With its turquoise and white exterior, Commander’s Palace, a landmark in the city since 1880, offers visitors one of the very best and refined brunches in the New Orleans. Sitting fittingly in the historic Garden District, diners line up to meet their reservation times, dressed to the nines in an effort to stand-out and make an entrance at one of the city’s most beloved establishments.
On a recent visit, I was shocked to find the restaurant so huge – its many rooms filled with people eager to try its legendary “Haute Creole” cuisine. Though large, the restaurant does a wonderful job of making each room a space of its own so that your meal is cozy and intimate. Staff members here are trained in that old style of “yes, sir” and “yes, ma’am” service, which isn’t easy to come by anymore. But, this shouldn’t be a surprise going by the dress code – men in collared shirts, no jeans and preferably a jacket.
Food at Commander’s is decadent to say the least. The large menu offers local favorites like gumbo, blue crab, eggs sardou, gulf fish and bread pudding; as well as other delicacies married with modern twists. I about died over the bread pudding, which was some of the best I’ve had anywhere – really. Brunch is an event at Commander’s Palace and you can feel the energy around it as locals and visitors alike take the meal very seriously.
Don’t miss brunch while you’re in town, for doing so would be like missing the Empire State building in New York City.