The Restaurant
Since opening in June 2015 in New Orleans' Warehouse District, Compère Lapin has become one of the city's most acclaimed restaurants.
Located in the Old No. 77 Hotel, the renowned neighborhood restaurant draws inspiration from the cultures, traditions, and experiences that have shaped Chef Nina Compton’s culinary journey.
The decision to open in New Orleans was influenced by Compton’s time filming Top Chef New Orleans, where she fell in love with the city and its vibrant culinary community. Together with her husband and business partner, Larry Miller, the pair created a restaurant that reflects both her unique perspective and the energy, creativity, and hospitality that define New Orleans.
The inspiration for the name Compère Lapin [pronounced kom-pare la-pan and translated to “Brother Rabbit”] comes from Compton's childhood in St. Lucia, where she read traditional Caribbean folktales about a mischievous rabbit. Rooted in the story's themes of exploration and play, the restaurant offers an inventive dining experience with a spirit of curiosity and adventure.
The Cuisine
Diverse, colorful, and tempting as the city itself.
At Compère Lapin, Chef Nina Compton serves a menu that is as diverse, colorful, and tempting as the city itself. Drawing inspiration from her Caribbean upbringing, French culinary training, and extensive experience with Italian cuisine, Compton creates dishes that celebrate bold flavors while showcasing the Gulf and Louisiana's beautiful indigenous ingredients.
The menu blends familiar flavors with unexpected influences and seasonal ingredients. Offerings change regularly, highlighting the bounty of the region through thoughtfully crafted small plates, seafood, meats, vegetables, and house-made specialties.
Signature dishes such as Curried Goat with Sweet Potato Gnocchi have become synonymous with Compère Lapin, exemplifying the restaurant's approach to combining Caribbean flavors, Louisiana ingredients, and global culinary influences in a way that is uniquely its own.
The Bar
Award-winning cocktails with a New Orleans spirit.
Complementing Chef Nina Compton's cuisine, Compère Lapin's award-winning beverage program highlights the Gulf's indigenous ingredients while paying homage to New Orleans' rich cocktail heritage. It was the first New Orleans restaurant to receive the prestigious Spirited Award® from the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation as “Best American Hotel Bar,” and the bar program has become an integral part of the Compère Lapin experience.
Thoughtful yet unpretentious, the cocktail menu showcases creative, ingredient-driven libations that each tell a story of their own. Like the cuisine, the beverage program draws inspiration from both local ingredients and global influences, creating distinctive cocktails that reflect the spirit of New Orleans and the flavors that define Compère Lapin.
Our Community
Committed to New Orleans.
Since opening in 2015, Compère Lapin has been committed to supporting the New Orleans community through mentorship, hospitality education, and charitable partnerships.
From creating opportunities for the next generation of hospitality professionals to supporting organizations that strengthen the local community, giving back remains an important part of the restaurant's mission.
Chef Nina Compton and Larry Miller are proud supporters of organizations, including Son of a Saint, which provides mentorship and support for young fatherless boys, and Café Reconcile, a nonprofit that equips local youth with the skills and experience needed to pursue careers in hospitality. Compère Lapin serves as an externship site for Café Reconcile participants and has welcomed many graduates onto its team. Furthermore, Chef Nina and Larry serve on the Board of Directors of NOCHI, New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute.
The restaurant also supports community initiatives focused on addressing food insecurity and creating opportunities throughout New Orleans, reflecting its ongoing commitment to investing in the people and future of the city it proudly calls home.
Chef Nina Compton
Chef Nina Compton
Born and raised in St. Lucia, Chef Nina Compton grew up surrounded by the flavors and beauty of the islands. Her culinary journey has taken her from the Caribbean to Jamaica, Miami, and ultimately New Orleans, where she found a home within the city's vibrant culinary community.
Since opening Compère Lapin in 2015, Compton’s cooking has earned widespread recognition for her distinctive culinary perspective, shaped by her Caribbean upbringing, French culinary training, and extensive experience with Italian cuisine. In 2017, she was named one of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Chefs, and in 2018 received one of the industry's highest honors when she was awarded Best Chef: South by The James Beard Foundation.
In 2025, Compton released her first cookbook, KWÉYÒL/CREOLE: Recipes, Stories and Tings from a St. Lucian Chef's Journey, sharing the story of her culinary journey and the people, places, and flavors that have inspired her along the way.
Today, Compton continues to celebrate the cultures, traditions, and ingredients that have shaped her career while sharing them with guests through Compère Lapin.
