Walking New Orleans. Barri Bronston
block to Royal Street and turn right. Royal is the antithesis of Bourbon: a ritzy shopping stretch lined with antiques shops, art galleries, jewelry stores, and boutiques. Among them are M. S. Rau Antiques, Ida Manheim Antiques, Sutton Gallery, and Vincent Mann Gallery.At 533 Royal, between St. Louis and Toulouse Streets, is the Historic New Orleans Collection, a museum and research center dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South region. The museum’s holdings include more than 35,000 library items; more than 2 miles of documents and manuscripts; and about 350,000 photographs, prints, drawings, paintings, and other artifacts. The updated and interactive Louisiana History Galleries comprises 13 galleries tracing Louisiana’s fascinating past. The latest additions to the permanent display are exhibits on Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 BP oil spill.
Walk one block to 400 Royal. The stunning Beaux Arts structure to the left is the home of the Louisiana Supreme Court. The state’s highest court moved into the building in 1910, where it remained for nearly 50 years. After the court moved to the more contemporary Central Business District, the building fell into disrepair, but it saw new life in 2004 when, after a major renovation, the Supreme Court returned to its Royal Street address.Across the street, at 417 Royal, is Brennan’s, the old-line restaurant renowned for its sumptuous breakfasts, world-famous bananas Foster, and romantic courtyard. To the dismay of foodies everywhere, Brennan’s shut down in the summer of 2013 after its owners declared bankruptcy, but a cousin, New Orleans restaurateur Ralph Brennan, came to the rescue: He purchased the property at auction, bought back the Brennan’s name, and reopened the French Quarter institution in November 2014. Meanwhile, Brennan’s former owners were planning to open a new eatery, Ted Brennan’s Decatur, on nearby Decatur Street in 2015.In the next block, at 334 Royal St., is the headquarters of the New Orleans Police Department’s Eighth District. Erected in 1826 as the Old Bank of Louisiana, the building served as Louisiana’s state capitol from 1868 to 1869, and later the Royal Street Auction Exchange and the Mortgage and Conveyance Office. This block of Royal also contains lots of fun shops, including Vintage 329, which specializes in autographed memorabilia, rare books, and other historical items.If you need a break—or even if you don’t—stop in at the venerable Hotel Monteleone (214 Royal St.), which boasts live entertainment and one of the most popular hotel bars in New Orleans. The Carousel Bar & Lounge features a 25-seat revolving bar with a carousel top, antiqued mirrors, and hand-painted chairs. The lounge, with its circular glass chandeliers and expansive windows along Royal Street, is equally inviting.
Turn left on Iberville Street, walk one block to Chartres Street, and turn left. Like Royal, Chartres offers a lot in the way of shopping, but it also has much to offer in the way of eating. Over the last few years, Chartres has become something of a culinary corridor, with several new restaurants—SoBou, Doris Metropolitan, Kingfish, Sylvain, Tableau, and a French Quarter outpost of Carrollton’s Camellia Grill—joining K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen and Pierre Maspero’s in the five blocks between Iberville and St. Peters Streets.Of course, you may just opt for the Napoleon House (500 Chartres St.), which has been serving up its famous Pimm’s Cups and muffulettas since 1914. The Napoleon House—one of the best bars in America, according to Esquire magazine—is housed in a 200-year-old building that belonged to Nicolas Girod, mayor of New Orleans from 1812 to 1815. Girod offered his residence to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1821 as a refuge during his exile; alas, Napoleon died before he could make it to New Orleans.A few doors down from the Napoleon House is the Pharmacy Museum (514 Chartres St.), the one-time apothecary shop of Louis Joseph Dufilho Jr., who in the early 19th century became America’s first licensed pharmacist. On display are old patent medicines, books, and pharmaceutical equipment dating back as far as the early 1800s, as well as surgical instruments used in the Civil War. Other exhibits include a re-created 19th-century physician’s study and a spectacle collection illustrating the historical development of eyewear and other antique vision aids from around the world.
For many New Orleanians, the French Quarter is home. This is an example of a balconied apartment building that can be found throughout the neighborhood.
Continue walking to the corner of Chartres and St. Peter Streets. To your left is Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, one of the oldest community theaters in the country. Originally organized in 1916 as the New Orleans Chapter of the Drama League of America, the company began performing in this space in 1922. In 2012 and 2013, the theater underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation that added Tableau, a Dickie Brennan restaurant specializing in Louisiana Creole fare.
Continue walking on Chartres straight into Jackson Square, the highlight of which is the triple-spired St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in North America and easily the city’s most recognizable landmark. The church features a Rococo-style gilded altar along with magnificent stained-glass windows and paintings. In the rear of the cathedral is the St. Anthony Garden, where a statue of Jesus stands with arms upraised. Stop in for Mass or a tour; the cathedral is open daily after the 7:30 a.m. Mass until 4 p.m., and self-guided tours are available for a $1 donation.The cathedral is flanked by the Cabildo and the Presbytère, two of several museums under the Louisiana State Museum umbrella. Facing the cathedral, the Cabildo is to your left. Built in the late 18th century, the Cabildo served as the seat of government in New Orleans during the Spanish Colonial period and is where the Louisiana Purchase—which nearly doubled the size of the United States—was signed in 1803. To your right is the Presbytère, a one-time courthouse that now houses an exquisite collection of Mardi Gras artifacts and memorabilia. Through an interactive exhibit titled “Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana,” visitors can learn the history of Mardi Gras, from its 19th-century beginnings to the modern-day celebration that attracts millions of tourists every year.Take your time strolling around the square and enjoy the vibrancy of the artists, musicians, and other street performers at work. The redbrick buildings on either side of the square are the Lower and Upper Pontalba Buildings, the oldest apartments in the United States. The apartments take up the top three stories, while shops and restaurants occupy the first. One of the best is Stanley, at the corner of St. Ann and Chartres, a casual eatery known for its all-day breakfast fare. Another restaurant worth checking out is Muriel’s Jackson Square, just across St. Ann from Stanley. Muriel’s serves contemporary Creole fare and boasts one of the best dining balconies in town.If you have a few extra minutes to spare, walk through the square, named in honor of General Andrew Jackson, the hero of the Battle of New Orleans. Known in the 18th century as the Place d’Armes, the historic park is a popular site for television broadcasts and music festivals, including the French Quarter Festival and Caroling in the Square.
Continue walking around the square along Decatur Street, across from Café Du Monde, the famous coffee-and-beignets stand. This block of Decatur is an assembly spot for horse-drawn-carriage tours.
Walk to St. Peter Street, turn right, and head one more block back to Chartres Street. The tour ends here, but be sure to check out the Back of the Quarter and the French Market/Riverfront area, each covered in the next two walks.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Acme Oyster House acmeoyster.com, 724 Iberville St., 504-522-5973
Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com, 716 Iberville St., 504-522-2467
Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar felixs.com, 739 Iberville St., 504-522-4440
Bourbon House bourbonhouse.com, 144 Bourbon St., 504-522-0111
Galatoire’s galatoires.com, 209 Bourbon St., 504-525-2021
Jean Lafitte’s Old Absinthe House ruebourbon.com/oldabsinthehouse, 240 Bourbon St., 504-523-3181
Royal Sonesta Hotel New Orleans sonesta.com/royalneworleans,