Jewel of the South is a charming Creole Cottage at the edge of the French Quarter. A residence for over 150 years, the space is now home to a bar and restaurant that pays homage to the original Jewel of the South—once the most popular cocktail bar in the South, helmed by the country’s most famous bartender of the era, Joseph Santini. After more than 14 years running the French 75 Bar at Arnaud’s Restaurant, Chris Hannah left to open Jewel of the South with partner John Stubbs. Chef Phil Witmarsh heads the culinary program. This project endeavored to merge New Orleans’s storied cocktail history with Hannah and Phil’s experiences of visiting bars and kitchens around the world. You can often find the influence of their global travels on Jewel’s seasonal menus. Hannah has been the bar manager since opening in 2019. During his tenure, Jewel of the South has won Spirited Awards for Best Restaurant Bar in 2023 and Best Bar Team in 2024 at Tales of the Cocktail. In 2024 Jewel of the South won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program. Currently, Jewel of the South is honored to hold the Number 4 spot on North America’s 50 Best Bars list and the Number 34 on World’s 50 Best Bars list.
