The Roosevelt New Orleans has swapped out its longtime lobby coffee counter for something considerably more theatrical. Café Alice, a new all-day dining concept, opened Monday inside the historic hotel, serving breakfast, lunch and cocktails from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily in a space designed to channel high-society glamour and a little bit of mischief.
The concept is named for Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the late first daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, the hotel's namesake, according to NOLA.com. Alice Roosevelt Longworth visited New Orleans in 1903, and the café's design and menu lean into her reputation for whimsy and individuality, per the same report. Café Alice is located in the block-long lobby of The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria hotel at 123 Baronne Street, according to The Roosevelt New Orleans.
The new concept essentially takes over the footprint of the former Teddy's Cafe, the hotel's lobby outpost. Sebastian Stutz, general manager of The Roosevelt New Orleans, said the café offers guests and locals another way to experience the hotel alongside destinations such as the Sazerac Bar, the station's report notes.
A Menu Built Around a Pet Snake and French Brasserie Flair
Executive chef Daniel Mills and pastry chef Kareena Dennis developed the Café Alice menu, the outlet reports. Mills said the dishes draw on Alice's personality, French brasserie traditions and authentic Southern cuisine, per the same account. Among the breakfast offerings is the Emily Spinach Benedict, named for Alice Roosevelt Longworth's real-life pet garter snake — the hotel's own breakfast menu describes the dish as an honor to that snake.
Lunch brings heavier hitters, including the Black-Tie Chicken, built from crispy chicken bites topped with shaved black truffle, caviar and crème fraîche, served alongside Cajun pomme frites, according to The Roosevelt's lunch menu. Breakfast service runs from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., with lunch following from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., per the dossier's reporting on the café's hours.
The bar program gets its own spotlight too. Drinks include the Wild Child, made with Bombay Sapphire gin and matcha, and the Espresso Beignet, a riff combining Altamura vodka, beignet liqueur, Caffè Lucano and espresso.
A Cookie Sandwich That Doubles as a Zoo Ticket
Café Alice has also partnered with the Audubon Nature Institute on a limited-time promotion tied to its Critter Sable cookie sandwich. Guests who purchase the cookie sandwich get a discount on zoo admission for a limited time, and a portion of the sandwich's proceeds goes toward Audubon's marine mammal rescue program and turtle release efforts, per the reporting.
Fitting Into The Roosevelt's Bigger Picture
Café Alice's arrival extends an identity The Roosevelt has built around themed, destination-style hospitality rather than straightforward hotel dining. The property's Sazerac Bar remains another signature stop, known for its namesake cocktail, Bellinis, wines and rare Cognacs, according to the hotel. The Roosevelt also hosts an annual Christmas light display, part of a broader pattern of seasonal and themed programming — including a brunch featuring seasonal dishes, bottomless mimosas and live music during the hotel's holiday season, per its own holiday materials.
Before the rebrand, Teddy's Cafe had built a following of its own for simpler, local staples — cafe au lait, beignets, the house Roosevelt Blend coffee and daily pastries, according to a hotel-affiliated site. Café Alice keeps the same lobby footprint but trades that straightforward counter-service feel for a fuller all-day menu and a more elaborate design tribute to the Roosevelt family's most famous daughter.
