Sometimes eating is about more than filling your stomach or making your taste buds dance, it's about fulfilling a deeper need. Though not the healthiest food around, soul food will always have a place at the table. Eating a truly good meal which fills you up and makes you feel all good inside is something everyone must try, and there is no better place than the home of soul food, New Orleans. Here are some great places to eat well and be merry. Jacques-imo’s Café — This restaurant is known for its small yet chaotic dining room, where locals and travelers gather for some great food. It’s a lively joint with folk art and murals all along the walls, and a great place to just sit back and enjoy some delicious seafood, fresh from the gulf. Be sure to try the deep fried roast beef po’ boy and the Cajun bouillabaisse. But before you leave, you have to try the fried chicken, which will prove that it’s Louisiana, not Kentucky, that is home to fried chicken. Oliver’s Creole Restaurant — Creole cooking is all about mixing spices to make something tasty and satisfying. Oliver’s is a casually elegant restaurant in the French Quarter with a great assortment of traditional Creole dishes. Be sure to try the beef bourguignon, the gumbo trio, and the crawfish etouffe. For those who are adventurous, Oliver’s also offers Creole Rabbit on their menu in addition to many other southern delicacies. Gumbo Shop Restaurant — This little restaurant in an alleyway in the French quarter often has a line running out the door. It has a beautiful courtyard covered with bougainvillea and leafy green bushes. But most importantly, Gumbo Shop is home to some of the best gumbo in New Orleans. The thick soup filled with a million different ingredients cannot be matched. Gumbo Shop also offers jambalaya, crawfish etouffe, and shrimp Creole. Dunbar’s Creole Cooking — When hunger strikes and you’re low on dough then the best place to go is Dunbar’s. This casual restaurant has an amazing $5 all you can eat menu with red beans and fantastic fried chicken. The food is spicy and the chicken is perfectly crunchy. Dunbar’s also offers smoked sausage, po’ boys, seafood steak, and many other specials. But before you stuff yourself, make sure to leave room for some southern style dessert.For more about New Orleans, view the New Orleans city guide.Photo credit: flickr cc thebittenword.com