![New Orleans French Quarter Food Walk](https://cdn.slatesource.com/6/2/d/62de639b-e152-4610-9f10-2a73f4ac9f65.webp) # New Orleans French Quarter Food Walk - [Made in Slatesource](https://slatesource.com/@steph/new-orleans-french-quarter-food-walk) - By [Steph](https://slatesource.com/@steph) - Created on Oct 3, 2026 Total walking time ~25 minutes across all six stops Total distance ~1.5 km through the French Quarter Budget per person USD 35 to 60 for all six bites Best days Thursday to Sunday, morning start recommended Neighbourhood French Quarter, New Orleans ![](https://cdn.slatesource.com/6/2/d/62de639b-e152-4610-9f10-2a73f4ac9f65.webp) Aerial view of Jackson Square and the Mississippi riverfront, heart of the \\ ## Six Bites, One Morning, All Within 25 Minutes on Foot The French Quarter is barely thirteen blocks along the river, and the six most iconic things to eat in New Orleans are clustered within it. This route starts at the river end of Decatur Street, loops through the French Market, cuts back to Iberville and Royal, and ends on the ornate courtyard at Brennan's. Walk it Thursday to Sunday, start before 10 AM to beat the beignet queue, and finish with Bananas Foster before lunch crowds arrive. All prices and hours are as of October 2026. ## Stop 1. Cafe du Monde, 800 Decatur St Open 24 hours, 365 days a year (closed Christmas Day only). Order three beignets and a cafe au lait. Beignets are square pillows of fried dough buried in powdered sugar, served fresh from the fryer. The cafe au lait is half dark chicory coffee and half steamed milk. Do not wear black. Three beignets cost about USD 4. The original location is the open-air pavilion on the Jackson Square side. A second outpost is inside the French Market. [Cafe du Monde: menu and locations](https://cafedumonde.com/?utm_source=slatesource) ## Stop 2. Central Grocery, 923 Decatur St Open daily 9 AM to 5 PM. A five-minute walk along Decatur heading downriver. Salvatore Lupo invented the muffuletta here in 1906 for the Sicilian produce vendors who worked the French Market: cured meats and provolone on a sesame round, with a generous spread of marinated olive salad that soaks the bread overnight. A whole muffuletta feeds two people. A half is the right size for one stop on a longer walk. The shop closed for three years after Hurricane Ida and reopened fully in late 2023, restored to its original layout. [Central Grocery: history and hours](https://centralgrocery.com/?utm_source=slatesource) ## Stop 3. Loretta's Authentic Pralines, 1100 N Peters St (Stall 9) Open Monday to Friday 9 AM to 4 PM, Saturday and Sunday 9 AM to 5 PM. Loretta's stall sits inside the French Market, a six-minute walk from Central Grocery. A traditional praline is a disc of caramelised sugar, cream and pecans, cooked to order. Loretta's also makes a crab praline, a savoury-sweet variant unique to this shop. Two pralines cost around USD 19. The line wraps the building by 11 AM on weekends. Arrive early or visit on a weekday. ## Stop 4. Acme Oyster House, 724 Iberville St Open daily 11 AM to 10 PM. A ten-minute walk from the French Market, heading back toward Canal Street. Acme opened in 1910 and occupies a two-story corner building between Royal and Bourbon. Order the raw oysters on the half shell shucked at the bar: half a dozen at USD 8.99, a dozen at USD 14.99. A cup of seafood gumbo is USD 5.79. There is usually a queue at the door at midday, but it moves in under fifteen minutes. [Acme Oyster House: French Quarter menu and hours](https://acmeoyster.com/french-quarter-la/?utm_source=slatesource) ## Stop 5. Gumbo Shop, 630 Saint Peter St Open daily from 11 AM. A seven-minute walk from Acme, heading deeper into the Quarter along Chartres or Royal. The Gumbo Shop has occupied the same French Quarter building since 1946. The house seafood gumbo is a long-cooked roux with shrimp, crab and okra over white rice. A bowl is around USD 9. The rabbit and andouille jambalaya is a solid second option. No reservation needed for a solo visit or a couple at the bar. ## Stop 6. Brennan's, 417 Royal St Open Monday to Friday from 9 AM, Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM. The five-minute walk from the Gumbo Shop puts you on Royal Street, one of the Quarter's most beautiful blocks. Brennan's invented Bananas Foster in 1946, named after Richard Foster, a friend of the founder. A server flames brown sugar, butter and banana liqueur tableside, spoons it over vanilla ice cream and brings it to you still sizzling. It is the most theatrical dessert in New Orleans. Brennan's is a fine dining restaurant at full service (USD 31 to 50 per person), but the bar and courtyard take walk-in dessert orders throughout the day. Bananas Foster as a standalone dessert with a cocktail is roughly USD 18. No reservation required for that. [Brennan's: the original Bananas Foster recipe and story](https://brennansneworleans.com/r_bananasfoster.html?utm_source=slatesource) Practical notes: Johnny's Po-Boys (511 St Louis St) is a backup for a po-boy if you want a seventh stop. It is cash only, open Thursday to Sunday 8 AM to 3:30 PM. Central Grocery also sells po-boys but the muffuletta is the reason to go there. Start the walk on a weekend morning before 10 AM to beat the Cafe du Monde queue, which can stretch a full block by 11 AM.