The Best Bacon in the Big Easy

If I could choose one thing to eat for the rest of my life, without health consequences of course, I would absolutely choose bacon. I never even liked bacon until I was about 15 years old staying at a hotel enjoying the free breakfast buffet, when my friend told me “it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.” Personal opinion: bacon is, like, 1,000 times better than sliced bread. Anyway, I eat bacon at every opportunity. Sweet, savory, spicy – you name it and if there is bacon in it, I’ll eat it. Below are a few of my favorite places to eat bacon (and some of the best, most creative incorporation of bacon into dishes) in New Orleans.

1. Classic, breakfast bacon at Refuel. About a year ago, when GoNOLA named the best places to eat breakfast in New Orleans, I wrote that Refuel’s bacon is “crispy perfection.” I still 100% stand by that statement and, what’s more, I think their bacon – for bacon traditionalists – is the best in the city. It’s crisp, flavorful and just delicious.

2. Peanut Butter Burger at Yo Mama’s. Without a doubt, the Peanut Butter Burger which is served with chunks of bacon at Yo Mama’s is one of the most creative ways I’ve ever enjoyed bacon. I love bacon cheeseburgers and I love peanut butter, so obviously this sandwich is right up my alley. If a little PB on your bacon burger isn’t your thing, you can always go for the classic Bacon Burger.

3. Maple Glazed Bacon Long John from Blue Dot Donuts. Blue Dot is fairly new to the food scene in New Orleans. The locally owned and operated donut shop was opened by NOPD officers Dennis Gibliant, Ronnie Laporte and Brandon Singleton. The Maple Bacon donut is like eating a pancake with maple syrup with bacon wrapped in the middle. Um, YUM. If the Maple Bacon Long John isn’t something you think you should try (although you absolutely should!) you can choose from 40 different types of donuts.

4. Praline bacon at Elizabeth’s. Usually, I prefer savory to sweet but in the case of Elizabeth’s Praline Bacon, I get the best of both worlds. The Praline Bacon at Elizabeth’s is so good, it should be illegal. Thick slices of melt-in-your-mouth bacon, smothered in brown sugar and other sweet goodness, it truly is the coming together of a traditional praline and bacon. And, it is delicious.

5. BLT Pizza at Crescent Pie and Sausage. This is one of those cases where, when someone says “everything is better with bacon,” it’s definitely true. Pizza is delicious on its own; you add some bacon and – BAM! – you have got a winner. The BLT Pizza (along with all of the pies) at Crescent Pie and Sausage company is truly delicious.

6. Bacon Azul Quesadilla at Juan’s Flying Burrito. Named for the heaping portions of bacon and blue cheese, this is not a dish for those that shy away from heavy foods. This delicious quesadilla is loaded with ground beef, mushrooms, onions, blue cheese crumbles and, of course, bacon. And, served with a side of chipotle ranch dipping sauce. I can only describe this quesadilla as awesome – filling – but awesome.

So there you have it, six of my favorite places to enjoy my favorite food. Did I miss something? Let us know in the comments section what is your favorite place to enjoy bacon in the Big Easy!

Side note: if you’re looking to buy bacon for your own creative cooking concepts, check out Cochon Butcher. Butcher receives whole pigs and creates their own in-house smoked bacon. You can also buy Cochon Butcher bacon at St. James Cheese Company.

Tagged as: Bacon, blue dot donuts, crescent pie and sausage, peanut butter bacon burger, Praline Bacon, yo mama's burgers