Best Red Beans and Rice
The Nicest Red Beans & Rice
The first time you taste red beans and rice you’ll ask yourself, “Why am I just discovering this now?” Honestly, it’s amazing to us that this classic New Orleans dish isn’t served everywhere on the planet on Mondays. What is the rest of the world thinking?
Why red beans on Mondays, you ask? Well, we’ll tell you: In the old Creole days, before fancy front loading washing machines and Tide Pods, Mondays was wash day. Since there was no Uber eats back then either, and mère could cook red beans slow and low all day on the back burner without much tending, red beans became a Monday dinner tradition. (It isn’t bad for breakfast on Tuesday morning either!)
At NewOrleansRestaurants.com, we’ve never met a plate of red beans and rice we didn’t like, but some places do it exceptionally well. Here are 15 of the best, in alphabetical order.
Acme Oyster House
They serve a lot more than just oysters here, including some of the best red beans & rice we’ve ever tasted. Pair a cup with a half a shrimp po-boy and you’ll start to hear harp music. Pure heaven.
Café Beignet
Tear yourself off a hunk of fresh French bread and dip into the creamy goodness of Cafe Beignet’s red beans & rice. (Don’t forget to save room for beignets after).
Café Pontalba
After one bite of the red beans & rice at Cafe Pontalba, you’ll never be sorry it’s Monday again. Creamy. Spiced just right. Nummy.
Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop
If you can bear to pass up the Yumbo Mumbo Gumbo with golden fried shrimp on top, order Chef Ron’s red beans and rice. We get hungry just thinking about it. He starts with Camellia Red Beans and creams them down with bacon. Then he slow cooks them all day and serves them with smoked sausage. Yum!
Court of Two Sisters
How do you like your Red Beans? Head over to the famous Court of Two Sisters. They cook it slow which is the only way to go. Betcha you’ll be back for more before your trip is over.
Gumbo Shop
Here’s what you do: You order the gumbo and have whoever you’re dining with order the red beans & rice. Half way through, yell “switch.” You won’t be sorry.
Mulate’s
Fuel up with spoons full of creamy red beans & rice while you learn to Cajun dance at Mulate’s. Now this is fun! Aren’t you glad you didn’t go to Disney World?
Oceana Grill
If there’s any dish this restaurant doesn’t do well, we haven’t found it. Order the red beans and rice with the Big Banana daiquiri and alternate one bite spicy with one sip cool. To die for!