Spending time in Freret? Get to know this New Orleans neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a ice cream shops to a brunch and vegan restaurant.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Freret, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Piccola Gelateria

Topping the list is creperie Piccola Gelateria, which offers gelato, coffee and tea and more. Located at 4525 Freret St., it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting five stars out of 154 reviews on Yelp.

It features house-made artisan gelato and also serves espresso, coffee and crepes. Choose from 18 different flavors of gelato and sorbet, including sea salt caramel, licorice, blueberry, rose petal and biscotti. Crepe options are turkey, ham, prosciutto, vegetarian and Nutella. (Check out the full menu by clicking here.)

2. Bearcat Cafe

Next up is breakfast and brunch and vegan spot Bearcat Cafe, offering coffee and tea and more, situated at 2521 Jena St. With 4.5 stars out of 441 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

On the menu, expect traditional breakfast and lunch fare, as well as micro-sourced coffees from the Equator Coffee Company, a variety of loose-leaf teas and house-made beverages. For breakfast, try the crab scramble (la blue crab, soft eggs and potatoes) or Cat Daddy Biscuit (chicken, Cajun gravy and a sunny-side egg). In the afternoon, opt for the Farro bowl (almonds, oyster mushrooms, nori, fennel, carrots and black beans), the trumpet scallops (trumpet mushrooms, hummus, cauliflower and asparagus) or the BBQ Pasta (shrimp, portobello, tomato, corn and spaghetti). 

3. Ice Cream 504

Ice Cream 504, a spot to score ice cream and frozen yogurt and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 2511 Jena St., five stars out of 90 reviews.

Using an old fashioned churn, Ice Cream 504 crafts its own ice cream daily with a rotating list of flavors, which are all gluten- and preservative-free. Options include peach, blueberry basil and strawberry.

4. Dat Dog

Dat Dog, a New American spot that offers hot dogs and more, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 539 Yelp reviews. Head over to 5030 Freret St. to see for yourself.

It serves artfully crafted hot dogs, sausage, brats, kielbasa, burgers and chicken sandwiches, as well as vegetarian items. Customers choose their hot dog or sausage, like the alligator sausage, crawfish sausage (smoked with mild Cajun seasoning) or Guinness Dog (brat-infused with Guinness) and then add any of the nearly three dozen toppings available. (Click here to view the full menu.)

5. High Hat Cafe

Check out High Hat Cafe, which has earned four stars out of 446 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Southern and soul food spot, which offers burgers and more, at 4500 Freret St.

Catfish, smoked roasted chicken, Delta tamales, barbecue shrimp, slow roasted pork and fresh Gulf fish highlight the menu at High Hat Cafe. There are also po'boys, sandwiches, burgers, salads and 10 different sides, plus desserts like chocolate chess pie and ice cream. 

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This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.