You've seen the French Quarter, you've eaten too many beignets. Think you've done New Orleans? Not until you stroll Magazine Street. Here are the best stops along the way. All photos by Berit Baugher

By Berit Baugher for Fathom | My first visit to New Orleans was spent exploring the French Quarter, the Garden District, and a little bit of the Bywater. By the end of day five, I had tried the cool restaurants the touristy ones, too ate beignets, sipped a disgustingly sweet hurricane cocktail, listened to jazz, and visited a few museums. I was overstuffed and pretty sure that I'd successfully seen everything there was to see. Then I found out I would be spending a lot more time in the city, based in the Warehouse District, a neighborhood I had somehow overlooked, and the starting point of what has become one of my favorite streets, the long and varied Magazine Street.

Lay of the Land

There may be no better way to get a feel for New Orleans than to spend a day walking the six-mile length of Magazine Street. If it's too hot for a five-hour walk under the baking Louisiana sun, which will probably be the case, then drop in to the sections that look most interesting. But don't skip it: Magazine is a charming, small-town, Americana Main Street that follows the curve of the Mississippi, on a route a few blocks north of the river. From its northernmost point in Audubon Park down to the busy streets of the Central Business District (known simply as "the CBD"), you'll get a glimpse of the many neighborhoods in between, each more varied than the next.

Oysters at Casamento's.

Uptown (Joseph to Jefferson Street)

Pied Nu

5521 Magazine St.; +1-504-899-4118

John Derian plates and Savon de Marseilles soap bottles line the shelves of the clothing and home shop that reminds me of the vibe at Calypso St. Barth.

Octavia Books

513 Octavia St.; +1-504-899-7323

A darling indie bookstore a few blocks off Magazine. Stop by for the vast selection on the Big Easy.

Earth Savers

5501 Magazine St.; +1-504-899-8555

Half shop, half spa, it's just as easy to lose yourself in the Dead Sea mud treatment as in the rows of serums and shampoos.

Pizza Domenica

4933 Magazine St.; +1-504-301-4978

The second outpost of John Besh's wood-burning oven pizza restaurant. The daily half-price happy hour means really good pizza at a really good price.

Longshore Studio Gallery

4848 Magazine St.; +1-504-458-5500

Artist (and Fathom contributor) Ashley Longshore paints pop culture portraits of icons like Audrey Hepburn, Kate Moss, and Friday Kahlo with an indisputable sense of humor and whimsy.

La Boulangerie

4600 Magazine St.; +1-504-269-3777

House-baked baguettes line the counter of the casual bakery and patisserie known for their French-style king cakes and bright blue exterior.

Raw Republic

4528 Magazine St.; +1-504-324-8234

The best cold-pressed juices in town. After a night on Bourbon, you'll be aching for a bottle of their basic greens.

Casamento's Restaurant

4330 Magazine St.; +1-504-895-9761

Wall-to-wall tile covers the interior of this old-school oyster spot dating back to 1919. Try the famous oyster loaf loaded with giant fried oysters. Check the calendar: They're closed from June to August.

La Petite Grocery

4238 Magazine St.; +1-504-891-3377

A grocery store turned neighborhood bistro, with delicious blue crab beignets and the tastiest cheeseburger in town.

SnoWizard SnoBall Shoppe

4001 Magazine St.; +1-504-899-8758

Beat the heat with the local treat of choice, an icy snoball drenched in sweet fruit-flavored syrup.

The goods at Box Paper Scissors.

Box Paper Scissors

3638 Magazine St.; +1-504-891-4664

A hip stationery store with a vast selection of international brands curated by former wardrobe stylist Jovan Jumpierre.

Bouligny Tavern

3641 Magazine St.; +1-504-891-1810

Cozy wine and cocktail bar decked out in vintage finds, serving small plates. For a bigger meal, head next door to sister restaurant Lilette , a French-Italian bistro.

A slice of Sucre's king cake, the best in town.

Garden District (Louisiana Avenue to First Street)

Dat Dog

3336 Magazine St.; +1-504-324-2226

Talk about a claim to fame: Skip Murray is the man who introduced hot dogs to the softball circuit in the United Kingdom. After Hurricane Katrina, he came home to set up a gourmet sausage stand. What's good? Everything.

The Bulldog

3236 Magazine St.; +1-504-891-1516

Settle down at the outdoor picnic tables for bar food and a pint of one of 50 beers on tap.

Sucre

3025 Magazine St.; +1-504-520-8311

The place to go for a sparkly slice of king cake and delicious chocolate bars flavored with exotic ingredients like Sicilian pistachios and rose petals.

Coquette

2800 Magazine St.; +1-504-265-0421

A French bistro with Southern influences and a focus on locally-sourced ingredients.

Defend New Orleans

1101 First St.; +1-504-941-7010

Skip the touristy tee shops in the Quarter and pick up a locally-designed shirt instead. Proceeds from sales are donated to post-Katrina recovery efforts.

Deliciousness at District: Donuts. Sliders. Brew.

Lower Garden District (Philip to Terpsichore Street)

District: Donuts. Sliders. Brew.

2209 Magazine St.; +1-504-570-6945

Bite-size burgers, waffle fries, a revolving list of fancy donut flavors, and free Wi-Fi.

Stein's Market and Deli

2207 Magazine St.; +1-504-527-0771

When you've had your fill of po-boys, peruse the 40+ sandwich menu at the traditional Jewish deli run by a recovering attorney from Philadelphia.

Friend

2115 Magazine St.; +1-504-218-4214

A stylish men's shop straight outta Brooklyn. Brands include APC, Saturday Surf NYC, and Soludos. Check out the magazine rack for a hard-to-find indie titles.

Aidan Gill For Men

2026 Magazine St.; +1-504-587-9090

Old-school barbershop selling vintage razors, Mason Pearson combs, and a signature line of shave oil.

Juan's Flying Burritos

2018 Magazine St.; +1-504-569-0000

A divey Mexican joint with Creole flavors, supersize portions, and frozen margaritas by the pitcher.

The Shops at 2011 Magazine

2011 Magazine St.; +1-504-407-0499

Mini marketplace selling antiques, local art, furniture, and jewelry made by area artists.

HiVolt

1829 Sophie Wright Place; +1-504-324-8818

Step a few feet off Magazine for a frothy chai tea latte, vegan muffins, and plenty of seating to spread out with a newspaper or computer.

Lily's Caf

1813 Magazine St.; +1-504-599-9999

Ditch the heavy Southern food for a taste of the city's best Vietnamese at a no-frills spot that serves an amazing flank steak pho.

Square Root

1800 Magazine St.; 1-504-309-7800

One of the city's newest and most buzzed-about restaurants only has 16 seats and serves a lengthy molecular gastronomy tasting menu. If you're not in the market for a big meal, head upstairs to the cocktail lounge for drinks and small plates.

Surry's Caf & Juice Bar

1418 Magazine St.; +1-504-524-3828

Local brunch favorite specializing in Central American dishes like migas and huevos rancheros. Absolutely unmissable: their fresh-squeezed orange-mango-pineapple juice.

Map It

See all the locations mentioned in this store . (Google Maps)

Read more on Fathom: Best Day Ever: The Pop Artist's New Orleans , Travel Loot: New Orleans , Checking In: Soniat House , Fathom New Orleans Guide

Berit is an editor at Fathom. You can follower her on Instagram , Pinterest , and Twitter . She travels for sweets and beautiful design.