Best of New Orleans 2022

Hello and welcome to Gambit’s 2022 Best of New Orleans issue! After a month of voting, weeks of tabulation by our crack team of mechanicians, making a list and then checking it twice, we are proud to present all the best things in and around New Orleans according to you, our correct opinion having readers!

First off, thank you to everyone who participated in the poll The ballots are long, we know, and it’s a credit to our readers’ love of the city that so many of you put the work in and filled them out. In fact, this year we had nearly 10,000 ballots cast, which is A LOT.

Second, congratulations to all of the businesses, people and places that made the BONO list. The people of New Orleans love you, they really, really love you! Maybe after work one night we can all go get matching tattoos or something.

Finally, a few words on the poll: Yes, there are those who are sometimes skeptical of these sorts of lists. After all, there’s lots of people who think sucking on a daiquiri made with horse goo and bleach will cure Covid.

So, we’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions to help explain how the BONO process works.

Q. Who chooses the winners?

A. This is literally all your fault. Our staff has nothing to do with the poll aside from putting together the list of categories, tabulating the results and fact-checking addresses, names and the like

Q. Wait a second, there’s also a staff picks section! Ahh-hhaa, I knew you were lying!

A. Cool your jets, Mr Pillow Man. We said the “poll,” not “staff selections.”

Q. Do people try to cheat?

A. When was the last time somebody didn’t try and cheat a vote in Louisiana?

Q. I read on GeauxChan that all these polls are rigged and papers sell winners to the highest bidder.

A. We’re sure you also read that ChemTrails are real and that the Queen of England faked her death just for a quiet life in Marrero. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet

unless, of course, you’re reading this on the internet.

But seriously, while some other lists may be up for sale, ours never is We don’t take bribes We don’t sell spots on the lists as part of advertising packages And we don’t mess with who wins, even if we don’t agree

Q. Can we recall a winner, and if so, is the recall actually being orchestrated by out-of-state Big Media?

A. No There is no recall process We love putting in the hours and hours and HOURS of work necessary to produce the list every year, but we’re not masochists.

Q. Why isn’t Best Podiatrist a category?

A. As we said, the list is a constant work in progress. Also, our staffer Jake hates feet If you have ideas for good categories or really any feedback for next year, hit us up at response@ gambitweekly.com

Audubonworks with partners to rebuild whoopingcrane population in Louisiana

Submitted article

This article is brought to youby AudubonNatureInstitute

Despitechanges around theworlddue to theCOVID-19pandemic,Freeport-Mc MoRanAudubon SpeciesSurvivalCenter continuesits work increasing thenumbers of theworld’s rarest cranespecies. This season, Audubonwelcomedseven whooping cranechicksthathatched at FMASSC Thewhoopingcrane chicks willstayatthe Westbank location untilthe fall,when sixofthe chicks,three malesand three females, willbereleased intothe White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area.One female chickwillremainatFMASSCto be part of thebreedingprogram because of theimportanceof her geneticmakeup. Of thesix chicks settobereleased, five of them werecostume rearedbyAudubon team members. Onechick (male) was parent raised

Theanticipated date of release in White Lake is November 3where they will be deliveredtoLouisiana Department of Wildlife andFisheriesfor gradualrelease to thewild.

“Weare thrilled to have bouncedback

afterthe COVID-19 pandemic,” said Freeport-McMoRan AudubonSpecies Survival Center AssistantCurator Richard Dunn. “These chicks representthe collaborative effortthatweand ourpartners share in making an impact on thesurvivalofthis preciousspecies.”

Whooping cranes used to be plenti fulinLouisiana,but unregulated hunt ing andhabitat loss contributed to them disappearingfromthe wildinthe state70 yearsago.In2011, this changedwhen10 cranes from theU.S.GeologicalSurvey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland were releasedtothe Louisiana Department of Wildlife andFisheries’ WhiteLakeWetlandsConservationArea in Vermilion Parish.Thismarkedasignif icantconservationmilestone with thefirst wildwhooping cranes in Louisianasince 1950.In2016,the first chicks hatchedin theLouisiana wildsince 1939—a signifi cant sign of recovery for thespecies. Audu bonisproud to be part of this recovery.

This year’s chicks were namedafter videogamecharacters.

Alongwithwhoopingcranes, Audubonhas also seensuccessthisyearwith anotherendangeredspecies.Thisseason,

eightMississippi sandhill cranechicks hatchedatthe FMASSC.These chicks help bolsterthe population of this North American cranesubspecies andadd to themorethan250 chicks produced at the Survival Center.Withmostofthe chicks beingreleased back into thewild, the goal of therecovery programistocreatea self-sustaining population of Mississippi sandhill cranes

TheU.S.Fishand Wildlife Service (USFWS),Louisiana Department of Wild lifeand Fisheries(LDWF), andAudubon have beenlongtimeleaders in whooping craneconservationand arecontinuing to expand theirpartnership with thegoal of developing aself-sustaining Louisiana whooping cranepopulation. This part nership is an exampleofthe importance of collaborationbetween federal andstate agenciesand non-profitorganizations, leveragingthe strengthsofall to achieve measurable conservation resultsand make asignificant, historic impact on thefuture of this species. Throughthispartnership andwiththe supportofUSFWS,Chevron, andother generoussupporters, Audubon is committedtothe long-termgrowthand stabilityofthe whoopingcrane population

to save thespeciesfromextinction

As part of theWhoopingCrane Recovery Team,Audubon workscollaboratively with theUSFWS,International Recovery Team, theAssociation of Zoos andAquariums’ Whooping CraneSpecies Survival Plan, Louisiana Department of Wildlifeand Fisheries,International CraneFoundation,White OakConservationFoundation, SmithsonianConservationBiology Institute,DallasZoo,San AntonioZoo,Calgary Zoo, andWisconsin Department of Natu ralResources to achieveaself-sustainingpopulationofwildwhoopingcranes throughreintroduction programs.

Anyone encounteringawhooping craneisadvised to observethe bird from adistance andtoreportthe sighting to LDWF online at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/ page/report-a-whooping-crane-sight ing-or-violation. Whooping cranes are large-bodied,longlegged, whitebirds with ared head andblack facial markings on the side of itsface. Birdsmeasure aheight of fivefeetand awingspanofseven to eight feet,which makesthemverydistinctive. In flight,whoopingcranesdisplay black wing tips,afullyextendedneck, andlegs that extend well beyond thetail.

1MARGOT’S (1243Frenchmen St., 504-224-2892;

2SaintJohn (1117DecaturSt., 504-581-8120;saintjohnnola.com)

3LeChatNoir (715 St.Charles Ave., 504-381-0045; lechatnoirnola.com)

BestKENNER

1KENNERSEAFOOD (3140Loyola Drive, Kenner, 504-466-4701; kennerseafood.net)

2HarborSeafood&OysterBar (3207WilliamsBlvd.,Kenner, 504-443-6454; harborseafoodandoysterbar.com)

3Gendusa’sItalianMarket (325 WilliamsBlvd.,Kenner,504 305-5305;gendusasitalian.com)

BestMETAIRIE

1DRAGO’S (3232N.Arnoult Road,Metairie, 504-888-9254; dragosrestaurant.com)

2ChefRon’sGumboStop (2309 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, 504-835-2022;gumbostop.com)

3Austin’sSeafood&Steakhouse (5101W.Esplanade Ave., Metairie,504-888-5533; mredsrestaurants.com/austins)

BestNEWORLEANSRESTAURANT

1COMMANDER’SPALACE (1403WashingtonAve., 504-899-8221; commanderspalace.com)

2GWFins (808 BienvilleSt.,504-581-3467;gwfins.com)

3Sofia (516Julia St., 504-322-3216;sofianola.com)

PHOTOBYIAN MCNULTY/ THETIMES-PICAYUNE

BestNORTHSHORERESTAURANT

1ABITABREWPUB (72011 Holly St., AbitaSprings,985-892-5837; abitabrewpub.com)

2TheChimes (19130 W. FrontSt.,Covington, 985-892-5396; thechimes.com)

3Gallagher’sGrill (509 S. TylerSt.,Covington, 985-892-9992; gallaghersgrill.com)

PHOTO BY DAVID (613 W. St.BernardHighway, Chalmette, 504-279-8323; rockyandcarlosrestaurant.com)

2MeMe’sBarandGrille (712 W. JudgePerez Drive, Chalmette, 504-644-4992; memesbarandgrille.com)

3SecretThai (9212W.Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette, 504-345-2487;facebook.com/ secretthairestaurant)

BestWESTBANKRESTAURANT

1BANANABLOSSOM

(500 9thSt.,Gretna, 504-500-0997; 504bananablossom.com)

2TanDinh (1705Lafayette St., Gretna, 504-361-8008; tandinhnola.com)

3Cafe615 (615 KeplerSt, Gretna,504-365-1225; cafe615.com) (TIE)

3Mosca’sRestaurant (4137US-90 West, Westwego, 504-436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com) (TIE)

BestBAKERY

1HAYDEL’S (3117Magazine St., 504-267-3165; 4037 JeffersonHighway,504-837-0190; haydelsbakery.com)

2LaBoulangerie (4600Magazine St., 504-269-3777;laboulangerienola.com)

3BywaterBakery (3624DauphineSt., 504-336-3336;bywaterbakery.com)

BestBARBECUERESTAURANT

1BLUEOAKBBQ

(900 N. Carrollton Ave.,504-822-2583; blueoakbbq.com)

2CentralCityBBQ (1201S.Rampart St., 504-558-4276;centralcitybbq.com)

3TheJoint (701 Mazant St., 504-949-3232; alwayssmokin.com)

BestBEIGNET

1CAFEDUMONDE (Citywide, 800-772-2927; cafedumonde.com)

2MorningCallCoffeeStand (5101Canal Blvd; 504-459-2086; morningcallnola.com)

3TheVintage (3121Magazine St., 504-324-7144; thevintagenola.com)

Best BURGER

RESTAURANT

1PORTOFCALL (838 Esplanade Ave., 504-523-0120; portofcallnola.com)

2TheCompanyBurger (4600 Freret St., 504-267-0320; thecompanyburger.com)

3Bub’sNOLA (4413Banks St., 504-581-8054;bubsnola.com

BestCARIBBEAN

RESTAURANT

1THERUMHOUSE (3128Magazine St., 504-941-7560; therumhouse.com)

214Parishes (Pythian Market, 234Loyola Ave.;8227Oak St., 504-264-7457;14parishes.com)

3QueenTriniLisa (4200 D’Hemecourt St., 504-345-2058; queentrinilisa.com)

BestDOUGHNUT

1DISTRICTDONUTS (Citywide; districtdonuts.com)

BestCHINESE

RESTAURANT

1BLUEGIANT (1300Magazine St., 504-582-9060; bluegiantnola.com)

2FiveHappiness (3605S.Carrollton Ave.,504-482-3935; facebook.com/ 5happiness)

3DianXin (1218DecaturSt., 504-308-3060; 620Conti St., 504-372-3372; dianxinnola.com)

2BakersDozen (3305Jefferson Highway, Jefferson, 504-828-2811; lovebakersdozen.com)

3BlueDotDonuts (4301Canal St., 504-218-4866;facebook.com/bluedotdonuts)

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER/ THETIMES-PICAYUNE

2LaCrepeNanou

2Sofia

3MantraIndianCuisine Charles Ave.,504-866-9313;

3Venezia (134 N. Carrollton Ave.,504-488-7991; venezianeworleans.net)

BestLATINAMERICAN RESTAURANT

1ELPAVOREAL (4401S.Broad Ave.,504-266-2022; elpavorealnola.com)

2MaisArepas (1200Carondelet St., 504523-6247;facebook.com/maisarepas)

3AlmaCafe (800 Louisa St., 504-381-5877;eatalmanola.com)

BestMEXICAN RESTAURANT

1FELIPE’S

(301 N. Peters St., 504-267-4406; 411-1N.CarrolltonAve., 504-408-2626; 6215 S. Miro St., 504-309-2776; felipestaqueria.com)

2ElGatoNegro (81FrenchMarket Place, 504-525-9752;300 Harrison Ave.,504-488-0107; 301HueyP.Long Ave.,Gretna, 504-354-9593; elgatonegronola.com)

3Juan’sFlyingBurrito (515 BaronneSt., 504-529-5825;2018Magazine St., 504569-0000;4724S.Carrollton Ave., 504-486-9950; juansflyingburrito.com)

BestMIDDLE

EASTERN/MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT

1LEBANON’SCAFE

(1500S.Carrollton Ave., 504-862-6200;lebanonscafe.com)

2Mona’sCafe (3901Banks St., 504-482-7743; monascafeanddeli.com) (TIE)

2Saba (5757Magazine St., 504-324-7770;eatwithsaba.com) (TIE)

3ByblosMediterraneanGrill (1501Met airieRoad, Metairie,504-834-9773; 2020 Veterans MemorialBlvd. Metairie, 504-837-9777;1000 S. Clearview Parkway, Harahan,504-766-9785; byblosrestaurants.com)

BestNEIGHBORHOOD

RESTAURANT

1KATIE’S (3701IbervilleSt.,(504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com)

2Clancy’s (6100Annunciation St., 504-895-1111;clancysneworleans.com)

3HighHatCafe (4500FreretSt., 504-754-1336;highhatcafe.com)

BestRESTAURANT

FORVEGETARIANS/VEGANS

1CARMO (527 JuliaSt.,504-875-4132; cafecarmo.com)

2SweetSoulfood (1025N.Broad St., 504-821-2669;sweetvegansoulfood.com)

3SneakyPickle (3200BurgundySt., 504-218-5651;yousneakypickle.com)

BestSEAFOOD RESTAURANT

1GWFINS (808 BienvilleSt.,504-581-3467; gwfins.com)

2Peche (800 Magazine St., 504-522-1744; pecherestaurant.com)

3Deanie’sSeafood (841 IbervilleSt., 504-581-1316;1713LakeAve., Metairie, 504-831-4141; 2200 Magazine St., 504-962-7760; deanies.com)

Best PIZZA RESTAURANT

1THEO’SNEIGHBORHOODPIZZA (Citywide; theospizza.com)

2PizzaDelicious (617 Piety St., 504-676-8482; pizzadelicious.com)

3PizzaDomenica (3200Banks St., 504-459-2072; 4933 Magazine St., 504-301-4978; pizzadomenica.com)

Best SNOWBALLSTAND

1HANSEN’SSNO-BLIZ (4801TchoupitoulasSt., 504-891-9788; snobliz.square.site)

2Sal’sSno-Balls (1823Metairie Ave.,Metairie, 504-666-1823)

3PlumStreetSnoballs (1300 Burdette St.; Lafreniere Park, 3000 DownsBlvd.,Metairie, 504-866-7996)

BestSTEAKHOUSE

1RUTH’SCHRISSTEAKHOUSE (Harrah’sNew Orleans, 525FultonSt.,504-587-7099; 3633 Veterans MemorialBlvd., Metairie,504-888-3600; ruthschris.com)

2DesiVega’sSteakhouse (628 St.Charles Ave., 504-523-7600; desivegasteaks.com)

3CrescentCitySteaks (1001N.Broad St., 504-821-3271; crescentcitysteaks.com)

BestTHAI

RESTAURANT

1SUKHOTHAI (2200Royal St., 504-9489309;4519 Magazine St., 504-373-6471; sukhothai-nola.com)

2Budsi’sThai (1760N RampartSt.,504-381-4636; budsisthai.com)

3BananaBlossom (500 9thSt., Gretna,504-500-0997; 504bananablossom.com)

BestTRADITIONAL LOUISIANA RESTAURANT

1COMMANDER’SPALACE (1403WashingtonAve., 504-899-8221; commanderspalace.com)

2Galatoire’sRestaurant (209 BourbonSt.,504-525-2021; galatoires.com)

3Mandina’sRestaurant (3800 CanalSt.,504-482-9179; Azalea ShoppingCenter, 4240 Highway22, Mandeville, 985-674-9883; mandinasrestaurant.com)

BestGUMBO

1NEYOW’S (3332BienvilleSt., 504-827-5474;neyows.com)

2ChefRon’sGumboStop (2309N.CausewayBlvd., Metairie,504-835-2022; gumbostop.com)

3Mr.B’sBistro (201 Royal St., 504-523-2078; mrbsbistro.com)

BestFRIEDCHICKEN

1POPEYES (Citywide; popeyes.com)

2WillieMae’s (Pythian Market, 234Loyola Ave.,504-459 2640;ScotchHouse,2401St. AnnSt.,504-822-9503; williemaesnola.com)

3Gus’sWorldFamousFriedChicken (308 SDiamond St.; 3940 VeteransMemorialBlvd, Metairie; gusfriedchicken.com)

Best VIETNAMESE

RESTAURANT

1LILLY’SCAFE (1813Magazine St., 504-599-9999)

2NineRoses (1100StephensSt., Gretna,504-366-7665;nineroses restaurant.com)

3TanDinh (1705Lafayette St., Gretna,504-361-8008; tandinhnola.com)

BestKINGCAKE

1DONGPHUONG

(14207 Chef MenteurHighway, 504-254-0214;dpbakery.com)

2MannyRandazzoOriginalKingCakes (3515N.HullenSt.,Metairie, 504-456-1476; randazzokingcake.com)

3Haydel’s (3117Magazine St., 504-267-3165; 4037 JeffersonHighway,504-837-0190; haydelsbakery.com)

BestREDBEANSANDRICE

1POPEYES (Citywide; popeyes.com)

2JoeyK’sRestaurant&Bar (3001Magazine St., 504-891-0997; joeyksrestaurant.com)

3Mandina’sRestaurant (3800 Canal St., 504482-9179;Azalea ShoppingCenter, 4240 Highway22, Mandeville, 985-674-9883; mandinasrestaurant.com)

BestOUTDOORDINING

1NICEGUYSNOLA

(7910EarhartBlvd.,504-302-2404; niceguysnola.com)

2N7 (1117MontegutSt.;n7nola.com)

3Barracuda (446 PelicanSt.,504-766-7268; 3984 TchoupitoulasSt.,504-266-2961; eatbarracuda.com)

BestPLACEFORDESSERTS

1ANGELOBROCATO

(214 N. Carrollton Ave.,504-486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream.com)

2CreoleCreamery (2565MetairieRoad, Metairie, 504-354-8069;4924PrytaniaSt., 504-894-8680;6260Vicksburg St., 504482-2924;creolecreamery.com)

3Sucré (3025Magazine St., 504-571-5323; shopsucre.com)

BestPLACETOGET

FROZENDESSERTS

1CREOLECREAMERY

(2565MetairieRoad, Metairie, 504-3548069;4924PrytaniaSt., 504-894-8680; 6260 VicksburgSt.,504-482-2924; creolecreamery.com)

2AngeloBrocato (214 N. Carrollton Ave.,504 486-1465;angelobrocatoicecream.com)

3ParishParlor (1912Magazine St., 504-302-2244;parishparlor.com)

BestPLACETOGETAPO-BOY

1PARKWAYBAKERYANDTAVERN (538 HaganAve., 504-482-3047; parkwaypoorboys.com)

2Domilise’sPo-boysandBar (5240 Annunciation St., 504-899-9126; domilisespoboys.com)

3ShortStopPoboys (119 Transcontinental Drive, Metairie,504-885-4572; shortstoppoboysno.com)

BEST OF NEWORLEANS READERS’ POLL 2022

BestPLACETOGET

BOILEDSEAFOOD

1BEVISEAFOODCO (236 Carrollton Ave.,504-488-7503; beviseafoodco.com)

2Clesi’s (4323BienvilleSt.,504-909-0108; clesicatering.com)

3Deanie’sSeafood (841 IbervilleSt.,504-581 1316;1713LakeAve., Metairie,504-831-4141; 2200 Magazine St., 504-962-7760; deanies.com)

BestPLACETOGET

BREAKFAST/BRUNCH

1RUBYSLIPPERCAFE (Citywide; therubyslippercafe.net)

2BearcatCafe (845 Carondelet St., 504-766-7399;2521JenaSt.,504-309-9011; bearcatcafe.com)

3Russell’sMarinaGrill (8555 Pontchartrain Blvd., 504-282-9980;russellsmarinagrill.net)

BestPLACETOGETPOKE

1POKELOA (Citywide; eatpokeloa.com)

2LemonSharkPoke (2901Magazine St., 504518-6665; lemonsharkpoke.com)

3Poke-Chan (2809St. Claude Ave.,504 571-5446;facebook.com/pokechannola)

BEST OF NEWORLEANS READERS’ POLL 2022

STAFFPHOTO

1N7

3CafeDegas

1STEIN’SMARKET&DELI

2TurkeyandtheWolf

3MartinWineCellar

1BARRACUDA

2Felipe’s

3Val’s

PHOTO BY CHRISGRANGER/THE

1VELVETEENLOUNGE&RESTAURANT

2TheWill&TheWay

3TheRabbitHole

Best BARFORCRAFTCOCKTAILS

1CURE (4905FreretSt.,504-302-2357;curenola.com)

2PeacockRoom (KimptonHotel Fontenot, 501TchoupitoulasSt.,504-324-3073; peacockroomnola.com)

3JeweloftheSouth (1026St. LouisSt.,504-265-8816; jewelnola.com)

Best BARFORDAYDRINKING

1WRONGIRON (3532ToulouseSt.,504-302-1503;wrongiron.com)

2BayouWine+BeerGarden (315 N. Rendon St., 504-826-2925;bayouwinegarden.com; 326NormanC.Francis Parkway, 504-302-9357; bayoubeergarden.com)

3TheBulldog (3236Magazine St., 504-891-1516; 5135 CanalBlvd.,504-488-4191;thebulldog.bar)

Best BEERSELECTION

1THEBULLDOG (3236 Magazine St., 504-891-1516;5135Canal Blvd., 504-488-4180;thebulldog.bar)

2TheAvenuePub (1732St. Charles Ave., 504-586-9243;theavenuepub.com)

3CooterBrown’s (509 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-866-9104;cooterbrowns.com)

Best DISTILLERY

1HAPPYRAPTORDISTILLING (1512RobertC.BlakesSr. Drive, 504-654-6516; happyraptor.com)

2LulaRestaurantDistillery (1532St. Charles Ave.,504 267-7624;lulanola.com)

3SevenThreeDistillingCo. (301 N. Claiborne Ave.,504 265-8545; seventhreedistilling.com)

Best DIVEBAR

1SNAKE&JAKE’SCHRISTMASCLUBLOUNGE (7612Oak St., 504-861-2802; snakeandjakes.com)

2Lots-A-LuckTavern (203 Homedale St., 504-483-0978)

3TheClubMs.Mae’s (4336Magazine St., 504-218-8035; facebook.com/msmaesnola)

Best DOG-FRIENDLYBAR

1THEBULLDOG (3236 Magazine St., 504-891-1516;5135Canal Blvd., 504-488-4191;thebulldog.bar)

2WrongIron (3532ToulouseSt.,504-302-1503; wrongiron.com)

3Pepp’sPub (706 FranklinAve., 985-326-1975; peppspub.com)

Best LGBTQBAR

1GOODFRIENDS (740 Dauphine St., 504-566-7191; goodfriendsbar.com)

2BourbonPubParade (801 BourbonSt.,504-5292107;bourbonpub.com)

3QiQi (1515Aline St., 504-427-6693; facebook.com/qiqinotquiqui)

Best HAPPYHOUR

1SUPERIORSEAFOODANDOYSTERBAR (4338St. Charles Ave.,504-293 3474; superiorseafoodnola.com)

2Domenica (The Roosevelt, 123 Baronne St., 504-648-6020; domenicarestaurant.com)

3aTavola (3413VeteransMemorialBlvd., Metairie, 504-577-2235; atavo.la)

Best HOTELBAR

1CAROUSELBAR&LOUNGE

(Hotel Monteleone,214 RoyalSt., 504-523-3341;hotelmonteleone.com/ entertainment/carousel-bar)

2SazeracBar (The RooseveltNew Orleans, 130Roosevelt Way, 504-648-1200; theroosevelt neworleans.com/dining/the-sazerac-bar.html)

3ChandelierBarattheFourSeasons (2 Canal St., 504434-5100;fourseasons.com/neworleans/dining/ lounges/chandelier-bar)

Best LOCALBREWERY

1ABITABREWINGCO.

(21084 Highway36, Covington, 985-893-3143;abita.com)

2UrbanSouthBrewery (1645TchoupitoulasSt., 504-267-4852;urbansouthbrewery.com)

3PortOrleansBrewingCo. (4124TchoupitoulasSt., 504-266-2332; portorleansbrewingco.com)

Best PLACETOGETA

BLOODYMARY

1ATCHAFALAYA (901 Louisiana Ave.,504-891-9626; atchafalayarestaurant.com)

2CaesarsSuperdome (1500Sugar Bowl Drive, 504-587-3663;caesarssuperdome.com)

3RubySlipperCafe (Citywide; therubyslippercafe.net)

Best PLACETOGETA

GLASSOFWINE

1BACCHANALWINE

(600 Poland Ave.,504-948-9111; bacchanalwine.com)

2TheDelachaise (3442St. Charles Ave., 504-895-0858; thedelachaise.com)

3BayouWineGarden (315 N. Rendon St., 504-826-2925; bayouwinegarden.com)

Best ROOFTOPBAR

1HOTTIN (PontchartrainHotel,2031St. Charles Ave.,504-323-1500; hottinbar.com)

2Rosie’sontheRoof (The Higgins Hotel, 1000 Magazine St., 504528-1941; higginshotelnola.com)

3ThePoolClubatVirginHotelsNew Orleans (550 Baronne St,504 603-8000,virginhotels.com/ new-orleans)

Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Valley

Best PLACETOGET

AMARGARITA

1FELIPE’S

(301 N. Peters St., 504-267-4406; 411-1N.Carrollton Ave.,504-408-2626; 6215 S. Miro St., 504-309-2776; felipestaqueria.com)

2SuperiorGrill (3636St. Charles Ave., 504-899-4200; neworleans.superiorgrill.com)

3Barracuda (446 PelicanSt., 504-766-7268;3984TchoupitoulasSt., 504-266-2961;eatbarracuda.com)

Best SPORTSBAR

1WALK-ON’SSPORTSBISTREAUX

(50TownCenterParkway,Slidell, 985-639-9891;1009Poydras St., 504-309-6530;4436Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-273-1233; 69796Stirling Blvd., Covington, 985-900-2234;walk-ons.com)

2CooterBrown’s (509 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-866-9104;cooterbrowns.com)

3Manning’sSportsBarandGrill (Harrah’s NewOrleans,519 Fulton St., 504-5938118;caesars.com/harrahs-new-orleans/ restaurants/mannings-eat-drink-cheer)

Thisclassicallyrich Napa ValleyCabernetSauvignon is redburgundy in color with aromas of black cherryand creamyvanilla, followedby blueberry,blackberry,cherry cola, andgrilled meat. On thepalate,thisCabernet Sauvignonisseamlessand elegantwithsilkytannins, intenseflavors of cherry and floral notes, and ahintofburnt sugar and roastednuts.

DISTRIBUTED BY

PHOTO BY CHRISGRANGER

/THE TIMES-PICAYUNE OF THE

Best LIVEMUSIC VENUE(LARGE)

1TIPITINA’S (501 Napoleon Ave.,504-895 8477;tipitinas.com)

2HouseofBlues (225 Decatur St., 504-310-4999; houseofblues.com/neworleans)

3TheFillmore (6 Canal St., 504881-1555;fillmorenola.com)

Best LIVEMUSICVENUE(SMALL)

1MAPLELEAFBAR (8316Oak St., 504-866-9359;mapleleafbar.com)

2GasaGasa (4920FreretSt.,504-571-5522; facebook.com/gasagasaonfreret)

3d.b.a (618 Frenchmen St., 504-942-3731; dbaneworleans.com)

BestCASINO

1HARRAH’SNEWORLEANS (8 Canal St., 800-427-7247; caesars.com/harrahs-new-orleans)

2BoomtownCasino (4132PetersRoad, Harvey, 504-366-7711;boomtownneworleans.com)

3TreasureChestCasino (5050WilliamsBlvd.,Kenner, 504-443-8000;treasurechest.com)

BestESCAPEROOM

1CLUECARRE (830 UnionSt.;2712Athania Pkwy., Metairie;6930 Veterans MemorialBlvd.,Kenner; 504-667-2583; cluecarre.com)

2EscapeMyRoom (633 ConstanceSt.,504-475-7580; escapemyroom.com)

3TheEscapeGameNewOrleans (233 N. Peters St., 504-608-3499;theescapegame.com)

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER /THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

BestPLACETOHEARFREELIVEMUSIC ONTHESTREET:

RoyalStreetPedestrian Mall

There’snothinglikewalkingdownthe middle of Royal, freefromthe tour ist-choked confines of thesidewalks, and listeningtothe sounds transition between blocks. Amplified country guitar and twangy singinggives way to theboomingbass of Saints Vader ManDude repeatingthe hook from “Halftime(Stand Up &Get Crunk)” like amantra, segueing into aviolincon certobeforefinishing offwithsome old-timey trad jazz and thecreak of the Rouses’ frontdoor

Unfortunately, thereare still those in theFrenchQuarter whoapparent ly dislike music, free entertainment and/orwalkinginthe street.The daily closures areonlysometimes enforced, and buskerscontinuetodeal with the hassle of cars rollingthrough theirper formancespace

MaCCNO is working(again) to get everyone on thesame page, so hope fully themallwillberegularlybackin business soon.

BestPOTHOLE: TheBywater

Thereare aLOT of fetching potholes in NewOrleans thesedays. Young ones.Old ones.Short ones.Deep ones Bigol’ fatonesand skinny ones that jump up and surpriseyou.It’ssuch an embarrassmentofpothole riches that it’s impossible to pick just one. Thankfully,somuchofthe Bywaterhas either been torn up and left to seed by contractors or collapsedunder the metaphorical weight of decades-long neglect,there’sbarelyastretchof street in theneighborhoodthatisn’t a mess.Takethe intersection of Burgun dy and Lesseps. Acrewcame through and tore up thepavement. Then afew monthslater,another came and tore outthe sidewalks. It’s almost as if The DepartmentofPublic Workshas a grudge againstBywater dwellers

BestFOUNDATIONGUY: Turner Foundation (turnerfoundationrepairs.com)

Foundation guys arealot like roofers —everybodyneedsone at some point butdamnedifitisn’t impossible to find onewho’s honest and won’trip youoff And, just like withroofers,everyone has ahorrorstory,and very fewhave a goodtale to tell

Luckyfor y’all, Ihave agood story indeed!Mr. Turner came out, gave me areasonable estimate that fell nicely between “oh, that’s toogoodtobe true”low and “maybe Ican have ababy so Ican sell it”high. Aftera fewfalse starts,thankstothissummer’s rain,he gotstarted on time, finished earlyand didanall-aroundfantastic job. 10/10, no notes, can’trecommend himhighly enough

BestNEW(OLD)VIEW OFNEWORLEANS: VueOrleans (vueorleans.com)

Foryears,one of thebestviews of thecitywas offeredbythe Topofthe Mart,the revolving cocktailloungeon the33rdfloor of what used to be the WorldTrade Center.Therewas some kitsch to thelounge,which retained its1960s styleuntil it wassold in 2001. It wasremodeled and reopened as afew differentconcepts before the building wasconverted to theFour SeasonsHotel

Nowthe topfloor is openagain. Notpartofthe hotel, VueOrleans is an attraction that opened in March. Thereare impressivehigh-tech video and animationdisplaysonthe city’s historyand culture, and visitors again canpeer down on downtown buildingsand neighborhoods from its picture windows.The spacenolonger rotates, butVue Orleansadded some thingnew:Thereisnow a34th floor open-air observationdeck. Visitors canwalkthrough theattraction’s snackbar and walk around thefull crown, lookingdownCanal Streettoward thelake, followingthe bendsin theMississippi Riverand watching the sunset.It’sabreezyand exhilarating lookatthe Crescent City.

John Stanton:EDITOR Will Coviello:EDITOR

STAFFPHOTO

PHOTO BY ERICA SEEMANN

Staff Picks

Best(SORTA)NEWTHEATERCOMPANYDEBUT: Crescent City Stage (crescentcitystage.com)

Crescent City Stageisn’t exactlynew.The company officially formed in March2020, butthe pandemic forced it to wait forits premiere theaterproduction, and it spentmuchofthe last twoyears organizing online play readings

Crescent City finally took thestage in September withits production of DerekWalcott’s1978drama “Pantomime.”The Nobel Prize-winning poet’swork focusesonthe shadowsofcolonialism and it resonatesnow withtoday’s discussionsofequity. Its engagingconversation wasanimatedwonderfully by MichaelNewcomer and MichaelForestasadelusional Brit and aformercalypso singer.The production made it well worththe wait forthe arrivalofa new professionalcompanyinNew Orleans.

Founders Michaeland Elizabeth Newcomer and JanaMesteckycreated thecompany forActors Eq uity Associationmemberslikethemselves to have a primaryoutletinNew Orleans. Thegoal is to develop it on aregionaltheater model.The next production isn’t untilJanuary2023, butthe companyisoff to a greatstart

BestLOCALETHNOGRAPHICSURREALISM: Radioisa Foreign Country (radioisaforeigncountry.org)

Theinternetmakes it easytosearchfor just about anything in theworld,but howdoyou knowjust what’s outtheretofind? If musicfans want to plunge into theworldsofK-pop, J-poporC-pop,it’seasyto find platforms that show what’s gettingstreamed the most

To go in theoppositedirection,for themorefar flung sounds that arenot likely to ever endupon Spotify, there’sagreat locallybased source:Radio is aForeign Country. Theinternetradio station (radioisaforeigncountry.org)works offanarchive compiled by cultural anthropologist Kenneth Routon and musicfanswho contribute newmaterial. It’s a 24-hour-a-daycollage of musicand fieldrecordings from around theglobe. He’s posted guitar music from Azerbaijan, static-hazedradio signals from Moroccoand Algiers, fieldrecordings from Sumatra, redlight district musicfromJavaand more.Recently he added Balkan and Albanian synthmusic to the mixtape library. Some of themusic and streamsare hypnotic groovesand some aremorediscordant and eye-opening. Theeffectoftrippingthrough it all is known as ethnographic surrealism.It’sone of my favorite reminders that there’sa vast landscape of cultures and sounds outtheretoexplore

Asian Style

Georgia“TheTween” Peyton: GUESTEDITOR

BestPLACEFORKIDS: City Park (neworleanscitypark.com)

Don’tevenget me startedonthe streetsbecause that will be in theWorst of NewOrleans.But my actual pick is …CityPark! Ilove hanging outatCityPark. Ilove goingonthe Ladybug roller coaster. My godmother,who worksfor Gambit,likes to take me to City Park.Ilikethe Ladybug so much because of that adrenaline it givesyou.IdoNOT,however,likethe Music Express.It’sathing whereyou getintoaseatand it spins you back and forth. Yes, Iknowhow Ihave just made alot of peo ple extremely mad. Idon’t like it becauseI almost flew outofit theone and ONLY time Irode it.But other than that,CityPark is great. My favorite thingatCafe du Mondeisthe beignets Thecafe is closetothe artmuseum.

FavoriteNEWALBUM: RedBalloon

When Tank and theBangas re leasedtheir acclaimed 2019 album, “Green Balloon,”the band had envisioned acorresponding, more mature follow-uprecordatsome pointinthe future,leadsinger Tarriona “Tank”Balltold Gambit earlierthisyear. Theband delivered withthe phenomenal “Red Balloon.” The16-trackofferingblurspop, soul,gospel,spokenword, hip-hop, bounceand waymoreinfluences in arepresentationofTank and the Bangas post theirmajor breakout and thepandemic tumult

FavoriteCONSPIRACYABOUTTHEMYSTERY BOOMOFJANUARY2022:

My tinfoilhat is picking up radiosignals from anonymoussources whosay that Jeff Landry shot down amassiveUFO mannedbyaliens sent herebythe Soros-fundedcommie overlordstomakepublicrecords requests andstir up trouble

Thealienswanttoknowhow apersonlike Landry could a) existAND b) be in aposition of greatpower

Unable to return to theirhome planetafter theirshipwas destroyedbygunfire,the aliens arenow amongusposingasintrepidalt-weekly reporters

BESTLATE-NIGHTHANGOUT:My porch

My porch. Formorethan 50%ofmymonthly income, Iliveina tiny apartmentwith sweep ingviews of variouspiles of debris from futile

RoadWorksprojectsthatstarted sixmonths ago.Fromthislatenight hotspotIcommune withthe multiple straycatswanderingthe ‘hood and an occasionalpossum, and why, yes, Idid spendtoo much time cooped up at homefor thepast twoyears

BestSONGTOLISTENTODURINGONEOF ENTERGY’SSHADYROLLINGBLACKOUTS:

“Paint it Black” by TheRolling Stones Imean.

BestHANGOVERREMEDY: Abreakfast sandwich from FlourMoonBagels.

Plus,there’sa load of fascinating guests:Wayne Brady, Questlove and DJ SoulSisterchime in with “station breaks,” and Trombone Shorty,Big Freedia,Jacob Collier, AlexIsley,Lalah Hathawy, Jamison Rossand Masego allcontributein satisfying ways.Along with “Red Balloon,” thelast 12 months have been filled withanumber of great releasesbyNew Orleans-basedmusicians, including Nicholas Payton, Charlie Gabriel, TromboneShorty, PJ Morton,Leyla McCalla, Derrick Freeman,Boyfriend and even Dr.John. memesthatincorporateinsidejokes and meta humor— oftenpokingfun at ab surd (and beloved) localcelebrities,and the “OnlyinNOLA” sentimentality that brandnewtransplants seem to embrace.The posts aretailor-made forlong-term degenerates, by degenerates

The staffisfriendly,and they servea delicious holy trinityofcarbs,eggs andcheese.What moredoyou need?

BestEXCUSEFORASTALLEDINFRASTRUCTURE

PROJECT:TheSpidermen Pointing Meme

Thecitywon’t paythe crewsbecause the crewswon’t do thework, butthe crewswon’t do theworkbecausethe city won’tpay them:the life cycleofa NewOrleans munici pal project.

Jake Clapp: REPORTER

Sarah Ravits:

PHOTO BY SARAH RAVITS

PHOTO COURTESY ANDREA BLUMENSTEIN

PHOTO BY JACOBWALSH

exaggerated.Further,while NewOrleans’ resident mad scientistusually conducted his experiments in theFrenchQuarter,we’ve heardthrough thebarflygrapevine that Morgus needed some extraspace fora particularly delicateendeavor— away from prying eyes and all—and setupshopina shed near theIndustrial Canal. What wasMorgusthe Magnificentworking on?Maybe he wastinkeringwiththe Instant PeopleMachine 2.0ordevelopinga serum to cure deathbyturning everyone into zombies —just beat death to thepunch!— at thebehestofthe HigherOrder.Wemay never know.But there’sa strong chance Morgus (or, let’sbehonest, Chopsley) forgot to turn off aburner when headingbacktothe old city icehouse that fatefulnight in January, overheated thewhole experiment and sent theshed into so manypiecesthatnot even scraps remained.Atleast, that’s what we’veheard

Pretty Pretty PrincessMeow Meow Jawsy Jaws: COLUMNIST

BestPLACETOLIEAROUNDANDJUDGETHEWORLD: Window by thecouch

Hi,everybody, this is Pretty Pretty Princess Meow Meow JawsyJaws, Glorious Judger of Soulsand De manderofButtScratches

My Best of NewOrleans pick is thecomfy back of the couchunder thesidewindow. It’s thepurrrfect place to catchsomeafternoon rays,doa lil snoozing and to keep an eye on thoseyardcatsmyhumans keep feedingonthe porch.Especially Shorty and Blondie Thosetwo feloniousfelines arealwaysuptonogood I’mnot entirely sure what particularnogoodtheyare up to,and thus far my lizard spies have broughtmeno solidintelligence

BestLOCALINSTAGRAMACCOUNT: @auduboninstitute

Sure,hyperlocalmeme accounts aregreat, butinmyhumbleopinion,Audubon Nature Institute(@auduboninstitute)easilyhas the best Instagram accountinthe city.There aresomethings apersonjust needsintheir life andbeing notified everytimethereisa newbabyanimalatthe AudubonZoo is one of them.I need to know theirnames, ages, birthdays,SocialSecuritynumbers,EVERY THING. No detailistoo small. (Disclaimer: I canneither confirm nordenytearing up at theirposts on severaloccasions.)

BestWEIRDITEMINMYHURRICANEKIT:

Neoncactuslamp

My hurricane kitcomes with aneoncac tuslamp Iwon at Dave &Buster’s —only because they accidentally gave me 10 times as manypoints to spendongamesasI purchased. It wasmuchbrighterthanthe

last remainingflashlight Ihad miraculously managedtofindatLowe’s the nightbeforeHurricane Ida. Plus,itwas theperfect size forcarryingaroundfrom room to room as if Iwereinthe Stone Ageexploring acave by torchlight

FavoriteSHOWTOWATCHINTHECONTEMPORARYARTSCENTERPARKINGLOT:

‘The Wait Room’

Nothingcan comparetohavingliveper formancesagain, and one of my favorite performances so far this year hasbeen “The Wait Room”byFlyaway Productions.The aerial dancepiece wasthe first part of Jo Kreiter’s“Decarceration Trilogy” and centered on theexperienc es of women withincarceratedloved ones.Set up in aparkinglot outsidethe Contemporary Arts Center,the show revolved around arotatingcircularapparatus, shapedlikea clocktosymbolize lost time and “waiting,waiting,waiting.” It wasa moving show that will stickwith me foryears to come.

LOCALARTISTI’Mmostexcitedabout JOININGTHESPOTIFYUNIVERSE:Julie Odell

Iknow, Iknow, folk singer-songwriter JulieOdellhas been afixture in NewOrleans’ musicscene forawhile.But only in Maydid shemakeher Spotify debutwith her single “Caterpillar,” introducing me to her music. I’ve been hooked ever since. Somethingaboutthe quietstringy guitar and Odell’ssoftvocalsmakes me want to roll down ahill (a leveecould suffice in apinch)straightintoa fieldofflowers, butmaybe that’s just me. July’s release of “Cardinal Feather,” asongOdellhas been playingatliveshows foryears, came along withthe dreamiestmusic video. Shot near Lake Martin,thereare gorgeousshots of alligators,pelicans, cypresskneesand bayousunsets. Now, Iamnot-so-patientlywaiting forthis Friday when her debutstudioalbum is set to come out.

BestSONGTOLISTENTOWHILECROSSINGANINTERSECTIONWITHNOWORKING TRAFFICLIGHTS: ‘SlowMover’

I’mgoingwith “SlowMover” by Angie McMahon forobvious reasons,likenot wantingtodie and such.Also,because Ireally just getakick outofsingingthe line “I don’t want to buyfriedchicken /I wish that Iwas goingtosleep”ina deep voice.

Kaylee

Jake Clapp: REPORTER

STAFFPHOTO

BestNONPROFIT

BestHIGHSCHOOL

1MOUNTCARMELACADEMY (7027Milne Blvd., 504-288-7626;mcacubs.com)

2JesuitHighSchool (4133Banks St., 504-486-6631; jesuitnola.org)

3BenjaminFranklinHighSchool (2001LeonC.Simon Drive, 504-286-2600;www.bfhsla.org)

BestSUMMERCAMP

1ARDENCAHILLACADEMYCAMPCORRAL (3101WallBlvd.,Gretna, 504-392-0902; ardencahillacademy.com)

2JewishCommunityCenter (3747 W. Esplanade Ave.,Metairie, 504-887-5158;5342St. Charles Ave.,504-897-0143; www.nojcc.org)

3MountCarmelAcademy (7027 MilneBlvd.,504288-7626;mcacubs.com/camp)

BestNURSERY/PRESCHOOL

1LITTLEREDSCHOOLHOUSE (2055 Metairie Road,Metairie, 504-838-7979;lrshofmetairie.com)

2ArdenCahillAcademy (3101Wall Blvd., Gretna,504-392-0902; ardencahillacademy.com)

3LouiseS.McGeheeSchool|LittleGate (1538Philip St., 504-523-9911;littlegate.com)

TRULYVODKA SELTZER

Thenew Truly VodkaSeltzer flavors will include Blackberry &Lemon,Cherry& Lime, Pineapple &Cranberry, and Peach &Tangerine. Theintriguing dual-flavorcombination canned cocktails will be made with six-times distilled vodka and real fruit juice to go along with a5%ABV and 110 calories per 12 ounce can.

SIMPLYSPIKEDLEMONADE

This isn’t just any hard lemonade... Ourready-to-drink line of spiked lemonades combine expertly blendedalcohol and the bold yet refreshing taste of real fruit juice that you can expect from Simply®.The result is anaturally-flavored and juicy spiked lemonade burstingwith asweet andtart lemon ade flavor that’sperfect for any occasion.

BestPLACETOGETMARRIED

1CITYPARK (504-482-4888;neworleanscitypark.com)

2St.LouisCathedral (615 Pere AntoineAlley,504525-9585;stlouiscathedral.org)

3RaceandReligious (510 Race St., 504-523-0890;raceandreligious.com)

BestASSISTEDLIVING/ RETIREMENTCOMMUNITY

1LAMBETHHOUSE (150 Broadway St., 504-865-1960; lambethhouse.com)

2PoydrasHome (5354Magazine St., 504-8970535;poydrashome.com)

3ChateauDeNotreDame (2832BurdetteSt., 504-866-2741,notredamehealth.org)

BestARTGALLERY

1M.S.RAU (622 RoyalSt.,888-557-2406; rauantiques.com)

2ColePrattGallery (3800Magazine St., 504-891-6789; coleprattgallery.com)

3ArthurRogerGallery (432 JuliaSt.,504-522-1999; arthurrogergallery.com)

PHOTO JOHN MCCUSKER TIMES-PICAYUNE

2129 Lakeshore Dr. Mandeville (985) 951-2173 patsrestawhile.com

Wed-Thu 5pm -9:30pm

Fri-Sat 11am -2:30pm & 5pm -9pm |Sun 11am -5:30pm

509 S. Tyler St. Covington (985) 892-9992 gallaghersgrill.com

Tue-Fri 11am -2pm & 5pm -9:30pm

Sat 5pm -9:30pm

527 N. Causeway Blvd. Mandeville (985) 778-2820 gallaghers527.com

Tue-Fri 11am -2pm & 5pm -9:30pm

Saturday 5pm -9:30pm

2306 Front St. Slidell

(985) 326-8350

Tue-Fri 11am -2pm & 5pm -9:30pm

Sat 5pm -9:30pm

BestJEFFERSON

NEIGHBORHOODGROCERY

1ROUSES

(Parishwide; rouses.com)

2Dorignacs (710 Veterans Memo rial Blvd., Metairie, 504-834-8216; dorignacs.com)

3Zuppardo’s (5010VeteransMemorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-887-1150; zuppardos.com)

BestNEWORLEANS

NEIGHBORHOODGROCERY

1ROUSES

(Citywide; rouses.com)

2Canseco’s (Citywide; cansecos.com)

3Langenstein’s (1330Arabella St., 504- 899-9283;langensteins.com)

BestNORTHSHORE

NEIGHBORHOODGROCERY

1ROUSES

(Citywide; rouses.com)

2Acquistapace (125 E. 21st Ave., Covington, 985-893-0593; 631N.CausewayBlvd.,Mandeville, 985-951-2501;acquistapace.com)

3WinnDixie (Citywide; winndixie.com)

BestAUCTIONHOUSE

1CRESCENTCITYAUCTIONGALLERY (1330St. Charles Ave.,504-529-5057; crescentcityauctiongallery.com)

2NealAuctionCompany (4038Magazine St., 504-899-5329; nealauction.com)

3NewOrleansAuctionGalleries (333 St.JosephSt.,504-566-1849; neworleansauction.com)

BestBARBERSHOP

1THEPARKERBARBER (600 Carondelet St., 504-679-0990; parkerbarber.com)

2TheBeardedLadyBarbershop (2122Magazine St., 504-310-0202; thebeardedladybarbershop.com)

3ModernMenBarbershop (7701HampsonSt.,504-309-7103; modernmenbarbershop.com)

BestBLACKOWNEDSMALLBUSINESS

1NEYOW’S (3332BienvilleSt.,504-827-5474; neyows.com)

2Baldwin&Co. (1030Elysian Fields Ave.,504-354-1741;baldwinandcobooks.com)

3WicksNola (504-321-0008;shopwicksnola.com)

STAFFPHOTO

BestDAYSPA

1THEWOODHOUSEDAYSPA (796 E. Interstate10Service Road,Suite 230, Slidell, 985-641-7772; 4030 CanalSt.,504 482-6652;5004W.Esplanade Ave.,Metairie, 504-584-4004; woodhousespas.com)

2Earthsavers (LakesideShoppingCen terAnnex, 3301 Veterans MemorialBlvd., Metairie, 504-835-0225;3414Highway 190, Mandeville, 985-674-1133;5501Magazine St., 504-899-8555;earthsaversonline.com)

3NolaBlissMassage (322 LafayetteSt.,Suite 300, 504-615-9414;nolablissmassage.com)

BestDENTIST

1MID-CITYSMILESFAMILYDENTISTRY (3625Canal St., 504-485-6575; midcitysmiles.com)

2AudubonDentalGroup (6120 Magazine St., 504-891-7471;audubondentalgroup.com)

3DistrictDentalSpa (418 GirodSt., 504-325-5777;districtdentalspa.com)

BestDERMATOLOGYPRACTICE

1SANOVADERMATOLOGY (111 Veterans MemorialBlvd.,Metairie, 504-838-8225; 701MetairieRoad, Suite2A205,Metairie, 504-836-2050; 3434 Prytania St., Suite310,504-897-5899; sanovadermatology.com)

2AudubonDermatology (3525PrytaniaSt.,Suite 501, 504-895-3376; audubondermatology.com)

3PureDermatology (3100GalleriaBlvd.,Suite 203, Metairie,504-226-7873; puredermnola.com)

BestVETERINARY/ANIMALCLINIC

1METAIRIESMALLANIMALHOSPITAL

2MagazineStreetAnimalClinic St., 504-891-4115;

3PrytaniaVeterinaryHospital (201 NashvilleAve., 504-899-2828;prytaniavet.com)

BestCOSTUMESTORE

1MISSCLAUDIA’SVINTAGE CLOTHING&COSTUMES (4204Magazine St., 504-897-6310; facebook.com/missclaudiasvintage)

2UptownCostume&Dancewear (4326 Magazine St., 504-895-7969;facebook com/uptowncostumeanddancewear)

3FunkyMonkey (3127Magazine St., 504-899-5587;funkymonkeynola.com)

BestFLORIST

1VILLERE’SFLORIST

(750 Martin Behrman Ave.,Metairie, 504833-3716;1415N.Highway 190, Covington, 985-809-9101;villeresflowers.com)

2Federico’sFamilyFlorist (815 Focis St., Me tairie, 504-837-6400)

3Harkins,TheFlorist (1601Magazine St., 504529-1638;harkinsneworleans.com)

BestFRAMINGSTORE

1GORDON’S

(4308Waverly St., Metairie,504-354-2248; gordonshomedecor.com

2Michael’s (Citywide; michaels.com)

3UptownFramesCustomFraming (237 BroadwaySt.,504-866-1576;uptownframes.com)

BestGARDENSTORE

1PERINO’SHOME&GARDENCENTER

(3100VeteransMemorialBlvd.,Metairie, 504-834-7888; perinos.com)

2Harold’sPlants (1135Press St., 504-9477554;haroldsplants.com)

3UrbanRoots (2375TchoupitoulasSt.,504522-4949;urbanrootsnola.com)

BestHEALTHCLUB/ FITNESSSTUDIO

1ORANGETHEORYFITNESS (Citywide; orangetheory.com)

2JewishCommunityCenter (3747 W. Espla nade Ave.,Metairie, 504-887-5158;5342St. Charles Ave.,504-897-0143;www.nojcc.org)

3NewOrleansAthleticClub (222 N. RampartSt., 504-525-2375;neworleansathleticclub.com)

BestHOSPITAL

1OCHSNER (Citywide; ochsner.org)

2Touro (1401Foucher St., 504-608-8417; touro.com)

3EastJeffersonGeneralHospital (4200Houma Blvd., Metairie,504-454-4000;ejgh.org)

BestLAWFIRM

1MIKEBRANDNERINJURYATTORNEYS

(3621VeteransMemorialBlvd.,Metairie, 504345-1111;mikebrandner.com)

2MorrisBart (601 PoydrasSt.,504-613-4771; morrisbart.com)

3DudleyDeBosierInjuryLawyers (622 Baronne St., 866-366-9351;dudleydebosier.com)

BestHOTEL

1NOPSIHOTEL (317 BaronneSt, 504-962-6500; nopsihotel.com)

2WindsorCourt (300 GravierSt.,800-262 2662;windsorcourthotel.com)

3TheRoosevelt (130 Roosevelt Way, 504-6481200; therooseveltneworleans.com)(TIE)

3FourSeasons (2 CanalSt.,504-434-5100; fourseasons.com/neworleans)(TIE)

BestLAWNCARE/LANDSCAPER

1PFEFFERLE’SLAWNCARE (504-975-6162; pfefferlelawns.com)

2ThePlantGallery (9401Airline Highway, 504488-8887; theplantgallery.com)

3Mullin (504-275-6617; mullinlandscape.com)

Best DRYCLEANER

1LIBERTOCLEANERS (4814PrytaniaSt.,504-8972161;libertocleaners.com)

2Young’sDryCleaning (905 HarrisonAve., 504872-0931;6223S.Claiborne Ave.,504-866-5371; youngsdrycleaning.com)

3Q.LeeLaundryandCleaners (1629Basin St., 504-5238615;qleecleaners.com)

STAFFPHOTO

BestLOCAL

HARDWARESTORE

1MARY’SACEHARDWARE (732 N. Rampart St., 504-529-4465; acehardware.com/store-details/15147)

2RockeryAceHardware (7043CanalBlvd., 504-288-3522;acehardware.com/store details/08174)

3ClementHardware&Variety (6000Magazine St., 504-899-0711)

BestLOCALLYOWNED BOOKSTORE

1OCTAVIABOOKS

(513 OctaviaSt.,504-899-7323; octaviabooks.com)

2BlueCypressBooks (8123Oak St., 504-352-0096;bluecypressbooks.com)

3GardenDistrictBooks (2727PrytaniaSt.,504 895-2266;gardendistrictbookshop.com)

BestLOCALLYOWNED

BRIDALSHOP

1THEBRIDALBOUTIQUEBYMAEME

(3331SevernAve., Suite102,Metairie, 504-266-2771;maemebridal.com)

2Town&CountryBridal (1912St. Charles Ave., 504-523-7027;townandcountrybridal.com)

3Pearl’sPlace (3114SevernAve., Metairie, 504-294-8896;pearlsplace.com)

BestLOCALLYOWNED

CARNIVALSUPPLYSTORE

1PLUSHAPPEAL

(2811ToulouseSt.,504-482-6100; mardigrasspot.com)

2BeadsbytheDozen (333 EdwardsAve., 504-734-9966;beadsbythedozen.com)

3JeffersonVarietyStore (239 Iris Ave, Jeffer son, 504-834-5222; jeffersonvariety.com)

BestLOCALLYOWNED

FURNITURESTORE

1DOERRFURNITURE

(914 ElysianFieldsAve., 504-947-0606; 1645 N. Highway190,Suite 600, Covington, 985-900-2425;doerrfurniture.com)

2HurwitzMintz (1751Airline Drive, Metairie, 504-378-1000;hurwitzmintz.com)

3Comeaux (415 Veterans MemorialBlvd., Metairie,504-831-1365;3949Euphrosine St., 504-378-4900;comeauxfurn.com)

BestLOCALLYOWNED

JEWELRYSTORE

1AUCOINHART (1525MetairieRoad, Metairie, 504-834-9999;aucoinhart.com)

2MignonFaget (3301Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-835-2244;3801MagazineSt., 504-891-2005;mignonfaget.com)

3Ramsey’s (701 Veterans MemorialBlvd., Metairie, 504-885-4653;ramseys.com)

BestLOCALLYOWNED

KITCHENDESIGNSTORE

1NORDICKITCHENANDBATHS

(1818VeteransMemorialBlvd.,Metairie, 504-888-2300; nordickitchens.com)

2NOLABoards (4228Magazine St., 504-256-0030; nolaboards.com)

3CampbellCabinetCo.(220HordSt., Harahan,504-733-4687; 4040 Highway59, Mandeville,985-892-7713; campbellcabinets.com)

Best LOCALAUTO REPAIRSTORE

1KEHOETIRE ANDAUTOMOTIVE (5000 Freret St., 504-897-5050)

2ParkPlaceTire&AutoCenter (2841TchoupitoulasSt., 504-894-8899)

3Tim’sQualityCarCare (320 N. SalcedoSt.,504-831-7450; timsquality.com)

STAFFPHOTO

1PERLIS

1PIPPENLANE St., 504-269-0106; pippenlane.com)

2Monomin (2104Magazine St., 504-827-1269;monomin.com)

3LittleMissMuffin (766 Harrison Ave., 504-482-8200;3307SevernAve., Metairie, 504-455-1444;shoplittle missmuffin.com)

2Rubensteins

3Fellow

BestLOCALLY

OWNEDMUSICSTORE

1PEACHES (4318 Magazine St., 504-282-3322; peachesrecordsandtapes.com)

2Euclid (3301Chartres St., 504947-4348;euclidrecordsneworleans.com)

3LouisianaMusicFactory (421 French menSt.,504-586-1094;louisiana musicfactory.com)

STAFFPHOTO

Goods

BestLOCALLYOWNED PETSUPPLYSTORE

1PETCETERA (3205MagazineSt.,504-269-8711; petceteranola.com)

2JeffersonFeed (309 N. Carrollton Ave.,504-4888118;2949VeteransMemorialBlvd.,Metairie, 504-875-4810;4421Jefferson Highway, Jefferson, 504-733-8572; jeffersonfeed.com)

3BarkMarket (3041N.RampartSt.,504-9491525;nolabarkmarket.com)

BestLOCALLYOWNEDPHARMACY

1CASTELLONPHARMACY (8232Oak St., 504-866-3784;castellonrx.com)

2MajoriaDrugs (1805MetairieRoad, Metairie, 504-835-7211;majoriadrugsmetairie.com)

3NOLADiscountPharmacy (1107VeteransMemorial Blvd., Suite3,Metairie, 504-835-6060;3001Ormond Blvd., SuiteC,Destrehan,985-307-0800; 4305Clearview Parkway, SuiteB,Metairie, 504888-9411; nolapharmacy.com)

BestLOCALLYOWNEDSHOESTORE

1LOUISIANARUNNING+WALKINGCO. (4153 CanalSt.,504-304-4762;louisianarunning com)

2OrleansShoeCompany (509 N. Carrollton Ave., SuiteB,504-324-7718;541 ChartresSt.,504 350-0035;3000 Severn Ave.,Metairie, 504-888 7080;3112Magazine St., 504-875-2929;orleans shoes.com)

3FeetFirst (4122Magazine St., 504-899-6800; feetfirststores com)

BestLOCALLYOWNEDSTORE FORHOMEDECOR/ACCENTS

1HOMEMALONE

(629 N. Carrollton Ave.,504-324-8352; 4610 Magazine St., 504-766-6148; homemalonenola.com)

2FleurtyGirl (Citywide; fleurtygirl.net)

3NOLABoards (4228Magazine St,504-256-0030; nolaboards.com)

BestPETBOARDING/ DAYCAREBUSINESS

1ZEUS’PLACE

(715 O’KeefeAve., 504-324-3335;4601FreretSt., 504-304-4718; zeusplace.com; zeusplacedowntown.com)

2CampBowWow (2731TchoupitoulasSt., 504-891-3647;3301Conti St., 504-309-9939; campbowwow.com)

3Pawlins (3501River Road,Jefferson, 504-302-7200; pawlins.com)

Best

LOCALLYOWNED

WOMEN’SBOUTIQUE

1MONOMIN (2104 Magazine St., 504-8271269;monomin.com)

2DolceBoutique (204 MetairieRoad, Metairie, 504-609-2222; facebook.com/ shopdolceboutique)

3FleurtyGirl (Citywide; fleurtygirl.net)

Best WOMAN-OWNED

SMALLBUSINESS

1MONOMIN (2104 Magazine St., 504-8271269;monomin.com)

2FleurtyGirl (Citywide; fleurtygirl.net)

3NOLABoards (4228Magazine St, 504-256-0030; nolaboards.com)

BestPLACETOBUYAGIFT

1FLEURTYGIRL (Citywide; fleurtygirl.net)

2HomeMalone (629 N. Carrollton Ave.,504 324-8352;4610Magazine St., 504-766-6148; homemalonenola.com)

3Phina (425 HarrisonAve., 504-571-5169; 2561 Metairie Road,Metairie, 504-827-1605; 3717 Veterans MemorialBlvd.,Metairie, 504888-4141; phinashop.com)

BestPLACETOBUY ADULTTOYS

1DYNAMO

(2001St. Claude Ave.,504-534-8697; dynamotoys.com)

2Mr.Binky’s (301 Funston St., Harahan; 504305-2160; 2402 Paris Road,Chalmette, 504270-9900;mrbinkyssuperstore.com)

3Hustler (111 Bourbon St., 504-561-9969; hustlerhollywood.com)

BestPLACETOBUY

CBDOILPRODUCTS

1SIMPLYCBD (231 N. Carrollton Ave.,Suite A2,504 930-0653;2268St. Claude Ave.,Suite B, 504-656-6361;3867Gen.DeGaulleDrive, 504-356-2205;4507Magazine St., SuiteA, 504-814-3175;simplycbdshop.com)

2TheHerbImportCo. (711 St.Peter St., 504-525-4372; 712Adams St., 504-8614644;5055 CanalSt.,504-488-4889; herbimport.com)

3YourCBDStore (Citywide; cbdrx4u.com)

BestPLACETOBUYVINTAGE/ CONSIGNMENTFURNITURE

1RENAISSANCEINTERIORS

(2727EdenbornAve., Metairie,504-4543320;yourrenaissance.com)

2ConsignConsign (1160Magazine St., 504354-9158;consign-consign.com)

3MerchantHouse (1152Camp St., 504-2332240;merchanthouse.co)

BestPLACETOBUY

VINTAGECLOTHING

1MISSCLAUDIA’SVINTAGECLOTHING&COSTUMES

(4204Magazine St., 504-897-6310; facebook.com/missclaudiasvintage)

2FunkyMonkey (3127Magazine St., 504-899-5587;funkymonkeynola.com)

3CenturyGirlVintage (2023Magazine St., 504- 875-3105;centurygirlvintage.com)

BestPLACETOBUYEYEWEAR

1WARBYPARKER

(3964Magazine St., 504-799-2830; warbyparker.com)

2Art&Eyes (3708 Magazine St., 504-8914494;artandeyesneworleansla.com)

3Krewe (809 RoyalSt., 504-407-2925;1818 Magazine St., 504-342-2462;krewe.com)

BestPLACETOBUYWINE

1MARTINWINECELLAR (714 Elmeer Ave.,Metairie, 504-896-7300; VillageShoppingCenter, 2895 Highway190, Mandeville, 985-951-8081; 3827 Baronne St., 504-899-7411;martinwine.com)

2TotalWine&More (3780Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie; 504-267-8866; totalwine.com)

3Rouses

BestPLACETOGET AMANICURE/PEDICURE

1CINDY’SNAILS&SPA (6112Magazine St., 504-900-1939; 1000 S. Carrollton Ave.,504-304-3422)

2Earthsavers (LakesideShoppingCen terAnnex, 3301 Veterans MemorialBlvd., Metairie, 504-835-0225;3414Highway 190, Mandeville, 985-674-1133;5501Magazine St., 504-899-8555;earthsaversonline.com)

3SolarNailsLounge&Spa (5002W.Esplanade Ave. Metairie, 504-887-0455; solarnailsmetairie.com)

BestPLACETOGET

AMASSAGE

1NOLABLISSMASSAGE (322 LafayetteSt.,Suite 300, 504-615-9414; nolablissmassage.com)

2TheWoodhouseDaySpa (796 E. Interstate 10 Service Road,Suite 230, Slidell, 985-6417772; 4030 Canal St., 504-482-6652; 5004 W. Esplanade Ave.,Metairie,504-584-4004; woodhousespas.com)

3Earthsavers (LakesideShoppingCen terAnnex, 3301 Veterans MemorialBlvd., Metairie,504-835-0225;3414Highway 190, Mandeville, 985-674-1133;5501Magazine St., 504-899-8555;earthsaversonline.com)

STAFFPHOTO

BestSMOKESHOP

1RASHOP (Citywide; rashop.us)

2TheHerbImportCo. (711 St.Peter St., 504-525-4372; 712Adams St., 504-861-4644;5055 Canal St., 504-488-4889;herbimport.com)

3MushroomNewOrleans (1037 Broadway St., 504-866-6065; themushroomnola.com)

BestPLACETOGETWAXED

1WAXINGTHECITY (225 W. Harrison Ave.,Suite D, 504-897-1949; 1212 S. ClearviewParkway, SuiteA,Elmwood,504-592-7424; 4121 Magazine St., 504-899 1500;waxingthecity.com)

2EuropeanWaxCenter (701 Metairie Road,Metairie, 504-392-6652;730 Town CenterParkway,Slidell, 985-326-7088;3579 Highway190,Man deville,985-951-4500; 4525FreretSt.,504-249-3055;waxcenter.com)

3Earthsavers (LakesideShoppingCenterAnnex,3301VeteransMemorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-835-0225;3414Highway 190, Mandeville, 985-6741133;5501Magazine St., 504-899-8555;earthsaversonline.com)

BestPRIMARYCAREPRACTICE

1OCHSNERPRIMARYCARE (Citywide; ochsner.org)

2CrescentCityPhysicians (Citywide; lcmchealth.org) 3CrescentCare (1631Elysian Fields Ave.,504-821-2601; 3308 Tulane Avenue; 504-821-2601;crescentcare.org)

Goods and

BestREALESTATEOFFICE

1MCENERYRESIDENTIAL

(4901Magazine St., 504-605-4400;mceneryresidential.com)

2ReveRealtors (1477Louisiana Ave.,Suite 101, 504-300-0700; reverealtors.com)

3LatterandBlum (Citywide, 866-794-1022;latter-blum.com)

BestVAPESHOP

1CRESCENTCITYVAPE

(2268St. Claude Ave.,504-233-3934; 3869 Gen. DeGaulle Drive, SuiteB,504-309-9295;4507Magazine St., 504-3098134;crescentcityvape.com)

2RaShop (Citywide; rashop.us)

3CalhounTradingCo (3137CalhounSt.,504-309-4717; calhounvapor.com)

BestTATTOO/PIERCINGPARLOR

1HELLORHIGHWATERTATTOO

(308 Magazine St,504-309-5411;hellorhighwaternola.com)

2DowntownTattoo (501 FrenchmenSt.,504-266-2211; downtowntattoosnola.com)

3ElectricLadyland (610 FrenchmenSt.,504-947-8286; Electric Ladyland Bywater, 3212 Dauphine St., 504-265-8020; electricladylandtattoo.com)

BestTHRIFTSTORE

1RED,WHITE&BLUETHRIFTSTORE

(605 Lapalco Blvd., Gretna,504-393-1072; 5728 JeffersonHighway,Harahan,504-733-8066; redwhiteandbluethriftstore.com)

2Goodwill (Citywide; goodwillno.org)

3BridgeHouse (4243EarhartBlvd.,504-821-2479; 7901 AirlineDrive,Metairie, 504-737-4752;bridgehouse.org)

BestYOGASTUDIO

1WILDLOTUS (4842Perrier St., 504-899-0047; wildlotusyoga.com)

2SwanRiver (2940CanalSt.,504-301-3134; 7011 St.Claude Ave.,Suite 213, 985-240-9384;swanriveryoga.com)

3FreetoBe (725 Magazine St., 504-342-4310;2328Metairie Road,Metairie, 504-407-3556;freetobepoweryoga.com)

BatonRouge CommunityCollege is the second largest institution of higher learning in the Capital City,serving BatonRouge andsurrounding parishes throughout its eightlocations.The educational sites arelocatedin BatonRouge,Central,Jackson, Port Allen, and New Roads.The beautiful and conveniently situatedMid City Campus is the main campus and is locatedat201 CommunityCollege Drive, BatonRouge,LA70806. 1-866-217-9823 BRCCAdmissions@mybrcc.edu

IMAGINE WHATYOU CANDO

BatonRouge CommunityCollege wasdesignedtosupportthe ever-changing needs of GreaterBaton Rouge.The collegehas open enrollmentand several opportunities throughout the academic year forstudents to enroll in courses, including 16-week,12-week,and 7-week semesters,onlinelearning,nightand weekend classes

LETBRCCDEVELOP YOUR TALENT

Developing rawtalentiswhatthe facultyand staff at BatonRouge Community College specializeinand they’reavailable to support youinyour application and enrollmentprocess.Appling online is the fastest,easiest waytoapply for admission.

 Complete an application at www.mybrcc.edu/enrollment

 Contactthe Office of Admissions at 1-866-217-9823 or email BRCCAdmissions@ MyBRCC.edu.

AFFORDABILITY&ASSISTANCE

BatonRouge CommunityCollege’s tuition and fees areamong the most affordable in Louisiana. Allstudents applying forneed based aid should complete the FAFSA

SHARE THE BEAR

 Maxwell,the BRCC Bear is the school mascot BRCC Athletics has baseball,softball and men’s and women’sbasketball.The teams areknown as the Bears and Lady Bears BRCC has over 70 degree and certificate options.

 BRCC’s Dual EnrollmentProgramand Early CollegeAcademyprovides an opportunityfor qualified high school students to earnhigh school and college credits simultaneously.

ASSOCIATEDEGREES, CERTIFICATES, TRANSFERS

 In 2021 morethan 2,000 BRCC students transferredtoLSU,SouthernUniversity, SoutheasternLouisiana University, andNicholls StateUniversitytocontinue their college careers in pursuit of bachelor’s degrees

 BRCC nowhas 18 certificatesand degrees thatcan be earned fully online and 66 certificatesand degrees thatcan be earned by completing over 50 percent of the courseworkonline.