Since its founding in 2005, COOLinary New Orleans has invited locals and visitors to experience the city’s top restaurants at fixed, approachable prices during the slowest stretch of summer. What began as a post-Katrina tourism initiative has grown into a highly anticipated dining tradition, with dozens of restaurants offering curated lunch and dinner menus each August.
This year, the Italian presence is especially strong. From delicate, home-made pastas to Creole-inspired red sauce dishes, the lineup reflects both the range and resilience of Italian cooking in New Orleans. Whether you’re booking a table near the French Quarter or discovering a hidden gem deep in one of the neighborhoods, COOLinary offers a rare opportunity to taste Italian dishes across the city.
Below, a curated look at the Italian restaurants confirmed for COOLinary 2025.
Brutto Americano
Set inside the Barnett Hotel on Carondelet Street, Brutto delivers a confident take on modern Italian cuisine with the perfect Southern influences. The COOLinary dinner menu features seared gulf tuna, beef and pork meatballs with ricotta, and everything from pappardelle to gemelli. Their website highlights the detailed menu for the special evening.
Pascal’s Manale
Established in 1913 and located on Napoleon Avenue, Pascal’s Manale is a New Orleans institution. It’s best known for inventing barbecue shrimp, but the COOLinary menus offer a broader Creole-Italian menu, like clam fettuccine in white wine and sunflower pesto.
Pulcinella
Tucked away in the Seventh Ward on St. Bernard Avenue, Pulcinella brings Sicilian comfort to a quiet corner of the city. Executive Chef Matty Hayes adds the freshest ingredients from local vendors, and the dishes represent his Sicilian heritage.
Osteria Lupo
Located along a tree-lined stretch of Magazine Street, this Northern Italian restaurant serves its COOLinary menu family-style. Speciality dishes like burrata with aged balsamic, Gulf fish with fennel, and spaghetti with Maine lobster will be part of their Coolinary menu. And don’t miss their decadent desserts!
Domenica
Housed in the historic Roosevelt Hotel just outside the French Quarter, Domenica offers rustic Italian dishes with a modern edge. Expect stuffed calamari and charred eggplant tortellini. Check out their website for their specific Coolinary menu.
Avo
On Magazine Street, Avo is Chef Nick Lama’s tribute to modern Sicilian cooking. Set in a converted home, the space is intimate and the ingredients are locally harvested.
San Lorenzo & Paradise Lounge
Located inside the Hotel Saint Vincent in the Lower Garden District, San Lorenzo channels seasonal Italian cooking at its finest. Its COOLinary menus emphasize seafood and vegetables, served in a stylish yet casual dining room.
Rizzuto’s Prime
In the residential Lakeview neighborhood, Rizzuto’s combines the heart of an old-school Italian steakhouse with that unforgettable New Orleans vibe. You'll find options like prime beef, perfectly baked pastas, and the charm of Sicilian hospitality.
Whether you’re craving rigatoni and red wine or something lighter from the coast, COOLinary offers a month-long chance to explore the Italian kitchens that help shape New Orleans. Reservations are encouraged, and menus can be found at the Coolinary website.
