The Bell, a British-inspired pub, opens in New Orleans

Trends like "grandma chic" and "Barbiecore" have infiltrated American dining rooms. But at The Bell, a new restaurant and bar opened by a well-known Charleston restaurateur, there's no sign of them.

The restaurant is located in the Bayou St. John building (3125 Esplanade Avenue), formerly home to The Post and Nonna Mia, on New Orleans' tree-lined Esplanade Avenue. It was taken over by Brooks Reitz, owner of Leon's Oyster Shop, Melfi's, and Little Jack's Tavern in Charleston, and his New Orleans partners, Tim Mink and Andrew Bell. It's a welcoming space, known for its patio and front porch, that feels like a private home. Reitz and his team have repainted and decorated it with plaid fabric, Union Jack flags and cushions, black-and-white rugby photos, croquet mallets, dark wood, leather stools, and library-style lamps.

The British influence is evident: Bell and Mink were both born in Great Britain, and Reitz has a strong affinity for England. Bell is the principal partner, based in New Orleans and handling customer service, while Reitz remains in Charleston. The menu was designed by Reitz's team, with input from Marcus Jacobs, former chef of Marjie's Grill and Seafood Sally's and current co-owner of Porgy's Seafood Market in Mid-City.

The menu combines hearty pub fare with Southern specialties. A highlight is the bhaji, an Indian dish that here resembles curried onion and carrot fritters, also popular in England. A classic shrimp cocktail features Marie Rose sauce, a British condiment made with ketchup, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and pepper. Appetizers include cream of smoked trout with fried crackers, mussels fried in their shells, and crudités with a dill and fennel dip. Grilled Gulf oysters are topped with melted cheddar cheese instead of Parmesan.

Salads are important to Reitz, whose Charleston restaurants are renowned for them. There's a celery, arugula, pistachio, and olive salad; a classic endive salad with apple, Stilton cheese, and walnuts; and a Siam salad with cabbage, crispy onions, avocado, and herbs, a favorite at Leon's Oyster Shop. British dishes include a crispy fish sandwich with chips, fish and chips style, and a fish pie with a bubbly, golden cheese crust. Main courses also feature a steak sandwich with horseradish, onions, and arugula; shrimp cakes with lentils and herb salad; and a pork chop with braised fennel.

The eight-seat bar and small front “pub room” operate on a first-come, first-served basis, while the dining room requires reservations, though not exclusively. Reitz wants The Bell to be a “Guinness bar” a place where they know how to serve a pint properly: ice-cold, in the branded glass, and with a head that either overflows the rim or sits perfectly on it. A frozen drink machine dispenses iced gin and tonics. The cocktail menu includes Negroni, Margarita, Little Bird (tequila, grapefruit liqueur, lime, rosewater), Gold Rush, Breakfast Martini (orange marmalade, gin, lemon), and a “club-style” gin and tonic. The wine list, some 20 varieties, leans toward the Old World and includes an Argentinian sparkling Chardonnay, a Chilean blended red, and a Croatian orange wine.

The side patio, a strip of land along what many consider New Orleans' most beautiful avenue, will later house a horseshoe-shaped oyster bar, the restaurant's centerpiece. For now, the area has about eight tables for four. An old-fashioned wrought-iron fence will separate the dining room from the patio and the oyster bar, which will serve beer and three to four varieties of oysters that will rotate nightly: one from the Gulf Coast, one from the West Coast, and one from the East Coast.

The Bell, at 3125 Esplanade Avenue, is open Fridays and Saturdays from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM, and is closed on Tuesdays.