Most People Don't Know How These Iconic New Orleans Dishes Got Their Start

Legend has it that the Spanish tried making paella in the French Quarter in the early 1800s. Because they had no saffron, they substituted tomatoes. As time went on, French and Caribbean influences morphed this paella into what we now know today as Creole jambalaya. Now Cajun jambalaya, on the other hand, omits the tomatoes—the main difference between Cajun and Creole cuisine.

While Cafe du Monde may be known for this sugary treat, they were actually brought over by French colonists in the 18th century. They quickly became a staple of Creole cooking, and they were even named the state doughnut of Louisiana in 1896.

There are several versions of the history of New Orleans’ most famous sandwich. Perhaps the most widely accepted story is that the po’boy was invented by Clovis and Benjamin Martin, two brothers and former streetcar drivers who ran a restaurant on St. Claude in the 1920s. In 1929, the streetcar drivers went on strike, and the Martin brothers created an inexpensive sandwich of bits of roast beef and gravy on French bread to feed the workers. The unemployed workers were nicknamed "poor boys" which was eventually shortened to "po’boy."

This gigantic sandwich was first created in 1906 by Salvatore Lupo, owner of the famous Century Grocery on Decatur. It’s not uncommon to see a long line of hungry locals (and tourists) waiting outside Central Grocery to get one of these iconic sandwiches, and it’s completely worth the wait in line.

In the 1950s, New Orleans was a major hub for the import of bananas. Owen Brennan challenged his chef, Paul Blange, to create a dish featuring bananas, and the rest, as they say, is history. The dish was named for Richard Foster, a friend of Owen Brennan. Today, it’s Brennan’s most popular item on the menu, and it’s truly a show to watch it being prepared.

Oysters Rockefeller was created in 1889 by Jules Alciatore, the son of Antoine Alciatore, the founder of the historic Antoine’s restaurant. In one of those "when life hands you lemons" moments, Jules decided to create the dish due to a shortage of escargot in New Orleans. The recipe hasn’t changed in over a century, and remains a closely guarded secret.