Hip, hip … hooray! . . . Where Y’at Magazine would like to take this opportunity to offer three, loud cheers for the three New Orleans restaurants to be awarded Michelin stars; One for Bywater’s Saint Germain created by chefs Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith; one for Chef Sue Zemanick’s Mid-City restaurant Zasu; and not one but TWO stars for Emeril’s, helmed by Lagasse Sr.’s son, Chef E.J. On top of that, 29 other restaurants in town were also distinguished with Bib Gourmand and Select ratings, eateries ranging from Herbsaint and Patois, to Turkey and the Wolf and Parkway Bakery. Congratulations!
guide.michelin.com
An invite to all . . . Faster than you can say “C’mon in!”, the Bywater double that was home to Poke-Chan has transformed into Mời, a Vietnamese restaurant offering homestyle cuisine not often found in your average pho joint. The new eatery owned and operated by the Ladies Nguyen – Susan, Cindy and their mom Selana – highlight family dishes you might not recognize. Ever since seeing Vietnamese Instagram cook Alissa Nguyen (not related) make bún riêu with crab and fresh tomatoes, I’ve been dying to try it and now I can! Not to mention a dessert soup called chè sâm bổ lượng made with goji berries and kelp, pork-stuffed tofu, coconut curry and more.
2809 St. Claude Ave., @moi.nola
Oh ya? . . . The Thai-food pop-up from Metairie’s Brewsky’s Bar & Grill now has their own brick and mortar in Kenner-brah! Launched in late September of last year, Yaya’s Thai Fusion & Steaks has found their home in a strip mall on Veterans Memorial Boulevard. Bangkok-born Chef Rai is whipping up everything from Tom Yum soup and crispy fried tofu to rib-eye steak and Tom Yum-inspired flatbread pizza.
2401 Veterans Memorial Blvd., yayasthaistreetfusion0824.s4shops.com
A crowning achievement . . . Owners of South Market District’s Dhala Glenn Mahiya and Warakorn “Tom” Intavichai have opened an upscale, Thai-fusion concept dubbed Chada. The couple have transformed an old, long-vacant double shotgun on Bienville Street into a flavor-filled home exploring aspects of Thai, Indian and Japanese cuisine. Expect favorites from Dhala like their pineapple fried rice and papaya salad along with newcomers such as the violet-hued chor muang – flower-shaped dumplings with a salty-sweet pork and peanut filling, Thai-tea sticky rice, and a green curry pasta that breaks all boundaries with scallops and fried chicken.
3420 Bienville St., @chada.nola
Across the Pond-chartrain! . . . From food-truck to Metairie brick and mortar, Southern’s has also now officially become a chain with the opening of their second location in Hammond. Located in the space formerly (and briefly) occupied by Denver, Colorado born chain QDoba Mexican Eats, the second coming of Southern’s is dishing out their fried chicken sandwiches, queso burgers and cracklins to gleeful Northshore residents eager for a bite. Co-founders Anthony Cruz and Gene Colley are offering lower priced fare at their new location and we’re here on the South shore wondering why y’all got so lucky.
1720 W. Thomas St., Hammond, southernsfood.com
Absolutely trilling! … On the corner of St. Charles Avenue and St. Andrew Street, longtime location for the Trolley Stop Cafe, Texas-based developer Verdad Real Estate is building The Warbler Hotel. The 58-room, six-story “boutique” hotel is being designed by a creative team which includes locally based and nationally recognized architecture firm EskewDumezRipple and Los Angeles-based interior design studio Jamie Bush & Co., helmed by Jamie Bush, a Tulane School of Architecture graduate and board member. “Forward-looking in its vision, The Warbler marries architectural precision with a nostalgic harkening to the Jazz Age”
More importantly, at least to food lovers, The Warbler’s food and beverage program is being developed in partnership with CureCo., the New Orleans hospitality group led by Neal Bodenheimer and Kirk Estopinal. Plus Chef Andrew Zimmerman, who helms Chicago’s Michelin-starred Sepia, will also be working alongside CureCo. The hotel will house Mildred’s, a martini bar and restaurant, and a poolside lounge dubbed Upstairs.
“With The Warbler, Kirk and I were drawn to New Orleans’ storied European heritage, and spotlighting more of that influence through the hotel’s food and beverage experience,” says Neal Bodenheimer, managing partner, CureCo. “You’ll see this shine throughout the entire property, from the refined offerings of the martini bar, Mildred’s, to the more breezy and relaxed nature of the menus at the rooftop venue, Upstairs,” Bodenheimer continues. The Warbler is expected to open in late fall of this year.
1923 St. Charles Ave., warblerhotel.com
Hurts so good … Although we thought the sweet Missouri-born donut shop was rolling out of its Loyola Avenue location, as it turns out, Hurts Donuts has been taken over by new owners and is now back with barely a hiccup, doing donut business as usual.
501 Loyola Ave., facebook.com/HurtsDonutNewOrleans
Get elevated instead … Owner Monica Olano recently opened a different kind of bar on Frenchmen Street. Dubbed Mélange, the tenders at the new Marigny spot are serving zero-proof “liquor” and THC-infused beverages, reflecting a growing trend across the country to cut out the booze. Located on the second floor of Bamboula’s, Mélange was born from Olano’s own struggles with alcohol and she hoped to create a haven where people could still go out and enjoy socializing and live music without feeling pressured to get boozy.
516 Frenchmen St., @melangeonfrenchmen
*Article originally published in the February 2026 issue of Where Y’at Magazine
