This is not really a restaurant, it's a grocery store that is home of the original muffuletta sandwich. The thinly sliced lunch meats and cheeses are topped with a marinated olive spread, with generous amounts of green olives. We've taken three trips to New Orleans in the past three years and this store is always our first stop for lunch. It is located on Decatur Street, between Cafe du Monde and the French Market, on the opposite side of the street.

Around noon, go into Central Grocer and get in line. It may be long, but it moves quickly and there's lots to look at while you wait. We noticed, for example, hanging over the counter a variety of shopping bags. We ended up purchasing two of the large ones - they're very well constructed; a sturdy canvas material with wooden handles. We were told each one would hold up to 50 lbs. We've had them for years and they still look and feel new. We ALWAYS take them to our supermarket and have the bag boys use them to load our groceries instead of the plastic bags. So grab a couple while you're there. It will help you "go green" AND have a great souvenir from New Orleans.

Anyway, back to the sandwiches - You can purchase a half a muffuletta (see attached picture); or an entire muffuetta that can feed four. It's wrapped and ready to take out the door.

You can stay and eat at the lunch counter in the back, but we either take ours down the street to Jackson Square or across the street to the Mississippi River and have an impromptu picnic. Central Grocer sells their homemade olive spread and we did buy a jar once. As good as it is, though, we could never come up with that perfect combination to recreate their muffulettas when we were back at home.

If we had only one afternoon in New Orleans and only time to purchase one meal, this is what it would be. Yes, this sandwich is THAT good.

This is the home of the muffuletta, and it's great. Go early. Get the muff to go, do some browsing through the market just down Decatur from there, and eat it later. What I'm saying is that it's good fresh, but get it to go and eat it out along the river or in Jackson Square. Don't just sit in a crowded (people-on-top-of-you close) grocery store when there's all of the French Quarter to see. I wouldn't try to eat it while walking, though. It would get all over you.

"New Orleans food is as delicious is as the less criminal forms of sin" --Mark Twain.

Established in 1906, the Central Grocery Co. is a blast from the past. The Italian delicatessen has world-famous muffalettas. When you enter through the small, old-world store's doors and stand in a line, wrapping around a variety of items,you gaze around the charming grocery. Posters written in Italian display Italian cities. Toward the back is a row of bars and stools with drink machines, decorated with pictures of celebrities who have tried a muffaletta. One famous star is Henry Winkler, and his picture is near the counter on the right side. Next to him is Bob Hope and his wife Dolores. A muffaletta is a sandwich made with ham, olives, and cheese, which creates a mouth-watering taste. The guy who first made these made them in his house. The bread was mulutto bread or something like that. In one newspaper article, it was said these sandwiches were as important as the St. Louis Cathedral and the Super Bowl. This is absolutely a highlight of any French Quarter tour.

I have to have my muffaletta! Locals and few tourists know this secret place exists. It looks like a grocery store in front, and some people pass it up without ever knowing what's inside. Whenever I go to the French Quarter, I always take the time to visit this place. My favorite spot is near Henry Winkler's picture. Who doesn't like the Fonz? A half of the sandwich is $3, and the whole is either $6 or $9 dollars. It has a drink machine to fight the heat, a Tv to watch sports on, and a restroom.

Central Grocery is a typical neighborhood Italian grocery. Muffulettas are huge round sandwiches on crusty Italian bread that are stuffed with meats, cheeses, and the secret ingredient, an olive sandwich spread.

Two people can easily share one sandwich. Order one to-go along with a bag of Zapp’s Chips and a couple of Abita beers or cokes, and take your treat up to one of the shady benches by the Mississippi River or to Jackson Park for a great picnic.

Don’t forget a jar of Central Grocery’s olive spread to take home and enjoy as an appetizer spread on your favorite crackers.

Ask any local, where is the best muffelletta is and they will point you in the direction of Central Grocery. It is a small deli type place. You could get away with a half a muffelletta, they are big and filling. Don't forget the Zap's chips. Also, bring cash. I found out the hard way, they don't take plastic.