The dearly held belief that no meal can be too big or last too long has been cherished for generations in New Orleans, and nowhere more faithfully than in the city’s oldest restaurants. From neighborhood joints serving up the finest, freshest crawfish, oyster po’ boys, and shrimp remoulade to elegant establishments in the French Quarter, the phrase “Come for lunch, stay for dinner, go home in a wheelbarrow” is beloved by all. New Orleans’s leisurely, unaffected style also endures in its venerable shops, including a turn-of-the-century parfumerie and luxurious antiques stores.

“A Guide to the Historic Shops & Restaurants of New Orleans,” takes the reader on a tour of the quirky and picturesque seafood haunts, cars, hotels and mercantile establishments of the Crescent City.  In addition to the address and phone number, the book provides a thumbnail history of each place and the colorful characters who established them.  Color photographs and vintage postcards capture the gritty, pungent mosaic of New Orleans.—Pittsburgh Tribune-Review