Stanley, the beloved breakfast and lunch spot facing Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter, will serve its last plates on Monday, September 7, 2026 — Labor Day — bringing its run to a close. Owners Chef Scott Boswell and Tanya Boswell cited a mix of factors behind the shutdown, including rising food costs, ongoing construction disruption, and the expiration of its lease.
The restaurant occupied 547 St. Ann Street in the historic Lower Pontalba Building, which flanks Jackson Square and Baroness Micaela Almonester Pontalba built in the late 1840s, according to Explore Louisiana. As reported by WDSU, construction costs, food costs, and the lease running out all contributed to the closing. The building's ground-floor commercial spaces sit beneath residential apartments in a structure that has anchored the square for well over a century.
A Post-Katrina Survivor Finds Its Permanent Home
Stanley's roots trace back to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when Boswell opened it as an informal burger spot. Bloomberg recognized the restaurant as the very first in the French Quarter to reopen following the 2005 storm, according to reports compiled by the American Bankruptcy Institute. Boswell later secured the permanent Jackson Square space in the Lower Pontalba Building, per the French Quarter Journal.
The names Stanley and Stella!, the former sister restaurant, had a dramatic source, according to Nation's Restaurant News. Boswell had run Stella!, an upscale tasting-menu restaurant on Chartres Street, before its closure, after which the chef and his wife focused on Stanley.
A Rocky Financial History Before This Closure
In 2014, Scott and Tanya Boswell filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization covering four corporate entities, including Stanley of New Orleans LLC, to restructure business debts after shutting down Stella!. Court filings at the time indicated the Boswells' entities employed approximately 120 staff members, the American Bankruptcy Institute reported.
The restaurant's history also includes the COVID-19 pandemic.
Signature Dishes and a Farewell Menu
Diners came to know Stanley for its Louisiana favorites and breakfast served all day, per WDSU. Its menu built a following around Creole-infused comfort dishes, according to Fodor's Travel, including Bananas Foster French Toast topped with Louisiana cane syrup and vanilla ice cream. The restaurant also served sandwiches, milkshakes, house-made ice creams, and Italian sodas, rounding out a menu that leaned into New Orleans flavor while keeping the format casual.
Boswell began his New Orleans career at the Windsor Court Hotel before being named New Orleans Magazine's Chef of the Year in 2006, according to Nation's Restaurant News.
Part of a Wider Squeeze on French Quarter Restaurants
Stanley's closure follows rising food costs, construction disruption, and lease expiration cited by its owners. Further coverage of New Orleans restaurants is available from Where Y'at Magazine.
No future use for the prime Lower Pontalba commercial space or future Boswell culinary project is identified in the available reporting. For now, the Boswells' run on Jackson Square ends with Monday's Labor Day service.
