New Orleans (NOLA) will always have a special place in my heart because my maternal grandparents met there in the 1920s. If it weren’t for New Orleans, I wouldn’t be here.

New Orleans is also a favorite place to visit, but it’s a 10-hour drive from San Antonio. When NOLA Brunch and Beignets opened on Broadway near the San Antonio Museum of Art, we had to go.

Cafe du Monde doesn’t have anything on NOLA! Their beignets (pronounced ben-YAYS!) and their café au lait (pronounced caffay-oh-lay) made with chicory coffee and hot milk put us right in New Orleans. Those two items alone are worth the visit! Classic beignets, four to an order, cost $6, and mixed beignets (two classics, one seasonal, and one stuffed lemon) cost $8.

NOLA’s menu is extensive, however, and you won’t regret anything you order. Aside from the beignets, I had a Big Easy Biscuit–a buttermilk biscuit with sausage, bacon, Pepper Jack cheese, an over-easy egg, Hollandaise sauce and Brabant potatoes–for $18.

The gentleman sitting next to us ordered a Fried Catfish Po’boy that looked delicious. The sandwich was served with remoulade sauce and potatoes, and cost $23. We all were pleased with our selections.

NOLA’s high ceilings and colorful art make for a pleasant environment. They also have outdoor seating. Granted, we weren’t overlooking the mighty Mississippi River, but we were within walking distance of the beautiful San Antonio River Walk, a perfect place to stretch your legs after brunch.

NOLA is open daily from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Free onsite parking is available at 1101 Broadway.

Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D., author of “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” has been blogging about San Antonio since June 2010. Follow facebook.com/SanAntonioTouristso that you’ll never miss a post. Her love affair with the Alamo City began at Hemisfair in 1968. She moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio has been her home ever since. Denise completed certification to become a professional tour guide in 2019. Please contact her at sanantoniotourist at gmail dot com if you’d like for her to curate a fabulous San Antonio experience for you!