Entry No. 36 — the New Orleans file — filed under: speakeasy-bar
Jewel of the South
Set in a restored 1830s Creole cottage with a hidden garden courtyard and wood-framed parlour rooms, Jewel is co-founder Chris Hannah's homage to a vanished 19th-century New Orleans bar of the same name, run by pioneering bartender Joseph Santini. Santini is credited with inventing the Brandy Crusta in New Orleans around 1850 — the first cocktail with a sugared rim — and the current bar serves a meticulous version of it. Jewel has ranked among the World's 50 Best Bars and been repeatedly named the best bar in the American South.
The story
Around 1850, an Italian-born bartender named Joseph Santini carved a continuous strip of lemon peel, curled it into a glass, rimmed the lip with sugar, and poured in a mix of brandy, curaçao, and bitters. He called it the Brandy Crusta. The drink became a milestone in cocktail history—the literal birth of the sugared rim—and Santini served it from his original New Orleans saloon, the Jewel of the South. That bar vanished into the 19th century, but the blueprinted ghost of it lingered.
In 2019, veteran New Orleans bartender Chris Hannah and partner Nick Detrick decided to summon the ghost back into existence. Instead of building a polished museum piece, they moved into an 1830s Creole cottage on St. Louis Street. The setup relies on dark, wood-framed parlor rooms up front and liquid archaeology at the bar, serving resurrected 19th-century Creole concoctions alongside modern plates of steaks and caviar.
What it's like
You step through a modest doorway into low-lit, wood-paneled parlors, but the real play is walking straight through to the back. There sits a hidden brick-and-greenery garden courtyard that feels completely removed from the chaos three blocks over on Bourbon Street. It fills up fast, so secure a reservation if you want outdoor air. Order the Brandy Crusta first—it arrives with the broad spiral of citrus skin fixed to the sugared glass, exactly as Santini built it—then let the bartending staff guide you through the rest of the historical menu.
The move: Reserve a table in the secret garden courtyard and order the Brandy Crusta where it was effectively reborn, then let the bartenders steer you through their menu of resurrected Creole drinks.
📍 Before you go The hidden courtyard fills fast; reservations are strongly recommended.
- 📍 French Quarter
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1026 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112
Hours: Added 2026-06-22 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 — A short walk down St. Louis Street puts you at the city's oldest surviving cemetery before you duck into the cottage for mid-nineteenth-century drinks.
- Bar Tonique — Located just three blocks away on Rampart, Tonique provides an unpretentious, brick-and-fireplace counterpoint to Jewel's parlor atmosphere.
- Cane & Table — Pair Jewel's 19th-century Creole revival with Cane & Table's crumbling-plaster room and historical rum cocktails on the lower end of the Quarter.
Good to know
What is the historical significance of the Brandy Crusta?
Invented by Joseph Santini around 1850 at the original Jewel of the South, it was the first known cocktail to incorporate a sugared rim and a full spiral of lemon peel draped inside the glass.
Do I need reservations to get in?
Reservations are strongly advised, particularly if you want to sit in the small garden courtyard, which fills quickly.
Is Jewel of the South a full restaurant or just a cocktail lounge?
It operates as both a tavern and a cocktail room, offering a full food menu featuring items like steaks and caviar alongside Sunday brunch.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · theworlds50best.com · neworleans.com · library.cocktailkingdom.com · punchdrink.com
last checked: 2026-06-22