Meril

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Personal Restaurant from a New Orleans Icon

Named after his daughter, Meril is chef and proprietor Emeril Lagasse's lively Contemporary American restaurant in the Warehouse District of New Orleans. Where his flagship Emeril's carries the weight of three decades of fine dining legacy, Meril is something more personal — a place built around the food Lagasse loves to eat, shaped by his travels and global curiosity rather than any single culinary tradition.

Lagasse's résumé needs little introduction: proprietor of eight restaurants across the country, host of more than 2,000 television shows, bestselling author of 19 cookbooks, and a James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year. The wine program here earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, a recognition that reflects the same attention to detail Lagasse has brought to every project across his career.

The Team Behind the Room

Day-to-day, Meril is guided by General Manager Margo Robert, whose background bridges both sides of the pass. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts Management, Robert moved to New Orleans in 2014 and spent years moving between dining rooms and kitchens before joining the Emeril Group in 2024. Promoted to General Manager in January 2025, she brings a front-and-back-of-house fluency that shapes the experience for both staff and guests.

What's on the Table

The menu reflects the Contemporary American spirit of the restaurant — wide-ranging, unfussy, and genuinely satisfying. Weekend brunch draws locals and visitors alike with dishes like Barbecued Shrimp on a Crispy Grit Cake and a Bananas Foster Waffle, alongside bottomless mimosas. The happy hour bar menu — running daily from 2pm to 6pm — features Chicken & Waffles with Crystal Maple Syrup, Gulf Yellowfin Tuna Bundles with jalapeño and truffle ponzu, and a Gumbo with chicken and andouille that grounds the global menu firmly in New Orleans.

Dinner and lunch menus extend the range further, with dishes like Crispy Oyster Spinach Salad, Shrimp Remoulade with green tomato chow-chow, and a Café au Lait Crème Brûlée that closes the meal on a distinctly local note.

The Atmosphere

The dress code is casual, the energy is lively, and the setting — Girod Street in the Warehouse District — puts guests close to the cultural heart of the city. Whether it's a weekday lunch, a long Saturday brunch, or a late Friday night at the bar, Meril is designed to feel like somewhere you actually want to be, not just somewhere you're meant to be impressed.