Tujague ' s Mushroom Crepes continues to close its doors on Mardi Gras day , so the Friday before has become one of the most sought-after dining days with guests dressed in colorful costumes and periodic Second Lines breaking out . Another exciting time to visit is for the quarterly Fried Chicken Brunch , featuring allyou-can-eat fried chicken , savory sides and freeflowing bubbly . Frankly , every day is a celebration of food and life at Galatoire ’ s !
TUJAGUE ’ S RESTAURANT 429 Decatur St . | tujaguesrestaurant . com
The second-oldest dining establishment in New Orleans , Tujague ’ s , was founded in 1856 by Guillaume and Marie Abadie Tujague , newlyweds who migrated from France to begin their life together . Guillaume operated a butcher shop in the French Market for several years before deciding to try his hand in the restaurant business . The couple opened Tujague ’ s on Decatur Street primarily to serve basic breakfast and plate lunches to nearby dock workers . Located a few doors from Tujague ’ s sat Dutrey ’ s Coffee Exchange , which later became Begue ’ s Exchange , where the tradition began of serving a hearty , multi-course meal ( including plenty of wine and chicorylaced coffee !) around 11 a . m . to hungry butchers . Taking note of the popularity of their neighbor ’ s “ butcher ’ s breakfast ,” Tujague ’ s started offering their version served at a slightly later time , hence creating what came to be known as brunch .
18 | The French Quarterly
Eventually , the restaurant ’ s focus shifted to serving traditional French-Creole cuisine for lunch and dinner including trademark dishes like boiled beef brisket and chicken bonne femme . Tujague ’ s was also revered for slinging stiff cocktails — it boasts the oldest stand-up bar in America — and created the Grasshopper in 1918 , which can still enjoyed today . Tujague ’ s has changed hands several times over the decades , ultimately landing with current proprietors Mark and Candace Latter , who reestablished the legendary eatery as one of the city ’ s brunch mainstays . In 2014 , the culinary icon saw the return of its famous five-course “ table d ’ hote ” menu , which was the only offering from 1856 to 2013 . In 2020 , the restaurant relocated to 429 Decatur St ., a newly renovated , threestory building that features eight refined dining rooms , an exterior balcony , elegant courtyard and an inviting bar area , all of which are beautifully adorned with New Orleans charm and historical Tujague ’ s décor . Popular menu items include Shrimp Remoulade on Fried Green Tomatoes , Shrimp and Grits in New Orleans-style BBQ sauce , Herb Chicken on Parmesan polenta with truffled mushroom salad and Crawfish Bread Pudding with étouffée sauce . Don ’ t miss their special events like the Sazerac in Seersucker Bourbon Dinner on June 16 , or “ Poppy ’ s Drag Queen Brunch ” held on the last Sunday of each month .