The Best Jazz Fest Food to Try This Year

The Best Jazz Fest Food This Year

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival draws large crowds for the fan-favorite artists that take the stages, as well as the deep-dive into the various musical and cultural traditions traditional to New Orleans featured in the festival. Many visitors may simply take the food as a bonus of any visit to the Crescent City, but Jazz Fest sits as an epicenter for some of the best restaurants and food vendors in the region.

While it may just be an added bonus for music fanatics and avid concert goers, the various food markets around the festival draw in foodies and keep visitors coming back for the city's unique culinary palette.

Alligator Sausage Po-boy

Vaucresson Sausage Co. | Food Area 1

Producing a variety of sausage products in the seventh ward of New Orleans, Vaucresson Sausages can be found across the city. Stop by to try their alligator sausage po-boy, featuring Louisiana alligator in a classic po-boy bun.

BBQ Brisket Sandwich

Smoke Street Catering | Food Area 1

Consistently featured at Jazz Fest each year, Smoke Street Catering's BBQ brisket sandwich comes with coleslaw and delicious smoked brisket. Be sure to check out their menu for other delicious barbeque dishes available at the festival.

BBQ Pork Ribs

Down Home Creole Cookin' | Heritage Square

Known for their mouthwatering Creole cuisine, Down Home Creole Cookin's fall-off the bone pork ribs smothered in Creole BBQ sauce are a must try. Grab a bowl of their specialty shrimp and grits on the side for a true taste of Creole cuisine.

Bean Custard Pie

Mr. Williams' Pastries | Around the Grounds

With a wide range of delicious sweet pies, Mr. Williams' Pastries serves up the sweets that you dream of. Try their bean custard pie made with flaky pastry crust and delicious vanilla beans.

Beignets

Café Du Monde | Heritage Square

As one of the most visited spots in the city, Café Du Monde has perfected their beignets, light and fluffy. Served in orders of three and dusted in powdered sugar, these sweets are a must while in New Orleans.

Bún

Ba Mien Vietnamese Cuisine | Heritage Square

Bún is the Vietnamese term for a salad bowl with vermicelli—a thin, rice-based pasta traditional in Vietnamese dishes—with the choice of shrimp or beef. With classic Vietnamese dishes, you don't want to miss Ba Mien Vietnamese Cuisine.

Cajun Crawfish Dirty Rice

Clesi's | Food Area 1

A classic Creole dish, Clesi's Cajun crawfish dirty rice comes jam-packed with flavors and delicious additions including Louisiana crawfish tails, bits of meat, and bell peppers, all while doused in Cajun seasoning.

Cajun Jambalaya

Catering Unlimited | Food Area 1

As one of Louisiana's culinary specialties, jambalaya will be all over the festival, featuring various types of meat, seafood, and levels of heat. Catering Unlimited's Cajun jambalaya offers a distinct flavor that is sure to be loved by avid festival-goers.

Cochon de Lait Po-boy

Love at First Bite/Walker's | Food Area 1

Love at First Bite/Walker's has grown quite a fanbase for this sandwich, which features tender, local style pork. With deep roots as a festival centerpiece in Creole and Cajun communities, cochon de lait is among Louisiana's culinary delicacies.

Couscous with Yogurt Sauce

Gambian Foods | Congo Square

In their 29 year serving this African dish featuring couscous, sweet yogurt and topped with raisins at Jazz Fest, Gambian Foods is ready to provide festgoers with West African flavors. Their couscous remains an underrated dish that will cool you off from the heat while refreshing your tastebuds.

Crab Beignet

Loretta's Authentic Pralines | Food Area 2

Don't miss Loretta's delicious crab beignet, featuring perfectly seasoned jumbo lump crab meat stuffed inside a light, fluffy beignet. Known for her stuffed beignets and unique twists on Louisiana's specialties, Loretta's is one of the city's gems for sweet and savory bites.

Crabmeat Po-Boy

Stufhapn Event Catering | Food Area 1

Specializing in Cajun food made from fresh local ingredients, Stufhapn's Louisiana crabmeat po-boy, overstuffed with meat and overflowing with sauce, has been a constant at the festival as fans just can't stop going back for more. Make sure to a side of their potato salad.

Crab, Spinach, & Tomato Quiche

Marie's Sugar Dumplings | Congo Square

First introduced at the festival last year, this individual-sized quiche is buttery, flakey and all filled with crab and cheese. If you're looking for a breakfast bite or something quick and delicious, Marie's Sugar Dumplings' quiche is worth a taste.

Crawfish Monica

Big River Foods | Food Area 2

Another traditional Jazz Fest dish, crawfish monica is a pasta dish in a creamy wine sauce with crawfish tails, onion, and Creole seasoning. Created by the owner of Big River Foods, crawfish monica is sure to be exquisite at their booth.

Crawfish Sack

Patton's Caterers | Food Area 1

Patton's crawfish sack is a lightly fried crêpe with crawfish filling and can be found at Greater New Orleans festivals throughout the year. Patton's is offering these fan favorites or a combo plate, featuring an oyster pattie and shrimp beignet, this year.

Fried Catfish Filet Po-boy

The Galley Seafood | Food Area 2

Known as a top location for fresh seafood, the Galley's fried catfish filet po-boy is a delicious traditional sandwich with fried catfish filets, lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo on your classic po-boy bun.

Fried Oyster Po-boy

Vucinovich's Restaurant | Food Area 1

Featuring typical po-boy dressing, Vucinovich's specialty is their fried oyster po-boy. With third generation chefs cooking dishes exactly as their grandparents showed them to, Vucinovich's is an authentic Creole/Cajun vendor.

Fried Pork Chop Sandwich

Ms. Linda's Catering | Food Area 1

While she's famous for her yaka-mein, Ms. Linda Green and her delicacies only begin there. Another fan favorite is her fried pork chop sandwich with thinly cut pieces of meat fried on site and delicately seasoned.

Glazed Pecans

Jumbo Peanut Company | Around the Grounds

Based in New Orleans, Jumbo Peanut Company distributes high-quality peanut products, as well as other nuts. Their booth at the festival will feature glazed pecans, a delicious sweet treat traditional to the South.

Jamaican Chicken

Palmer's Jamaican Cuisine | Congo Square

Covered in jerk seasoning and offered alongside a side of double steamed vegetables, Palmer's Jamaican chicken is a delicious mix of flavors to try. If you're looking for a healthier at the festival, be sure to stop by Palmer's stand.

Jambalaya

Wally Taillon | Food Area 2

Known across Louisiana as a skilled jambalaya maker, Wally Taillon is the closest thing to a jambalaya expert. Since he's been making the dish for more than 40 years, Taillon has perfected the flavors and mans a highly sought after booth each year.

Louisiana Crawfish Pie

Mrs. Wheat's Pies | Food Area 2

Featuring whole crawfish tails blended with rice and special seasonings, Mrs. Wheat's crawfish pies are delicious bites stuffed in a light fluffy crust. Don't miss their booth for other meat pies or a broccoli cheddar pie.

Louisiana Trout Dizzy

Li'l Dizzy's Café | Heritage Square

Li'l Dizzy's brings the flavors of Creole cuisine to life in this dish featuring Louisiana trout topped with shrimp and catfish. Known for their authentic Creole flavors, Li'l Dizzy's Trout Dizzy is one of their house specials and is definitely a special treat.

Mandarin Orange Herbal Iced Tea

Sunshine Concessions | Food Area 1

Offering a variety of refreshing herbal teas and fruit drinks, Sunshine Concessions is a booth you should rely on for refreshments. Their Mandarin orange herbal tea is an energizing and citrusy break from a long hot day at Jazz Fest.

Mango Freeze

WWOZ Community Radio | Food Area 1

Sweet, tart, and refreshingly cold, the WWOZ Mango Freeze has become a Jazz Fest staple since first being served in 1994. You'll see this icy, orange sno-ball throughout the crowd, as fans seek out this booth for a natural and tasty refreshment.

Oysters on the Half Shell with Satsuma Mignonette

Lady Nellie Oysters | Heritage Square

Located in Grand Isle, Louisiana, Lady Nellie Oyster Farm provides fresh, raw, or charbroiled oysters across New Orleans. Their booth at Jazz Fest will serve oysters on the half shell dressed with a delicious satsuma mignonette sauce.

Pheasant, Quail, and Andouille Gumbo

Prejean's Restaurant | Food Area 2

With a really dark roux base, the unique flavors of Prejean's pheasant, quail, and andouille gumbo have become famous amongst festival attendees. Visitors frequent their Lafayette location just for a taste of this unique gumbo, so don't miss out.

Poulet Fricassee

Bennachin | Congo Square

Made with browned, boneless chicken on a stick, poulet fricassee is one of Bennachin's most cherished specialties. Make sure to also try Bennachin's sautéed spinach or fried plantains.

Roast Beef Po-boy

DiMartino's Famous Muffulettas | Food Area 1

This five-inch po-boy is DiMartino's specialty, shortly behind their famous muffulettas, with thinly sliced roast beef perfectly dressed in just enough gravy. Offering the perfect ratio of bread, meat, and delicious seasoning, DiMartino's po-boy is worth considering.

Roman Candy

Roman Chewing Candy Company | Around the Grounds

Started in 1915, Roman Candy is one of New Orleans sweet delicacies often found at festivals around the year. Operated out of a mule-drawn wagon, this old-timey candy has chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors.

Seafood au Gratin

Ten Talents Catering | Food Area 1

This cheesy dish is filled with seafood and completed with a cornbread crust to contrast the oozing texture of cheese and seafood. A great dish for seafood skeptics, this cheesy dish is a great dish that highlights local seafood.

Shrimp & Grits

Caluda's Cottage Catering | Food Area 2

Featuring shrimp from the Gulf Coast sautéed in a garlicky, buttery sauce with a twinge of citrus, this dish is a Southern classic. Paired with rich and roasted corn grits, this dish is a refreshing yet filling dish that everyone should try.

Shrimp & Lump Crab Ravigote

Papa Ninety Catering | Food Area 1

This gluten free dish is a light dish offering crisp romaine topped with chilled crab and shrimp meat in a creamy and citrusy ravigote. Whether you are gluten free, adventurous, or looking for something lighter, this innovative dish is perfect.

Shrimp Remoulade Po-Boy

TJ Gourmet | Food Area 2

With shrimp tossed in a spicy creamy sauce on classic po-boy French bread, TJ Gourmet offers classic Louisiana cuisine. Try their shrimp remoulade po-boy and be ensured that you are experiencing the authentic flavors of New Orleans.

Shrimp, Smoked Sausage, & Okra Gumbo

TCA Brocato | Food Area 1

This specialty gumbo is not like the traditional gumbo that's found in Greater New Orleans, making it a special chance for fans to snag this delicious and innovative combination. Known for their fusion of flavors, TCA Brocato is also offering some fan favorite NOLA street corn.

Shrimp Yakisoba

Ajun Cajun | Food Area 2

Combining Cajun and Asian culinary traditions, Ajun Cajun's shrimp yakisoba features pan-fried, whole wheat noodles, vegetables, and a secret brown sauce. Try their other fun fusions such as their crabmeat and cucumber salad.

Spicy Wings with Passionfruit BBQ Sauce

Fritai | Food Area 2

Marinated and fried to perfection, these unique spicy wings bring the flavors of Haitian food to the Fair Grounds in a most delicious way. Fusing Caribbean cuisine with New Orleans taste palate, Fritai balances sweet and spicy flavors.

Strawberry Balsamic Gelato

Francofonte Catering | Around the Grounds

Known for their homemade artisanal gelato, Francofonte Catering frequents festivals to cool down guests. With innovative flavors such as their strawberry balsamic gelato, Francofonte uses local ingredients for their tasty creations.

So many options, what will you choose?

Whether this is your first visit to New Orleans, you are a festival frequenter, or a culinary connoisseur, this article should provide some guidance on what is available and which booths are a must-visit. From traditional New Orleans dishes and local seafood to the various international cuisines available, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is as much about the food as it is the music. Dive into this foodie experience and expand your palate with new dishes and different cultural fusions that embody the city's spirit.

With the wide range of dishes offered across the Fair Grounds during Jazz Fest, the choices can be overwhelming and it's hard to leave without feeling as though you missed something. Explore each area and follow your nose. You can't really go wrong with the delicacies selected for the fest, and refer to the list above to make sure you try all the delicacies!