One of New Orleans hottest chefs, John Besh, orchestrates the delicate dishes at the August, located in the Central Business District. Amid lavish brocades and crystal chandeliers, cuisine like Moroccan spiced duck with polenta, halibut with shrimp, citrus and fennel and seared fillet of prime beef with marrow-stuffed morels and oxtail jus are elegantly presented.

For 125 years, Commander's Palace has been a New Orleans gastronomic favourite, and with such treats as shrimp Cognac with andouille grits, poached oysters in cream or spicy turtle soup, how can it not be? Dine in the blue and mahogany dining room or on the second floor Garden Room where huge windows reveal the patio's giant oak trees. The weekend jazz brunch is good value. A jacket is preferred at dinner.

Not much has changed here in the last 100 years. Even now, brass chandeliers and bentwood chairs fill the narrow downstairs dining room and it is still a joy to just chat with the waiters. Most have been here forever or are second generation. Let them recommend the specialities that have made this place famous – crab canapé Lorenzo, oysters en brochette and lamb chops with béarnaise sauce.

This restaurant, along with neighbouring sandwich shop Cochon Butcher, is the brainchild of star chef Donald Link and a mecca for, as the name implies, all things pork. Expect down home-style cooking with flair, such as Louisiana pork with cabbage, cracklins & pickled turnips, or, at the sandwich shop, pork belly with mint and cucumber.

John Besh is a chef and TV personality with 12 acclaimed restaurants, most in New Orleans. Sitting at the front of the renovated Roosevelt Hotel, this elegant restaurant offers regional Italian cuisine, including wood-fired pizzas. Be sure to jump on anything involving shaved truffles. The late afternoon deals are incredibly good.

Hidden away in one of the French Quarter's lesser-known alleyways is this compact eatery. Chef Chris de Barr works miracles in a modest space, fashioning esoteric international ingredients into local favourites with a twist or unusual small plates that will expand your horizons. You can't reserve, so arrive early to avoid a wait.

A visit to the Big Easy is not complete without a stop for mouth-watering beignets and chicory coffee au lait. Since 1862, these square, deep-fried fritters doused in mounds of powder sugar have titillated the taste buds of its patrons. There is not much more on the menu except juice, tea and milk, but who would desire anything else? Located in the French Market across from Jackson Square. The Café du Monde shop is across the street.

The last of the classic New Orleans dining spots to reopen post-Katrina, this solid diner has regained its position among the tried-and-true spots in the city. Found in a Greek Revival-style building at the end of the St Charles streetcar route, it's a destination that almost always has a line of people waiting to be seated – even very late at night.

Locals will tell you that the best spot in town for New Orleans barbecue is this out of the way neighbourhood joint in the Bywater. Run by Jenny and Peter Breen, the restaurant's motto is 'always smokin' and indeed, their barbecue always is. The menu is simple but with intense flavour, and includes ribs, brisket, pulled pork and sausages.