New Orleans Foods You Must Try in 2024

New Orleans food has one of the most distinctive flavors across all the U.S. Deeply rooted in Cajun and Creole traditions, New Orleans cuisine has French, African, Spanish and Native American influences. 

From distinctive traditional dishes like gumbo or jambalaya to unique sweet treats like beignets or pralines, New Orleans' dynamic culinary landscape promises a flavorful journey like no other.

Recognized by TripAdvisor's Best of the Best awards, New Orleans has proudly held the title of the number one Food Destination in the U.S. for two consecutive years.

If you're planning a visit and eager to savor the best of this charming location, get ready to tantalize your taste buds as we explore 17 iconic New Orleans foods that are an absolute must-try.

Learn Creole Cooking With Top New Orleans Chefs

When it comes to New Orleans food recipes, Creole cuisine is always on top of the list.  Hailing from diverse cuisines, Creole harmoniously blends flavors and techniques. With distinctive spices such as paprika, thyme, cayenne, and pepper, each New Orleans dish is filled with robust and aromatic quality. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Creole cooking, then you should book cooking classes in New Orleans. Expert chefs will teach you the foundations of New Orleans cuisine, along with techniques so you can make from its traditional menus to flavor fusions from scratch. 

17 Traditional New Orleans Foods to Try

1. Gumbo

What are 10 must-eat foods in New Orleans? Without a doubt, when visiting New Orleans you need to try Gumbo.

This dish features a delectable soup with the "Holy Trinity" of Creole cooking — bell peppers, celery, and onions — alongside a rich meat or shellfish stock and a blend of spices including paprika, thyme and cayenne pepper. Gumbo is the ultimate comfort food that represents a cultural symbol of Louisina’s diverse heritage. 

2. Po-boys

If you’re wondering what is New Orleans’ signature snack? The answer is simple: Po-boys. A po-boy is a sandwich that you’ll find in almost every New Orleans food menu, that consists of a submarine or French bread roll filled with a variety of signature ingredients. Its most common variations include fried seafood, sausage and roast beef. 

Po-boys are typically dressed with lettuces, tomatoes, pickles and mayonnaise. Its origins come from a streetcar strike in New Orleans in the late 1920s when restaurants provided free sandwiches to “poor boys” or striking workers. 

3. Bananas Foster

While New Orleans food is characterized by its unique blend of spices and strong flavors, the city is also known for its delicious sweet treats. Among its signature desserts is Bananas Foster — a flambeed delight where sliced bananas are cooked in a luscious mixture of butter, sugar and cinnamon.

The magic happens when a spirited touch of alcohol, a blend of rum and banana liqueur, is added and ignited, creating a mesmerizing burst of flames. Once the alcohol has burned off, a caramelized sauce remains, generously drizzled over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

4. Boiled Crawfish

Boiled crawfish is also another of the New Orleans foods that you must try! This dish peaks particularly during the crawfish season which is in the spring.

Crawfish are known for its succulent and tender meat (similar to lobster), and its preparation consists in boiling live crawfish in a flavorful mix of spices and herbs creating a seasoned broth that infuses the shellfish with a rich and spicy taste. Boiled crawfish are a common New Orleans street food that you can find during festivals or pop up stands. 

5. Oysters

Seafood, notably oysters, holds a central place in traditional New Orleans cuisine, a culinary legacy shaped significantly by the early arrivals of Croatian immigrants who, in turn, became pivotal figures in the city's oyster industry. Today, New Orleans boasts an abundance of big and fresh oysters, enjoyed in various culinary preparations. 

If you’re looking for the best food in New Orleans French Quarter pay a visit to Acme Oyster House where you’ll get delighted by its oyster menu.

6. New Orleans Beignets

New Orleans beignets are one of the most favorite desserts among locals and tourists. This sweet treat consists of pillowy squares of dough generously dusted with powdered sugar, creating a delicious combination of fluffy texture and sweetness.

Every bite feels like heaven. And if you’re wondering about the best food in the New Orleans French Quarter, you should visit Café du Monde, one of the most popular spots to eat New Orleans beignets. 

7. New Orleans King Cakes

New Orleans food has a variety of different flavors. While spicy and seafood are some of its pillars, for those with a sweet tooth you’ll find its king cakes an absolute treat.

Particularly if you’re looking for team building activities in New Orleans that involve food tasting, this iconic dessert is a must-try. King cake is associated with the vibrant and festive culture of New Orleans, especially during Mardi Gras season.

The cake is a braided or twisted cinnamon-flavor dough, adorned with colorful icing (purple, green and gold) symbolizing justice, faith and power. 

8. Fried Chicken

Traditional New Orleans food that is always beloved by everyone is its fried chicken. This Southern comfort food has evolved into a hallmark of the city's gastronomic identity, offering a perfect blend of crispy exterior and tender, flavorful meat.

Traditional New Orleans-style fried chicken is often seasoned with a medley of spices, such as paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and thyme.

9. New Orleans Pralines

New Orleans food is filled with global traditions, like the case of its iconic pralines. Influenced by French cuisine, pralines consist of a sweet and creamy blend of sugar, butter, cream and pecans making them a mouthwatering treat.

They have to be meticulously cooked to achieve a perfect consistency. If you’re looking for date ideas in New Orleans, then you should go on a food hunt, going to places like the French Quarter and trying all its exquisite treats like Pralines. 

10. BBQ Shrimp 

A traditional New Orleans food menu will always include BBQ shrimp because of its popularity and delicious flavor. This New Orleans food is known for its rich blend of bold spices, succulent shrimp, and a savory, buttery sauce.

The preparation often involves a harmonious mixture of ingredients like Worcestershire sauce, garlic, lemon, and a medley of Cajun and Creole spices, creating a zesty and complex flavor profile that tantalizes the taste buds.

11. Jambalaya

What food is New Orleans famous for? One of its most iconic dishes is Jambalaya. This Creole New Orleans food consists of a flavorful one-pot rice dish.

Jambalaya consists of a combination of ingredients such as andouille sausage, chicken and shrimp with the holy trinity of vegetables and seasoned with a robust blend of spices, which makes Jambalaya an explosion of flavors.

The rice, cooked in a well-seasoned broth, absorbs the essence of the meats and vegetables, creating a satisfying dish.

12. Red Beans and Rice

If you’re looking for Creole New Orleans food, try red beans and rice. This hearty dish consists of a flavorful combination of creamy red beans, aromatic spices and smoky sausage, slow-cooked to perfection.

A fun fact about this iconic dish is that its origins come from a Monday laundry tradition where beans would be often left to simmer relatively unattended. With the leftovers from Sunday (like ham bone), they would create a mixture of ingredients that is now known as “red beans and rice.” 

13. Turtle Soup

Turtle soup is another traditional New Orleans food with a rich and savory taste. This dish features tender turtle meat simmered in a well-seasoned broth that has a variety of vegetables like onions and celery.

Aromatic herbs and spices are also added for a more complex and spicy flavor profile, and sometimes a splash of sherry or wine. 

14. Crawfish Étouffée

What is Louisiana's most common food? While there are many common and popular dishes, crawfish étouffée is a flavorful meal deeply rooted in the Cajun and Creole culinary traditions.

This New Orleans food features tender crawfish tails simmered in a luscious, savory roux-based sauce made with a medley of aromatic vegetables.

Seasoned with a blend of Cajun spices, including paprika, thyme, and cayenne pepper, crawfish étouffée delivers a rich and unique flavor. It’s typically served over a bed of fluffy rice. 

15. Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and Grits, a delightful dish firmly ingrained in New Orleans food culture, exemplifies the city's mastery in blending diverse culinary influences.

Rooted in the rich tapestry of New Orleans food recipes, this savory creation features succulent shrimp nestled in a creamy bed of stone-ground grits. 

16. Muffuletta

A list of New Orleans food wouldn't be complete with muffuletta. Muffuletta features a round Sicilian bread loaf, generously layered with various cured meats such as salami, ham, and mortadella, adorned with slices of provolone cheese.

What sets this sandwich apart is the olive salad—a zesty mixture of green and black olives, celery, garlic and pickled vegetables—spread generously over the meats, infusing tangy and briny flavors.

17. Sno-balls  

Snowballs (or sno-balls) are a typical New Orleans street food during hot summer days. These are made with shaved ice flavored with different sweet syrups and stuffed with different mix-ins and add-ons. 

New Orleans food is well known for its diverse influences and rich traditions that result in unique and bold flavors. From iconic dishes rooted in Cajun and Creole heritage to innovative street foods, one thing is for sure: New Orleans offers a gastronomic journey like no other.

Whether you want to savor the flavors of gumbo, jambalaya or BBQ shrimp or indulge in sweet traits like beignets and pralines, New Orleans is the ultimate destination for an exceptional culinary experience.

For even more fun things to do in New Orleans, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!