Bayou St John, City Park and the Fair Grounds (home of Jazz Fest). Parkway Bakery on Hagan, Liuzza's by the Track, Mandina's on Canal, Cafe Degas on Esplanade.
Mandina's in New Orleans is the 1932 Mid-City Italian-Creole corner room on Canal Street, founded by Sicilian immigrant Sebastian Mandina and still serving.
Signature: Trout amandine, Crawfish bisque
Order: The trout amandine. Add the spaghetti with red gravy and a side of bread.
Tip: Sit at the bar for the streetcar view; the kitchen runs faster off the bar pickup.
Parkway in New Orleans is the 1911 Mid-City po-boy room on Hagan Avenue near Bayou St John, a German-built corner shop with roast beef debris and a screened.
Signature: Roast beef po-boy, Fried shrimp po-boy
Order: The roast beef po-boy with debris, dressed. Add a beer.
Tip: The back garden patio runs cooler in summer; the counter line is faster than the wait staff.
Chickie Wah Wah on Canal Street is the intimate Mid-City music bar that books Jon Cleary, Meschiya Lake and Tom McDermott as locals, with Blue Oak BBQ.
Tip: Shows nightly from 17:00. Reserve a table via the venue site for the early set if you want dinner alongside; the late set is general admission.
Pal's Lounge in Mid-City is the pin-up themed neighbourhood dive on Rendon, around since 2002 in a building that's been a bar since the 1920s.
Tip: Open 15:00-03:00 every day. Play the jukebox; the back patio is dog friendly and runs popup pizza most weekends.
Twelve Mile Limit on Telemachus runs a Mid-City corner dive where the cocktails come out at proper craft level, the back room hosts trivia and karaoke.
Tip: Trivia Tuesdays from 20:00; food pop-ups posted on Instagram. Cash and card; the Telemachus side patio is the quieter seat.