Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
14
FRERET STREET: FEEDING FRENZY
BOUNDARIES:
Freret St., Jefferson Ave., Napoleon Ave.
PARKING:
Free lot at Freret and Jena Sts., free street parking
PUBLIC TRANSIT:
RTA Bus #15 (Freret)
It's no secret that New Orleans is one of the world's preeminent dining destinations, with
some of the finest restaurants to be found in the French Quarter, the Warehouse District,
and along Magazine Street. Now you can add Freret Street, between Jefferson and Napole-
on Avenues, to the culinary mix.
Freret Street, named after the 19th-century mayor William Freret, is a haven for foodies.
You won't find any fine-dining eateries on this eight-block stretch, but what you will dis-
cover are places specializing in fun and creative fare—gourmet hot dogs, for instance, and
craft cocktails, along with po'boys, meat pies, doughnuts, and even a Louisiana take on the
Philly cheesesteak. The growing number of businesses is equally impressive: salons, a
comic book store, an art gallery, a garden center, and a secondhand-clothing shop, among
others.
The transformation of Freret from nearly dead to alive and kicking is nothing short of a
miracle. Though the street had been a thriving commercial strip in the mid-20th century,
suburban sprawl and the murder of Bill Long, a beloved Freret Street baker, in the 1980s
left the strip decayed and depressed.
Enter the Freret Business and Property Owner Association, a group of citizens that vowed
“to establish an image that Freret Street is a safe, vibrant, easily accessible destination to
shop, dine, play, work and live.” They succeeded beyond anyone's imagination, and the
growth of Freret continues to this day, with even more restaurants and businesses in the
works.
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Begin your walk at the corner of Napoleon Avenue and Freret Street in front
of Holy Rosary Academy and High School, a Catholic school that opened in
1908 with 42 students. The building is the former home of Our Lady of
Lourdes Church, which closed in 2008 as part of an Archdiocese of New Or-
leans reorganization. Across the street is a parking lot that is transformed into
the Freret Market on the first Saturday of every month (except July and
August). The market features art and produce vendors, live music, a chil-
dren's area, and restaurants serving up their specialties.
