I can think of no city in the United States that embraces vampire legends quite like New Orleans. Being considered one of the most haunted cities in America helps, as do the above-ground cemeteries throughout the city and the vampire-themed tours that are easily found in the French Quarter. Then there are places like the New Orleans Vampire Café, which take the theme to a whole other level.
Located on the corner of Royal and St. Ann streets in the heart of the French Quarter, the New Orleans Vampire Café is well positioned to cater to tourists tastes for the macabre. Its appearance may initially seem unassuming from afar, given its similarity to almost any other corner café in the Quarter. But get a little close, and you can’t help but be a little intrigued by the sign.
Or, perhaps, the specials board will be what eventually lures you in for a bite.
One you step inside and wait for the host or hostess to greet you, the first thing you’re likely to notice is the bar. You are in New Orleans, after all, so even in a small café like this one, your bar should stand out. The Vampire Café’s bar exudes elegance and Old-World charm fitting for its theme.
The dining section of the café is on the cozy side, with just a few round tables along the left wall.
The room opens up more on the right side. The exposed brick wall with window frames used as decorations once again gives off a suitable aura that also fits right in with any French Quarter building.
You might also literally bump into the café’s sizable wine rack next to the entrance. So, if you do drink wine as opposed to a vampire’s favorite other red liquid, you may very well be in your happy place. In fact, their wine selection has many choices perfectly named for the vampire theme, such as the Trueblood Cabernet and the Fangria Spanish Sangria.
The food menu at the Vampire Café is more limited than I would have liked, and some items I had heard about were no longer available (they have since brought back the roasted elephant garlic, but I’m still waiting for the return of the bone marrow appetizer), but there’s still probably something for everyone looking for a small plate or two. I found this shrimp remoulade salad to be just the right size for a mid-afternoon snack. The flavor of the sauce was spot-on, and being able to drizzle the juice from a couple of pepperoncini over the top gave it an extra kick.
Punky was a little more daring with her order – the blackened alligator po-boy. Again, I credit the sign out front for influencing this decision. It came dressed with a side of chips and was admittedly more filling than my salad. As I’ve said before, good bread goes a long way toward a good po-boy.
The main reason we stopped at the Vampire Café, however, was for the refreshments. Many drinks on their cocktail menu get their names straight out of the blood bank, like Punky’s Type B – a wonderfully refreshing quencher with vodka, blue curacao, orange juice and lemon-lime soda.
Then there’s my Type O drink, a delicious take on the mojito with blackberries being the star attraction.
But if you really want to go “all in” on the Vampire Café’s theme, you’ll follow the Kiddo’s lead and get a Blood Bag cocktail. They’re the perfect “to go” order for sipping while strolling through the Quarter. And, thankfully for the Kiddo, they have non-alcoholic varieties, too.
The only downside to our visit to the New Orleans Vampire Café was my failure as a blogger to take a picture of the IV bag drink we purchased. Fortunately, there are plenty of photos in public domain which one can access through a simple Google search. And I’m sure the Vampire Café appreciates the free advertising.
The next time you’re in New Orleans and you’re feeling in the spooky spirit, do like we did and sneak into the Vampire Café for some ghoulishly good escape.
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