There are dozens, if not hundreds of nearby bars and restaurants so I'm just going to cover the ones that are really close by, within a few blocks... Google Local and Yelp.com can cover the rest. ;-) I'll cover the food and drinks first, then move on to the nearby groceries and laundromats. On a future post, I'll cover a lot of the nearby touristy things to do... and believe me, there are plenty!!!
If I left out your favorite nearby place, leave me a comment below and I'll update this post!
BARS, PUBS & GRILLS -
Besides the on-site restaurant, Pizza Gusto, at St. Vincent's Guesthouse (see my May, 2013 post about that), which also plans to be a bar once their liquor license is approve, one of the guest's/employee's favorite nearby neighborhood bar and grill is
"Down The Hatch Bar & Grill" or
Google Local Page for included reviews It's just 3-1/2 blocks heading uptown (away from the French Quarter) on Magazine Street, just off Magazine Street, to the right of the Sophie Mae Wright Park. Just walk the 3-1/2 blocks and when you see the little park on the right, take the sidewalk through the park which brings you to the front of Down The Hatch at 1921 Sophie Mae Wright Place, which connects Magazine Street to Camp Street. I think the basic rule for smoking down here in N'Awlins is that if a bar/restaurant sells more food than drink, then it's non-smoking but if it sells more drink than food, then it's OK to smoke. Down The Hatch apparently sells more food than drink so it's non-smoking in the main part of the bar/restaurant but there is a back patio bar and tables and the sidewalk cafe tables where you can smoke. They serve food and deliver until 2 a.m. for those late night munchies attacks! I should add that their patio and sidewalk tables are dog friendly!
Caddy-corner from Down The Hatch, at the corner of Sophie Mae Wright and St. Mary Street, is a long-time local bar,
"Half Moon Bar & Grill" which does allow smoking inside the building.
https://plus.google.com/114023359731830926220/about?hl=en They also have a pool table (billiards).
In the same one-block area as Down The Hatch and Half Moon, you'll find the
"Garden District Pub" at 1916 Magazine Street (just 4 blocks uptown from St. Vincent's).
https://plus.google.com/114181247095059531059/about
And when all of the above slow down or close, there's always the late-night area favorite,
"The Saint Bar & Lounge" at 961 St. Mary Street, just off Magazine Street (still in that same one-block area). Nothing but a home page picture on their website so check out the Google Local page for more info and reviews...
https://plus.google.com/112534001500097861238/about
Heading towards downtown from St. Vincent's, at 1201 Magazine Street, you'll find the
"Bridge Lounge" or
https://plus.google.com/112091996301712241720/about and while I do not think they serve their own food,
"The Slider Shack", a mobile slider food truck, is located out in front of the Bridge Lounge most nights. Many guests just love them late-night sliders!!!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/slidershak-food-truck-new-orleans
According to at least one reliable source, heading a little further downtown (under the bridge and right on John Churchill Chase St.), you'll find
"The Rusty Nail" at 1100 Constance Street (which runs parallel with Magazine Street one block towards the river) and then one block towards the French Quarter. My source tells me that the Disco Lemonade (Sake & Lemonade) is great... of course, my source is a chick so that might be a good chick-drink. Give me my shot of Sambuca or Tequila and a beer! LOL They have an outside patio bar and are also dog friendly. They also have an open mic night for all those aspiring performers out there. Hmmmmm... maybe I can debut the live stage performance of my "St. Vincent's Asylum" song there. LOL
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-rusty-nail-new-orleans
Not that I'm much of a vegetarian/vegan, many of our guests are so here's a few nearby places.
Surrey's, which is also listed below in the Breakfast Places section, is open for breakfast and brunch, 7 days a week. They are 1-1/2 blocks towards the French Quarter (downtown) on the river side at 1418 Magazine St.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/surreys-caf%C3%A9-and-juice-bar-new-orleans-2
Lilly's Cafe - Vietnamese Cuisine (mostly) for lunch and dinner is a few blocks uptown on the same side at 1813 Magazine St. Their Yelp page says they are closed on Sundays and open 11am - 9pm, Monday thru Saturday.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/lillys-caf%C3%A9-new-orleans-5
Juan's Flying Burrito is open 7 days but not for breakfast so it's a lunch and dinner place but also open till 10pm weeknights and 11pm on Friday and Saturday.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/juans-flying-burrito-new-orleans-2
Google's answer to nearby bars & pubs... https://plus.google.com/local/Lower%20Garden%20District,%20New%20Orleans,%20LA/s/bars,%20magazine%20street,%20lower%20garden%20district?hl=en
Yelp's answer to nearby bars & pubs... http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=bars+pubs+grills+restaurants&find_loc=lower+garden+district%2C+New+Orleans%2C+LA+70130&sortby=rating#find_desc=bars+pubs&l=p:LA:New_Orleans::[Garden_District,Irish_Channel,Lower_Garden_District,Warehouse_District]&rpp=40&show_filters=1&sortby=best_match
Yelp's answer to nearby Vegan/Vegetarian restaurants... http://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=vegetarian&find_loc=New+Orleans%2C+LA#cflt=&find_desc=vegetarian+restaurant&l=g:-90.1095199584961,29.906734168105377,-90.05802154541016,29.951662423127154&sortby=rating
BREAKFAST PLACES -
Once again, besides the on-site restaurant at St. Vincent's Guesthouse, right across the street at the corner of Magazine Street and Race Street, is the locals favorite coffee house,
Mojo Coffee House. I don't see their own website so here's the Google Local page...
https://plus.google.com/112801441946880098655/about?gl=us&hl=en and Yelp Page...
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mojo-coffee-house-new-orleans They are open from 6 a.m. till midnight (12 a.m.), 7 days a week and have free wi-fi. No credit cards but they do have an ATM on site. Look for TV star,
John Goodman (a "new" native New Orleanian!), who frequents Mojo's many mornings. St. Vincent's also has free wi-fi for guests and visitors to the restaurant so come on over across the street after Mojo's closes down for the night!
Another favorite local spot (although a little pricey for my usual breakfast budget of $1.00 breakfast burritos at McDonald's or Burger King), is
"Surrey's Cafe & Juice Bar", just a short 1-1/2 blocks towards downtown at 1418 Magazine Street.
https://plus.google.com/102365116636192433833/about
PIZZA PLACES-
Here is the Yelp.com listing of nearby pizza restaurants that also deliver to St. Vincent's...
http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=pizza+restaurants&find_loc=1507+Magazine+St.%2C+New+Orleans%2C+LA+70130&ns=1
DELIVERY FOOD-
Here is the Yelp.com listing of delivery food within a mile of St. Vincent's... 34 choices!!!
http://www.yelp.com/search?#find_desc=delivery+food&find_loc=1507+Magazine+St.,+New+Orleans,+LA+70130&show_filters=1
24 Hour Eateries-
St. Charles Tavern, 1433 St. Charles Avenue, NOLA 70130. Head north on either Race St. or Orange St. four blocks to St. Charles Avenue. Both Race and Orange merge into Felicity Street just before Prytania Avenue. When you go past Prytania one more block, you'll be at St. Charles Avenue and Felicity St. Turn right towards the CBD/French Quarter and it's three blocks down on the left side at the intersection of St. Charles Avenue and Melpomene / MLK, Jr. Avenue.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/st-charles-tavern-new-orleans
Igor's Lounge And Game Room and/or Lucky's Bar - these are both owned by the same people and also have washaterias / laundromats inside them so you can eat, drink and do laundry 24 hours a day!!! Take the same route as above, four blocks north on either Race St. or Orange St. to St. Charles Avenue. You can turn left and go three blocks to get to Igor's or go right two blocks to get to Lucky's. They are both on the north side of St. Charles Avenue so you'll have to cross over the neutral ground (median) and street car tracks (watch out for the Street Cars!).
http://www.yelp.com/biz/igors-lounge-and-game-room-new-orleans
http://www.yelp.com/biz/luckys-bar-new-orleans
Trolley Stop, 1923 St. Charles Avenue, NOLA - Same walking directions as above but Trolley Stop is a block closer than Igor's on the same side of St. Charles Avenue.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/trolley-stop-new-orleans
Some of these also deliver so give them a call if you don't want to dine in...
Well... running out of time this morning so I'll be back to finish this post later!!!
Lenny Vasbinder
