New Orleans Natives May Call This Spot A Tourist Trap, But It's My Favorite Sandwich Shop

While I may not be able to dine with a ghost or pop in while visiting the French Market, there's one place I'm always sure to visit when I stop by New Orleans. Mother's Restaurant, the best diner in the city, also serves up some of the greatest sandwiches I've ever had in my life.

Crescent City eateries usually fit into one of two categories: fine-dining, white-tablecloth establishments with waiters in bow ties, and salt-of-the-earth purveyors of tried-and-true comfort food. Mother's falls firmly in the latter category, with barely enough room to squeeze between the tables while waiting in line. And wait in line you will, since its convenient location next to the convention center makes it a hotspot for everyone from out-of-town business folk to residents looking to snag a bite on their lunch break. Cobbled together from old panel ceiling tiles, faded brick interiors, and furniture that might be as old as the building, the only nod to aesthetics comes in the form of pictures covering every spare bit of room on the walls.

Started in 1938 by the Landry family, it quickly became the premier Marine Corps hangout during and after World War II. While Mother's awards are numerous, they're entirely swamped by the sheer amount of Marine-related photography. The Landrys even boast having the first Louisiana woman accepted into the Corps, Francis Landry.

Mother's is never a bad idea, whether you're looking for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If your hotel is in downtown New Orleans, it's a great place to stop in the morning before spending the day on Bourbon and Frenchmen streets. Still, I firmly believe that its best food comes out around noon, when I have to battle lunch crowds to secure my sandwich.

Like any NOLA restaurant worth its salt, it only uses the absolute best bread for its po'boys. Its most famous offering is a Ferdi, which features baked ham and roast beef served with "debris" jus, or roast beef shavings cooked in juice. Still, my personal favorite is a full smoked Sausage Po'Boy, served with cabbage, pickles, mustard, and mayo. There's just something about the layers of textures — first the crisp shell of French bread, through the pillowy center, to the sharp snap of sausage casing, all while descending through striations of pickled vegetable goodness. And at only $10.20 for what is truly two meals, it's one of the best deals in the city after I blew too much on liquor the night before.

I'm a firm believer that there's no better hangover cure than a bloody mary, carbs, and enough grease to pad your stomach lining. And y'all, at Mother's, there's a heaven-sent combination of liquor, a biscuit laden with debris jus, and cheese grits that could bring back the recently dead. While NOLA has some of the best coffee shops, Mother's is where I go when I need something more substantial.