Three Louisiana Restaurants Rank in North America’s Best 50

NEW ORLEANS – On May 28, the Sheraton New Orleans hosted North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026, a ceremony celebrating the standout restaurants and industry leaders across the region, including three Louisiana restaurants.

Sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, the North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 is a list compiled from the votes of a 300-member Academy of regional restaurant industry experts, divided into eight sub-regions, each led by an independent Academy Chair.

Organizers share that the chairs, selected for their expertise, curate a list of chefs, restaurateurs, journalists, educators and experienced diners, with at least 25% of members refreshed annually. Additionally, voters vote confidentially and must include at least three restaurants outside their home region.

Based on this year’s votes, three Louisiana restaurants in New Orleans were worthy of the list, an increase from two restaurants last year. Each of the three restaurants represents a different cultural flavor of Louisiana’s melting pot: Senegalese, Creole and Mexican.

The Three Louisiana Restaurants on the Best 50 List

• #4 Dakar NOLA (#6 in 2025)

  • According to its website, Dakar NOLA explores and defines modern Senegalese cuisine by using traditional Senegalese cooking spices and techniques. Its seasonal seven-course pescatarian tasting menu is inspired by Chef Serigne Mbaye’s most cherished memories of his childhood in Senegal, where he learned to cook at his mother’s knee.
  • On June 15, Dakar NOLA Chef Mbaye won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: South (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico)
  • Dakar is also a Michelin-selected restaurant.

• #20 Emeril’s (#30 in 2025)

  • Originally, Chef Emeril Lagasse opened Emeril’s in 1990 as a fine dining restaurant focused on redefining Creole cuisine. In 2023, the flagship restaurant underwent extensive renovations when, according to its website, Emeril’s son E.J. Lagasse guided the reopening, paying tribute to the restaurant’s rich culinary heritage while incorporating Chef E.J.’s modern and technique-driven training.
    • Emeril Lagasse of Emeril’s was also awarded the SevenRooms Icon Award, one of eight special honors presented at the ceremony, recognizing his lasting influence on American cuisine and hospitality, as he begins to pass the torch to his son, E.J. Lagasse, who is carrying the restaurant’s legacy forward. Organizers share that Emeril has played a defining role in bringing Creole and Cajun flavors to a global audience and shaping New Orleans’ culinary identity.
  • Emeril’s was recognized in November 2025 with two Michelin stars.
  • Chef E.J. Lagasse was recognized as a nominee for the James Beard 2026 Emerging Chef.
  • Chef Emeril Lagasse has won two James Beard awards: 2013 Humanitarian of the Year and 1991 Best Chefs in America Southeast, among several nominations.

• #30 Acamaya (New)

  • Sisters Ana and Lydia Castro strive to blend the best of Mexico City, Gulf seafood and New Orleans. Ana and Lydia, born in Texas and raised in Mexico City, spent many hours in the kitchen of their grandmother as little girls. Years later, they ended up in New Orleans, and as their website reads, “they fell in love with the city – the people, the food, the culture – and decided to call it home.”
  • Last November, Acamaya made it on the Michelin Bib Gourmands list.
  • Chef Ana Castro was also named as a nominee for the 2026 James Beard Award for Best Chef: South.

Louisiana Restaurants Compared to Others

The full North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list, pictured below, highlights Louisiana’s culinary success against other major food spots in North America. New Orleans has more restaurants on the list than Chicago (one) and San Diego (one), among others. Additionally, D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles all feature only one more restaurant than New Orleans.

New York dominates the list with 13 restaurants. Canada has eight restaurants across various cities, and, among all of its cities, California has 9 restaurants on the list.

The list showcases New Orleans – and Louisiana – as a major contender in the North American food scene.

From Best 50