Upperline Restaurant facts for kids
Upperline Restaurant was a special restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It opened in 1983 and was owned by JoAnn Clevenger. The restaurant was located in a yellow building at 1413 Upperline Street in Uptown New Orleans. Upperline was famous for its delicious mix of Cajun, Louisiana Creole, and Southern foods. Even though JoAnn Clevenger was not a chef, she helped create Upperline's famous dish: fried green tomatoes with shrimp sauce. The restaurant closed for a while in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2021, JoAnn Clevenger said the restaurant would not open again. Her family planned to sell the building.
History of Upperline
JoAnn Clevenger's grandparents worked on farms in Alexandria, Louisiana. When she was a kid in the 1950s, JoAnn lived in Arizona. Her family moved to New Orleans later. In the 1960s and 1970s, JoAnn worked in New Orleans. She met many interesting people, including famous writer Tennessee Williams.
JoAnn Clevenger opened Upperline in 1983. She owned it with her son, Jason Clevenger, who was the first chef. Her husband, Alan Greenacre, was also a co-owner. The restaurant closed for a while in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2021, JoAnn Clevenger announced that Upperline would not reopen. She and her family decided to sell the building.
Art Collection
Upperline was also known for its amazing art collection. The restaurant had at least 400 artworks, mostly by local artists from New Orleans. The collection included paintings of JoAnn Clevenger and the restaurant's staff. There were also paintings of New Orleans musicians like Frank Moliere, James Booker, and Buddy Bolden. JoAnn Clevenger started collecting art in 1960. The art collection was offered for sale when the restaurant closed in November 2021.
In Popular Culture
Upperline's roast duck dish was featured on a TV show called The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Chef Simon Majumdar said it was one of his favorite dishes on Season 4, Episode 10 of the show.
