One of the Garden District’s defining dining rooms is about to turn out the lights. Coquette, the Magazine Street restaurant that helped shape modern New Orleans cooking, will close after nearly 18 years, chef-owner Michael Stoltzfus confirmed on June 5, 2026. The restaurant’s last night of regular service is set for June 26, with a special final event planned for June 27 as a sendoff. Stoltzfus said the timing feels right as he steps away from day-to-day operations.
According to Ian McNulty at NOLA.com, Stoltzfus told the paper, “we have a great team, and I’m proud of what we’ve built. This has always been a passion project for me, and now feels like the right time to move on.” Coquette opened in late 2008 and quickly settled in as a Magazine Street mainstay.
Stoltzfus Will Focus On His Rotisserie Project
Stoltzfus said his attention is now turning to Here Today Rotisserie, the casual rotisserie concept he launched in 2025 that rapidly picked up a neighborhood following. The stripped down menu and lower prices are a deliberate shift from Coquette’s fine dining format, a move that matches how many diners are choosing to eat out these days. Stoltzfus has signaled plans to expand the concept to additional locations. Axios highlighted Here Today’s early success in the Lower Garden District.
A Launchpad For Local Talent
For nearly two decades, Coquette’s kitchen has doubled as an incubator for New Orleans talent that went on to national recognition. Mason Hereford cooked there before opening Turkey & the Wolf, and Ana Castro moved through Coquette’s ranks before becoming known for Acamaya and multiple James Beard nods. Pastry chef and educator Zak Miller also spent time in Coquette’s pastry program before heading to teach at the Culinary Institute of America. Reporting from Eater and local profiles have tracked those alumni as they branched out.
Coquette’s closure marks the end of an era for Magazine Street dining. The restaurant at 2800 Magazine Street has long been woven into the neighborhood’s fabric, the kind of place locals pointed to when talking about how the city eats now. Industry trackers and local reporting have noted a steady churn of high profile openings and closings along the corridor, a sign that restaurateurs are adjusting their strategies in a changed market. Coquette’s site lists the Magazine Street address, and NOLA.com has been tracking many of those shifts across the city.
