The first-ever Bean Madness tournament kicked off last week, pitting 64 New Orleans restaurants against one another. Inspired by the annual March Madness college basketball tournament, the head-to-head match-ups aimed to find out who makes the best red beans and rice in town. Locals voted at a series of blind taste tests, and even filled out prediction brackets beforehand to try their luck at calling the results.

This past week marked the first round of Bean Madness, but the competition is far from over. Organizers have finally revealed the winners from Round of 64, so now it’s time to take a look at the upcoming battles for the Round of 32.

The first round featured a few notable battles, as well as as some interesting approaches to the dish at hand. Boucherie bested Cooter Browns 51 to 50 in the round’s closest match, while Red Rooster defeated Cafe Reconcile in the round’s biggest upset (only 10% of pre-tournament brackets predicted that Red Rooster would come out on top). In the interesting approaches department we had Annunciation, who cooked their beans in gumbo to “give it that true New Orleans taste,” and Bywater Bakery, who added wild boar meat to the mix.

In any case, the tournament will continue when the Round of 32 goes down this Thursday through Sunday. We’ve got the ful schedule of match-ups, as well as list of last week’s winners below.

As previously reported, Bean Madness is put on the organizers of the Red Beans Parade. The event is a fundraiser for local non-profits Anna’s Placeand Make Music NOLA.

 

Round of 64 winners by region:

Mid-City – East :

Café 615 Home of Da Wabbit

Sammy’s on Elysian Fields Ave

Fiorella’s the Original

Avery’s on Tulane Ave

Neyow’s Creole Cuisine

Koz Lakeview

Half-Shell Oyster Bar and Restaurant

Mandina’s

 

Uptown:

Joey K’s

Chef Sue Zemanick

Red Rooster

Freret Street Poboys

Boucherie

Tracy’s Irish Channel Bar

The High Hat Café

Coquette

 

Downtown:

Lil Dizzy’s

Ray’s on the Ave

3 Muses

Buffa’s

Frady’s

The Cheezy Cajun

Cake Café

Bywater Bakery

 

By Da French Quarter:

Deanie’s Seafood

Chef Carlos Neville

Welty’s

Hobnobbers

Evangeline

Gazebo Café

Cornet

The Old Coffee Pot

 

Here’s a look at the Round of 32 schedule:

Thursday March 16th

 

Fiorella’s The Original vs. Avery’s

Farmers Market – 3700 Orleans Ave – 5 to 7

 

Chef. Carlos Neville vs.  Cornet

Farmers Market – 3700 Orleans Ave – 5 to 7

 

Frady’s vs. The Cheezy Cajun

Shank Charcuterie – 2352 St. Claude Ave – 5 to 7

 

Neyow’s Creole Cuisine vs. Koz Lakeview

Broad Theatre – 636 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7

 

Friday March 17th

 

Half Shell Oyster Bar vs. Mandina’s

Kitchen Witch – 1452 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7

 

Evangeline vs. Hobnobbers

Markey’s Bar – 640 Louisa St – 5 to 7

 

Red Rooster vs. Freret St. Poboys

Material Life – 6038 St. Claude Ave – 5 to 7 pm

 

Welt’s vs. Gazebo Cafe

Second Vine Wine – 1027 Touro Street – 5 to 7

 

Saturday March 18th

 

Café 615 Home of Da Wabbit vs. Sammy’s

Farmers Market – 750 Carondelet Street at Julia – 10 – 12 pm

 

Chef. Sue Zemanick vs. Joey K’s

Community Book Store – 2523 Bayou Road – 2 to 4 pm

 

3 Muses vs. Buffa’s

Backstreet Cultural Museum – 1116 Henriette Delille – 2 to 4 pm

 

Sunday March 19th

 

Bywater Bakery vs. Ray’s on the Ave

Farmers Market – 750 Carondelet Street at Julia – 10 – 12 pm

 

Tracy’s Irish Channel Bar vs. The High Hat Cafe

Dirty Coast (FQ) – 713 Royal – 12 to 2 pm

 

Deanies Seafood vs. The Old Coffee Pot

Rouses #46 – 701 Baronne – 12 – 2 pm

 

Coquette vs. Boucherie

Rouses #29 – 400 N. Carrollton – 12 – 2 pm

 

Lil’ Dizzy’s vs. Cake Cafe

Second Line Brewery – 433 Bernadotte Street – 2 to 4