Where Y'Eat

Before the pandemic, visitors flocked to Willie Mae’s to try this Treme restaurant’s famous fried chicken. It seemed like there was always a line for tables.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the quest for a Cajun butcher shop oddity, and the bonds built around it.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on traditions and family bonding around Father's Day.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on Bocuse d'Or and the Pastry World Cup competitions coming to New Orleans.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on wines for the season as summer arrives.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on Greek Fest food.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the joys of returning to hidden gem restaurants.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on New Orleans moms, food and Mother's Day.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a return to the farmers market for street food finds.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on Jazz Fest food traditions.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on crawfish traditions enduring in a challenging season.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the showcase of local food at French Quarter Fest

New Orleans food writer on Hogs for the Cause, a barbecue festival with an underlying mission.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on outdoor dining expanding across New Orleans.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty with date night dining ideas for some creative spark.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a shellfish impresario with his own uplifting style.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the return of the legendary Dew Drop Inn, now a hotel, venue, restaurant and bar.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the troubling trend of really tempting food located temptingly close to local gyms.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the early outlook for a tough crawfish season after a drought in Louisiana.

New Orleans food writer on the revelation of great Vietnamese home-style cooking at a local celebration of Tet.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the moveable feast of Mardi Gras food and drink.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the out-sized impact of mini sandwiches at Mardi Gras time.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the pleasure of revisiting restaurants with fresh eyes.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a modern seafood market connecting to old ways.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the ongoing revival of the St. Roch Market food hall.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on what a short Carnival season means for king cake.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the portable power of New Orleans food gifts.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a different kind of appreciation for what a strong food culture gives us.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the social space created at wine shops that double as wine bars.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a find for Louisiana home cooking on at a Breaux bridge drive through window.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on calas, a street food classic getting new life.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the endurance of Thanksgiving food traditions.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the growth of AOC oysters around Grand Isle.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a eating tour of Lafayette via train.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the social connections forged around Halloween candy rituals.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the specific satisfaction of a great sandwich fast.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on what makes the National Fried Chicken Festival different.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on an effort to bring St. Roch Market back up to its potential.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on Louisiana football and food rituals that transcend the game.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on an after school "happy hour" for kids to start the school year.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on new finds and classics in the local sushi scene.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on finding a new bar with an old soul in the French Quarter.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the annual summertime dining deals of Coolinary.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on how landmark deli Central Grocery is planning its return.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the seasonal salvation of Louisiana food in the summertime.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the cocktail culture of New Orleans and the summer event Tales of the Cocktail.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a flea market for Latin American food finds.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the everyman appeal of a good breakfast spot, and new ones to try.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the comeback of Restaurant Des Familles in deep bayou country Louisiana.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the beautiful simplicity of the summertime tomato sandwich, and the folly of attempts to fancy it up.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty with a reflection on family food memories for Father's Day, and what endures through change.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the power of wine to represent welcome, and how a wine festival taps that.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a Chinese buffet with a view of the future.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the value of time well spent around a Louisiana crawfish boil.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on Wild Bush Farm & Vineyard and its modern approach to Louisiana wine.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty with an appreciation for a mother's cooking that deepens over time.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the community response to a brazen act of violence at a beloved restaurant.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on Jazz Fest going cashless and how this is shaping up for beloved festival food.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the power of a traditional crawfish boil to vanquish a perpetual distraction of the modern era.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on enduring tradition, growing diversity among the food vendors at French Quarter Fest.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on stories of local seafood done a bit differently during the region's unofficial seafood season.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a culture of barbecue and charitable effort at Hogs for the Cause.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on what the tradition of Lenten fish fries brings beyond a great plate of fish.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty with an ode to fish and chips for St. Patrick's Day.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on how the utility of the gas station deli can save the day for Louisiana's big outdoor street party.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a collaboration between a chef and a Holocaust survivor to share stories of family and humanity through food.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a crop of new restaurants coming soon and the continued renewal of the local dining scene.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the choice between tradition and creativity when it comes to Carnival king cake.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a birthday tradition connected to memory, place and Louisiana's oyster culture.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the gift of New Orleans food and it's secret ingredient.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the draw of food and restaurant memories around the holidays.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty with dining advice for famous visitors, or any VIP in your own world.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the way Louisiana food traditions sync with the holiday season to create something meaningful.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on football game day food rituals that transcend the game.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the unique appeal of a food festival that transforms one local comfort food staple - the po-boy.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the way subtle German culture in Louisiana comes to life each October, especially through food and drink.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the role of humble Halloween candy in building civic, social ties.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on how cultivated oysters are breathing new life into traditional oyster farms in Louisiana.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the broad and uniting appeal of fried chicken as a festival returns.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on what news from a pair of seemingly different restaurants says about New Orleans dining culture.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on why it's become harder to find open restaurants on Mondays.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on how a solar power initiative is helping restaurants provide for their neighbors after disasters.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a silver lining to the deep summer doldrums, found at the restaurant table.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on a growing hub for Latin American food, with Honduran restaurants leading the way.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the role of cocktail history and culture in the city today.

New Orleans food writer on continuity through time, especially harrowing times, and what we get from our favorite local restaurants.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on how the city's most famous purveyor of muffuletta is keeping its classic Italian sandwich going through hard times.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on pop-ups and a new way to help develop their potential.

The calendar says summer started June 21, which basically tells us calendars don’t know New Orleans. We all know summer really starts immediately after Jazz Fest and lasts until sometime around Halloween.Still, the “official” start of summer signals what is historically the roughest time of the year for New Orleans restaurants. Things could be different this summer, though, considering the history we have lived through and with which we are still contending.Will it be the normal slog of low tourism, slow business and inevitable restaurant closures? Or will the pent-up desire to get out and experience life carry through the swelter?Either way, restaurants seem to be facing a double-edged sword of summer ahead.After absorbing all the hits of the pandemic, they badly need the boost of a busier-than-normal summer season. But at the same time, most can’t always handle the business. Right now, so many restaurants are running flat out, trying to keep up with demand while short-staffed and while trying to rewrite the old business models around spiraling cost hikes across the operation.It's enough to make the plain old New Orleans summer doldrums seem like a breeze.We have to go back to 2019 to find the last “normal” New Orleans summer. The pandemic dictated terms for restaurants over the last two years much more than the usual seasonal rhythms.That’s why plunging into summer 2022 makes me particularly worried. Restaurants have been on the ropes for so long now, the usual coping…

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on how more restaurants are putting vegetables and meatless dishes in the spotlight.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on bringing a hospitality town back to life with recognition of where we've been.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the return of French Quarter Festival, and what that means for food.

Food writer Ian McNulty on what a Louisiana crawfish boil brings us beyond the delicious food.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the return of restaurants and bars and also the way they support many community causes in the course of normal business.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on how Ukrainian flavors feel at home and needed in New Orleans right now.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the ways a New Orleans-bred barbecue competition stands apart from the low and slow norm.

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on the two-year mark of the pandemic for local restaurants and bars.

Where Y'Eat: Bringing Back a Piece of Irish Channel Life

New Orleans food writer Ian McNulty on an influential early purveyor of Vietnamese food now marking a milestones.