High Hat Cafe

Despite only being around since 2009, High Hat Cafe exudes a timeless charm and feels wiser than its years. The trick may be in its honest approach to food and hospitality—the meals here are Southern comfort food at its finest, and you’re likely to be greeted as an old friend when you walk through the door. Blame this on Ryan Iriarte, who has been working here since the beginning, and recently purchased the restaurant with another business partner when, a few years back, the previous owners considered shutting the High Hat’s doors for good.

Inside, the space is warm and inviting, with tiled floors, beadboard walls, and large windows filling the restaurant with natural light. The chrome and formica tables help with the old diner aesthetic, as does the long bar along with chalkboard specials and framed photos of Freret Street in the past.

It’s all in service of a menu that isn’t afraid to play to local tastes, with enough invention to keep things interesting—the BBQ shrimp braised in local beer, smoked chicken, grilled catfish, and pimento mac and cheese are perennial favorites, with sautéed collards, cornbread, and black-eyed peas rounding meals out. The cafe’s rotation of daily specials throughout the week also keeps neighborhood regulars, students, and lunch-hour workers coming back.