A sunny and balmy January afternoon seems like an odd time to visit the newly opened Vampire Café at the corner of St. Anne and Royal Street in the Quarter. For months, I had seen the inviting signs beckoning flâneurs to come in for a “bite.” So, jonesing for a cappuccino, that’s precisely what the OffBeat team did.
Opened on January 1, 2021, The Vampire Café is aesthetically as one would expect: burgundy walls, dripping chandeliers, and menus in Gothic fonts. The staff (called Daywalkers) even sport fang masks! One has to guess that if and when the tourism industry returns, this is going to be a pitstop for goths near and afar.
The menu is slightly all over the place, but punderfully filled with appropriately named cocktails after
Pear with Nutella powder and créme anglaise
blood types. (A true goth will not underestimate the importance of a Type O Negative…) The black napkins are folded into bat shapes and the tea saucers are dripping in floral motifs.
Executive Chef Chris Dunn states that they have created a menu that reflects cuisine vampires would serve to their distinguished guests. Apparently, Lestat de Lioncourt or Nosferatu would serve you a baked brie, poached pear with crême anglaise and Nutella powder, or cheesecake with “raspberry bite.” Makes sense.
There are plenty of red meat dishes that are served raw unless you ask otherwise. (Fortunately our server asked our preference in case we mere mortals forgot when ordering the Vampire Burger.)
As the café/restaurant just opened, the crew (krewe?) is still stretching out their leathery wings, but we’re certain that this voluptuously vampiric spot is sure to become a Vieux Carre staple for locals and visitors alike. The owners are clever to notice that what consumers want in an out-of-home dining experience is the opportunity to catch moments for the ‘gram and everything from the wine racks to knights guarding the windows gives diners exactly what they want in that regard.
And when you visit, don’t forget, in the words of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, “Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.”
Vampire Café is located at 801 rue Royal. They are open even days per week with breakfast served 7-11 a.m.; lunch 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; and dinner 5-11 p.m. For information, visit nolavampirecafe.com.
