New Orleans Top 5 Coolest Neighborhoods
New Orleans, it doesn’t get much better than this. This is one city with so much gusto, so much zing and so much character. Hey, there’s a reason it’s so famous.
Trust us, to really get to know this city, you’re going to want to get away from the French Quarter and explore the hippest, most interesting and funkiest parts that NOLA has to offer. Because with so many cool neighborhoods in New Orleans, there is a lot on offer!
Want to see a different side of NOLA than the typical tourist trail? Well then, read on for our list of New Orleans’ top 5 coolest neighborhoods.
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New Orleans Coolest Neighborhoods #1: The Bywater
First up, the Bywater! Full disclaimer here, we love the Bywater. This hip and happening area comes in at first place on our list of the coolest neighborhoods in New Orleans.
Located next door to another one of New Orleans’ coolest neighborhoods, Marigny, the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans sits along the Mississippi River just east of the Central Business District (CBD).
Bywater is all about the art. In this New Orleans neighborhood, art is everywhere. And we mean everywhere.
From the Bywater Art Garden, to Be Gallery, to the many murals peppered throughout the area, this New Orleans cool neighborhood lives and breathes art.
Why is that, you ask? Well, the Bywater has long been a magnet for artists, drawn to its bohemian personality and (previously) cheap rent. As a result, there are galleries, street art and studios everywhere in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans.
Related: Bangkok’s Top 5 Coolest Neighbourhoods
If you’d like to learn more about the history of the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans at your own pace, check out this self-guided audio tour.
The Bywater still has a very small edgy feeling – but we do emphasise the small here. Like many of the coolest neighborhoods in New Orleans, the Bywater is gentrifying quickly! (If you want something seedier, don’t worry we got you – check out Central City at the end of this article).
For bargain hunters and patient vintage shoppers, the Bywater Bargain Centre is a great big space with lots of random stuff. Also and somewhat oddly, there’s a lot of Mexican Day of the Dead paraphernalia. If you’re dressing up for the Day of the Dead in NOLA, you know where to go!
Rosalita’s Backyard Tacos is a nice little hidden gem. And by ‘hidden’, we mean literally. This small hole in the wall has a hidden backyard area that you could easily miss. The food is cheap and pretty damn decent. Our pro tip? If you get the burrito, do take a fork. Trust us, you’ll need it.
The Bywater Bakery is legendary and, weather permitting, has live music on the weekends from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm.
For a refreshing drink, you can’t go wrong with the Parleaux Beer Lab. Don’t worry, if you don’t drink (or even if you do), their sparkling hop water is very refreshing! There’s also the much-loved Bywater Brew Pub, a longstanding local favourite.
And then there’s the Country Club, who infamously used to have a ‘clothing optional’ policy at their swimming pool.
Sadly, this is no longer the case, but they still hold their equally infamous Sunday Drag Brunch. Although this is normally booked out months in advance, cancellations always pop up, so check in regularly to try to get a spot.
If you’d like to check out some of these awesome spots and more, you can discover the best of the Bywater on this great food and beer tour.
There are occasional events at the Bywater Art Garden, so also check in there if something is happening during your visit. Enjoy!
Where to stay in The Bywater
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Mid-range
Elegant Renovated House with Relaxing Courtyard
High-end
New Orleans Coolest Neighborhoods #2: Marigny
Just beside the Bywater and downriver from the French Quarter is Marigny, fast becoming one of the most popular neighborhoods in New Orleans.
Notable for its cute and colourful houses, Marigny New Orleans is more gentrified than the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans – but fret not, it’s still cool! Want to discover this hipster area in New Orleans differently? Check out this bike tour of the Marigny.
On the bustling and super vibrant St Claude Avenue, you’ll find the St Roch Market, a great food hall with different vendors that change throughout the year. According to a very well-trusted source, the charbroiled oysters are to die for (and since I’m allergic to shellfish, for me, that means literally).
Just across the street is the New Orleans Healing Centre which houses several cool businesses worth checking out. You can find the New Orleans Food Co-Op and Cafe Istanbul, so you can pick up some groceries and have lunch while exploring this cool neighborhood in New Orleans.
Down St Claude is the Hi Ho Lounge, a great New Orleans neighborhood dive bar. There’s lots on the schedule, including tons of music, trivia and a free comedy show on Sundays at 8.00 pm.
Want to explore more places like Marigny? Check out the Top 10 Coolest Neighbourhoods in Melbourne
Now, you can’t talk about the Marigny neighborhood in New Orleans without talking about Frenchmen Street! Frenchmen Street is the beating musical heart of easily Marigny, but potentially all of New Orleans. Yes, word is out and it is a bit touristy now, but you can’t deny that this one small strip has so much good music on offer.
Most bars on Frenchmen Street have music day and night. There’s often an afternoon set (around 2.00 pm or 3.00 pm), an evening set (around 8.00 pm) and a late night set (around 11.00 pm).
Usually, there’s no cover charge, but most places do have a 1 drink per person per set requirement. What a bargain! Where else in the world can you see world-class music for such a a low price? The bands will go around and ask for tips. If they’re good, be generous.
The big names on Frenchmen Street include the Blue Nile, the Spotted Cat, Bamboulas and the Marigny Brassierie. If you’re on your own, or just want to explore Frenchmen Street in an organised fashion, there’s this excellent tour of Frenchmen Street.
Pro tip: instead of picking a spot on Frenchmen Street in advance, just stroll up and down the street and let your ears guide you.
Between sets, stop by the Frenchmen Art Bazaar, open daily from 6.00 pm – 12.00 am. Being such a cool neighborhood in New Orleans, you’ll find some pretty quirky stuff.
Not too far from Frenchmen Street you’ll find the Royal Frenchmen Hotel and Bar, a local’s favourite. For another local favourite, head to Big Daddy’s or the fabulous Flora Gallery and Coffee Shop just across the street.
If you want to learn more about jazz while exploring the coolest neighborhoods in New Orleans, there’s a highly rated jazz tour that stops by Frenchmen Street and others.
Where to stay in Marigny
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New Orleans Coolest Neighborhoods #3: Treme
Now, how could anyone forget Treme?! Treme epitomises so much of what makes New Orleans great and undoubtedly needs to be on the list of the coolest neighborhoods in New Orleans!
Located directly across North Rampart Street from the French Quarter, you can’t miss the big “Armstrong” arch signalling the entry into Armstrong Park and the greater Treme neighborhood.
Treme’s roots run deep and the area is steeped in history. Free People of Colour lived in the area as early as 1726, making it one of the United States’ first African American neighborhoods. So not only is it one of the coolest neighborhoods in New Orleans, but a historically important one as well.
Enslaved Africans used to congregate in Congo Square in Armstrong Park on Sundays to drum, dance and practice their traditions. You can see this history in action every Sunday around 3.00 pm, as the drum circles continue to this day. Even better, you can get involved. How cool?!
While not exactly the birthplace of jazz (it was developed across the entire city), many of the great jazz pioneers and NOLA’s famous musicians hail from the Treme neighborhood in New Orleans.
As such, expectd to find great music in Treme. Some of the best picks include the Treme Art and Music Lounge, the Candlelight Lounge and Kermit’s Treme Mother-in-Law Lounge.
One of the absolute best ways to explore Treme is on a walking tour. This is the Treme walking tour that I personally did and it was, hands down, one of the highlights of my time in New Orleans. I can’t recommend it enough!
To delve a bit deeper into the history of Treme, you can check out one of this New Orleans neighborhood’s many museums.
The Backstreet Museum is reported to be excellent, but it’s also very expensive (hence why I didn’t visit). The Petit Jazz Museum is great, but beware the owner will talk your ear off. The New Orleans African American Museum is okay, but be sure to stop by the 3rd Saturday of every month, as they have an open event with music, vendors and performances – and it’s all free!
If you’re looking for a drink, the Treme Coffeehouse makes a mad iced latte. Lil Dizzy Cafe is an excellent lunch spot for all the NOLA classics – po’boys, gumbo, beans and rice and grits. If you’re after something more formal, then the now-famous Dooky Chase is what you’re looking for.
Note that while Treme has a shady past, it’s no longer as sketchy as it used to be and it’s safe to walk around during the day. This cool neighborhood in New Orleans is now more accessible than ever.
Pro tip: Treme is the epicentre for many of New Orleans’ great second-line parades, often held on a Sunday afternoon. Check out WWOZ’s Takin It To The Streets to see if there’s one happening during your visit. It’s bound to be one of the highlights of your visit!
Where to stay in Treme
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High-end
New Orleans Coolest Neighborhoods #4: Lower Garden District / Magazine Street
Now, we know that the Garden District is pretty touristy and a bit on the posh side of New Orleans (it’s home to the city’s most popular walking tours and the famous Lafayette Cemetery No 1). But, that said, there’s no denying that the Lower Garden District, centred on Magazine Street, is one of the coolest neighborhoods in New Orleans.
A bit artsy and a little eclectic, it’s a cool neighborhood in New Orleans where you can easily spend a day or two checking out its unique offerings.
In the Lower Garden District, you can find two of New Orleans’ biggest local chains: Ruby Slipper (famous for brunch) and Dat Dog (easily serving the best hot dogs in the world). For another brunch, head to Surrey’s Cafe and Juice Bar. Because, can you ever have too much brunch?
Just a few steps away is Out of the Closet, with some great vintage threads. The Good Shop, just off Magazine, is all about local and ethical goods. That’s cool.
For your Vietnamese fix, Pho Tran has some of the best pho I’ve ever tasted. And to keep things Asian, try Union Ramen.
If you want something a bit more upscale, La Petite Grocery is one of the best restaurants in the area.
If you want to see more of the Lower Garden District, plus Treme and the Bywater all at once, check out this award-winning tour that features three of New Orleans’ coolest neighborhoods!
Where to stay in the Lower Garden District
Mid-range
Terrell House Bed and Breakfast
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Unique Lower Garden District Condo
New Orleans Coolest Neighborhoods #5: Central City
For those of you who like your New Orleans neighborhoods on the edgier side of the gentrification process, Central City is for you.
Nestled between the historic (and posh) Garden District and the CBD, Central City has a lot of history and is the absolute definition of an ‘up-and-coming’ cool neighborhood in New Orleans.
We won’t lie – Central City still has some grit and it might not be for everyone. Things are still very much on the rise and it’s best not to walk around too much after dark. But don’t let that deter you – I’ve stayed in Central City and really enjoyed it! It really is one of the coolest neighborhoods in New Orleans.
All that said, the main strip in Central City, Oretha Castle Haley Blvd (referred to as OC Haley) has a lot of exciting and new things popping up. If you want to get your culture and/or music fix, the NOLA Jazz Market and the Ashe Cultural Arts Centre are both on OC Haley and are amazing.
The Rabbit Hole is a cool venue that’s a bit hidden away – you might have to poke around a bit to find it (just look for the bright multi-coloured fence). On Tuesdays, they have a brass band playing.
Casa Borrega has great Mexican fare in a funky setting, while Ecology Beer Creative is the new brewery on the block. Cafe Porche and Snowbar makes an excellent brekkie.
Food-wise, Central City BBQ is the most famous joint on the block and people travel from all across the city to eat at this smokehouse. The prime rib brisket and smoked pork belly are all great options – and it’s very affordable.
Another reason that Central City is such a cool neighborhood in New Orleans is that its regeneration is driven by grassroots initiatives and community empowerment, all of which are very apparent as you stroll the streets this New Orleans neighborhood. Cafe Reconcile is a workforce development program (although it was gutted when I was there and it was unclear if they are renovating or closed).
Where to stay in Central City
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Pontchartrain Hotel, St Charles Avenue
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