Loretta's Pralines and the joy of when New Orleans 'hidden gems' are uncovered.

Following my last post's dive into the neighborhood magic of Frady's One Stop, it’s time for another of the many types behind our local food. After 15 years of leading culinary tours on the Creole side of New Orleans, I’ve seen great places pop up, and better places close down. A lot of tasty memories live with my customers and me.

Cheezy Cajun will always have a place in my heart with their cheese-filled boudin balls. I still dream about Chef Micah Martello's shrimp and grits and fried chicken at St. Roch Market. Then there were Chef Charly’s incredible Haitian stewed greens, which went from a humble market food stall to a James Beard Award nomination when he moved on up to his own restaurant, Fritai. 

But losing them was not a big deal. This is New Orleans—new food memories will always be made.

When Local Neighborhood Favorites "Graduate"

There is, however, a special class of neighborhood restaurants that I like to say "graduated" from our tours. They were simply too good, and they became too popular. Spots where we used to plop right down suddenly developed long lines and lunchtime fame.

Establishments like Liuzza’s By the Track, Little Dizzy’s Cafe, and Parkway Bakery & Tavern all transitioned from quiet neighborhood food stops to nationally known culinary landmarks filled to the brim every single day. They completely deserve it, and that excellence is exactly why they were part of our tour itinerary in the first place.

Yet, there is still one hidden gem we are desperately trying to hang onto. At least on slow weekdays, or in the heart of summer when the city is sleepy and the crowds are elsewhere, we can occasionally still sneak our tour groups into Loretta’s Authentic Pralines for their legendary Fried Chicken Beignets.

Remembering a Local Legend: Loretta Harrison

I loved Loretta. She was a special influence on me—an old-school, non-judgmental, love-everybody New Orleanian. She didn’t care if a visitor said "Pary-leen" or "Prah-leen," just as long as they said "Loretta’s."

Her connection to my life is important to me. She was the host of my child’s very first birthday party at her restaurant, and my child still plays with the doll Loretta gave her. Even later in life, as she was fighting cancer for the second time, she would wheel her oxygen tank out and come to the table of guests I brought in, just so she could personally thank them for coming into her place. She truly cared, but back then, the restaurant was also always slow. There was time. 

I have plenty of stories I could share, but I will leave it at this: Loretta taught me how to be a better person just by being herself. And all of that warmth came before the food even hit the table.

Loretta changed New Orleans beignets forever. She revolutionized the local food scene with her fried, croissant-style dough and her God-inspired, praline-filled beignet—a culinary breakthrough that she always maintained was the direct answer to one of her prayers.

The Cycle of a New Orleans Culinary Bicycle Tour

Loretta passed on a few years ago, but her family still runs the place. When her son took over, he was told to keep the fried chicken beignets on the menu, even though they were hardly ordered at the time, because "that guy who brings the tours in always gets them."

We all wish Loretta could see what her dream finally became. Today, people from all over the country and all over the world flock to her shop. On weekends, there is a line stretching right out the door. The wait can be even longer than Café du Monde. It gets all the accolades a neighborhood spot can handle, ranking number one on so many best-of lists. It is completely, thoroughly well-deserved. 

The bittersweet twist? Our daily tours can't often go inside anymore. As we bike by, if it’s too full—as it often is—I pause outside to tell folks all about her legacy, encouraging them to come back on their own. We only have three hours on our route, and we can't spend a whole hour waiting in Loretta's line, worth it as it may be. 

But I'm incredibly glad for everyone involved: Loretta's family, the new customers, and everything she always wanted. As for our bike tours? We are still awesome. There are always new, undiscovered places out there which we will enjoy until the lines get too long... and then we will go discover something new again.

That's the easy part of running a culinary bike tour in New Orleans.