This November, husband-and-wife duo Mia and Justin Devillier, owners of Devillier Hospitality Group and Uptown’s La Petite Grocery, opened Daughter’s Neighborhood Italian in the historic former Upperline Restaurant space, ushering in a new chapter for one of New Orleans’ most storied dining addresses. Named for the Devilliers’ three daughters and the daughter of their business partner, this restaurant is a deeply personal expression of family and hospitality. Led by Executive Chef and James Beard Award winner Justin Devillier, Daughter’s serves Italian American classics through a distinctly New Orleans lens, pairing refined technique with the warmth of a neighborhood restaurant in a design-forward setting that feels both timeless and of the moment.
“Daughter’s is deeply personal for us,” says Mia Devillier. “As a third-generation Italian American, our family has spent time reconnecting with our Italian relatives in recent years. This restaurant feels like a continuation of that journey and a way to honor and share that history through food and hospitality, and to hopefully pass it down to our daughters.”
Food
After years in a Director of Culinary role, Justin Devillier steps back into the kitchen in a daily capacity at Daughter’s, bringing a refined approach to Italian American cooking that draws from the traditions and flavors that have long been part of the Devillier family story. His cooking balances the comfort of red-sauce classics with seasonal dishes and specialties that reflect the restaurant’s Gulf Coast home. A wood-fired oven anchors the kitchen, with offerings spanning pastas, seafood, meats, and vegetables. At the heart of the menu is the house red sauce, adapted from Mia’s original recipe and a longtime Sunday tradition at the Devillier family table. The pastas are a combination of house-made selections and traditionally crafted, air-dried pasta imported from Italy. For everything made in-house, Daughter’s exclusively uses organic, non-GMO, unenriched flour.
Signature dinner items include:
“Daughter’s is a chance for me to get back into the kitchen every day and cook food that feels both familiar and deeply rooted in where we are,” says Justin Devillier. “We’re taking inspiration from the Italian American traditions that are part of Mia’s family history and giving them our own New Orleans point of view, using the incredible seafood, produce, and other familiar ingredients from this region. At its heart, the food is meant to be approachable and made for sharing–the kind of cooking that brings people together around the table, whether it’s a special occasion or a Tuesday night.”
Desserts include classic Italian sweets like Cioccolato and Affogato, alongside a signature creation made exclusively for Daughter’s by Lucy Boone Ice Cream and Chef Devillier. The Lucy Boone Bada Bing Cherry Ice Cream Pie features almond stracciatella ice cream with dark cherries and salted semisweet chocolate, layered in a graham cracker crust and topped with toasted meringue.
Beverage
The beverage program at Daughter’s complements the food with Italian-inspired cocktails, aperitivi, and a curated wine list focused on Italian varietals. General Manager Maria Zissis and Devillier Hospitality Group Lead Bartender & Cocktail Consultant Jeffrey Flagg oversee the cocktail program, while Devillier Hospitality Group Wine Director Alejandro Romero leads the wine program.
The cocktail list takes its cues from the restaurant's Italian-American identity, reimagining familiar classics with a timeless, approachable point of view. The menu features staples like the Negroni, house-made limoncello, and seasonal spritzes, alongside classic martinis with an Italian nod. A thoughtful selection of amari celebrates the bittersweet tradition of Italian drinking culture, while an adult frozen cocktail adds a nostalgic touch.
Signature cocktails include:
The wine list is firmly rooted in Italy, honoring the country's rich history, diverse regions and celebrated producers. The opening list features a blend of benchmark names and rising stars, including G.D. Vajra, Vietti, Ar.Pe.Pe., Paolo Bea, Radikon, Benjamin Zidarich, Arianna Occhipinti, Manni Nössing, Ficomontanino and COS, alongside a compact selection of iconic producers from the rest of the Old World and New World. The list will start with 40-45 offerings and grow to roughly 65-70 as the program matures, with 12 wines by the glass to start.
A dirty soda program, featuring house-made syrup flavors inspired by New Orleans' sno-ball stands, brings an especially playful element to the beverage program that appeals to kids and adults alike, with other thoughtful spirit-free selections rounding out the non-alcoholic offerings.
Design
Daughter’s brings new life to one of Uptown New Orleans’ most storied restaurant addresses. Located at 1413 Upperline Street, the restaurant occupies the former home of Upperline Restaurant, the beloved dining institution founded by JoAnn Clevenger in 1983 and operated for nearly four decades. With local firm Studio West as architect and interior designer, and Arch Builders serving as general contractor, the Devilliers, alongside the design team, approached the restoration as a continuation of the building’s history rather than a recreation of what came before.
The walls, adorned with a collection of bespoke and personal objects gathered by Mia and Justin over the years, feature vintage photography and family photographs the Devillier’s shot themselves, including pieces collected from flea markets and travels across the globe – the same way a well-loved home takes on its own character.
The building’s original wood paneling and confetti-colored terrazzo floors were preserved, with the terrazzo serving as the starting point for the color palette across the building’s three distinct volumes. Farrow & Ball hues range from Card Room Green and India Yellow to shades of purple at the entry. Expressed through rich, saturated colors, layered materials, and a selection of sculptural lighting, including historic Art Deco fixtures that once hung above the building's former concept, Upperline, the design for Daughter’s brings a sense of familiarity and neighborhood comfort with a contemporary touch.
The approximately 100-seat restaurant offers a series of distinct dining spaces designed to host a variety of guests and occasions. Butcher-paper-covered tables paired with café chairs reinforce the familiar, Italian-inspired dining experience. Floral wallpaper connects the main and back dining rooms to the stairwell, leading guests upstairs to the restaurant's intimate private dining spaces, one of which includes a dedicated room that can accommodate up to 40 seated guests or 60 guests for reception-style events.
If you are interested in booking a reservation, please click HERE. Daughter’s is currently open Thursday through Monday for dinner service.
Image credit: Randy Schmidt
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