Overview
Mid-City is a portion of New Orleans in the center of the metropolitan area, about midway between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain. It is less visited by tourists than more famous areas like the French Quarter, but has impressive attractions of its own.
The area of Mid-City around the Fairgrounds and the nearby portion of Esplanade Avenue is often called the Bayou St. John neighborhood or Esplanade Ridge. The old Bayou itself can be seen when you cross the bridge over it at the tail of Esplanade in front of City Park; it is a calm long finger of water constrained by grassy levees as it winds through the old urban neighborhood.
Mid-City is filled with visitors each year for the week and a half of the New Orleans Jazz Festival, and again around Halloween for Voodoo Experience. The rest of the year the neighborhood is often comparatively neglected by travelers.
8 sights · 5 things to do · 17 places to eat · 7 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Mid-City and Esplanade Ridge
City Park
The large park has winding lanes through old trees for walking or driving through, and includes such attractions as an outdoor sculpture garden, a botanical garden. As of 2022, renovations and improvements since Katrina …
New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA)
Worth a visit for art lovers; the art of this fine museum was fortunately high enough to escape the flood. Highlights from the permanent collection include a fine collection of jewelry, and paintings from France and Lati…
Pitot House Museum and Gardens
Historic house of a former mayor from the era of the Louisiana Purchase at the start of the 19th century.
Saint Louis Cemetery #3
19th-century above-ground tombs. Safe to walk around in during the day, this is popular with visitors.
Metairie Cemetery
This cemetery is just outside of Mid-City by most definitions, but is only a short drive from this neighborhood or a 5 minute walk from the end of the "Cemeteries" branch of the Canal streetcar line (Walking directions: …
Longue Vue House and Gardens
Elegant mansion set in lush gardens is pretty and historic. In Western central New Orleans off Metairie Road, a short drive from Metarie Cemetery and Mid-City.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Oct–Apr. Summer highs reach about 94°F; winter lows dip to about 46°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby New Orleans)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MSY Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, New Orleans — 10 mi away (major hub). Directions
- GPT Gulfport Biloxi International Airport, Gulfport — 69 mi away. Directions
Mid-City is a portion of the city that is easy to get around in either with or without a car.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $17–$17 a night (typical $31), from 2 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$60, mid-range ~$110, comfortable ~$180.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), Pitot House Museum and Gardens, Saint Louis Cemetery #3
- Lunch Doson Noodle House
- Afternoon Degas House Historic Home Courtyard and Inn, Banks Street Bar & Grill
- Dinner Betsy's Pancake House
- Evening Mick's Irish Pub
Day 2
- Morning City Park, Louisiana Children's Museum
- Lunch Lazaro's
- Afternoon Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo, Rock-n-Bowl
- Dinner Little Tokyo
- Evening Bayou Beer Garden
Day 3
- Morning Metairie Cemetery, Longue Vue House and Gardens
- Lunch Liuzzas
- Afternoon Fairgrounds, Chickie Wah Wah
- Dinner Parkway Bakery & Tavern
- Evening Beach Corner Lounge
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Mid-City restaurants are loved by locals, and the visitor can easily find out why. If the French Quarter and Central Business District seem too overwhelmed by tourists, one can get away to Mid-City and enjoy some of New Orleans best and most distinctive food surrounded by locals.
As mentioned above, visitors flock here during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and to a lesser extent during Voodoo Experience. At these busy times it's best to either make reservations well in advance, or expect to wait in lines, or plan to eat in another part of town.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
Mid-City is a portion of the city that is easy to get around in either with or without a car.
The restored Canal Streetcar line starts at the riverfront of the French Quarter (at Esplanade Avenue and the levee), turns on to Canal Street to go through the Central Business District, and continues into the heart of Mid-City. Once at the intersection of Canal Street and Carrollton Avenue in the center of Mid-City, the Canal streetcar branches into two lines. Cars marked "City Park" turn on to Carrollton Avenue, with the line ending at City Park in front of the NOMA Museum, a short walk from the Fairgrounds. Cars marked "Cemeteries" continue to the end of Canal Street at the far edge of Mid-City where a number of the city's old cemeteries are located.
See
See City Park
The large park has winding lanes through old trees for walking or driving through, and includes such attractions as an outdoor sculpture garden, a botanical garden. As of 2022, renovations and improvements since Katrina have City Park looking more beautiful than ever. "Storyland", a children's playground based around fairy tale characters, has been a favorite of local children for generations. The Carousel Gardens Amusement Park has a beautiful merry-go-round (known to local old timers as "the flying horses" dating back to 1906, as well as an assortment of other amusement park rides including a miniature railway to ride around part of the park. During nights of the Christmas season there is an elaborate celebration with lights, additional rides, and music in the park called "Celebration in the Oaks". In 2020, the Louisiana Children's Museum moved to new larger quarters in City Park.
See New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA)
Worth a visit for art lovers; the art of this fine museum was fortunately high enough to escape the flood. Highlights from the permanent collection include a fine collection of jewelry, and paintings from France and Latin America. Open until 8:30PM Thursday nights. Louisiana residents get in free after 5PM with ID.
See Degas House Historic Home Courtyard and Inn
French Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. The only home and studio of the French Impressionist Master, Edgar Degas, open to the public anywhere in the world. Degas lived with relatives in this house on Esplanade Avenue during 1872-1873; it is now a bed & breakfast, gift shop, wedding and special event venue. Tours are available daily. Secured offstreet/motorcoach parking.
Cemeteries
Go to the cemetery? Yes, many visitors do, leaving alive and well with an interesting experience. Due to the high water table, most New Orleans tombs are in above ground crypts. Traditionally, many of the well to do adorned their tombs with marble or bronze decoration and statuary, and many of the city's less affluent joined fraternal organizations which built elaborate group crypts.
See Saint Louis Cemetery #3
19th-century above-ground tombs. Safe to walk around in during the day, this is popular with visitors.
- The Cemeteries is the informal name for a group of separate but adjoining or nearby cemeteries concentrated around the inland end of Canal Street. These include Odd Fellows Rest and Greenwood Cemetery. Some interesting monuments, but cemetery connoisseurs agree your time is best spent a little further on:
See Metairie Cemetery
This cemetery is just outside of Mid-City by most definitions, but is only a short drive from this neighborhood or a 5 minute walk from the end of the "Cemeteries" branch of the Canal streetcar line (Walking directions: from the end of the line, go left along City Park Avenue, past Greenwood Cemetery on the right, and continue under the Interstate overpass; Metairie Cemetery is on the right). Metairie is the city's most elaborate cemetery, with many interesting 19th-century grand tombs and monuments.
Do
Live music
Eat
Mid-City restaurants are loved by locals, and the visitor can easily find out why. If the French Quarter and Central Business District seem too overwhelmed by tourists, one can get away to Mid-City and enjoy some of New Orleans best and most distinctive food surrounded by locals.
As mentioned above, visitors flock here during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and to a lesser extent during Voodoo Experience. At these busy times it's best to either make reservations well in advance, or expect to wait in lines, or plan to eat in another part of town.
Budget
Eat Betsy's Pancake House
Pancakes & such for breakfast and lunch.
Eat Lazaro's
Pizza & po-boys.
Eat Liuzzas
New Orleans-style down-home Italian with a Creole touch. No credit cards.
- Liuzza's By The Track, 1518 N. Lopez (at Ponce de Leon, a block off Esplanade towards the Track). "The other Liuzza's" is also a neighborhood favorite, known for Creole gumbo, seafood, and garlic roast beef po'boys. Reasonably priced lunches, also open for dinner weekdays.
- Mona's Cafe, 3901 Banks. Middle Eastern. Mona's also has restaurants in Marigny and Uptown, but this one has a fair sized Middle Eastern grocery attached as well, in case you need to buy a bag of loose tea leaves, a bucket of hummus, or a hookah.
- Neyow's Creole Cafe 3340 Bienville (at Davis Parkway). New Orleans Creole, lunch & dinner. Closed W; dinner only Su. +1 504 827-5474
- Nonna Mia 3125 Esplanade. Pizza, pastas, and panini. +1 504 949-1717. Lunch & dinner 7 days.
Eat Parkway Bakery & Tavern
An authentic neighborhood po-boy shop and bar; a favorite with locals.
- Santa Fe 3201 Esplanade. Southwestern. Some people may remember its former location in the Marigny neighborhood.
Eat Theo's Pizza
Popular pizzeria from the Uptown neighborhood.
Snacks
Eat Angelo Brocato's
214 N. Carrollton. Italian ice cream, pastries, and sweets, a century old tradition.
Eat The Bean Gallery
637 N. Carrollton. Coffee, sandwiches, gelato. Wi-Fi. +1 504 324-8176
Eat Blue Dot Donuts
Donuts of both common and unusual types (Key lime? Maple bacon?) Come early in the day for best variety.
- Fair Grinds Coffeehouse, 3133 Ponce De Leon (just off Esplanade Avenue), coffee and light eats; neighborhood atmosphere; free Wi-Fi. +1 504 913-9072
Mid-range
Eat Cafe Degas
3127 Esplanade. Very good French.
Eat Cafe Minh
Vietnamese.
Eat Five Happiness
Local favorite for Chinese.
- Katie's Restaurant & Bar, 3701 Iberville. Neighborhood mainstay. Creole Italian, fresh seafood and sandwiches. Tu-Su 11AM-10PM, M lunch only
Eat Juicy Lucy's
Quality burgers, specializing in "juicy" versions stuffed with cheese and other extras. 11AM-midnight
- Lola's, 3312 Esplanade. Mediterranean and Spanish. Menu highlights include romescu lamb. The palleas fresh made to order take half an hour but regulars find them worth the wait.
Eat Mandina's
Louisiana, Italian, and seafood.
Eat Venezia
Creole-Italian and pizza, another Mid-City landmark.
Splurge
Eat Ralph's On The Park
Highly regarded Contemporary Louisiana cuisine in a renovated 1860s tavern building.
Drink
Drink Beach Corner Lounge
Dive bar, burgers
Drink The Bulldog
Great beer selection; nice outdoor patio area.
Drink Finn McCool's
Very authentic Irish pub, perhaps New Orleans' most internationally diverse clientele. Popular with European ex-pats and soccer fans. Pub trivia Monday nights. Can get smoky.
Drink Mick's Irish Pub
Neighborhood bar. Darts, ping-pong tables, cheap drinks.
Drink Mid-City Yacht Club
New since Hurricane Katrina, a friendly, unpretentious bar with a great beer selection. Watch the game on one of the HDTVs, throw some darts, or just hang out. Ball field across the street has baseball, softball, and soccer during the summer.
Drink Pal's Lounge
Authentic old Mid-City neighborhood bar. Air hockey table. Eclectic crowd. Don't leave without taking a look at the men's room.
Sleep
Stay safe
Mid-City is an excellent microcosm of New Orleans as a whole in that some upper-income neighborhoods are bordered by lower-income neighborhoods and the level of safety can change from block to block. The neighborhood is generally safe in the daytime, but avoid areas on the Eastern side of Broad and around much of Tulane Avenue. The area closer to City Park around and to the West of N Carrollton is generally very safe, but always have your wits about you in this urban area.
Go next
Mid-City's central location allows easy access to other parts of town. Take the Canal Streetcar to the French Quarter and the Central Business District. Drive or take the bus to the other end of beautiful Esplanade Avenue to arrive at the lower edge of the Quarter and the hip Faubourg Marigny neighborhood (alternatively reached by taking the Canal Streetcar to the far end at Esplanade and the river levee). Lakeview and Lakeshore neighborhoods are a short drive away to the north west; to the north east is the Gentilly neighborhood. The Carrollton neighborhood at the upper end of Uptown can be driven to by taking Carrollton Avenue to the other end. The #32 bus "Leonidas" runs from Carrollton Avenue at Esplanade Mid-City to the Old Carrollton Riverbend neighborhood then ends by the Zoo in Audubon Park. However it winds through a rather rough section of Hollygrove en route, and it runs less than once an hour. Those relying on public transit may wish to consider getting to Uptown and Carrollton by a more indirect route: take the Canal Streetcar to the Central Business District, then the green St. Charles Streetcar up. While this route is longer, it may be less aggravating and is certainly much more picturesque.
Nearby
Jefferson
City / town · 10 listings · 3 mi away
Metairie
City / town · 18 listings · 5 mi away
Avondale
City / town · 3 listings · 8 mi away
Chalmette
City / town · 1 listings · 9 mi away
Kenner
City / town · 5 listings · 9 mi away
Saint Rose
City / town · 1 listings · 13 mi away
Luling
City / town · 4 listings · 16 mi away
Jean Lafitte
City / town · 7 listings · 16 mi away
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