Toups Meatery
Cajun restaurant · City Park ·
Carnivore-friendly Cajun dishes & cocktails in a rustic space
Carnivore-friendly Cajun dishes & cocktails in a rustic space
"A neighborhood spot in Mid‑City with bright NOLA‑centric murals, this restaurant arrived on the reviewer’s radar as part of the 2010s wave of high‑profile Southern spots; the reviewer had previously encountered food from chef Issac Toups at festivals and events. While the kitchen leans heavily into meat — big charcuterie boards, stacked burgers, and a daily sausage — the crab claw starter stood out: Louisiana crab claws accompanied by grilled and pickled pineapple and topped with a chili vinaigrette, with the meaty bits exposed for easy access. Each bite registers smoky, tangy, spicy, and sweet, and the dish is described as a refreshing summertime appetizer to erase the memory of the New Orleans humidity looming outside. It's suggested to pair it with a Poblano Escobar cocktail — a mix of poblano pepper‑infused tequila, pineapple shrub, and lime. — Erin Perkins, Eater editor, South." - Henna Bakshi
"Isaac Toups is known for serving excellent charcuterie, cracklins, and all things pork at Toup’s Meatery, which he co-owns with his wife and partner, Amanda. His burger, available only at lunch, is all about the beef — the chef uses wagyu beef and tops it with pickled squash, cheddar, bacon, and herbed aioli on a sesame seed bun — worth every bit of that hard-earned $18. Best for: Trading up to the chef’s lunch, housemade boudin, a burger, and a beer for $32." - Beth D’Addono
"Toups Meatery wows with a hearty, Cajun-tinged menu, plus inventive brunch cocktails and bottomless $20 mimosas on weekends. Dishes from real-deal Cajun chef Isaac Toups include the likes of foie torchon with fruit confit and crispy turkey necks, for starters. For the main event, try the likes of fried redfish Benny and Louisiana shrimp with heirloom grits." - Beth D’Addono
"You can actually make a reservation at Toups' in Mid-City for Fat Tuesday, so all you’ll have to worry about on Mardi Gras is how many plates of togarashi-covered crispy pig ears you’re going to eat. They do excellent preparations of parts of the animal that you might’ve never had before, like sow ears, hog’s head cheese, and lamb neck. Start with the Meatery Board—it’s basically a charcuterie spread but with lots of Cajun items, so it’s a fun way to try a lot of the menu." - megan braden perry
"A Mid-City restaurant run by couple Amanda and Issac Toups mobilizes kitchen and staff to deliver holiday meal boxes — filled with whole chickens, collard greens, apple pies, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread — to roughly 2,000 people. Amanda frames the work as a moral imperative: “Food is a right,” Amanda says. “It’s not a ‘maybe’ — it’s a right, a human right. If the government’s not going to step in, then we’re going to step in, because that’s our business. We care about our fellow citizens here in New Orleans.” Through their nonprofit, Toups’ Family Meal, the team combats food insecurity year-round, and the holidays amplify that mission: during Thanksgiving week they served 1,500 people, and during the week of Christmas they plan to serve 2,000. After years of advocacy and cooking Creole and Cajun fare for those in need, the owners emphasize supporting children in their community, noting the urgency of child poverty and pledging, “So we’re going to do whatever we can to change that.”" - Kayla Stewart