Bayona
Mediterranean flavors from a Creole cottage
A little slice of the romantic Mediterranean awaits you at Bayona, a jewel of a restaurant tucked into a 200-year-old Creole cottage in the heart of the French Quarter. The cozy room is often set with fresh flowers and is warmed by sunny lighting and bright colors.
They’re serving up a unique interpretation of New Orleans cuisine, blending the ingredients of the Mediterranean with the flavors of Alsace, Asia, India and the Southwest. You’ll find an outstanding waitstaff eager to guide you and answer questions about the menu.
They’re serving up a unique interpretation of New Orleans cuisine, blending the ingredients of the Mediterranean with the flavors of Alsace, Asia, India and the Southwest. You’ll find an outstanding waitstaff eager to guide you and answer questions about the menu.
A great selection of beers, including several local brews, plus an extensive wine list round out the experience.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- Bayona is located inside a 200-year-old Creole cottage at 430 Dauphine St. in New Orleans, in the heart of the French Quarter. The restaurant is divided into three dining rooms, each with their own individual feel.
- The main dining room is filled with beautiful floral arrangements, the Dyer Room has more of a Mediterranean countryside ambience and the Bayona Room features a bright picture window and stained-glass accents.
- The New Orleans restaurant also features a traditional Creole courtyard, landscaped with lush tropical greenery, colorful fruit trees and a quaint fountain.
- Executive chef Susan Spicer’s cuisine offers a fresh take on contemporary American fare with hints of the Mediterranean, Asia, North Africa, France and Italy found in her seasonal dishes.
- Your servers, who will likely address you as “darlin’,” will review the menu with you, highlight chef Susan Spicer’s signature dishes and explain cooking preparations in detail. They’ll also check on you during the meal to make sure you’re enjoying everything.
Things to Know
- Bayona is open for lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday and dinner beginning at 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
- The dress code at this Four-Star restaurant is casual elegant or business causal. Coats or ties are not required for men.
- Keeping with the ambience of this fine-dining restaurant, cell phones are not permitted in the dining rooms.
The Food
- At lunch, try executive chef Susan Spicer’s inventive take on traditional American comfort foods with dishes like smoked duck, cashew-peanut butter and pepper jelly sandwich or smoked salmon mac and cheese with grilled salmon belly and leeks.
- Dressed in a sherry mustard or lemon caper butter, and available as either an appetizer or entrée, the veal sweetbreads have become one of the chef’s standout dishes.
- Served with olive tapenade and herb croutons, the eggplant caviar has been on the menu since the day the restaurant opened — one bite and you’ll see why.
- The smoked quail salad is another standout. The crispy bird comes on a bed of greens, accompanied by pears and drizzled with a bourbon molasses dressing for a slightly sweet yet smoky taste of the South.
- You’ll also be able to sample something from pastry chef Kerri Dean’s dessert menu; when we visited, it featured a chocolate caramel hazelnut tart with Earl Grey ice cream and strawberries and a mango cheesecake flan with a pistachio crust and blackberries.
The Drinks
- As the birthplace of the cocktail in America, New Orleans takes its libations pretty seriously, and Bayona’s specialty drinks surely demonstrate that.
- On the menu you’ll find some unique delights like The Fats, a libation made with manzanilla sherry, pistachio liqueur, blueberries, lemon and agave nectar, and the signature Bayona martini, prepared with Hendrick’s gin and a splash of rose water.
- If you like something bubbly, try The Stormy Morning, which combines elderflower and violet liqueurs with sparkling wine and lime, or the Cocchi Classico, a slightly bitter aperitif made with Cocchi Americano, soda water and muddled oranges and lemons.
- Not a big drinker? Try the restaurant’s signature shrub instead, a tart, vinegary drink enlivened with strawberries and ginger beer (though, yes, you can still get it spiked with vodka).
Amenities
Bar
Business casual
Dinner
Lunch
Outdoor seating
Reservations recommended 
Stories
