On the second floor of the InterContinental Hotel New Orleans, opening onto the hotel’s enormous faux-street, lamp-lined atrium, Veranda is an airy arena for a calming meal. Regional fare is the ticket here; Cajun, gumbo, crawfish and other New Orleans cuisine are done up in imaginative ways, but Veranda is known primarily for its lavish breakfast and lunch buffets. And the Sunday champagne jazz brunch draws both locals and visitors.

Veranda Information:

• American, Creole menu. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch.