Emeril's

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Warehouse District Institution, Reimagined

In March 1990, Chef Emeril Lagasse transformed a former warehouse in what was then an industrial, largely abandoned stretch of New Orleans into a restaurant that would redefine Creole cuisine for a generation. The space quickly earned a five-bean review from the Times-Picayune, a James Beard Award for Best Chef South, and the Wine Spectator Grand Award — recognition that cemented Emeril's as one of the most important American fine dining addresses of its era.

More than three decades later, the flagship has entered a compelling new chapter.

The Next Generation Takes the Helm

In 2022, E.J. Lagasse — Emeril's son — returned to New Orleans after training at Le Bernardin with Eric Ripert, Core by Clare Smyth in London, and Frantzén in Stockholm, to take over as Chef and Co-Owner. Following an extensive renovation in 2023, the restaurant reopened with a menu that honors its Louisiana roots while pushing them forward through modern technique.

The results have been swift and substantial. In 2025, Emeril's was awarded two Michelin stars, making E.J. the youngest chef in history to lead a two-star Michelin restaurant. The New York Times awarded the restaurant three stars in October 2025. Emeril's also holds AAA's Five Diamond designation and membership in both Relais & Châteaux and Les Grandes Tables du Monde.

E.J.'s culinary philosophy is grounded in seasonality and a close relationship with Louisiana's farmers, fishermen, and foragers. As the restaurant puts it, the intention is "to use the best Louisiana produce and ingredients that we can find, and our responsibility to produce dishes that highlight and elevate the bounty of the region."

The Tasting Menu

The dining room experience centers on a seasonally revolving tasting menu — a collection of Chef Emeril's classic dishes, reimagined by Chef E.J. and his team. Current courses include a Smoked Salmon Cheesecake with Petrossian 180-Day Aged Kaluga Caviar, an Oyster Stew with Herbsaint cream and foie gras, Trout Almondine, and a Red Snapper & Scallop pairing again featuring Petrossian caviar alongside smoked chicken and radicchio. Savory courses extend to Boudin with collard greens and Creole jus gras, and a White Sand Homestead Quail with spring vegetables and sauce vermouth. The menu closes with a Banana Cream Pie with caramel. Wine pairing is available, a fitting complement given the restaurant's long-standing wine pedigree.

The Wine Bar

Accessible through the Julia Street entrance, The Wine Bar at Emeril's offers a more relaxed entry point into the Lagasse world — the same distinctive wine cellar, a full cocktail list rooted in New Orleans classics like the Sazerac and Roffignac, and a menu of small plates ranging from raw oysters and seafood gumbo to duck leg confit and a dry-aged strip loin. It's a space, as the restaurant describes it, that "embodies the Lagasse's love of food, wine, music and art."

A Team Built for the Long Game

Behind Chef E.J., the kitchen is supported by Chef de Cuisine Emilie Van Dyke, Executive Sous Chef Riley McDonnell, and Sous Chef Charlie Jarrett. Wine Director Aaron Benjamin oversees a program built to serve everyone from collectors chasing rare bottles to guests exploring underrepresented regions. General Manager Brandon Groh and Bar Manager Alexandria Bowler round out a front-of-house team clearly operating at the level the restaurant's accolades demand.

Emeril's guiding ambition, in Chef Emeril's own words, remains unchanged: "For New Orleanians and visitors alike we strive to create dishes and environments that restore and transport people, leaving them happier than when they came to us."