Most People Don’t Know The History Of One Of The Oldest Eateries In New Orleans, St. Roch Market

The Crescent City is an old city, and we take care of it. Just about every building in New Orleans has a story, and it’s just one of the reasons to love our city. There are plenty of century-old restaurants that have survived the test of time, and St. Roch Market is one of them. Nearly 150 years old, this historic building has one of the most fascinating histories behind it, and you may be surprised to learn how this iconic eatery got its start.

The St. Roch Market was built in 1875.

Originally named Washington Avenue in the Marigny neighborhood, which would later be renamed St. Roch Avenue post-pandemic. In its early days, the open-air market was a popular spot for making groceries and picking up fresh fruit, produce, and seafood.

The building has seen many renovations over the years.

The first renovation came shortly after World War I, when the open-air maker was enclosed and the building began to take the shape we know it today.

The most extensive renovation (outside of Katrina) happened in the 1930s, and that includes the stunning architectural elements you see today.

After World War II, the Lama family purchased the building and it operated as Lama’s Supermarket for many years.

But by the 1990s, the market had fallen on hard times.

Updates to the building were seldom, and ownership changed again. Many will remember the Chinese restaurant that operated out of St. Roch in the 90’s, but it wasn’t until Hurricane Katrina hit that the building finally got a facelift, but it took some time.

When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, it badly damaged the building.

By that time, only one vendor was operating out of the market, selling po’boys and and plate lunches.

St. Roch sat untouched for seven years after Katrina.

An eyesore to the community, a faint reminder of what was. In 2012, the city spent nearly four million dollras to renovate the market. Unfortunately, finding a tenant proved more difficult than they thought, so the building sat vacant for a few more years after that.

In 2014, the market was re-opened with a multi-vendor format.

Now, the market features several local restaurants serving everything from coffee to curry, with vendors frequently rotating in and out, so you can always expect something different.

With ample seating both indoors and out, St. Roch Market has become a favorite dining destination for those in the Marigny/Bywater area.

Just like it was 150 years ago!

Hopefully this iconic building continues to thrive for many years. Have you ever dined at St. Roch? What's your go-to dish? Shout it out in the comments!