New on Resy: Cochon, Bayona, Herbsaint Bar & Restaurant

Cochon means “pig” in French, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll be ordering plenty of it at this Donald Link stunner. Cochon specializes in the kind of food chef Link grew up with, and most everything is made in-house. Feast on fried boudin with pickled peppers, pork cheek and andouille jambalaya, oyster and bacon sandwich, and wood-fired oysters slathered with chili garlic butter.

Located within a 200-year-old New Orleans landmark, Bayona reimagines Louisiana cuisine through a global lens. Here, James Beard Award-winning chef Susan Spicer—a pioneer of the slow-food movement—peppers her plates with Mediterranean, North African, and Asian flavors, resulting in stellar dishes like cream of garlic soup, veal sweetbreads, and smoked duck PB&J. Pro-tip: the patio is where you’ll want to be on sunny days, where banana fronds and sweet olive trees perfume the air.

Herbsaint is the cult favorite that propelled Donald Link to fame. The restaurant, which is now helmed by chef de cuisine Rebecca Wilcomb, continues to delight locals and far-flung visitors with its exceptional take on Louisiana classics, with dashes of French and Italian influences thrown in. Opt for the signature gumbo (heaped with chicken, tasso, and andouille) and duck leg confit with dirty rice.

Seafood reigns supreme at this boisterous, wood-accented Downtown locale. Pêche pulls from South America, Spain, and the Gulf Coast to spice up the way New Orleans does fish. Bring a crowd and build a fisherman’s feast of Gulf oysters, noodles topped with spicy ground shrimp, smothered catfish, and whole grilled fish, rounded out with gusty cocktails.

Bywater’s favorite wine bar is now taking reservations. N7 twinkles with romance, boasting a glimmering patio and vintage décor. Here, natural wines are best enjoyed alongside French bites bursting with Japanese flavors. Pro-tip: start off your meal with one of N7’s fancy imported tins—think sardines, mackerel, habanero smoked oysters.

At Costera, chef Brian Burns and restaurateur Reno De Ranieri don’t want to just bring paellas to Uptown; they want to introduce a new way of eating. Inspired by the vibrant cities that litter the Spanish coast, Costera discloses a love for jovial, all-hands-in, communal eating, focusing on the rice culture that is so dear to both NOLA and Spain. Spring for paella, in addition to flavor-packed tapas, revisited Louisiana classics, and spice-laden seafood plates.

Housed in one of the CBD’s oldest historic homes, with a storied past that includes brothels, gourmets, and ghosts, CellarDoor puts a seasonal and global twist on Southern favorites. Come to this alluring gastropub for the dirty rice arancini and blue crab bucatini, and stay for its Prohibition-era cocktails.

Chef Arron Burgau’s restaurant has all the makings of a charming neighborhood bistro: well-worn furnishings set the stage and natural light floods the rustic-chic interior. The menu reads French by way of New Orleans, which means you’re in for hybrid dishes like a Cuban croque madame and Gulf fish amandine, with plenty of wines by the glass.

House-cured meats and dressed-up Southern classics are at the heart of Boucherie’s appeal. Here, Nathaniel Zimet uses French technique and Asian splashes to cook up carnivorous offerings, from boudin balls dipped in garlic aioli to smoked wagyu beef brisket. Pro-tip: get the Krispy Kreme bread pudding, even if you didn’t save room for dessert.

Nothing says New Orleans like a good, old-fashioned shrimp boil, and that’s exactly what you’re getting at Mister Gregory’s. This French Quarter spot does boils just like your grandparents would, with all the traditional sides a heritage meal of this caliber deserves: Muffuletta sliders, deviled blue crab remoulade, and wild-caught Gulf shrimp. BYOB and get ready to be messy.