At long last, a pub crawl for the epicurean. Bon Appétit Magazine and Belvedere Vodka is hosting a Grub Crawl this weekend, featuring three days of food, cocktails and live music at different culinary hubs around the city. New Orleans is one of just three stops that the tour is making nationwide (the other two are in Brooklyn and Los Angeles), further reinforcing the city’s place in the American foodie pantheon.
Bruschetta from Bouligny Tavern. Photo by Caitlyn Ridenour.
The Grub Crawl will focus on a different neighborhood each day: the CBD/Warehouse District on Friday, June 22; the French Quarter on Saturday, June 23; and the Garden District on Sunday, June 24. Each day, diners will participate in an all-inclusive food tour, sampling signature cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at restaurants in the chosen neighborhood while receiving an educational food history of the city.
Restaurants participating in Friday’s Warehouse District crawl include two of John Besh’s establishments—the American Sector and Borgne—as well as Mike’s on the Avenue and the Hotel Modern, with its 19th-Century-inspired bar Bellocq and restaurant Tamarind. Saturday’s tour starts at Domenica in the Roosevelt Hotel before ambling down Chartres Street to Sylvain, Chef Scott Boswell‘s duo of Stanley and Stella!, and the Napoleon House before finishing with a live concert at the Joy Theater with Theresa Andersson and Mrs. Magician. Sunday will conclude with a daytime cruise of some premier Garden District restaurants, including Le Petit Grocery, Lilette, Bouligny Tavern, La Divina Gelateria, and Apolline.
A weekend pass for the Bon Appétit Grub Crawl, which includes all three days of restaurants and food, is priced at $200, with daily ticket prices ranging from $70 and $80 on Friday and Sunday to $100 for Saturday’s tour, which includes concert admission with an open bar featuring Belvedere’s new Lemon Tea vodka. Tickets for just the concert with open bar are also available for $15.
Here’s the full schedule:
Friday, June 22: Warehouse District, 6 – 10 p.m.
American Sector: “Enjoy a unique tasting in the Atrium with family-style goodies like smoky lamb ribs, shrimp in a cup, and classic American Sector cocktails.”
Mike’s on the Avenue: “Gather around a white marble bar where chef Mike Fennelly will demonstrate how to roll specialty sushi rolls including his signature New Orleans Roll paired with sake cocktail flights.”
Hotel Modern: “Meet in Bellocq for a signature cocktail demo including “cobblers,” hand-mixed, old-style cocktails. Tamarind will offer French-Vietnamese bites from chef Dominique Macquet.”
Borgne: “Dig into platters of family-style appetizers and pitchers of spiked iced tea in the private dining room of John Besh’s beautiful seafood restaurant.”
Saturday, June 23: French Quarter, 4 – 9 p.m.; Concert: 9 – 11 p.m.
Domenica: “Graze through chef selection affetati platters of salumi, cheese, olives and savory beignets, and enjoy the restaurant’s specialty pizzas over signature cocktails.”
Sylvain: “Nibble on crispy pork shoulder, grits, and pickled collards and sip Liam Deegan’s beer cocktails while you hear about the rich history and culture behind Sylvain, an abandoned building reconstructed after Hurricane Katrina.”
Stanley: “Enjoy Breaux Bridge Benedict with house-made boudin, poached egg, American cheese, smoked ham, and Creole hollandaise served on toasted French bread. Wash it down with their signature libation, the Stanley Screamer.”
Stella!: “Nosh on an open-face egg salad sandwich with toasted brioche, American caviar, dill, crème fraîche, and other accouterments while enjoying specialty house cocktails.”
Napoleon House: “Visit the spot known for the best Pimm’s Cup in town and learn about this historic landmark over mini Muffaletta sandwiches.”
The Joy Theater: “Complete your night of Grub Crawling with Bon Appétit with an exclusive live concert by Mrs. Magician and opening act Theresa Andersson”
Sunday, June 24: Garden District, 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
La Petite Grocery: “Chef Justin Devillier serves Champagne to pair with a selection of Louisiana Caviar Hors d’Oeuvres. Over a tour of the garden, hear all about Louisiana Caviar and the fresh ingredients plucked from the garden for this special menu!”
Lilette: “Join a seated tasting of chef and owner John Harris’ favorites including anchovy basil onion bruschetta, beautiful raw crudo, and braised short rib.”
Bouligny Tavern: “Take part in a cocktail format tasting including burrata bruschetta, gourmet pigs in a blanket, deviled eggs, gougères, ceviche, and more!”
La Divina Gelateria: “Gelataio Carmello Turillo and head chef Mia Calamia will present four courses of dessert flights featuring the various seasonal gelato flavors—from beet lime sorbetto paired with goat’s milk gelato to Greek tomato sorbetto and cantaloupe.”
Apolline: “Jenny Smith creates her signature Champagne cocktail: Bend that Elbow—with Hum liquor, lime juice, and sparkling rose. Chef Matt Farmer demos corn maque choux for a tasting and serves seared scallops.”
