All the new food to try at New Orleans Jazz Fest 2025, from new dishes to new vendors

The menu at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival is vast and varied, with more than 200 food items this year from 60 vendors. Many of them are familiar to Jazz Fest fans, and some are household names (at least in food-obsessed New Orleans households).

But new additions do come along, whether new dishes from established vendors or new vendors debuting at the fest.

Here’s the early look at what’s new for 2025. One of my first orders of business each Jazz Fest is trying out all that’s new, so check back for that report.

New food vendors for 2025

Creole soul from Cafe Dauphine (Food Area 1): What started as a restaurant in the Holy Cross neighborhood has become a familiar presence at other festivals and this year makes its Jazz Fest debut with fried stuffed bell peppers and shrimp and crawfish eggrolls.

Vegan soul from Sweet SoulFood (Food Area 2): A restaurant just around the corner from the festival grounds gets its first booth, bringing staples from its menu including sweet heat cauliflower, sweet potatoes, collard greens and cornbread.

Refined Louisiana oysters from Lady Nellie Oyster Farm (Heritage Square): There’s a new kind of oyster from Louisiana waters, grown in cages, and smaller and more delicate than the more common reef harvested oysters. Lady Nellie is one of the new growers for these, serving them raw on the half shell with a satsuma mignonette. 

Mexican Flavor at the Cultural Exchange Pavilion: In addition, there’s a new collaboration at the Cultural Exchange Pavilion from Tempero’s Market Kitchen and local pop-up Ella. Tempero’s is the catering and events brand from the family that previously ran the restaurant Carmo (it closed in 2024, though elements of its style live on at their new Nikkei, a tavern kitchen in the Broadside music venue, not far from the Fair Grounds).

This year, they’re serving foods aligned with Jazz Fest’s celebration of Mexican culture. Look for tamales, flautas and ceviche on tostadas, including vegetarian versions of each.

Here are the new dishes from returning vendors for 2025:

• Fried alligator with pepper jelly from Clesi’s Seafood, Food Area 1 (note: this local seafood restaurant and cater is expanding its menu after debuting in 2024)
• Vegan gumbo with smoked mushrooms from Brocato’s Kitchen, Food Area 1
• Chicken parmesan po-boy from Vucinovich’s Restaurant, Food Area 1 (note: this is a twist on this long-time restaurant’s paneed chicken po-boy)
• Blueberry cream cheese pie from Mrs. Wheat’s Foods, Food Area 2
• Passion fruit wings from Fritai, Food Area 2 (note: this local Haitian restaurant is back after debuting in 2024)