Entry No. 36 — the New Orleans file — filed under: speakeasy-bar

Jewel of the South

Set in a restored 1830s Creole cottage with a hidden garden courtyard and wood-framed parlour rooms, Jewel is co-founder Chris Hannah's homage to a vanished 19th-century New Orleans bar of the same name, run by pioneering bartender Joseph Santini. Santini is credited with inventing the Brandy Crusta in New Orleans around 1850 — the first cocktail with a sugared rim — and the current bar serves a meticulous version of it. Jewel has ranked among the World's 50 Best Bars and been repeatedly named the best bar in the American South.

The move: Reserve a table in the secret garden courtyard and order the Brandy Crusta where it was effectively reborn, then let the bartenders steer you through their menu of resurrected Creole drinks.

📍 Before you go The hidden courtyard fills fast; reservations are strongly recommended.

• 📍 French Quarter
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 1026 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112

Hours: Added 2026-06-22 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-22