This weekend brings one of the sleeper great celebrations on the New Orleans calendar, one that locals seem to keep mostly for themselves. It’s Easter Sunday in the French Quarter, and it’s splendid.
With multiple parades wending through different routes and with overflowing bars turning the streets into block parties, Easter Sunday in the French Quarter can feel like a mini Mardi Gras.
People dress up, either in pastel-hued finery or in full-blown costumes worthy of Fat Tuesday.
Easter brunch has become an annual tradition for many, and reservations are typically booked far in advance. But there is also a great day to be had with a looser itinerary, roaming the festive streets amid pristine people watching.
Along the way, a shaded French Quarter courtyard for a cocktail, a few bites and some time off the heels can feel better than an Easter basket of chocolate. Bar hopping is one thing, but courtyard hopping is another and it’s a handy way to explore some of the new energy around fine cocktails and food that isn’t just tourist cliché in the Quarter, modern spots quietly drawing locals in the know.
Consider Cane & Table, a Latin/Caribbean-inspired lair of old brick and timeless sight lines, and that continues through the long courtyard, or just around the corner Manolito, for a Cuban inspired bar that gives daiquiris and blender drinks in general a good name. The hidden courtyard here is a true oasis.
Patula is a newer addition, found off an inviting arched carriageway off Royal Street for small plates and interesting wines, and Peychaud’s cocktail bar at the Celestine hotel also opens to a deep courtyard where the rattle and hum of Bourbon Street might be audible but feels a world away. Right next door, the Will & The Way has dive bar cred but craft cocktail quality and a courtyard that feels like a cloister.
From the Jewel of the South, home to world-renowned drinks, to Patrick’s Bar Vin, a decidedly unfussy wine bar, tracing a jolly spree around the French Quarter guided by courtyards shows the Easter bunny won’t be the only one hopping around this weekend.
