Po-boys$mid-city
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 back patio.
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.
Sandwiches$$lower-garden-district
Turkey and the Wolf in New Orleans is Mason Hereford's daytime sandwich room on Jackson Avenue, a Michelin recognised lunch counter with the collard green melt and fried bologna.
Signature: Collard green melt, Fried bologna sandwich
Order: The collard green melt with cheddar on cushy rye.
Tip: Lunch only, daytime hours Wednesday to Monday. Closed Tuesday; lines start before noon.
Southern Creole$$bywater
Elizabeth's in New Orleans is the Bywater corner cafe at Chartres and Gallier that invented praline bacon, with pecan sugar lacquered slices on a breakfast plate of biscuits and grits.
Signature: Praline bacon, Redneck eggs Benedict
Order: The praline bacon, ordered as a side with the redneck eggs Benedict.
Tip: No reservations. Arrive by 09:00 on weekends or wait an hour for the brunch turn.
Cajun Creole$$french-quarter
Coop's Place in New Orleans is the Decatur Street Cajun dive open since 1983, with rabbit and sausage jambalaya, fried chicken and a Chicken Tchoupitoulas that anchors the menu.
Signature: Rabbit and sausage jambalaya, Chicken Tchoupitoulas
Order: The rabbit and sausage jambalaya. Add the Chicken Tchoupitoulas if you have appetite.
Tip: Cash-friendly dive bar atmosphere; the kitchen runs late and pairs with Abita on tap.
Italian Creole$$mid-city
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 trout amandine.
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.
Cajun Creole$$faubourg-st-john
Liuzza's by the Track in New Orleans is the Bayou St John lunch counter near the Fair Grounds that invented the BBQ shrimp po-boy, still the room's anchor dish today.
Signature: BBQ shrimp po-boy, Gumbo
Order: The BBQ shrimp po-boy, invented on this very counter.
Tip: Cash only at peak; check the Jazz Fest schedule, the room turns into a circus on festival weekends.