King Brasserie & Bar’s Shrimp Orleans

Best New Restaurant

King Brasserie & Bar which opened last year within the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, evokes the traditional neighborhood brasseries of France mingled with Mediterranean flare and the rich culinary traditions of New Orleans. Led by the hotel’s Executive Chef Samuel Peery, King features an extensive wine list and elevated dishes like seared scallops and sea urchin carbonara. There’s also a raw bar and a weekend Queen’s Brunch with offerings like avocado toast and crawfish beignets. The restaurant also has outdoor patio seating (where dogs are welcome) on Tchoupitoulas Street. hotelfontenot.com

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Tavi which opened last year in downtown Covington, features a menu that draws from the flavors of Lebanon, Israel, North Africa, Eastern Europe, Turkey and Greece — all with a Southern touch. The restaurant also focuses on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and sustainability. Start with the made-to-order pita bread and a selection of hummus, followed by an Israeli salad and one of the tantalizing main dishes (such as seared striped bass, slow-cooked lamb shank or Gulf shrimp kebabs). tavirestaurant.com

Located in historic downtown New Iberia, Cane River Pecan Company Pie Bar offers a rotating menu of Southern dishes for breakfast, lunch and dessert. Try the apple pecan turnover, the croque monsieur or a chicken pot pie, followed by bourbon pecan pie or an ice cream po’boy sandwich. Pie Bar also features locally roasted coffee, beer, wine and specialty drinks (such as the smoked pecan old fashioned). caneriverpecan.com/piebar

Porgy’s Seafood Market opened last January in Mid-City offering an array of seafood that comes fresh from the dock to the plate. The menu features gumbo, salads, boiled seafood such as blue lake crabs, Gulf shrimp and Louisiana crawfish (when available), plus fresh-catch po’boys and a bevy of sides. Meanwhile, the market offers whole and fresh-cut fish filets delivered daily, alongside seasonal shrimp, crabs and oysters, plus sauces and spice blends. Be sure to check out happy hour Monday through Friday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. with case-price oysters on the half shell, chargrilled oysters and an assortment of bar snacks. Porgy’s also offers catering and private parties. porgysseafood.com

The National World War II Museum’s venerable Liberation Museum is a powerful, immersive space

Best New Attraction

The new Liberation Pavilion is the final permanent exhibit hall to open at The National WWII Museum. The three-story pavilion features two floors of exhibit space that explore the end of World War II, the Holocaust, the immediate postwar years and the war’s continuing impact today, plus the third-floor Priddy Family Foundation Freedom Theater showing a production that focuses on the cost of freedom and the meaning of Allied victory. nationalww2museum.org

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The Children’s Museum of Southwest Louisiana is getting a new home at Port Wonder along the Lake Charles lakefront. Opening this fall, the Port Wonder Children’s Museum and Nature Center will feature four new galleries focused on technology, health and nature, plus year-round programs, classes, camps and workshops. The entertainment and education complex also will feature the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Science Center and Educational Complex with marsh and barrier island fish tanks, a touch tank and several Gulf-specific exhibits. Port Wonder also will feature outdoor play areas, a covered fishing pier and walking trails that connect to the existing alligator habitat. swlakids.org

Started by Leslie Bass Abraham and Christy Blalock, Lil’ Art House provides a perfect excuse for a day trip to Lake Charles. The creative studio allows customers to produce original pieces of art made from recycled and upcycled materials. Lil’ Art House also offers classes and summer camp, plus group rates for those wishing to celebrate events like birthdays, bridal showers and girls’ night out. lilarthouse.com

Opening last April, Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park features an array of attractions all under one roof. Choose from a ropes course, bumper cars, climbing walls, a tubes playground, trampolines and more. Weekly events include options like Jumperoo (when the park is only open to kids 5 and under) and Teen Night (featuring lasers and music). There’s also a café serving pizza and snacks, and the venue can host parties, team-building events and more. urbanair.com/louisiana-covington

Fire and spice makes Jolie’s cocktail sizzle

Best New Bar

Jolie, a new cocktail lounge in the Warehouse District, features low lighting, music and an all-around romantic vibe. The handcrafted cocktails are divided up on the menu in categories like Bright, Light & Supple and Provocative & Spiritous. Be assured that whatever you choose, it will be an experience to remember. There’s also a food menu with bites like caviar deviled eggs, New Orleans frog legs and gnocchi Parisienne. jolie-nola.com

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Ed and Tracy Jordan, of Kickapoo Twist Winery & VineyardS in DeSoto Parish, grow a variety of grapes such as cabernet, blanc du Bois, lenoir and red and white muscadines. They create small-batch wine including crimson cabernet, sauvignon blanc, blanc du Bois, blush and white muscadine wine. Savor the flavors of Louisiana wine paired with one of their fancy charcuterie boards. facebook.com/kickapootwistwinery

The Terrace is a restaurant and lounge located at Lake Area Adventures family entertainment center in Lake Charles. Enjoy a food menu by Executive Chef Amanda Cusey (named Queen of Louisiana Seafood at the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off in 2022) with perfectly paired drinks either inside or on the covered outdoor patio. Pets also are welcome outside, with a special For the Puppers menu available. lakeareaadventures.com/the-terrace-restaurant

Dew Drop Inn Hotel & Lounge, which was renovated and reopened in Central City last year, features 17 boutique hotel rooms, a live music venue and a resort-style pool. Originally opened in 1939, the Dew Drop hosted legendary musicians such as Ray Charles, Little Richard, Deacon John and Irma Thomas. Today, the main bar stays open late and features drinks like the Too Darn Hot (made with cucumber jalapeño tequila and piña colada mix) and the Sumpin Jumpin (made with DuNord, lime mint sour and blackberry liqueur). dewdropinnnola.com

Best New Architecture

The Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium was recently renovated and expanded, moving the insectarium to the existing aquarium building. Designed by EskewDumezRipple, the venue boasts a front facade with a bird-friendly glass curtain wall and a triangular entrance. Inside, the new two-story lobby features angular walls, a grand staircase, artistic murals, a dramatic LED installation and a glass catwalk. The aquarium houses exhibitions focused on wildlife and habitats around the globe, while the insectarium includes a moth vivarium, a butterfly garden with flowering plants and a Bug Appétit Cafe. audubonnatureinstitute.org/aquarium, audubonnatureinstitute.org/insectarium

Photo Courtesy: The Gloriette

Best New Chef

Deciding to pursue his career as a chef after working at a seafood restaurant owned by a family friend, Alex Harrell began his New Orleans cooking career under the mentorship of Susan Spicer at Bayona. After further honing his experience at New Orleans restaurants Ralph’s on the Park, Table One, Elysian Bar and Commons Club, Harrell is now Executive Chef at Southern Hotel’s Gloriette restaurant in Covington. His menu of haute French and contemporary Louisiana cuisine focuses on fresh local ingredients. Try the Louisiana seafood gumbo or braised pork cheeks before choosing a main dish of Faroe Island salmon or Gulf Coast cioppino. thegloriette.com

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Roy Guilbeau Jr. who formerly served as the manager at Copeland’s Brass Pearl and as cook at Broken Wheel Brewery, is now the chef/owner at La Petite Affaire Boulangers. Guilbeau specializes in traditional Cajun and French cuisine, serving dishes like assorted fresh-baked pastries, French onion soup, specialty quiches, salads, sides and sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. facebook.com/lapetiteaffaire

Growing up under the tutelage of his celebrity chef father, Emeril Lagasse, it’s no wonder that EJ Lagasse has a deep passion for the culinary arts. Spending many years in kitchens and cooking at home with his father, EJ also worked under culinary icons Daniel Boulud and Eric Ripert. After graduating from culinary school at Johnson & Wales, he worked abroad at Core by Clare Smyth in London and Restaurant Frantzén in Stockholm. EJ, now chef patron at Emeril’s Restaurant, leads the restaurant’s day-to-day culinary development. emerilsrestaurant.com

Trey Herty, who previously worked as a cook at Blackbird and The Publican (both in Chicago), and as chef de cuisine at Square Root in New Orleans, is now the chef/owner at T-rey’s Boudin and Specialty Meats in Mandeville. In addition to hot grab-and-go items like cracklin’, boudin links, boudin balls, and boudin and pepper jack egg rolls, there’s also a cooler stocked with smoked meats, dips, spreads, snacks and desserts. And for parties, be sure to order a custom charcuterie board.

Best Outdoor Space

Located in the heart of the Nellie Lutcher Cultural District in Lake Charles, the new Nellie Lutcher Memorial Park opened last year and features a stage (outlined with piano keys to pay homage to singer and pianist Nellie Lutcher). The park also has connectivity for food trucks. Overall, the new park is helping to invigorate the corridor along Enterprise Boulevard. cityoflakecharles.com

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Lafayette’s Moncus Park will soon be home to the b1BANK Backyard — a revitalization of the park’s historic grove of live oak trees. The enclave, in collaboration with LAND Architecture, features European bosque design (a strategic grid of trees designed to boost ecological health and public use). The project, scheduled to open next year, will rise behind the Paul A. Doerle Farmer’s Market Pavilion (also currently under construction). In addition to providing a beautiful outdoor space, the b1BANK Backyard’s enhanced layout and facilities will encourage economic growth, cultural exchange, community events, recreational activities and personal reflection. moncuspark.org

The Courtyard on Cotton in downtown West Monroe features a New Orleans-inspired grass courtyard surrounded by antique brick walls and a fleur-de-lis wrought-iron gated fence. Follow the paved walkway through a vine-laced arbor to reach the interior gallery that showcases the work of both emerging and established artists. courtyardoncotton.com

Best Recreational Spot

This newly opened sports, events and recreation venue features state-of-the-art indoor facilities. At 110,000 square feet, West Monroe Sports & Events includes eight basketball courts that can be reconfigured to 16 volleyball courts or 16 pickleball courts, plus multipurpose rooms, flexible meeting and event spaces, and an open-air mezzanine for spectators. 875 Constitution Drive, West Monroe, 318-397-3232, westmonroesports.com

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Lighthouse Bend is located in Cameron on the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road (one of 150 designated scenic byways in the United States, including marshlands, 26 miles of natural Gulf of Mexico beaches and more). In addition to a two-story restaurant, Lighthouse Bend features a complete RV resort, a fully-stocked market, a 14-slip marina and an open-air event pavilion. 190 Davis Road, Cameron, 337-775-5011, lighthousebend.com