“My goal is for you to feel like when you walk in the door you’re walking into my living room.”
These words from Hilary Hanning, owner of The Little House, a restaurant and wine bar in Algiers Point, eloquently characterize the family-oriented aspect of her operation. The staff of four includes her mother, who bakes a cake for the restaurant daily; and her husband, who built the bars and wine shelves. The cabernet sauvignon on the by-the-glass wine menu was a favorite of her father. The entire space is designed to be family-friendly, especially the outdoor wine garden. Even the décor includes family heirlooms such as her father’s boat oar and her mother’s sewing tin.
Hanning moved to New Orleans from Biloxi to go to school in 1997. She said she immediately jumped into the service industry, rising to the position of beverage program manager for Susan Spicer’s Mondo restaurant while also starting a family.
Eventually, she began eying business opportunities herself.
The family purchased a house in Algiers, in part because Hanning’s brother and sister-in-law were living there, and then acquired the Vine and Dine restaurant, which she converted to Tavolino Pizza. While the business would eventually become a casualty of the pandemic, there was a silver lining.
“The pandemic offered us a little bit of time to figure things out,” she recalled. “My dream was always to have something very small, very manageable, and surrounded by things that reminded us of family.
“I also wanted to be here in my neighborhood and give something back to it,” she continued. “This is the best neighborhood ever. We all take care of each other — like Mayberry with an edge. We are definitely very neighborhood-centric.”
Opened in the spring of 2023, The Little House is the only wine bar in the neighborhood. It caters to a variety of tastes.
“We have a very open, easy approach to wine,” said Hanning. “Part of the fun is the adventure of experiencing and learning about wine.”
The warm local climate inclines Hanning toward whites and rosés, but she is adamant that “everyone should do it however they want to. Don’t let anyone steal your wine joy!”
Complementing the wine is a menu of boards, snacks and a few seasonal special dishes. Restaurant offerings are augmented by frequent pop-ups and occasional boils, comprising everything from crawfish to peanuts.
While Hanning loves Algiers Point, she acknowledges that its separation from the rest of the city does create challenges.
“All the businesses in this neighborhood need more people to come across the river,” she said, noting that most of her clientele hails from the surrounding area. “I can’t count on my immediate neighbors to keep me in business.”
Hanning said she has hope, however, as she sees more people taking the ferry over from Downtown. Her plans include adding a bottle shop and expanding her hours into the daytime to increase business. It also helps that the business community in Algiers is close-knit, collaborating to put on several events each year.
“This is a special spot,” she said, referencing both her business and her community. “Everyone here is family. Cross the damn bridge and come see us!”
The Little House
640 Bouny Street, Algiers Point
504-302-1926
@thelittlehousenola
