An Insider’s Guide to New Orleans Designed by Jane Scott Hodges

What are a few of the art and design highlights?

There are so many, but the Martine Chaisson Gallery is excellent, representing contemporary artists such as Mallory Page and Hunt Slonem. Two other galleries I recommend are Cole Pratt on Magazine Street and the Octavia Art Gallery in the Warehouse District. Both show the work of emerging and established contemporary artists. Strolling along Magazine Street you’ll find all kinds of galleries and shops.

There are excellent museums here as well, and the Spanish Colonial-style Cabildo on Jackson Square in the French Quarter is a must for history buffs; there are three floors of documents, artifacts, and paintings that tell the story of America’s history. The New Orleans Museum of Art is a fine arts museum that’s set in City Park. This makes for a wonderful day trip as they have a lovely sculpture garden with works by Ugo Rondinone and Anselm Kiefer.

What is your favorite part of town?

The Garden District—where I live—is very special. This is the area to walk past the iconic mansions and houses with their colorful shutters and historic architectural elements. I love Coquette for inventive takes on southern cuisine, made with locally sourced ingredients. For shopping, The Rink has been the place since 1884–not to mention Le Petit Bleu, a new coffee and creperie from Commander’s Palace, the beloved restaurant that’s just next door.

The collection of shops and cafes is a real mix – For curated women’s vintage clothing and accessories, Century Girl in the Lower Garden District is great, while SOSUSU is a good resource for “high” fashion. For very cool designers at accessible price points, I like both West London Btq and its sister, Le Marais. Shopping for antiques is a favorite pastime and Balzac is one of the best for European finds. It’s a very special place and you’ll find some of the most incredible chandeliers and mirrors—not to mention a wonderful Italian chest of drawers that I bought for my bedroom a few years ago. They share a space with Becky Vizard–B. Viz Design—who makes the most incredible handmade pillows using Flemish tapestry fragments.

Petricia Thompson Antiques is another great resource for French and Swedish pieces, while Empire Antiques are specialists in 17^th-19^th century furniture and fine jewelry. I always think it’s nice to have places to go for small gifts—for a hostess or as a “thank you” present—and Piety and Desire Chocolate makes beautiful, delicious boxes of bon bons. For flowers, I like Pamela Dennis who is also in the neighborhood. You might not need a florist while visiting for Prospect, but it’s always good to have a name! For fine jewelry I like Hope Goldman Meyer who sells pieces by the biggest names in luxury. After all this shopping, head to lunch at Lilette for inventive French cuisine in lovely surroundings.

Speaking of food…the New Orleans culinary game is legendary. What do you like right now?

One of the newer hotspots is Dakar, a modern Senagalese restaurant where booking ahead is essential. The Vintage is the place for a Froze (frozen rosé) & mini beignets–a NOLA signature pastry–while Casamento’s and Domilise’s are my go-to’s for raw oysters and a fried shrimp po’ boy. These places are casual, fast and delicious.

Where do you recommend friends stay?

There are some wonderful smaller boutique hotels including The Columns on St. Charles Avenue. It’s an Italianate villa from the late 1800s that was recently redone. The Hotel Henrietta is another and it’s next to the Delachaise which serves fries and champagne so that’s a plus! The Chloe decorated by Sara Ruffin Costello—founding Creative Director of Domino Magazine—has a great feel, with the streetcar rolling by out front and a chic bar/pool situation in the back of hotel. There’s also the St. Vincent in the Garden District, from the hotelier Liz Lambert. It has so many different venues—the Paradise Lounge lobby bar, San Lorenzo restaurant, the Elizabeth Street Café New Orleans that serves French Vietnamese food, the Pool Bar, and the guests-only Chapel Club for late-night cocktails. Each of these different spaces has a different feeling. If you do stay here, don’t miss the nearby St. Pizza. It’s unrelated to the hotel, but it was on The New York Times’s 2024 list of the 22 best pizzerias in the US and it’s excellent, then cross over to Barrelproof to meet some locals and enjoy a cocktail.

What are a few music and entertaining highlights?

When you think of New Orleans and music, Preservation Hall immediately comes to mind. This is the place for live jazz. The Pontchartrain Hotel in the Garden District is a smaller spot for live music in the Bayou Bar, and Tipitina’s is a classic for music and dancing in a warehouse setting. Check out the Toulouse Theatre schedule to add to your music list.

For a classic outing there is the iconic Brennan’s which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and has been in business since 1946. Fives on Jackson Square in the French Quarter is a stylish oyster bar and cocktail spot near St. Louis Cathedral, while Napoleon House is the place for a proper Pimm’s Cup. Bacchanal Wine—with its relaxed atmosphere, live music and easy menu—is always popular. For a special night, be sure to book Mosquito Supper Club. They have a communal table with a set menu that changes frequently—it’s really a whole experience.

Other favorites include N7 which makes you feel like you are literally in France, Paladar 511 for great pizza, the Jewel of the South, which is true classic, Saint-Germain for the tasting menu, and the French brasserie, MaMou. The diversity of cuisines you can sample in just a day is incredible. If you need a healthy break, stop by the Green Fork just off Prytania Street for a healthy salad and smoothie.

For excursions out of town I recommend visiting the mansion houses such as Madewood which was once a sugarcane plantation. It’s considered one of the finest examples of Greek Revival plantation architecture in the US and it’s now owned by artist Hunt Slonem. Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Reserve is another great diversion, with swamps, marsh land, bayous and birds—and just 20 minutes from town. You can also explore Lake Pontchartrain by boat as there is a whole sailing culture down here. Whatever your interests, there are just so many wonderful ways to get distracted.