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Order a Guide |
Historic Downtown Covington Recipe Do you view getaways and vacations as opportunities to pamper yourself, dine well, shop? If so, they’re waiting for you in historic downtown Covington, a charming place to spend the day in a grown-up way, among the fine galleries, eclectic shops, excellent restaurants and more – and the district is just steps away from several bed and breakfasts . . .
Build your strength Get ready for the day with breakfast at Coffee Rani. Strategically located at the intersection of Boston Street and Lee Lane, this pleasant spot offers wonderful pastries and coffee as well as a full breakfast selection. (Other excellent breakfast options include the cheery Beck-N-Call Café and Mattina Bella.) Looking on Lee Start your quest on Lee Lane, a short street but one that offers a high degree of browsability. Eclectic and appealing shops display handmade and estate jewelry, all-cotton clothing, antiques, decorative items for the home and more. Hail Columbia A couple of blocks west of Lee Lane, you’ll find Columbia Street, itself worth a day’s exploration. There are several fine art galleries, including Brunner, Fort Isabel and Gallery nu, as well as the St. Tammany Art Association, interesting shops and boutiques, good restaurants (the colorful Etoile is a must-see), all housed in 19th- and early 20th-century buildings. If you’re in town on a Wednesday or a Saturday, check out the Covington Farmers Market in the 600 block of N. Columbia for beautiful produce and regional prepared specialties. (It’s open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.) Looking for lunch? If you didn’t nosh your way through the farmer’s market, downtown Covington offers many opportunities to eat local, among them New Orleans Food and Spirits, Buster’s, Lola, Calypso and the aforementioned Etoile. Or just grab a latte at St. Joseph’s Coffee Shop and a snack and hang out with the locals for a break.
Diversions Check out HJ Smith’s Son General Store and Museum, a Covington institution since 1876 and in the same family all that time. It’s free and fascinating, a glimpse into Covington’s past. Then head over to nearby Heiner Brau Microbrewery and Museum, on Lockwood, for an interesting look at how beer is made. Across the street, explore the new Covington Trailhead, featuring a campanile, bandstand, visitor center and bronze statue of Ronald Reagan. The recently completed plaza serves as Covington’s trailhead (and terminus) for the Tammany Trace, the 31-mile-long rails-to-trails hike and bike path. A stroll on the Trace takes you through more of downtown Covington. Covington cucina After you’ve worked up an appetite, Ristorante Del Porto is a respite indeed. Named the best Italian restaurant in the whole New Orleans area, Del Porto is all about great flavor and the creative kitchen skills of husband-wife chefs David Solazzo and Torre Bagalman. Check out the wine list and settle in for a relaxing evening of great food. If you go… Coffee Rani, 985-893-6158 Brunner Gallery, 985-893-0444, www.brunnergallery.com Fort Isabel Gallery, 985-892-1841 Gallery nu, 985-867-5300 HJ Smith’s Son General Store and Museum, 985-892-0460 Heiner Brau Microbrewery & Museum, 985-893-2884, www.heinerbrau.com Ristorante Del Porto, 985-875-1006 Hungry for more vacation "recipes?" To see them all, click here.
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