Café Dauphine, New Orleans

While the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was still felt within the Lower Ninth Ward/Holy Cross area, siblings Fred and Keisha Henry and Fred’s wife, Tia, breathed some new life into the historic district with Café Dauphine. The eatery’s New Orleans–inspired Southern menu treats guests to seafood fresh from the Gulf and served grilled, fried, and tucked into plates of pasta. The chefs’ star dish—deep-fried bell peppers stuffed with lump crabmeat and shrimp—can be paired with garlic mashed potatoes or piles of red beans and rice. A few entrees use land-born meats to create bites of marinated and charbroiled chicken or ribs slathered in barbecue sauce.