The 5 Most Anticipated New Orleans Restaurant Openings of Summer 2023

New Orleans has been spoiled with exciting new restaurant openings so far in 2023, a wide-ranging slew of debuts including the ’80s-themed Hungry Eyes from the Turkey and the Wolf team, a northern Italian destination Osteria Lupo from the partners behind Costera, and an Asian-American hotspot Sun Chong from Larry Morrow, among others. Still, there’s more to look forward to: In just the next few months, New Orleans diners can expect classic Italian deli sandwiches, comforting Indian street food, and upscale French-meets-American South cuisine. Here are five of the most anticipated restaurant openings in New Orleans for summer 2023.

Opening dates are always a moving target — now more than ever, and in New Orleans more than anywhere. Did we miss one? Let us know.

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LUFU NOLA

Where: 301 St. Charles Avenue, CBD
When: Summer 2023

Chefs Sarthak Samantray and Aman Kota are readying their restaurant in the CBD, having happily landed their own space following the closure of downtown food hall Pythian Market. The pair operates a brilliant Indian street food pop-up, which most recently took home three awards, including the highest honor, at food festival Food Fight. At Pythian, LUFU (which stands for Let Us Feed U), served comforting Northern Indian specialties like ragda patties (crispy potato patties topped with curry, chutney, and more), goat korma, chole bhature, Kashmiri dum aloo, and more. The forthcoming restaurant will expand on those offerings and include a bar.

Bodega

Where: 3633 Annunciation Street
When: Summer 2023

This restaurant and gourmet market from New York native Jaryd Kase is expected to open in the coming weeks for lunch staples and family-style to-go dinners. Kase began experimenting with weekly dinner menus designed for families of four in fall 2022, offering up to five nights of dinners. The lunch menu will be available for dine-in and to-go and include items like steak sandwiches, cobb salads, and grilled cheese, with dinnertime focused on to-go meals, offering six to seven mains running the gamut from moqueca (Brazilian seafood stew) and yassa (Senegalese braised chicken) to chana masala, eggplant parmesan, meatloaf, and more, and sides like ratatouille available in quarts and pounds. Bodega is in the final stages, but keep an eye out on Instagram for pop-ups around town in the meantime.

Francolini’s

Where: 3987 Tchoupitoulas Street
When: Summer 2023

Tara Francolini and Cesar Nunez are in the home stretch of opening Francolini’s, their hit Italian deli sandwich pop-up, a nod to the glorious sandwiches found in Francolini’s home state of New Jersey. Francolini estimates opening their shop in four to six weeks, after a rough road of dealing with city-specific obstacles. They’ve even announced their final pop-up at Rabbit’s Foot, to take place on Tuesday, June 13 — so you know it’s close. These sandwiches are the real deal: Sesame-topped subs — baked by the wonderful Ayu Bakehouse — overflowing with prosciutto, mortadella, salami, capicola, and provolone; breaded chicken cutlets and roasted red peppers topped with melted mozzarella; meatballs in sauce; and pork sausage with broccoli raab. Stay tuned to Francolini’s Instagram for updates.

Morrow’s Steak and Seafood

Where: 1001 Julia Street
When: Summer 2023

Fresh off the heels of the exciting opening of Sun Chong, a pan-Asian restaurant in the French Quarter with a stunning design, Larry Morrow is preparing to open two additional restaurants this summer. One is Morrow’s Steak & Seafood located in the Standard, an apartment building in the downtown South Market development, which is sure to deviate from stuffy, traditional steakhouses. The other is a to-be-named restaurant and lounge taking over the Yard on Frenchmen (405 Frenchmen Street) serving a New Orleans-meets-Caribbean menu.

Étoile

Where: 3607 Magazine Street
When: Summer 2023

For nearly 30 years, chef Chris Dupont defined Birmingham, Alabama’s farm-to-table dining scene. Now, for his “last” restaurant, Dupont has returned to his native New Orleans to open Étoile. It’s taking shape in the picturesque Magazine Street mansion formerly home to Cavan, which is currently undergoing renovations. While no menu details for the forthcoming restaurant have been released, Dupont’s cuisine is known to emphasize French techniques and regional, seasonal products, much like at his acclaimed Cafe Dupont, an upscale spot serving modern Southern cuisine.