Patois sits on Laurel Street in a residential stretch of West Riverside, styled by its own description as a quaint, romantic neighborhood restaurant serving classic French cuisine with a patois, or local accent. An old bar anchors the dining room, giving the space the feel of a longtime local fixture rather than a destination restaurant.
The kitchen works in French-Creole territory: seafood gumbo with homemade bread, gnocchi, mussels, duck confit, rabbit, and scallops have all drawn repeat mentions from diners, alongside a cocktail and wine list built to match.
Patois has picked up three James Beard Foundation Best Chef semifinalist nods, in 2009, 2010, and 2011. More recently, it was named to NOLA.com's Where NOLA Eats best-of list in 2025 and holds a Michelin Guide Selected designation for the same year.
The kitchen works in French-Creole territory: seafood gumbo with homemade bread, gnocchi, mussels, duck confit, rabbit, and scallops have all drawn repeat mentions from diners, alongside a cocktail and wine list built to match.
Patois has picked up three James Beard Foundation Best Chef semifinalist nods, in 2009, 2010, and 2011. More recently, it was named to NOLA.com's Where NOLA Eats best-of list in 2025 and holds a Michelin Guide Selected designation for the same year.