After twenty-six years, the Reveillon has become an entrenched and eminently enjoyable part of the Christmas season in New Orleans.
It started as an ancient French Yuletide feasting tradition, brought to the New Orleans colony along with Mardi Gras. Originally, the Reveillon was something along the lines of a Sunday brunch buffet, eaten the wee hours of Christmas morning. In those days one had to fast from the previous midnight in order to take Communion at Midnight Mass, and afterwards everyone needed refreshment. (The word “reveillon” means “awakening.”)
The Reveillon tradition was an unlikely candidate for revival in 1988, when Sandra Dartus of the French Quarter Festival proposed it. Served at conventional dinner hours, the modern Reveillon’s aim was to draw people downtown during December, a slack time for conventions.
This year, a record forty-nine restaurants have signed onto the official Reveillon program. The restaurants each assemble their own special menus of between four and six courses, with prices ranging from $38 to $97–most of them in $40s. Even the most expensive Reveillon menus are enticing values. Prices do not include wines, tax or gratuity.
Below, in reverse alphabetical order, are all the Reveillon menus. Also here are other restaurants with special holiday season menus, although they’re not participating in the official Reveillon program. (The French Quarter Festival owns the “Reveillon” trademark.) Check back often, because I add more menus almost every day.
The dinners begin every night the restaurant is open starting December 1 and running through December 23. In recent years, many restaurants continue the Reveillon menus a week or more beyond Christmas. On the other hand, because of private parties and other matters, some restaurants turn off the Reveillon lights on some nights. Calling for a reservation eliminates disappointments.
We rate all the Reveillon dinners with one to five “snowflakes.” The Reveillon reviews are based on past years’ Reveillons, the year-round performance of the restaurant, the menu this year, and value. These snowflake ratings are apart from our usual star ratings, and apply only to the Reveillon, not the restaurant as a whole.
You’ll also note the » symbol on certain dishes. This indicates dishes I think will be especially good. Information about hours, credit cards, and other matters can be had by clicking on the “FULL REVIEW” link in each listing here.
Don’t let the holidays go by without going with friends to at least one Reveillon dinner! They’re festive, delicious, seasonal, and affordable.
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Borgne
Borgne had just opened when it premiered its first Reveillon menu two years ago. SInce then, Chef Brian Landry has made this seafood-dominent menu good enough that many diners call it the best of John Besh's nine restaurants. This year, Brian assembled a highly directed (no choices) menu with a touch of retro culinary style.
Four courses, $65.
Fried oyster barigouleArtichoke, wild mushroom & verjus vinaigrette
Louisiana white shrimp cocktail
Romesco, fresh horseradish & arugula
Madeira-braised lamb shank
Carrots, chickpeas & couscous
Cane syrup cornmeal cake
Buttermilk ice cream & bourbon
CBD: 601 Loyola Ave (Hyatt Regency Hotel). 504-613-3860.FULL REVIEW
All the Reveillon menus can be perused here. We'll feature one every day throughout the Reveillon season, which runs in most of the Reveillon restaurants until December 31.The snowflake ratings are for the Reveillon menu, not the restaurant in general. Dishes marked with the symbol ✽ are my recommendations.
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