New Orleans is famous for its music, festivals, and of course—its food. And no visit to the Big Easy is complete without a comforting bowl of red beans & rice. Whether you’re in town for a weekend getaway, a festival, or just craving the flavors of Louisiana, these local favorites serve up some of the best bowls in the city.

Check out a few of our top picks:

Mother’s

The origin of the red beans and rice recipe at Mother’s starts with the founders, Simon and Mary “Mother” Landry, who opened the business in 1938 and fed the neighborhood’s longshoremen, warehouse workers, and others looking for hearty New Orleans dishes.

Mother’s Restaurant, 401 Poydras Street, www.mothersrestaurant.net, (504) 523-9656. Hours: 7 days, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Li’l Dizzy’s

At Li’l Dizzy’s, the red beans are served only on Mondays and usually sell out. Customers can thank head chef John Cannon (who some may know for playing the tuba in the Stooges Brass Band) for the delicious dish.

Li’l Dizzy’s, 1500 Esplanade Ave., lildizzyscafe.net; on Instagram; (504) 766-8687; Mon-Sat. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Dooky Chase

Edgar Chase IV learned how to make red beans & rice from his grandmother, Leah Chase. Known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine, Leah and her culinary skills brought people from across the globe to Dooky Chase.

Dooky Chase, 2301 Orleans Ave, dookychaserestaurants.com; on Instagram; (504) 821-0600; Lunch, Tuesday – Friday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m; Dinner Fridays and Saturdays Only, 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Creole Queen

Relax during a 2-hour cruise on the Mississippi River while enjoying the Creole Queen Paddlewheeler’s vegan red beans & rice. The delicious dish is available on their brunch and dinner Mississippi River cruises leaving from New Orleans Spanish Plaza.

Creole Queen, Spanish Plaza, New Orleans, tickets/reservations, 504.587.1719 or 1.800.445.4109; creolequeen.com

Katie’s

Katie’s owner Scott Craig shares that he makes his red beans and rice like he makes his greens —with a lot of meat. “I like to use smoked sausage and pickled meats, sometimes I’ll add turkey necks or other meats, anything that will bring it flavor,” he says.

Katie’s Restaurant and Bar, 3701 Iberville St., katiesinmidcity.com; on Instagram; 504.488.6582. Hours: Mon.-Thus. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Liuzza’s

Many like to enjoy Liuzza’s classic red beans & rice alongside the restaurant’s signature 18 oz. goblets of frosty cold beers — or an Abita root beer. Delish!

Liuzza’s Restaurant and Bar, 3636 Bienville St., New Orleans; liuzzas.com; Hours: Mon. 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Tues. Closed; Weds. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thurs.-Sat.11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Heard Dat Kitchen

What is Chef Jeffrey Heard’s secret to his red beans & rice? Don’t rush the beans. “I found slow cooking them on that real low fire is what really will make them creamy.”

Heard Dat Kitchen, 2520 Felicity St., (504) 510-4248, @hearddat on Instagram, heardatkitchen.com. Hours: Mon. – Sat., 11 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a local looking for your next bowl, these spots are sure to satisfy your red beans & rice craving.

Where have you bean? Share your favorite NOLA spots with us on social!

The Competition

Now that Mardi Gras is over, our Red Beans Parade friends have organized their next bean-loving event – an awesome Bean Madness tournament. In this take-off on the annual college basketball March Madness event, 32 restaurants and individual chefs will compete to see who makes the best red beans & rice in New Orleans. Ian McNulty of the New Orleans Advocate has described this event as a “uniquely interactive way to celebrate the humble but vital dish around town, drawing directly on the tastes and preferences of New Orleans people.” And we couldn’t agree more.

For a Good Cause

Running March 1-April 6, 2020, this single-elimination tournament will raise money for multiple nonprofits including Anna’s Place NOLA, which offers after-school and summer camp programs as well as health outreach and a food pantry; Make Music NOLA, a free music-for-social-change program; Electric Girls, which helps girls to develop and strengthen skills in science, technology, engineering and math; Market Umbrella, which assists farmers’ markets and promotes fresh food access in New Orleans; the Southern Rep Theater, which showcases original theatrical voices and performances reflecting Southern heritage; and SoulNOLA, which plants much-needed trees across urban New Orleans. Here at Camellia, we’re thrilled to sponsor the competition.

Donate, Make Predictions & Win!

How can you get in on the action? Donate and make your predictions here. Your donation will go to the non-profits. You also have the ability to sign up to play and create a bracket online. View your bracket anytime, and follow along in the leaderboard section for updates!

The winner of the bracket will receive lots of silly prizes from the Krewe of Red Beans and Camellia Beans.

Taste-Test Schedule

The tournament features pop-up blind-taste tests around New Orleans that’ll take place at corner bars, bookstores, groceries and markets. Here’s the full lineup of tastings, so you can see who’s competing where and when. The experts on the matter – the people of New Orleans – will judge the red beans and ultimately crown a champion.

The “Final Fork”, with the final four competitors, will be held April 4 from 5-8 p.m. at Zony Mash Beer Project and the championship party and silent auction will take place April 6 from 6-9 p.m. at Capulet Bywater.