The document provides 21 suggestions for unique things to do in New Orleans beyond the typical tourist attractions in the French Quarter, including visiting music venues on Frenchman Street, taking a swamp tour to see alligators at Cajun Encounters, and learning to cook Cajun dishes at the New Orleans School of Cooking. Many of the recommendations focus on experiencing the local culture through food, music, and history. The list aims to give visitors a more authentic view of New Orleans and introduce them to lesser-known neighborhoods and small businesses.

1. Outlier Picks – 20 Under-the-Radar Things
to Do in New Orleans
New Orleans has so much to offer - history, culture, music, great food, etc., but most visitors
don't stray too far from Bourbon Street and the French Quarter.
Here are some ideas for seeing more of the fabulous city.

2. 1. Frenchman Street Corridor
A less-touristy alternative to the French Quarter. This is where the locals go to meet for drinks and hear some of
the best jazz on earth. Clubs, music and street musicians are everywhere. Open very late. Home to clubs such
as The Spotted Cat Music Club, Snug Harbor, d.b.a., and Three Muses. (photo by Infrogmation of New Orleans)

3. 2. Mr. B's Bistro
This Creole bistro serves gourmet, contemporary cuisine and was named “Best Business Lunch” by Food and
Wine. A visit offers a great introduction to Cajun cooking, and it's authentic - Mr. B's Bistro is owned and
managed by Cindy Brennan, a member of the legendary New Orleans' Brennan Family. Get the Gumbo Ya Ya
with Chicken and Andouille Sausage or the Mr. B'S Barbecued Shrimp with Peppery Butter Sauce and French
Bread for dipping. http://www.mrbsbistro.com (photo by Southern Foodways Alliance)

4. 3. Laura Plantation
Laura Plantation is historic sugar plantation that was originally built in 1805 and has been restored. The
historic plantation sits on the west bank of the Mississippi River near Vacherie, LA. Guided tours offer a glimpse
into Creole plantation history. www.lauraplantation.com (photo by Phil Whitehouse)

5. 4. St. James Cheese Company
This bustling cheesemonger shop sells gourmet cheeses from far and near and is a perfect destination for
enjoying a leisurely gourmet salad or sandwich on the patio, or for picking up a culinary souvenir to take back
home. Located in the Uptown neighborhood just south of St. Charles Avenue. Check their web site for special
tastings. www.stjamescheese.com (photo by Andrea Wright)

6. 5. Free Tours by Foot
The tours are free, but the guides make money by earning tips. Three walking tours from which to choose:
French Quarter, Ghost Tour, Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery Tour, plus one bike tour. This is a top notch
tour and a great way to get to know New Orleans. The guides are knowledgeable and generally
witty. www.freetoursbyfoot.com (photo by Heather Elias)

7. 6. New Orleans School of Cooking
Learn how to cook Cajun and Creole cuisine under the guidance of expert chefs - Jambalaya, Gumbo, Corn
Crab Bisque, Crawfish Etouffee, Bananas Foster, Pralines. Learn about local history and customs. The best part:
sitting down to enjoy your meal at the end. www.neworleansschoolofcooking.com (photo by Heather Elias)

8. 7. Dante's Kitchen
Enjoy low-key gourmet cuisine cooked up by Chef Eman Loubier in a rambling old house. The specialty is
the Maple Glazed Chicken Roasted Under a Brick, served with Potato and Bacon Hash Cake and topped with a
Fried Egg. For brunch, get the Shrimp and Grits with a Bloody Mary. Local produce plays a starring role, and
most everything is housemade. www.danteskitchen.com (photo by Infrogmation of New Orleans)

9. 8. Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and
Confectionery
A New Orleans tradition since way back in 1905. Super-good gelato, lemon ice, spumoni, cannoli, biscotti, Italian
cookies, coffee. Take the Canal St. streetcar to City Park/Museum and get off at
Bienville. www.angelobrocatoicecream.com (photo by Infrogmation of New Orleans)

10. 9. The Cocktail Tour
In a city full of booze and history, why not enjoy both simultaneously? Two hour walking tour includes plenty of
history and stories from guide and culinary historian Elizabeth Pearce, plus a Sazerac, a Hurricane, St. Charles
Hotel Punch, Praline liqueur and bottled water. www.thecocktailtour.com (photo by Gary J. Wood)

11. 10. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar
It's located in the oldest building in the Quarter - dating back to the 1770's, and it's the oldest bar in the country. It
was once the outpost of privateer brothers Jean and Pierre Lafitte. Tennessee Williams drank here. It's dank and
candle-lit. It's got drinks and live music. www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com (photo by treewoman8)

12. 11. Port of Call
Arguably the best burger in town - big and sloppy half-pounders served with a loaded baked potato. The steaks
are also good. The local drink is the Monsoon - a super-strong rum and fruit juice drink. Go-cups are available if
you cannot finish it. The place can get crowded, and there may be a wait, but that's why you order a
monsoon. www.portofcallnola.com (photo by Ann Larie Valentine)

13. 12. Cajun Encounters
Take a break from the French Quarter - tour the Honey Island Swamp in a boat and see alligators, raccoons,
owls, wild boars, nutria, snakes, turtles, bald eagles, black bears, and many birds, as well as a real Cajun village.
The funny Cajun guides will keep you from getting bit by an alligator - just like you'd
want. www.cajunencounters.com (photo by Madeleine Deaton)

14. 13. Dick and Jenny's
In a small cottage in the Uptown district near Tipitina's, Dick and Jenny Benz prepare seasonal, flavorful, and
southern fare in a casual setting. Fried Green Tomatoes and Jumbo Lump Crab Remoulade. Abita Braised Beef
Short Ribs Over Goat Cheese-Thyme Grits with Brown Butter Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and Spiced Bourbon
Demi-Glace. Call same day after 3:30 to make reservations. dickandjennys.com (photo by shu)

15. 14. Rock 'n' Bowl
What's better than bowling, drinking beer, and listening to live music in between turns? Maybe just drinking beer
and eating a gourmet burger at the same time. The music at Rock'n'Bowl is seriously good local music. There's a
dance floor in front of the stage. So much to do - all in one place. Go here. www.rocknbowl.com (photo
by fw_gadget)

16. 15. Mother-In-Law Lounge
Ernie K-Doe is famous for his No. 1 hit from the early ‘60s, "Mother-in-Law." In 1994, he opened his namesake
bar so that older, legendary New Orleans musicians would have a place to perform. Good times at the bar were
balanced with bad times: Ernie die in 2001, his wife, Antoinette, ran the bar until she died in 2009, then
Antoinette’s daughter, Betty Fox, ran the bar until it had to shut down in 2011. In the midst of all of the turnover,
Katrina flooded the bar. Luckily, the bar was reopened in 2014 by local jazz trumpeter Kermit Ruffins. The
music's great, there's food and drink, and the place has character. www.k-doe.com (photo by Infrogmation of
New Orleans)

17. 16. New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
This is a small, often overlooked museum in the French Quarter. It's on site of the first licensed apothecary shop
in the US. Inside, visitors will find exhibits of old medicines, folk remedies, voodoo potions, an old soda fountain,
surgical utensils. Learn about bloodletting and leeches. It's good, fun history. Take a self-guided tour for
$5. www.pharmacymuseum.org (photo by Ryan Lackey)

18. 17. Coquette
This slightly-still-under-the-radar, upscale NOLA restaurant serves locally-sourced modern Louisiana cuisine,
and it's some of the best food New Orleans has to offer. The restaurant is tucked into the corner of a historic
building in the Garden District and filled with brick walls, dark woods, and tile floors. Three-course lunch specials.
Soft-Shell Crab with Anson Mills Grits, Sweet Corn, Parmesan. There's also an excellent and extensive drink
menu at the long wooden bar. The Mule - House-Infused Peppermint Vodka, Yellow Chartreuse, Lemon, Ginger
Beer. coquettenola.com (photo by angela n.)

19. 18. Old New Orleans Rum Distillery
All that rum everybody drink in the French Quarter has to come from somewhere - why not make it in New
Orleans? A distillery founded by artists and musicians has managed to win major awards in competitions across
the world. Take the tour and taste the rum. Fun and delicious way to spend an hour or
so. oldneworleansrum.com (photo by kerinin)

20. 19. Degas House
French Impressionist Edgar Degas spent several months in New Orleans between 1872 and 1873 and stayed
in this historic house. There are two well-designed tours or the home: Breakfast and a Tour, and Bottles and
Brushes (have a drink and try your hand at painting like Degas). The home is also a bed and
breakfast. www.degashouse.com (photo by Infrogmation of New Orleans)
20. Canal Street/Algiers Ferry
This free, 5-minute ferry leaves from Canal Street every 30 minutes and heads to Algiers across the Mississippi.
Algiers is quiet - walk over to the Old Point Inn or the Crown and Anchor English Pub and have a drink and some
food. The trip offers a great skyline view of New Orleans. nolaferries.com (photo by Reading Tom)
21. Camellia Grill

21. A NOLA institution serving burgers in a classy diner setting, as in white-jacketed waiters and white linen. Loud
and lively and fun. Fluffy, Cheesy Omelets, Pecan Waffles, Chili-Cheese Fries, Chocolate Pecan Pie. (photo by
K. Kendall)
Featured photo by Ben. All photos CC-BY-2.0.
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