Bayou Road has been a site of commerce for more than three centuries. Native Americans used this natural high ground as a trading post long before Europeans arrived in Louisiana. When French explorers were traveling up the Mississippi River, Native guides showed them Bayou Road as a key portage, connecting the river inland to Bayou St. John and Lake Pontchartrain. This geographic advantaged prompted the French to settle New Orleans in this location.
Over the centuries, Bayou Road has remained an important corridor, connecting historic Esplanade Ridge, Tremé and the Seventh Ward communities. Today’s Bayou Road Business Association points to the street’s lively mix of arts and businesses as key to the community’s revival after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. “The area has enjoyed the cultural contributions of people of African and Afro-Caribbean descent along with Native Americans since the earliest days,” BayouRoad.com reports. “In fact, the road’s proximity to Tremé and the Seventh Ward, historically Black neighborhoods where generations of Black New Orleanians have lived and left their indelible fingerprints, has contributed to Bayou Road’s rich and diverse culture that is uniquely New Orleans.”
The PRC encourages you to explore Bayou Road’s many businesses during the Spring Home Tour. Check out the list of local businesses below and then get your tickets the the Spring Home Tour by clicking here.
Eat Bayou Road
Addis Nola 2514 Bayou Road
A full-service Ethiopian restaurant and cultural hub located in the heart of New Orleans, offering a unique fusion of Ethiopian cuisine and local flavors.
Free People Farmers Market 2541 Bayou Road (André Cailloux Center)
Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
More than just a marketplace, the Free People’s Farmers Market is a community-centered initiative rooted in the legacy of Bayou Road as a historic site of trade and cultural exchange among Indigenous, Black, and other marginalized communities. It’s the continuation of a centuries-old tradition of economic and cultural self-determination, designed to uplift local growers, makers, food entrepreneurs, artists, and organizers.
Broadview Seafood 1468 N. Broad Street
Seafood and more… best Boudin and Shrimp Po-Boys in the city.
CoCo Hut Caribbean Restaurant 2515 Bayou Road
Made to order meals with a Caribbean flair; spicy jerk shrimp or chicken and specially made Cane juice!
Cupcake Fairies 2518 Bayou Road
Ice creams, cakes, frozen drinks and a variety of sweet treats.
Leo’s Bread 2438 Bell Street
Bakery specializing in croissants, bagels, loaves of bread & sandwiches. We serve breakfast & lunch 5 days/ wk at the bakery as well as sell at the weekly Crescent City
McHardy’s Chicken & Fixin’ 1458 N. Broad Street
A national “Best fried” chicken winner with its peppery seasoning leading the menu of old-school soul food classics at this quick-serve eatery.
Pagoda Cafe 1430 N. Dorgenois Street
Internationally inspired breakfast & lunch fare in a quaint, pagoda-shaped spot with outdoor seats.
Sheaux Fresh Sustainable Foods 1434 N. Dorgenois Street
Sheaux Fresh sells fresh, local and regionally sourced vegetables, fruit, honey, and value added products with an emphasis on alleviating food apartheid, bringing real food to the communities that need it most.
Tastee 2549 Esplanade Avenue
An old fashioned mom & pop bakery featuring classic doughnuts, pastries & desserts, plus basic sandwiches. Counter top seating.
Whiskey & Sticks 2513 Bayou Road
Offering the finest premium liquors and a nice selection of cigars.
Shop Bayou Road
Community Book Center 2523 Bayou Road
A literary hub focusing on Afro-centric books. A destination location for scholars, community, and families.
Domino Sound Record Shack 2557 Bayou Road
Domino Sound Record Shack sells new and used records and cassettes of many varieties, with a heavy focus on International and Reggae music.
King & Queen Emporium 2500 Bayou Road
Retail store featuring body and essential oils, shea butter soap and incense. Fragrant resins and much more.
Shop Bayou 2521 Bayou Road
McKenna Museums Store. Art gallery with Black Bayou merchandise.
Points of Interest
Degas House 2306 Esplanade Avenue
This former home of painter and sculptor Edgar Degas is a bed and breakfast 7 minutes from the French quarter with rooms/suites uniquely decorated with antiques and traditional décor.
Derbés Mansion 2257 Bayou Road
A premier New Orleans venue for weddings, receptions, and parties.
Joan Mitchell Center 2275 Bayou Road
A program of the Joan Mitchell Foundation, the Joan Mitchell Center is an artist residency center.
KID smART 2533 Columbus Street
Engaging children and educators in dynamic, creative, and relevant learning through the arts.
Le Musee de f.p.c. 2336 Esplanade Avenue
A house museum celebrating the lives, legacies, and contributions of free people of color before the Civil war.
Waldorf School of New Orleans 2539 Columbus Street
Waldorf School of New Orleans integrates an arts-based curriculum with age-appropriate academics, from Preschool through 8th Grade.
