New Orleans

Catawampus

Middle Eastern
American South
Casual
Outdoor Dining

Inspired by the late-night halal carts of New York City, Catawampus brings an affordable destination to the Lower Garden District’s popular Courtyard Brewery three days a week. What seems casual isn’t entirely, at least not in terms of chef Owen Ryan’s approach to his menu of roti roll-ups, chicken over rice, salt and vinegar chicken wings, fries, feta bites, and specials like twice-baked sweet dumpling squash with pumpkin seed cream. Ryan makes — and hand presses — his own crisp roti, cuts and soaks his fries, and fries shallot spirals to order. But the sauces are what make this food remarkable, delivering flavor you’ll think about long after, like Spanish-style salsa verde, herby and tangy; yogurt-mayo sauce with cumin and coriander for smoothness; and Guatemalan hot sauce, spicy and acidic. It’s great beer-drinking food, perfect for the charmingly ragtag brewery’s range of taps and buzzing, dog-filled outdoor patio.

Catawampus has simple, well-seasoned, well-executed, accessible food — it’s just delicious. It’s wild to be at a brewery, having something in a disposable container, and thinking, "This is perfect."

A person wearing large round glasses and a brown shirt smiling at the camera

Ana Castro

Ana's Perfect Order

Fried chicken drumsticks served with a side of dipping sauce sprinkled with chili flakes

Katherine Kimbrall

Salt N’ Vinegar Chicken Wings

Ryan’s chicken wings are among the best in town. While flavors rotate, the most popular are the salt and vinegar wings, which utilize three kinds of vinegar powders.

Chicken Roti Roll-Up

This must-order dish centers Catawampus’ stellar housemade roti, which comes with citrus curry-marinated grilled chicken, turmeric rice, and three sauces (salsa verde, white sauce, and hot sauce).

Crispy Fried Feta Bites

These lightly dusted fried cubes of feta are a fantasy beer snack — salty, creamy, and crisp — served molten hot with a tikka masala aioli dipping sauce.