When you go to New Orleans, you’ll probably hear about needing to get the Central Grocery Muffuletta. If you head to the French Quarter, it will be an easy stop to grab and go these legendary sandwiches. Even if you are already full having dined out at another location for breakfast or lunch, if you are here in the area just grab one because you can take it with you on the plane, which is what I did. While you are packing your meal throw in the iconic New Orleans treat of pralines too.
The Central Grocery Muffuletta is the best muffuletta I’ve ever had. And they have been making them for a long time – in fact Central Grocery & Deli is home of the original Muffuletta. This family owned grocery store is still lined with Italian imported groceries as it was in 1906 and now on the third generation of the same family. The story goes that this location near the Farmer’s Market (and it’s close to the French Market) was a lunch stop for many of the Sicilian farmers who would buy essentially a variety of different things to make a ham and cheese and bread board. 
The owner, Salvatore Lupo, observed they would purchase little salami, some ham, some cheese, a little olive salad, and either long braided Italian bread or round 10 inch muffuletta bread. To make it easier, the shop decided to use the round muffuletta bread as the base for a sandwich with all those ingredients packaged easily for eating (and traveling!).
So here we have it: sesame Italian Muffuletta bread stuffed with layers of imported Salami, Ham, Emmental Swiss cheese, Provolone cheese, Mortadella, and the Central Grocery special olive salad that combines olives, diced pickled vegetables, roasted red peppers, garlic, chili flakes, and dried oregano. It’s all the flavors: savory, meaty, cheesy, a little acidic, a little spicy.
A whole sandwich (cut into 4 pieces) is $19.95, half is $11.50 (2 pieces). The olive salad is a special house concoction that you can buy on its own to make your sandwich combo at home. They serve it as a cold cut sandwich aka room temperature originally. Apparently there is a passionate debate on whether to toast and melt the cheese a little, but you’ll have to do that on your own since Central Grocery only serves it unheated. 
With how much is written about it and how it is on everyone’s must eat list you may think it will be as crazy wait as the line over at Cafe Du Monde. No worries – the line moves faster then you think it will, and at certain times there are not even any lines! They are well prepared too: they have most of the sandwiches pre-made, pre-cut, and pre-wrapped.
For my visit, it took less then five minutes when I arrived on a Sat afternoon around 3:30 PM with no line, and I hear with a line it may be up to 15 minutes when they open at 9 AM and probably during lunchtime. But they are open until 5 PM so shoot for the sweet spot in between open and lunch, or after lunch.
There is a little seating at the grocery mart but you can just as easily just walk outside to enjoy it at the parks outside – the famous Jackson Square is only a few blocks away. Or stash these away for your enjoyment after an evening of libations, or as I suggested, on the plane!
For dessert, you can go to Cafe Du Monde, since having the chicory coffee there and fresh sugar covered beignets are such an iconic food here. The lines move faster then you think – and note there is a line for seating (along the street side) and a line for to go window on the other side of the Cafe entrance by fountains. Or, you can avoid the lines and busy bustling atmosphere if you want more peaceful sugar inhalation by getting them inside the newly renovated Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport if you are flying. Here’s a look at the difference in wait between the original location and airport spot. 
I also recommend trying out some pralines. There are multiple shops in the French Quarter offering this French treat localized to New Orleans to swap almonds for pecan nuts with caramelized sugar, milk, cream, and butter for a rich sweet creamy treat. You can learn more about the history from this Eater article on pralines and how they were created and supported African American women.
You may find multiple variations of flavors of pralines, from original to chocolate, sweet potato, rum, or more. The way each may treat the pecans – some are more chopped, some are halves – and ratio may vary to see what fits your taste. I liked the praline halves from Southern Candymakers below (also named as Best of the USA by Bon Appétit magazine magazine). For free samples check out the Aunt Sally’s locations – they individually wrap their in plastic so the packaging makes for better gifts.
What iconic New Orleans foods would you want to try?
Speak Your Mind