Ana Castro is a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South, a category that recognizes top chefs across Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Puerto Rico.
Castro is co-owner and head chef at Acamaya, a Bywater restaurant, serving a fusion of Mexican and New Orleans flavors. She is also the owner and chef for Casimiro, a breakfast spot in the Bywater opening soon.
If Acamaya wins this award, it would be adding to a long list of accolades, including the 2024 New York Times restaurant list feature and a 2025 Bib Gourmand distinction from the inaugural MICHELIN Guide for the American South.
Personally, it’s my still-undefeated favorite restaurant in New Orleans. The restaurant is co-owned by Ana and Lydia Castro, sisters who were raised in Mexico City and ended up in New Orleans. As head chef, Ana Castro curates a menu to honor the flavors of both of these cities while highlighting the fresh seafood of the Gulf.
Acamaya is in an unassuming, office-like building, with a warm interior containing seating options including communal tables. I recommend making a reservation as they are often busy, even on weeknights. The menu is split into cold and hot halves, with subsections to represent the size of the dishes.
If you are even remotely into oysters, you must try a half dozen for $25 here, which comes with lime salsa veneno and chiltepin vinegar. The oysters are the perfect mix of spiciness and acidity. If you’re an oyster fan, do yourself a favor and order a full dozen.
For another cold appetizer, I loved their tuna tostada for $18 with charred avocado, peanut and nori. The fish was fresh and the nori brought such a lovely seafood flavor to compliment the dish. I almost ordered another one of these since it was so good.
The standout dish is their arroz negro for $48, which is one of the most unique foods I’ve ever had. The dish comes with huitlacoche, Bangs Island Mussels, squid and shrimp, with crunchy black rice. This is all mixed in a creamy sauce to bring the dish together, with bold flavor, yet a warm, comforting feel similar to risotto. 
I got the sweet potato for $8 as a side for this, which is a large portion with a whole potato. It comes topped with peanut mole, turmeric and lime for a fun flavor profile to compliment the sweetness of the potato.
Their dessert options include a masa tres leches, with a seasonal fruit flavor. The cake is perfectly moist with a pool of the milky mixture to soak the cake in. The fruit flavoring brightens up the dish, cutting through the creamier components with freshness.
Acamaya is sure to wow any serious foodie, as a great spot for a twist on the usual New Orleans fine dining scene. With Casimiro already getting attention as one the most anticipated restaurants openings in the America this spring from Bon Appetit, Castro deserves her flowers with the incredible work she is doing in the kitchen. I’m rooting for her to take home the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South.