Liuzza's Restaurant & Bar, New Orleans

A two-story white building stands on a tree-lined corner with "Liuzza's" painted in green block letters over the entrance's red, white, and green striped awning. Since 1945, these colors of the Italian flag have indicated Liuzza's Restaurant & Bar's Italian influences, which the staff complements by adding other flavors from the community's melting pot, serving a menu also brimming with Louisianan and Cajun fare. Inside the kitchen, chefs prepare signature Frenchuletta sandwiches piled high with Italian meats and seasonings, stir steamy pots of Cajun andouille gumbo, and layer french bread poorboys with deep-fried seafood. Sips of beer from frosted schooners, wine by the glass, and signature cocktails from the full bar accompany entrees. Stools host patrons as they watch games lighting up the behind-the-bar TVs. The collection of framed photos and artwork, meanwhile, showcases cartoons by Bunny Matthews salvaged after Hurricane Katrina's eight feet of flood waters engulfed the restaurant.