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 dishes: Collard green melt, Fried bologna sandwich
Must order: The collard green melt with cheddar on cushy rye.
Tip: Lunch only, daytime hours Wednesday to Monday. Closed Tuesday; lines start before noon.
Address: 739 Jackson Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mother's in New Orleans is the 1938 CBD lunch counter at Poydras and Tchoupitoulas, home of the Ferdi Special po-boy with ham, roast beef and debris served from a cafeteria line.
Signature: Ferdi Special po-boy, Red beans and rice
Order: The Ferdi Special po-boy with debris. Add a side of red beans.
Tip: Lines are real; arrive at 11:00 or after 14:00 for the shortest wait.
Casamento's in New Orleans is the 1919 Sicilian-American oyster room on Magazine Street, with crackle-crusted fried oysters between thick slabs of pan bread on the original oyster loaf.
Signature: Oyster loaf, Fried oyster plate
Order: The oyster loaf, with the oysters fried crackle-crisp and packed between thick pan bread.
Tip: Closed June through August (oyster R-months rule). Cash-only counter service.
