Established in New Orleans in the 1840s, the Irish Channel clan of Brennan's began with the arrival of Ralph Brennan's father's brother and uncle, Owen Brennan, a man admired in the community as a beacon of stewardship and a visionary "dedicated to the art of the enjoyment of eating." Dating from 1795, the building at 417 Royal Street saw a long history of various enterprises before becoming Brennan's in 1956, with its signature pink facade and distinctive cuisine inspiring continual praise and loyal patronage until its doors closed in June 2013. This celebrated icon of the French Quarter has been restored, reborn, and will reopen November 25, 2014, emerging as one of the most polished restaurants in all of New Orleans.
Ninth-generation New Orleanian and entrepreneur Terry White, and third-generation veteran restaurateur Ralph Brennan, have set out to continue the legacy of a universally acclaimed establishment dedicated to the pure pleasure of fine dining. The proud heritage of New Orleans, grounded in the French Quarter, has established such a unique cuisine—principally French, with definite Spanish influence, and contributions from Italian cooking; newfound cultural influences, like Vietnamese, flourish in promising flavors that splash across the plates. The lore of these origins has become the foundation of the menus infused with contemporary precision. "Brennan's kitchen presents a distinctly lighter style that our modern-day guests are sure to appreciate," says Ralph Brennan.
The present Brennan's sets fine food in a glamorous atmosphere born of the architecture and decor of the French Quarter. Keith Langham, a New York-based southern gentleman renowned for his tasteful designs, wholeheartedly embraced the historical landmark's original sensibility, one that beams with charm and inherent culture: "What Keith has done here couldn't be done anywhere else in the world but the French Quarter," states Terry White. Langham notes, "My intent was to create rooms that recognized the past, full of old fashioned Southern elegance, and of course, seasoned with many European influences." The effect is vibrant and fresh, as if you stepped back in time a century or two, into well-dressed rooms redesigned for a fashion-forward inhabitant. Each dining room tells a specific story, engaging you into its own colorful personality.
Brennan's - from its storied past to its newfound youth—will once again be the most distinguished restaurant in the city, if not the country, if not the world. Terry White and Ralph Brennan proclaim...
"The newly opened Brennan's looks forward to welcoming you to our table as the tradition continues."
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