With 70+ vendors spread throughout the fairgrounds, the decision of what to eat can be overwhelming. The good news is that no matter what you eat or drink at Jazz Fest you can’t go wrong. The sad news is that there is so much out there to try, it is impossible to try them all in one day if you also want to enjoy the amazing music that Jazz Fest offers. Here are our recommendations for the must try dishes and drinks at Jazz Fest.
Pro tip: Most vendors only accept cash, so make sure you bring some cash with you to avoid ATM fees.
Crawfish Monica
Located on the II food area of the fairgrounds, the crawfish monica from big rivers food is a must. The dish is composed of Cajun spices and crawfish tails in a rich cream sauce with a hint of seafood serve with rotini pasta. There is a reason why it is the #1 dish sold during the fest, just saying.
Cochon de Lait Po-Boy
The cochon de lait Po-boy from Love at first sight, is a classic. Succulent pulled pork served with fresh French bread and creamy coleslaw.
Crawfish Bread
Crawfish bread booth is one of the busiest. The ingredient list includes garlic, butter, bread, cheese, Cajun seasoning, and crawfish tails.
Mango Freeze
More likely than not you are going to be standing in the scorching sun for hours on end dancing your heart out. The fresh, juicy, Mango Freeze from WWOZ can be found at several stands set up throughout the festival, and is the perfect remedy to beat the heat.
Crawfish Strudel and White Chocolate Bread Pudding
Cottage catering offers two dishes that are a Jazz Fest staple. The crawfish strudel, which is very similar to the crawfish bread, but instead of French bread the crawfish and cheese filing is inside a house-made phyllo dough that is stretched by hand. Both are equally delicious, but in our opinion the crawfish strudel wins by a hair. If you have a sweet tooth at the same booth you can find one of the best bread pudding’s in New Orleans.
Fried Soft-Shell Crab Po-Boy
The Delicious soft-Shell Crab from The Galley is irresistible with its crispy crust and delicious crab flavor. Don’t forget to add a generous quirt of lemon and hot sauce.
Strawberry Lemonade
Can you name a better duo. The sweetness of strawberry and the tartness of lemonade make this drink the perfect fest drink.
Ya Ka Mein,*Vegetarian Ya Ka Mein
If you partied too hard the night before and need a cure for your hangover Ya Ka Mein is the way to go.
Hot Sausage Po-Boy
The Hot Sausage Po-Boy has all the right amount of spiciness and we like how practical it can be when you also want to eat and dance.
Boiled Crawfish
If you have never had boiled crawfish before, we encourage you to stop by the Smitty’s Seafood booth to learn how to pinch the tail and suck the head of these delicious “mud bugs”.
