Where to Eat and Stay in New Orleans
By Andrew Collins

It's been nearly three years since Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans, but this spirited, supremely gracious, happily eccentric, and gay-friendly bastion of the South has undergone a dramatic comeback. The French Quarter, Uptown, and other prominent, tourist-driven areas have rebounded, and the city's long-famous restaurant scene and wealth of memorable old-world hotels and intimate guest houses are thriving. Here's a look at some of the Big Easy's best places to dine and spend the night, from classic New Orleans favorites to innovative newcomers.

The French Quarter
This historic neighborhood remains the heart of the city's fabled gay scene, with such famed bars as Bourbon Pub, Cafe Lafitte in Exile, Oz, and Good Friends drawing scores of revelers each night, and the lovably raffish Clover Grill, long a fixture in the gay community, doling out plenty of deliciously greasy food and sassy attitude. Other great gay-popular restaurants, such as Peristyle and Bayona, continue to serve up tantalizing contemporary fare.

With so many creative chefs doing wonderful things in this city, it's sometimes tempting to pass by the more established venues, but the French Quarter has some truly vaunted halls of dining that should not be missed. A perfect example is Brennan's, which opened in 1946 and comprises a warren of warmly lighted dining rooms set around a lush courtyard. Meals here are memorable no matter the time of day, but breakfast is perhaps the greatest treat - consider the three-course prix fixe, where you might sample traditional turtle soup, oysters Benedict, and Bananas Foster (which was invented right here at Brennan's).

Another "must" among the classics, Galatoire's has been family-run since it opened in 1905 and is one of the best places in Louisiana to watch local politicos hobnob and broker deals, especially on Friday afternoons. From the enormous menu you can try everything from lavish, high-end dishes like grilled pompano with sauteed crabmeat meuniere to simpler and more affordable standbys like shrimp au vin and oysters Rockefeller.

You'll find dozens of fine places to stay in the French Quarter, but two upscale properties deserve special mention. The Hotel Monteleone, an 1886 stunner, hosted the likes of Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote on numerous occasions. You can sense the hotel's distinguished history simply by walking through the gracious marble lobby. The nearly 600 rooms are handsomely appointed, some overlooking the Mississippi River. Smaller and with a hipper vibe, the W French Quarter occupies a stately old building anchored by a magnificent courtyard. The 98 rooms have sumptuous featherbeds with 350-thread-count linens, framed black-and-white photos, DVD players, and Bliss Spa bath products. Sip cocktails and nosh on snacks in the mod Living Room lounge, or book a table for dinner at Bacco, a stellar restaurant serving contemporary New Orleans-meets-Italy cuisine. You won't find a more alluring, skillful balance between French Quarter charm and high-tech sophistication.

Faubourg Marigny
The colorful neighborhood immediately downriver from the Quarter - across tree-shaded Esplanade Avenue - is Faubourg Marigny, which has a high concentration of gays and lesbians, many who have restored the area's French West Indies-style cottages and Greek Revival mansions. Moderately priced, less-touristy restaurants and B&Bs are a major draw of the neighborhood, which also has a handful of gay bars, the most famous being the leather-and-Levi's-oriented Phoenix.
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