$$$$Contemporary American
Mid-City / City Park
Chef Amandalynn Picolo and pastry chef Amelia Watts drive the menus at Vessel, a Mid-City restaurant famously housed in a former church. Diners are drawn to the circa-1914 building, which retains its original stained glass windows and architectural details inspired by a ship's hull. The space, one block from the Canal Street streetcar line, is a stunning venue for Picolo's coastal cuisine, which reflects Mediterranean, Californian, and Pacific Rim influences in its small and large plates and sides. Fresh, seasonal ingredients are the focus. Some stand-out menu items include the mussels with lemongrass, ginger and five-spice shrimp broth, and crispy pork belly.
Pastry chef Amelia Watts, formerly of Compere Lapin and Restaurant August, brings a Southern influence to the dessert menu. Critics adore her buttermilk pie with pickled blueberries. Classic cocktails are a specialty of Vessel too too. Happy hour brings great deals on such locally inspired concoctions like La Louisiane, Royal Pearl, and St. Charles Punch.