Eating green on the avenue . . . Casa Verde is the latest jump to the Tulane Avenue corridor. The Alvarado family, former owners of El Patron in Gretna, have crossed over the river to open a new restaurant in the space formerly known as the Three Palms Bar & Grill. The building is now green and growing with a new paint job and tons of plants, a verdant environment in which to enjoy Birria tacos, overstuffed burritos, and quesadillas along with sizzling fajitas, shredded chicken sopes and tortilla soup. Casa Verde is also offering bright, fruity cocktails from Orange Margaritas to Lychee Martinis and Mexican Candy with a chamoy-edged rim.
3811 Tulane Ave., (504) 354-8344, casa-verde-nola.vercel.app
While the wok is hot . . . Getting good Chinese food in New Orleans just keeps getting easier, especially with the recent launch of Shang Kitchen. Marked by the colorful dancing panda in front of Magazine Commons shopping center, chef/owner Kelvin Chen launched his “dream” restaurant this past summer with a menu featuring cuisine that’s part American Chinese and part tongue-searing Szechuan. For transplants hailing from the Bay Area (like myself), getting to set my lips to a properly spicy lemongrass coconut chicken or sizzling beef with black pepper sauce is transformative, not to mention sampling some superior soup dumplings while I’m at it. Go and revel in the heat or play it safe with comforting wonton soup or crispy fried pork chop with fried rice and enjoy the gorgeous decor – I’m still hankering for one of those bright orange, koi paper lanterns for my house.
2917 Magazine St., (504)381-5931, shankithchenla.com
Un café, por favor! . . . Café Chimal is a new coffee truck launched by owner/operator Evelyn Chimal. Found rolling about the GNO, the cafe features Mexican-style brews like café de olla with piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon, cloves and anise or Tres Leches Matcha served hot or iced. She’s even created a Gansito Latte- a sweet strawberry chocolate coffee based on the iconic Mexican snack cake. Whether you score a Chocolate Abuelita Mocha or one of her Red Bull concoctions with watermelon or sweet mango and spicy chamoy, all of her drinks should be enjoyed with her fluffy, crunchy-topped conchas. Chimal’s bright pink truck has been spotted everywhere from farmers markets in Harahan and Old Metairie, to East Jefferson General Hospital (EJGH) and Crunch Fitness in Marrero, so follow her on Instagram to see where she’ll park next.
@cafe_chimal
Better late than never? … Speaking of coffee trucks, Ya Mama’s Coffee is another that quietly rolled into being. Launched this spring by Marissa Daniel, the coffee-brown trailer can be found out and about around Belle Chasse serving specialty brews using Orleans Coffee. Daniel’s menu offers several of the usual suspects — from drip to lattes and mochas, but every month she’s rollin’ out specials like Ya Mama’s favorite with brown sugar, honey and cold foam, a white chocolate macadamia nut latte or banana pudding with condensed milk and Nilla Wafers. Ya Mama’s also likes to feature sweet treats like sourdough cookie butter cinnamon rolls from local cottage baker @dough_darlin.
@yamamascoffee
It’s about time! . . . It took over a century, but at long last Galatoire’s Restaurant selected a woman as Director of Culinary operations. As of this summer, chef Nicole Theriot is the “[wo]man behind the scenes” at the French Quarter destination adding her own touches to their timeless dishes. Theriot, a Louisiana native, pursued a culinary degree at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University and went on to train under James Beard Award–winning Chef Nina Compton at Compère Lapin. She’s no stranger to leading high-volume culinary operations as she worked as the executive chef at Nicholls State University, and she’s also taught burgeoning chefs as an adjunct professor at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI). “Galatoire’s is such an important part of New Orleans’ culinary history, and it’s an incredible honor to be part of a restaurant with such a strong sense of tradition,” said Theriot.
209 Bourbon St., (504)525-2021, galatoires.com
Work it, girl! . . . Local food truck Taqueria Diva now has its own digs on the corner of St. Claude Avenue and Port Street. Briefly home to The 337 by Chef Tiger, the neighborhood spot on the edge of Bywater is now the domain of Iris Cardona, a self-taught cook serving tacos, flautas, carne asada and chuleta (grilled pork chops) Honduran-style. Cardona moved to New Orleans just after Hurricane Katrina, navigating the city alone as a single mother of two, and now she’s cooking, with help from her eldest Elvin, at her brand new brick and mortar dubbed Tacos Diva Bar & Grill.
2633 St. Claude Ave., (504) 238-3342, tacosdivabargrill.com
*Article originally published in the November 2026 issue of Where Y’at Magazine
