WHERE TO ENJOY SPRING BRUNCH AND HAPPY HOUR IN NOLA

Costera
The wildly popular coastal Spanish restaurant & bar, and sister location to Northern Italian restaurant Osteria Lupo, Costera offers an enticing Happy Hour Wednesday-Sunday from 4PM-6PM. Visitors can enjoy select cocktails ranging from $5-$6, including Basque Terrace with Atxa Rojo, Blanco, or Quilles Rojo Vermouth, tonic, and citrus; Going Back to Kaliwith Fernet Branca, Tempranillo, citrus, and Coca-Cola; Rebujito with La Guita Manzanilla, grapefruit, lime, and soda; The Innocent with Valdespino Fino, lime, and mint;  On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink with watermelon, basil, citrus, and cava; and the Costera Dirty Martini with Luksusowa, and house brine blend. Tapas include citrus and vermouth Marinated Olives; Beet Salad with spiced walnuts and Spanish blue cheese; Papas Bravas with aioli and piquillo pepper puree; and beef shank and potato Bombas with aioli and piquillo pepper. All beer and glasses of wine are also half-priced. Costera is located at 4938 Prytania Street. costerarestaurant.com
 

Commons Club
Executive Chef Chris Borges highlights a brunch menu of seasonally-inspired dishes rich with influences from the West Coast and the Mediterranean, all with a delightful New Orleans touch at  Commons Club. Every Wednesday - Sunday from 9AM-2PM, take part in the bottomless bubbles brunch and relish in the Sweet Potato Buttermilk 9 Drop Doughnut with marshmallow fluff brulee, and toasted pecans maple glaze; Gulf Shrimp & 24 Bayou Cora Grits with New Orleans-style BBQ gulf shrimp, andouille Bayou Cora heirloom grits, corn, and worcestershire sauce; Blueberry and Lemon Waffle - vanilla waffle, blueberry compote sweet lemon ricotta, and powdered sugar; Commons Club Breakfast - bacon or turkey sausage, grits, toast, and two eggs to order; and Mushroom Frittata - roasted assorted mushrooms, tomato truffle essence, farmer’s cheese, and herbs (add smoked salmon  for an additional charge). Bottomless bubbles options include mimosas or Veuve Clicquot. The restaurant also offers a variety of specialty cocktails from Lead Bartender Heather Blanchard. Commons Club is located at 550 Baronne Street. virginhotels.com/new-orleans/eat-drink/commons-club
 
Beggars Banquet
Named after the famous Rolling Stones album, Beggars Banquet is the Lower Garden District’s new American bar and bistro under the direction of the Dilonno family. Chef Michael Dilonno invites guests to savor Pear Toast with sweet ricotta, roasted pears, hot honey and pecans; Steak and Eggs with two eggs, grilled hanger steak, hash browns, hollandaise, and buttermilk biscuits; Get Shorty with boneless short ribs, poached eggs, English muffin, hollandaise sauce, and potato hash; Stuffed French Toast with cream cheese and fresh strawberries; Crabby Benny with poached eggs, fresh gulf crab meat, remoulade, English muffin, hollandaise, and potato hash; Banquet Breakfast - two eggs any style, bacon, house sausage, hash browns, and buttermilk biscuit; and Mascarpone Grits. Brunch takes place on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30AM - 3PM. The restaurant also offers a variety of specialty cocktails and non-alcoholic options. 

Happy hour is a good time at Beggars Banquet every Wednesday - Sunday from 4PM-6PM at the bar. Delight in $9 cocktails, including Fish House Punch with rum, cognac, peach, lemon, and tea; Lavender Collins with Fords Gin, lavender, lemon, and bubbles; Paloma with tequila, lime, grapefruit, simple syrup, and soda; Negroni with Ford’s Gin, Cocchi Vermouth, and Campari; Parlor Old Fashioned with Old Forester Bourbon, sarsaparilla, and vanilla; and a Cosmo with Lairds Vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and lime. $9 bites include Sriracha Cauliflower - lightly battered, tajin, cucumber chips, and greens; Ahi Tuna - 10 spice tuna seared rare, seaweed salad, and wasabi aioli; Fried Green Tomatoeswith burrata, balsamic reduction, baby arugula, extra virgin olive oil, lemon, and sea salt; and $12 sandwiches including Crispy Chicken with key lime aioli, hot honey, and Boston lettuce; and Beggars Bahn Mi - char siu pork belly or charred broccolini, house pickles, cucumber, jalapeno, spicy kewpie mayo and cilantro. $7 house wines and $5 beer are also available. Beggars Banquet is located at 1330 Prytania Street. www.beggarsbanquetneworleans.com
 
Alma Cafe 
Helmed by Executive Chef/Owner Melissa Araujo, who was recently named semifinalist for James Beard: Best Chef South 2024, Alma Cafe pays tribute to Chef Melissa’s Honduran heritage and celebrates the Central American culture, food, and music Araujo grew up with. Served daily, Monday - Sunday from 8AM - 3PM, diners can enjoy signature Honduran and modern dishes such as Fritas Hondureñas — fried homemade flour tortillas, refried beans, homemade cream, and queso fresco; Baleada Sencilla with two eggs, refried beans, homemade cream, queso fresco, and avocado served on a homemade flour tortilla. Add choice of chorizo, bacon, mushrooms, pork, brisket (extra charge); Melissa's Pancakes with six small pancakes, homemade crema Fresca, strawberry jam, and powdered sugar; La Louisiane Omelet - choice of lump Louisiana blue crab or shrimp, spinach, mushrooms, and herbs goat cheese add or mix both Louisiana blue crab and gulf shrimp; Charlotte Bowl - homemade yogurt, granola, locally sourced berries, seasonal jams, lemon zest, and rose petals; and Celebration of Tomatoes. Alma Cafe also has a variety of killer cocktails by lead mixologist Mark Preston including  Alma Cafe’s Chef’s Old Fashioned, Red Rum Paloma, and Smoke Rosemary Negroni Sour. Additionally, visitors can savor an assortment of Honduran coffee. Alma Café is located at 800 Louisa Street in the Bywater neighborhood.  eatalmanola.com
 
Birdy’s 
The charming Instagram-worthy spot serves brunch seven days a week from 8AM-2PM, Monday-Friday, and 8AM - 3PM on Saturday and Sunday. Savor in the Eggs in “Pigatory” with crispy pork belly, sweet peppers, onions, poached egg, and toast; Birdy’s Burger - two smashed patties, crispy onions, aged cheddar, bibb lettuce, tomato, creole aioli, pickles, brioche bun, served with a side salad; Mushroom and Sushi Rice Bowl with lemongrass, house-made kimchi, pickled peppers, carrot, green onion, soft boiled egg, and soy mushroom broth; Bruleed Bananas Foster Waffle with vanilla ice cream, and powdered sugar; and their Brunch Board offers everything you could ever dream of, including donuts, granola, slab bacon, hot coppa, bubble waffle, fruit, seasonal jam, mini cookies, mini pancakes, house syrup, triple crème brie, and soft-boiled eggs. A plethora of brunch cocktails are also on offer, including a rotating Brunch Punch. birdysnola.com
 
The Bower Bar
Under the direction of Beverage Director Mickey Mullins, the cocktail program at Bower Bar is one not-to-be-missed, as is the food from Executive Chef Marcus Woodham. Enjoy Happy Hour at the Bower Bar Monday-Friday from 4PM-6PM and sip on $6 house wine and signature cocktails ($5-$7), which include the Classic Martini, Old Fashioned, Paloma, and Frozen Half Pour. Food offerings ($7-$12) include discounted charcuterie plates, cheese plates, cacio e pepe, Bower potatoes, spicy scallop arancini, whipped feta, and truffle bread. The Bower Bar is located in the Framework Building at 1320 Magazine Street. www.thebowernola.com
 
Tujague’s
Serving authentic New Orleans cuisine, Tujague’s is the birthplace of the tradition we now know as brunch. Diners can indulge in brunch highlights from Executive Chef Gus Martin, which include Shrimp and Grits - pan seared gulf shrimp simmered in a New Orleans-style BBQ sauce, served over stone ground grits; Gulf Shrimp Remoulade with fried green tomato, pickled red onion, chopped boiled egg, and baby greens; Eggs Madison with chorizo sausage, onion, potatoes and cheddar cheese hash, topped with fried eggs and chimichurri; and Tujague's Chicken Biscuit - fried chicken thigh glazed with Crystal honey sauce, served on a buttermilk biscuit with country gravy. Tujague’s also offers an unbeatable $22 bottomless mimosa deal. Brunch is available Friday from 11AM - 2:30PM; Saturday and Sunday from 10AM-2:30 PM. Tujague’s is located at 429 Decatur Street. tujaguesrestaurant.com
 
Compere Lapin
Compere Lapin - the Caribbean-meets-Louisiana restaurant offers a delectable Sunday Brunch from 10:30AM - 2PM. Starters include Tater Tots with crème fraiche and caviar; the famed CL Buttermilk Biscuits with jam and whipped ricotta; a Bagel with tuna tartare, Calabrian cream cheese, and soft herbs; Deviled Egg Toast with bacon chili crunch and greens; and Vanilla Brulèed Grapefruit. Mains include Pork Belly Hash with roasted vegetables; Hot Fire Chicken with biscuits and pickles; French Toast with chantilly cream and rum caramel; Gulf Shrimp and Grits with sauce Creole; and Croque Madame with pimento cheese, hand, and eggs. Guests can end on a sweet note with Nina’s signature Bread Pudding with bananas foster, buttermilk ice cream; and Mango Crème Brûlée with coconut and berries. Enjoy boozy brunch offerings like Sur-prise Me and Flowers for Jackie. A Bottomless Brunch Punch is also on offer for $25 per person. Compere Lapin is located at 535 Tchoupitoulas Street. comperelapin.com