Saba Restaurant New Orleans

Whenever a new restaurant with a famous chef opens in New Orleans, I like to give it some time to work out the bugs (and the opening hype) before I wander in to dine.

I’m glad I did so at Saba, named one of the best new restaurants in New Orleans in 2018, because there were no rough edges in my experience at all. With a menu mostly populated by small plates, it’s a fantastic choice for someone not familiar with Israeli food.  Chef Alon Shaya has created a lunch selection that’s perfect for sharing. There are small plates price at 3 for $21. A selection of hummus bowls, complete with wood fired pita, ranges from $10 to $20.  Larger plates are priced from $11 to $30. While $20 may seem steep for hummus, the blue crab folded into the dish is light and delectable and takes away the price tag sting.

Dining with a friend, we opted for 3 small plates, one hummus, and 2 large plates. Entirely too much food, for sure! We should have stuck with the small plates and hummus, but then we would have missed out on the octopus (so good) and lamb kebabs, and that would have been sad.

The space is bright and sunny, tables are close together, and the noise level can be just a bit much when the restaurant is full. That won’t stop me from returning again.

Saba is located at 5757 Magazine Street in West Riverside and is open 7 days a week. Reservations are recommended at dinner and don’t be surprised if you have to wait for a lunch table. Grab a cocktail while you wait or opt to dine al fresco in the cute outdoor seating area.