Just make sure you pace yourself, since the food down here is pretty heavy. They seem to love butter and salt so drink plenty of water to balance out those sodium levels!

1. Po’ boy – sandwich stuffed with fried seafood, usually shrimp, oysters, crawfish, or catfish. Probably my favorite New Orleanian food to eat
2. Charbroiled/Chargrilled Oysters – grilled oysters with a buttload of butter, cheese, garlic, and other spices. I ate eight of these at once but I didn’t regret it one bit

   

3. Oysters on the half shell – if the charbroiled oysters are too heavy for you, but you still want to get your oyster fix, get em’ on the half shell. There are plenty down here and they’re pretty cheap

   

4. Crawfish – whether you go to a crawfish boil, or you have it in your etouffée, just have it. There’s no better place than New Orleans. Crawfish thrive in mud/swamps, and the Mississippi River is right there

   

   

5. Catfish – like crawfish, catfish like muddy areas so they are plentiful here. The most popular way I’ve seen it cooked here is battered and fried

   

6. Etouffée – seafood or chicken simmered in a sauce made from a roux, served over rice

   

   

7. Jambalaya – riced mixed with veggies, sausage/meat/seafood, cooked together in a broth

   

8. Gumbo – stew made with meat of shellfish, celery, bell peppers, and onions

   

9. Andouilles Sausage – double-smoked sausage, made from pork, garlic, pepper, onions, wine, and seasonings
10. Boudin Balls – blood sausage rolled into a ball, battered, then deep-fried

    

11. Muffuletta – sandwich made with layers of marinated olive salad, ham, salami, mortadella, swiss cheese, provolone, served on a round sesame bread

    

12. Shrimp and grits – I’m not a huge fan of the shrimp down here because I think it tastes a bit muddy

    

13. Beignet – fluffy pillows of fried dough with lots of powdered sugar

    

14. Cafe au lait – coffee mixed with chicory and hot milk, aka the perfect complement to your beignet

    

15. Fried chicken – I’m not talking about Popeye’s. There are many joints that say they have the best fried chicken, but to be honest – the best fried chicken I had in New Orleans was from some corner deli

    

    

16. Alligator meat – another animal that’s plentiful around these parts. The most popular way I’ve seen it served is battered and fried (because what ISN’T good fried?). It tastes like chicken

    

    

17. Hand Grenade – OK, so not technically a food but still something you should try. These are those bright green tubes that you see people walking around with. Made with gin, grain alcohol, melon liqueur, rum, and vodka

    

18. Tabasco – it’s not technically made in New Orleans but in a town about two hours away. If you have enough time, it’s worth checking out the factory tour in Lafayette