To most locals, gumbo is best when it’s made at home, the ultimate comfort food informed by mamere’s kitchen and her way of doing things right. Of course, first, there’s a roux. New Orleanians are experts at coaxing that dark roux into a simmering bowl as full of cultural influences as the city itself.
Still, not every week allows for the delicate work of gumbo making, and everyone needs a go-to spot to pick up the staple. Swimming with seafood or rich with chicken and sausage, these gumbos are some of the best in town — arranged geographically, as always…