New Orleans, a city that brings together food and culture, attracts diners from all over the world with its unique seafood cuisine. There are a wide variety of seafood here, from fresh lobsters from the Gulf of Mexico to unique blue crabs in the South to shellfish from the Atlantic Ocean. Every seafood dish exudes the breath of the sea. The seafood in the Gulf region is particularly delicious, with tender lobsters and plump crab meat, which are the signature delicacies of this city.
New Orleans is particularly famous for its seafood platter, which combines seafood with a variety of sauces to form a unique southern flavor. Whether it is garlic-roasted shrimp, spicy crabs, or tender oysters, each dish has a strong spice flavor, which makes the taste rich. Behind these delicacies, it is not only the freshness of the seafood, but also the profound culinary traditions and cultural heritage of New Orleans. If you are a seafood lover, New Orleans will be your ideal food paradise.
1. The Oceana Grill: The perfect fusion of ocean and sun
Restaurant introduction
Located in the famous French Quarter of New Orleans, The Oceana Grill is famous for its fresh seafood and rich Southern flavor. Since its opening in 1995, the restaurant has quickly become one of the preferred restaurants for local residents and tourists with its rich seafood dishes. Whether it is an authentic seafood platter or a variety of carefully cooked shellfish, The Oceana Grill perfectly combines tradition and innovation to bring diners a different taste experience.
Food Features and Taste
The seafood platter of this restaurant is a double feast for the eyes and taste. The platter includes a variety of fresh seafood such as lobster, crab, shrimp, oysters, mussels, etc., and every bite is the taste of the sea. Especially their oysters, which are full of meat and full of the sweetness of the ocean, paired with a special sauce, perfectly show the authentic taste of fresh seafood.
Recommended dishes: Seafood platter
The seafood platter is grand and rich, including a variety of seafood ingredients. The steamed shrimp is delicious, and the lobster exudes an attractive aroma after baking. With the carefully prepared sauce, you can’t stop eating it. The crab is tender and fresh, and it shares a pot with the seafood next to it, absorbing the rich seafood soup base, and the taste is particularly special.
Reservations and fees
It is recommended to use reservation platforms such as OpenTable to make reservations in advance, especially during the peak tourist season, to avoid waiting in line to affect the dining experience. The cost per person is about US$50-70, depending on the content of the seafood platter selected.
2. Café du Monde: The perfect collision of classic and innovation
Restaurant introduction
Café du Monde may be more reminiscent of their dessert-Beignet, but the seafood platter here is also a highlight. Located in the French Quarter, Café du Monde has become one of the most popular restaurants in New Orleans since its opening in 1862, with a strong historical and cultural atmosphere. Although the restaurant focuses on desserts, its seafood platter is also worth a try, especially after tasting Beigette, a refreshing seafood platter, which perfectly eliminates the sweetness.
Food characteristics and taste
Café du Monde’s seafood platter is known for its simplicity but extreme freshness. Each seafood ingredient in the platter retains its original flavor, with plump shrimps and tender scallops, paired with local spices and sauces, presenting a unique flavor. Especially their garlic shrimp, the fresh garlic aroma and the delicious shrimp meat are intertwined, bringing the ultimate enjoyment to the taste buds.
Recommended dishes: Café du Monde seafood platter
This platter includes fresh blue crabs, fried oysters, shrimps, etc. The fried oysters are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, paired with rich sauces, and one bite makes people linger. The freshness of the seafood itself is shown in every bite, enough to satisfy those diners who seek freshness.
Reservations and fees
Café du Monde’s reservations are relatively loose, and you can dine directly in the store, especially on weekdays, which is more relaxed. The price of the seafood platter is between US$30-50, which is very cost-effective.
3. Commander’s Palace: A synonym for luxury and classicism
Restaurant introduction
Commander’s Palace is one of the most representative restaurants in New Orleans. It was founded in 1880. With its high-end dining environment and exquisite dishes, it has long attracted countless food lovers. The restaurant is located in the Garden District and is an ideal place to enjoy top-notch Southern cuisine. Commander’s Palace not only provides top-notch seafood platters, but also incorporates the history and culture of New Orleans into every dish.
Food Features and Taste
The seafood platter at Commander’s Palace is different from the traditional platter. It adds more innovative elements. Each seafood ingredient is carefully selected and special spices are added during cooking, making every bite full of layers. In particular, their grilled lobster and pan-fried mussels have a very rich taste, tender meat without losing elasticity, which leaves a deep impression.
Recommended dish: Commander’s Palace Seafood Platter
The platter includes common seafood such as crab, lobster, shrimp, etc., paired with the restaurant’s homemade chili sauce, mashed garlic and lemon juice, making every bite have a strong southern flavor. The lobster is plump and has a subtle sweetness. Paired with the fragrant sauce, it makes people become a regular customer.
Reservation and Fees
Commander’s Palace is a relatively high-end restaurant, so it is recommended to make reservations in advance through platforms such as OpenTable. The average per capita consumption is high, about US$70-100, depending on the dishes selected.
4. Drago’s Seafood Restaurant: Pioneer of New Orleans Seafood
Restaurant Introduction
Located in the central business district of New Orleans, Drago’s Seafood Restaurant is a restaurant famous for its seafood barbecue. Since its opening in 1982, Drago’s has been a favorite of locals and tourists for its original grilled oysters and fresh seafood platters. The restaurant’s seafood platter is not only fresh but also finely crafted. With its high-quality ingredients and unique cooking methods, it has become a leader in the seafood dining industry in New Orleans.
Food Features and Taste
Drago’s seafood platter features their grilled oysters. Each oyster is sprinkled with special spices and butter, and the outer layer is slightly charred after grilling, and the inside is tender and juicy. The other seafood in the platter is the same, presenting an unparalleled fresh taste.
Recommended dishes: Drago’s Grilled Oyster Seafood Platter
This platter combines grilled oysters, fried shrimp, mussels and other seafood, each of which exudes an attractive aroma. The creamy aroma of the oysters contrasts sharply with the slightly charred skin after grilling, which is intoxicating.
Reservations and Fees
Drago’s is a very popular restaurant, so it is recommended to make reservations in advance, especially on weekends. The cost per person is about US$40-60, which is very reasonable.
5. Red Fish Grill: The Rise of a Seafood Star
Restaurant Introduction
Located in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Red Fish Grill attracts a large number of diners with its modern decoration and highly creative seafood dishes. The restaurant focuses on fresh seafood and innovative Southern flavors, and its seafood platter is known as one of the most creative in New Orleans. Every seafood dish here has a rich sense of layering, and the unique cooking method brings a completely different taste experience.
Food Features and Taste
The seafood platter of Red Fish Grill is characterized by their innovation of traditional seafood dishes. The seafood in the platter is carefully matched, and the selected sauces and spices can not only maintain the original flavor of the seafood, but also add some bold flavor elements. Whether it is sea bass or crab, they are carefully processed and present an amazing taste.
Recommended dish: Red Fish Grill Seafood Platter
The ingredients in the seafood platter are fresh and unique, especially with the restaurant’s special hot and sour sauce, which adds a lot of flavor layers. Take a bite, the perfect balance of sour, sweet, salty and spicy makes people linger.
Reservations and Fees
Red Fish Grill recommends making reservations in advance through OpenTable, especially during holidays and weekends. The seafood platter costs about $30-50, which is affordable and creative.
New Orleans is a paradise for seafood lovers. Every seafood platter is like a gift from the sea, with a rich variety of seafood and a strong southern flavor. From lobsters and crabs in the Gulf to oysters and shellfish in the Atlantic, every bite of seafood is intoxicating. And these seafood platters are not only a feast of food, but also a microcosm of New Orleans’ deep seafood culture and culinary traditions.
Each restaurant’s seafood platter has a unique flavor and creativity, combining fresh ingredients with authentic seasonings to cook a mouth-watering dish. Whether it is the classic garlic grilled shrimp or the spicy crab legs, every bite can feel the cultural charm of New Orleans. If you are a seafood fan, the seafood platter in New Orleans is definitely worth a try and will definitely bring you an unforgettable dining experience.
