Magazine Street Restaurants: Lunch, Po-Boys and Brunch

Magazine Street restaurants line a six-mile ribbon of shops, cafes and dining rooms that runs from near Canal Street to Audubon Park, through the Lower Garden District, the Garden District and Uptown. It is New Orleans' best street for a slow day: breakfast, a po-boy and a long dinner along one road.

The street changes character along its length. Most people choose a section, or use a bus or bike, and book the Garden District fine dining room, where reservations are essential.

What is Magazine Street like?

The street changes character along its length. The Lower Garden District end feels younger and more mixed, with bars and small restaurants. The Garden District stretch is leafy, with large houses and a quieter pace. Uptown, farther along, mixes neighborhood cafes with shops and bakeries.

You can ride the bus along it, bike it or drive and park on the side streets. Walking the whole length is a long day, so choose a section and explore it fully.

Which Magazine Street restaurants are worth a stop?

Breakfast cafes on Magazine Street give the street a strong breakfast reputation. Order a roast beef po-boy at a Garden District counter, or a taco trio with a side of mac and cheese at a cafe, and eat on the street.

The city's best-known fine dining room sits in the Garden District, just off Magazine Street, and Fodor's notes that reservations are essential there. Check each place before you go, since hours change.

Where can you eat Magazine Street lunch?

Lunch is the street's strength. Casual counters and cafes serve po-boys, salads, sandwiches and plates of red beans, and many have a few tables or a patio. A lunch crawl works well: have a half sandwich at one place and a bowl of soup at another.

Weekday lunches are quieter, while weekends are crowded, especially near the busiest corners. Parking is easiest on the side streets, so be ready to walk a block or two.

What is a roast beef po-boy?

A roast beef po-boy is a New Orleans sandwich built on French bread, filled with slow-cooked roast beef in dark gravy, then dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise. It is messy by design: the gravy runs down your wrist, and napkins are essential.

Order it dressed if you want the full effect. Eat it at the table, not in the car. A half is a good lunch, and a whole is enough for two.

How does Garden District dining compare with Uptown New Orleans food?

The Garden District is known for historic houses and a handful of upscale restaurants. Uptown New Orleans food spreads across a larger area and leans more casual: neighborhood cafes, bakeries and corner restaurants where the staff know the regulars. Both are served by Magazine Street, so you can mix the two in a single outing.

If you are interested in houses, a short walk through the Garden District's side streets pairs well with lunch. Look from the sidewalk; most houses are private.

Is Magazine Street good for brunch?

Yes. The strong breakfast presence on the street means many options for eggs, grits and pancakes. Weekend waits can be long at the best-known places, so go early or choose a smaller cafe. Coffee shops along the street sell pastries and light breakfasts.

For a longer brunch with jazz and eggs Sardou, read the brunch in New Orleans guide.

How to spend a day on Magazine Street

Begin with coffee and a pastry in the Lower Garden District. Walk or ride toward the Garden District, stopping at shops. Have lunch at a po-boy counter, spend the afternoon browsing and finish with dinner at a sit-down restaurant. Plan a coffee break if the weather is warm, and carry water.

Take a streetcar or bus for a longer trip. The St. Charles Avenue streetcar runs a few blocks away and is a pleasant ride. Wear comfortable shoes, carry water in warm months and allow a full afternoon, since the shops and cafes along the way invite stops.

What should you drink and snack on between meals?

A walk along Magazine Street is easier with a cup of coffee or an iced tea in hand. Bakeries and cafes along the way sell pastries, cookies and king cake in season, and there are ice cream and snowball stands for hot afternoons. A cocktail at a neighborhood bar is a reasonable break in the late afternoon.

If you want to eat more than one meal, split dishes and take half a sandwich with you. Portions in New Orleans are generous, and the street has plenty of benches and small parks.

What else should you read?

For oysters, see best oysters in New Orleans. For a different neighborhood, read the Bywater restaurants guide, and for a daytime market, the French Market guide. The US guides page lists more cities.

A long street needs a good record. In the Mosey app you can rate every po-boy and plate you eat along Magazine Street, add a note about the bread and the gravy and build a New Orleans list for visitors.