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Pasta from Osteria Lupo.
Katherine Kimball/Eater NOLA

Where to Eat Pasta in New Orleans

13 of the best destinations for cacio e pepe, squid ink spaghetti, gnocchi, and more

by Beth D'Addono and Clair Lorell Updated
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Pasta from Osteria Lupo.
| Katherine Kimball/Eater NOLA
by Beth D'Addono and Clair Lorell Updated

For eaters of Italian heritage, pasta is comfort on a plate, whether it's red gravy and meatballs for Sunday dinner or simply sauced with garlic, olive oil, and red chili flakes. New Orleans, with its deep Sicilian roots and particular Creole meets Italian cuisine, does a fine job of bringing its own version of the boot’s gastronomy to the table. Tending to the heavily sauced and often mixing seafood with cheese, two things you won’t find in Italy, local pasta satisfies with New Orleans panache. Take comfort and get a carb fix at all of these Italian eateries.

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Vincent's

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This Metairie classic delivers copious portions of New Orleans style Italian fare and has since 1989. Try the house special, a veal and spinach stuffed feather-light cannelloni with both red and Alfredo cream sauce, and all of the seafood pastas are beyond fresh. There’s also a Vincent’s location on St. Charles Avenue near the Riverbend.

4411 Chastant St, Metairie, LA 70006
(504) 885-2984
(504) 885-2984
Vincent’s canneloni
Vincent’s/Facebook

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Avo

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Chef Nick Lama’s sophisticated uptown restaurant, with its gorgeous dining courtyard, pays homage to his Sicilian roots in a myriad of artful ways. Avo serves handmade pasta, beautifully composed plates of lasagna rich with short rib ragu, black squid ink mafalda, and bucatini cacio e pepe with jump lump crab. All of the food is special here, but the pasta is beyond dreamy.

5908 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 509-6550
(504) 509-6550
Avo

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Osteria Lupo

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Osteria Lupo’s menu focuses first on pasta dishes, followed by a handful of entrees of roasted meats and fish, a trio of wood-fired pizzas, and shareable antipasti. But it’s the pasta that steals the show, from the radiatori with blue crab to the rich bigoli carbonara and spaghetti alla chittara. The campanelle with mushrooms is a slightly lighter, delicious option. Don’t miss dessert.

4609 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 273-1268
(504) 273-1268
Campanelle with mushrooms.
Katherine Kimball/Eater NOLA

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San Lorenzo at Hotel Saint Vincent

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The menu at this beautiful Hotel St. Vincent restaurant is seafood-centric, but the pasta shines. Keep it simple with the spaghetti pomodoro or the linguine vongole, a classic preparation, or try something extravagant like the fresh squid ink chitarra, with its winning combination of jalapeno, sweet uni, and crabmeat bright with citrus.

1507 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 350-2430
(504) 350-2430

Also featured in:

Josephine Estelle

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Ohhhhh the cacio e pepe at Josephine Estelle, oh my oh my. So savory, black peppery, fresh, and pungent with Parmigiano-Reggiano, this is just one of the homemade pastas worth diving into at this smart restaurant at the Ace Hotel. The restaurant marries flavors from Italy with flavors and product from the American South. Good news — all of the homemade pasta dishes are offered as both starters and entrees, because you’ll want more.

600 Carondelet St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 930-3070
(504) 930-3070
Cacio e pepe at Josephine Estelle
Josephine Estelle

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Sofia NOLA

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Fans of Sophia Loren will adore this Italian restaurant, where photos of the Roman beauty are everywhere. Executive chef Talia Diele makes fantastic pasta, case in point the tagliatelle squid ink pasta with Calabrian chile, shrimp, and capers. Sofia’s cacio e pepe features the lightest spaghetti alla chitarra and there’s a great radiatori alla vodka too.

516 Julia St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 322-3216
(504) 322-3216

Gianna Restaurant

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Warehouse District stunner Gianna, from the prolific Link Restaurant Group, serves smartly conceived regional Italian specialties — rustic but elegant versions of ribollita soup, ricotta gnocchi, and veal saltimbocca. Besides the gnocchi, the primi section of the menu offers a rigatoni amatriciana with guanciale, campanelle with bolognese and mascarpone, and sausage orecchiette. The lamb lasagna is a vastly-layered beauty.

700 Magazine St #101, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 399-0816
(504) 399-0816

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The Italian Barrel

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This elegant restaurant close to the French Market leans to the north of the boot, thanks to the talents of Verona, Italy-born and raised chef Samantha Castagnetti. Don’t resist the veal meatball in red sauce with red sauce, tender and perfectly spiced. The penne ala vodka is spiked with local crabmeat and linguine is tossed with a bright pesto sauce larded with shrimp.

1240 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 569-0198
(504) 569-0198

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Adolfo's

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Adolfo’s might just be the king of Creole Italian food in New Orleans. Situated above the Apple Barrel on Frenchmen Street, this no-frills, cash-only, no-reservations joint draws legions of loyal fans. Almost everything is tasty, rich with cream, and slathered with cheese. Try the shrimp alfredo, mussels marinara over spaghetti, and of course the cannelloni. Portions are huge, so plan ahead.

611 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 948-3800
(504) 948-3800

Also featured in:

Paladar 511

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This bustling Marigny restaurant is a neighborhood gem through and through. Wood-fired pizza dominates the menu, but there are a few homemade pastas, including an outstanding house-made pappardelle that pairs spicy pork sausage ragu, basil, and parmigiana with the wide ribbons of pasta. Everything at Palladar 511 is good, including the squid ink spaghetti, cacio e pepe, tuna crudo, beef carpaccio, well, everything really.

511 Marigny St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 509-6782
(504) 509-6782

Also featured in:

Arabella Casa Di Pasta

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Have your pasta your way at Arabella’s, a laid-back Italian eatery where diners build their own supper, combining a pasta shape, a sauce (puttanesca? tomato cream?), and add-ons like meatballs, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and more. There are house specialties too, including the John Lemon, which tosses shrimp, arugula, and lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil in fettuccini, or the Yolko Ono, a riff on carbonara that includes pancetta, roasted garlic, and lots of black pepper over spaghetti, all topped with a runny egg yolk.

2258 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 267-6108
(504) 267-6108

Bywater American Bistro

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There may be just a few dishes featuring pasta at this neighborhood favorite from famed chef Nina Compton, but they are standout. Get the butter-kissed spaghetti pomodoro, a fresh take on a comfort classic that keeps regulars coming back weekly, or the cavatelli with clams, shrimp, and pork belly. The restaurant is in the Rice Mill Lofts building by the tracks, a circa 1892 building that was once home to the largest rice mill in North America.

2900 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 605-3827
(504) 605-3827

Also featured in:

Pizza Delicious

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This Bywater favorite is of course, best known for its pizza, but the rotating pasta offerings are not to be missed: spaghetti carbonara, spicy crab linguine, spring gnocchi, and pappardelle Bolognese might be among the options, and there’s always a vegan pasta option on the menu. Affordable and family-friendly with fluffy, delicious cookies to round out your meal.

617 Piety St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 676-8482
(504) 676-8482

Also featured in:

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Vincent's

4411 Chastant St, Metairie, LA 70006

This Metairie classic delivers copious portions of New Orleans style Italian fare and has since 1989. Try the house special, a veal and spinach stuffed feather-light cannelloni with both red and Alfredo cream sauce, and all of the seafood pastas are beyond fresh. There’s also a Vincent’s location on St. Charles Avenue near the Riverbend.

4411 Chastant St, Metairie, LA 70006
(504) 885-2984
(504) 885-2984
Vincent’s canneloni
Vincent’s/Facebook

Avo

5908 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Chef Nick Lama’s sophisticated uptown restaurant, with its gorgeous dining courtyard, pays homage to his Sicilian roots in a myriad of artful ways. Avo serves handmade pasta, beautifully composed plates of lasagna rich with short rib ragu, black squid ink mafalda, and bucatini cacio e pepe with jump lump crab. All of the food is special here, but the pasta is beyond dreamy.

5908 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 509-6550
(504) 509-6550
Avo

Osteria Lupo

4609 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Osteria Lupo’s menu focuses first on pasta dishes, followed by a handful of entrees of roasted meats and fish, a trio of wood-fired pizzas, and shareable antipasti. But it’s the pasta that steals the show, from the radiatori with blue crab to the rich bigoli carbonara and spaghetti alla chittara. The campanelle with mushrooms is a slightly lighter, delicious option. Don’t miss dessert.

4609 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 273-1268
(504) 273-1268
Campanelle with mushrooms.
Katherine Kimball/Eater NOLA

San Lorenzo at Hotel Saint Vincent

1507 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

The menu at this beautiful Hotel St. Vincent restaurant is seafood-centric, but the pasta shines. Keep it simple with the spaghetti pomodoro or the linguine vongole, a classic preparation, or try something extravagant like the fresh squid ink chitarra, with its winning combination of jalapeno, sweet uni, and crabmeat bright with citrus.

1507 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 350-2430
(504) 350-2430

Josephine Estelle

600 Carondelet St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Ohhhhh the cacio e pepe at Josephine Estelle, oh my oh my. So savory, black peppery, fresh, and pungent with Parmigiano-Reggiano, this is just one of the homemade pastas worth diving into at this smart restaurant at the Ace Hotel. The restaurant marries flavors from Italy with flavors and product from the American South. Good news — all of the homemade pasta dishes are offered as both starters and entrees, because you’ll want more.

600 Carondelet St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 930-3070
(504) 930-3070
Cacio e pepe at Josephine Estelle
Josephine Estelle

Sofia NOLA

516 Julia St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Fans of Sophia Loren will adore this Italian restaurant, where photos of the Roman beauty are everywhere. Executive chef Talia Diele makes fantastic pasta, case in point the tagliatelle squid ink pasta with Calabrian chile, shrimp, and capers. Sofia’s cacio e pepe features the lightest spaghetti alla chitarra and there’s a great radiatori alla vodka too.

516 Julia St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 322-3216
(504) 322-3216

Gianna Restaurant

700 Magazine St #101, New Orleans, LA 70130

Warehouse District stunner Gianna, from the prolific Link Restaurant Group, serves smartly conceived regional Italian specialties — rustic but elegant versions of ribollita soup, ricotta gnocchi, and veal saltimbocca. Besides the gnocchi, the primi section of the menu offers a rigatoni amatriciana with guanciale, campanelle with bolognese and mascarpone, and sausage orecchiette. The lamb lasagna is a vastly-layered beauty.

700 Magazine St #101, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 399-0816
(504) 399-0816

The Italian Barrel

1240 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

This elegant restaurant close to the French Market leans to the north of the boot, thanks to the talents of Verona, Italy-born and raised chef Samantha Castagnetti. Don’t resist the veal meatball in red sauce with red sauce, tender and perfectly spiced. The penne ala vodka is spiked with local crabmeat and linguine is tossed with a bright pesto sauce larded with shrimp.

1240 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 569-0198
(504) 569-0198

Adolfo's

611 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Adolfo’s might just be the king of Creole Italian food in New Orleans. Situated above the Apple Barrel on Frenchmen Street, this no-frills, cash-only, no-reservations joint draws legions of loyal fans. Almost everything is tasty, rich with cream, and slathered with cheese. Try the shrimp alfredo, mussels marinara over spaghetti, and of course the cannelloni. Portions are huge, so plan ahead.

611 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 948-3800
(504) 948-3800

Paladar 511

511 Marigny St, New Orleans, LA 70117

This bustling Marigny restaurant is a neighborhood gem through and through. Wood-fired pizza dominates the menu, but there are a few homemade pastas, including an outstanding house-made pappardelle that pairs spicy pork sausage ragu, basil, and parmigiana with the wide ribbons of pasta. Everything at Palladar 511 is good, including the squid ink spaghetti, cacio e pepe, tuna crudo, beef carpaccio, well, everything really.

511 Marigny St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 509-6782
(504) 509-6782

Arabella Casa Di Pasta

2258 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Have your pasta your way at Arabella’s, a laid-back Italian eatery where diners build their own supper, combining a pasta shape, a sauce (puttanesca? tomato cream?), and add-ons like meatballs, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and more. There are house specialties too, including the John Lemon, which tosses shrimp, arugula, and lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil in fettuccini, or the Yolko Ono, a riff on carbonara that includes pancetta, roasted garlic, and lots of black pepper over spaghetti, all topped with a runny egg yolk.

2258 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 267-6108
(504) 267-6108

Bywater American Bistro

2900 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117

There may be just a few dishes featuring pasta at this neighborhood favorite from famed chef Nina Compton, but they are standout. Get the butter-kissed spaghetti pomodoro, a fresh take on a comfort classic that keeps regulars coming back weekly, or the cavatelli with clams, shrimp, and pork belly. The restaurant is in the Rice Mill Lofts building by the tracks, a circa 1892 building that was once home to the largest rice mill in North America.

2900 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 605-3827
(504) 605-3827

Pizza Delicious

617 Piety St, New Orleans, LA 70117

This Bywater favorite is of course, best known for its pizza, but the rotating pasta offerings are not to be missed: spaghetti carbonara, spicy crab linguine, spring gnocchi, and pappardelle Bolognese might be among the options, and there’s always a vegan pasta option on the menu. Affordable and family-friendly with fluffy, delicious cookies to round out your meal.

617 Piety St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 676-8482
(504) 676-8482

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