We’ll be honest with you. If you truly want to taste the best gumbo in New Orleans then we highly suggest connecting with a local who’ll take you home so their family can make it for you. However, if that’s not an option, then we’ve rounded up seven of the best places where you can sample this delectable Southern dish.
Gumbo is Southern comfort food at its finest, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better place to dive into this tasty dish than New Orleans. It originated in 18th-century Louisiana and features dark roux as the base. It’s then topped with a variety of mouthwatering ingredients such as spicy andouille and Cajun seasoning.
Simply put, you can’t visit Louisiana without sampling a warm, savoury bowl of gumbo. And, these are seven of the best places for gumbo in New Orleans whether it’s your first time taste testing the dish or your 100th.Â
Best Shrimp Gumbo In New Orleans
How do these rankings work?
1. Gumbo Shop
If you’re completely new to gumbo then we suggest stopping off first at Gumbo Shop, which is conveniently located in the French Quarter. There, you’ll be able to sample their famous gumbo z’herbes, which is a must-try anywhere you head for gumbo in New Orleans. However, we’re not playing favourites, as their chicken andouille and seafood gumbo are both also incredibly irresistible.
2. Mr. B’s Bistro
Fancy indulging in an evening of fine Creole culinary? Head to Mr. B’s Bistro in the French Quarter. This fine dining establishment will satisfy all of your cravings for local culture while serving you some of the absolute best gumbo in New Orleans. It’s Cajun-style with chicken and sausage. They’ve perfectly balanced the mix of the dark roux base with Cajun seasoning to deliver something that’s absolutely unforgettable.
3. Restaurant R’evolution
Who says gumbo has to always be traditional to be tasty? At Restaurant R’evolution you’ll find the famous dish “Death by Gumbo” is well worth a try, both in terms of taste and pure ingenuity. It’s basically deconstructed gumbo, made with stuffed quail, and smoked andouille sausage. They’ll pour the thick, creamy gumbo on top to create quite the show. Well worth the experience for both you and your tastebuds.
4. Mandina’s Restaurant
Mosey on over to Canal Street and waltz on into the two-story Mandina’s Restaurant. You’ll be able to peer out over onto NOLA’s classic streetcars as you devour some of the best seafood gumbo in the city. It’s light yet perfectly dense enough to fill your mouth with all of that standard Creole flavours you’d expect out of the dish.
5. Criollo Restaurant
You’ll find Criollo Restaurant tucked away inside of the impressively quaint and cosy Hotel Monteleone. And, while their menu changes seasonly, you can always expect to enjoy a warm bowl of hearty seafood gumbo any time you visit. This seafood gumbo is loaded with jumbo shrimp and crawfish to create a delectable array of flavours that you and your tongue are sure not to forget any time soon.
6. Hambone
Hambone is located inside of an actual house in Old Mandeville, adding hometown Southern charm to everything they do. The couple behind this restaurant knows exactly how to pack a punch in their presentation and preparation. Everything they craft is well-balanced yet elegant and unique. Their seafood gumbo is definitely one of the best bowls of gumbo you’ll get in all of New Orleans and it’s topped with gulf shrimp, collard greens, and potato salad.
7. Arnaud’s
It’s hard to write up any foodie list in New Orleans without mentioning Arnaud’s. It’s a local institution in terms of food, drinks, and jazz. Expect nothing but classic gumbo here, which they’ve been serving locals since 1918. Choose between a cup of chicken and andouille gumbo or seafood gumbo. While the options might seem sparse, the flavours are not.
