Looking for a delectable Italian meal near you?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best high-end Italian restaurants around New Orleans, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to fill the bill.
1. Irene's Cuisine
Topping the list is Irene's Cuisine. Located at 529 Bienville St. in the French Quarter, it's the highest rated high-end Italian restaurant in New Orleans, boasting 4.5 stars out of 680 reviews on Yelp.
Irene's Cuisine, which moved to Bienville Street this winter, has been serving hearty Italian fare in the French Quarter since 1993.
The current menu features starters like the Oysters Irene, oysters baked in their shells then topped with Romano cheese, pancetta and pimento; and entrees like the San Francisco-style cioppino, featuring the fish of the day as well as shrimp, scallop, crabmeat, clams and mussels simmered in a spicy saffron-scented tomato-fennel broth and served on a bed of silk-handkerchief pasta along with ciabatta crostini.
"From appetizers to entrées to desserts, I can't say enough about this place," Yelper Karen S. noted. "Try everything and then go back and try it again. We always make a reservation now, because if you don't have one, you will probably be out of luck, or enjoy an hour or more wait."
2. The Italian Barrel
Next up is The Italian Barrel, situated at 430 Barracks St. in the French Quarter. With four stars out of 300 reviews on Yelp, the wine bar and Italian restaurant has proven to be a local favorite for those looking to indulge.
On the dinner menu, look for classic Italian fare like raviolis stuffed with porcini and truffle mushrooms and topped with creamy wine sauce and a splash of truffle extra virgin olive oil; penne pasta smothered in spicy tomato sauce and Italian sausage; and veal parmigiana served with sautéed vegetables or linguini tossed in white wine sauce.
3. Tommy's Cuisine
Tommy's Cuisine, located at 746 Tchoupitoulas St. in the Warehouse District, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the upscale wine bar and Italian-Creole restaurant four stars out of 209 reviews.
The kitchen at Tommy's produces Italian dishes with French Creole flair. House specialities include the turtle soup; gulf fish capri with local blue crabmeat, crawfish tails, artichokes and lemon-caper beurre blanc; and the veal marsala with sautéed mushrooms, linguine and haricot vert green beans in a mushroom-marsala reduction.
4. Rizzutos Ristorante & Chop House
Italian steakhouse Rizzutos Ristorante & Chop House is another high-end go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 46 Yelp reviews. Head over to 6262 Fleur De Lis Dr. to see for yourself.
According to the business' website, executive chef Jason Caronna learned the secrets of Italian cooking from his grandmother, a native of Palermo, the capitol of Sicily. Combining steaks, chops and Creole favorites with Italian classics — like the Veal Rizzuto — veal topped lemon-butter sauce, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, basil and lump crabmeat — the menu aims to showcase the family's Sicilian roots and modern culinary capabilities.
5. Avo
Finally, over in West Riverside, check out Avo, which has earned four stars out of 126 reviews on Yelp.
Avo is also run by a chef with a Sicilian roots: Nick Lama, who has competed on Bravo's Top Chef television series. According to the restaurant's website, "avo" translates to “grandfather” or “ancestor," a deliberate nod to the culinary training Lama picked up from his Sicilian mother and grandmother.
Expect to find a changing lineup of Italian dishes featuring seasonal ingredients — like charred octopus with pork butter, black garlic, pineapple and Calabrian chiles; or lasagna stuffed with short rib ragu, tomato and a béchamel white sauce.
"Been here a few times and every time I have been impressed," Yelper Michael E. said. "The staff is always professional yet friendly, and the food is excellent. It is a little on the expensive side, but the staff, ambiance and food are worth it. Great date place also, especially when the weather is nice."
Treat yourself at Avo by heading over to 5908 Magazine St.
