Category Restaurants

Cotham Mercantile

The Hubcap Burger at the Cotham Mercantile, "Where the elite meet to eat"

We didn't have plans for lunch until we drove by the Cotham Mercantile, "Where the elite meet to eat". The sagging porch roof, faded hardware hanging from a pegboard wall, and farming equipment leaned against the register were like a full set of gold stars to a traveler in search of a novel experience.

Read MoreCotham Mercantile

The Great Gumbo Excursion

We didn't quite know what we were getting into when we ate that first bowl of gumbo. But then, the thought occurred to me...and I snapped a picture. Today, I regale you with the tail of our Great Gumbo Crawl.

The Great Gumbo Excursion was conceived at the House of Blues when we tasted their gumbo and wondered: is this legit? The broth was so brown, it seemed rice and sausage heavy with a shortage of shrimp and absence of other sea food. It was still delicious and the small appetizer bowl for $7 was an apt entry into the gumbo game. What else could we find and what other music? We had one night in New Orleans and we were going to spend it eating as much gumbo as we could.

Read MoreThe Great Gumbo Excursion

50s Train Diner

Part of a tourist trap, it may be, but how often can you enjoy a burger and slice of strawberry rhubarb pie on a vintage 1950s train? The lunch counter is classic and the burgers, unlike most stops of late, are actually good! The pie connoisseur may be disappointed by the thick crust and exceptionally sweet pie but, hey, you can't win every time.

Read More50s Train Diner