Vibrant, lively and at times overwhelming, New Orleans has a way of ending up on nearly everyone’s bucket list, as you’ll quickly learn when you mention you’re heading there.
We stayed in the French Quarter as almost every guide seemed to recommend, but on its quieter outskirts — where the French Quarter meets Tremé. Attacked by tremendous jet lag from day one this turned out to be a good move.
Our hotel — the Best Western Plus — sat directly opposite Louis Armstrong Park, where, by chance, a jazz festival was taking place that weekend. Nothing flashy or fancy, the Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival felt like something put on by locals for locals. Food kiosks, a few small artisan clothing, artwork, and jewellery stalls, and a warm family atmosphere made it the perfect way to ease ourselves into the holiday. We picked the bands we wanted to see and built the first few days of our itinerary around them.
In the all-consuming, somewhat chaotic atmosphere that increasingly pervades the French Quarter as the day goes on, Tremé feels like a place where real life continues. It has a much mellower, more genuine feel, and it was there, during a gap between bands, that we discovered I-tal Garden.
A fully vegan family-owned restaurant blending New Orleans soul food with Rasta/Caribbean “ital” principles, I-tal Garden is often praised as one of the most thoughtful vegan spots in the city. It’s run by Chef Rayoseph (“Chef Ra”) and his family; born and raised in New Orleans, his menu highlights the spiritual and cultural roots of ital cooking.
From a decidedly unassuming exterior, you step into a spacious, modern, warehouse-style dining room. Sparsely but tastefully decorated to reflect its African-Caribbean heritage, the space opens onto a generous ground floor with a mezzanine floating above. A few groups were scattered around when we arrived at Sunday lunchtime, and though a little unsure at first, we quickly realised it was counter service — but without a hint of the fast-food vibe.
The staff were delightful: warm, relaxed, and genuinely welcoming.
And the food… well, it wasn’t just food. As they told us when it arrived, it was nourishment. The menu blends Afro-Caribbean and New Orleans traditions beautifully, featuring signature dishes like Ra Pasta (jackfruit in a coconut-milk sauce), Cajun pasta, jackfruit ribs, fried oyster mushrooms, vegan mac and cheese plates, BBQ cauliflower wings, and the lion’s mane burger. Organic ingredients are used wherever possible, with gluten-free options and a focus on whole-foods cooking. It was exactly what the doctor ordered.
We started with the nachos. A feast in itself — and had we added a side or two, it absolutely could’ve been enough — but we were ravenous and they were far too good not to demolish. Organic corn chips piled with cashew cheese, refried-style black beans, quinoa, tomatoes, romaine, walnut ground, and cashew cream: it tasted like proper home-cooked soul food, and it landed in the body like comfort. It was exactly what we’d been craving after days of travel and jet lag.
For mains we tried the Rancho burger and the oyster mushroom wrap, both served with seasoned fries and salad. These were generous portions of deeply satisfying, flavour-packed food. The service was quick but unhurried — the kind of pace that lets you settle in rather than rush. And the food was simply delicious. As we sat there, the place began to fill up with friends, families, and solo diners, and there was a charming low-key buzz about the place.
We walked out full, but not weighed down in the way fast food can leave you. I-tal Garden is food for the body and soul, and a shining reminder that veganism can be a culture and a worldview, not just a menu substitution — rooted, expressive, and unmistakably New Orleans. We left feeling restored, and ready to dive deeper into the city.
Bardo Burner 