Central Grocery in New Orleans is the 1906 Decatur Street Sicilian deli that invented the muffuletta, with $13 half muffulettas built on the round seeded loaf with house olive salad.
Tip: A half feeds one; a whole feeds two to three. Order to walk and eat in Jackson Square across the street.
Address: 923 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
Coop's Place in New Orleans is the Decatur Street Cajun dive open since 1983, with $13 rabbit and sausage jambalaya and the Chicken Tchoupitoulas plate on the budget menu.
Try: Rabbit and sausage jambalaya
Tip: Dive bar atmosphere, late kitchen, cash-friendly. Pairs with Abita Amber on tap from the bar.
Stein's Deli in New Orleans is the Magazine Street Jewish-Italian deli in the Lower Garden District, with $15 Reuben sandwiches and a long sandwich queue at lunchtime.
Try: Pastrami Reuben
Tip: The Reuben sandwich is the cult order; the deli closes Monday and runs out of bagels by 11:00 on Sunday.
Willie Mae's Scotch House in New Orleans is the 1957 Treme fried-chicken counter on St Ann Street, a 2005 James Beard America's Classics winner with three-piece chicken plates and red beans.
Try: Fried chicken plate
Tip: Lines are real; arrive at 11:00 open or expect a 45-minute wait. Cash and card both accepted.
Dat Dog on Freret in New Orleans is the Freret Street specialty hot dog counter, with $9 alligator sausage, crawfish dogs, vegetarian franks and crawfish etouffee on top of any link.
Try: Specialty hot dog
Tip: Build with crawfish etouffee on top of a frank for the local order; sides of fries run $4 a basket.
Parkway in New Orleans is the 1911 Mid-City po-boy room on Hagan Avenue near Bayou St John, with $13 fried shrimp po-boys dressed on Leidenheimer bread plated in 10 minutes.
Try: Shrimp po-boy with debris
Tip: The back garden patio runs cooler in summer; the counter line is faster than the wait staff.
Domilise's in New Orleans is the 1918 family po-boy counter on Annunciation Street in Uptown, with $13 fried shrimp po-boys dressed on Leidenheimer bread at the corner of Belle Castle.
Try: Fried shrimp po-boy
Tip: Cash and local-card only at the counter; the kitchen closes when the bread runs out for the day.
