Louisiana is famously known for its yearly Mardi Gras festival in New Orleans, but let’s be real here, the true soul of Louisiana is the food; Cajun and Creole food. And to properly experience the soul of Louisiana, you definitely NEED to travel beyond New Orleans. For this food adventure, make sure your travel start point is Lafayette, get a car rental, or book a shuttle service if you plan on drinking along the way, and then buckle down to experience the amazing cajun restaurants in Louisiana.
Have no worries, I will share a different article highlighting some amazing Creole restaurants to also visit in Louisiana.
First, What is Cajun Food?
Let’s do a quick dive for those who do not know what Cajun food is all about. Cajun food combines French, Spanish, and West African food. The meats are typically smoked, and a lot of the food incorporates a smokey flavor with a little kick of heat.
This video by lafayettetravel.com sums up what Cajun food is in a mouthwatering way!
Popular Cajun foods are boudin, gumbos, crawfish étouffée, po’boy sandwich, red beans and rice, just to name a few. Almost every grocery store or boucherie (butcher shop) makes its own brand of spice seasoning, and the most popular one is Slap Ya Mama. That brand name made me chuckle and according to their website, it originated from Anthony Walker, “when you use this seasoning, the food tastes so good, you’ll receive a loving slap on the back and a kiss on the cheek for creating such a great tasting Cajun dish.”
I saw another story that claims that ” in 1956, Wilda Marie Fontenot Walker (the inventor’s mother) invented the name “Slap Ya Mama” when she jokingly said, “When you use this seasoning, the food tastes so good that it will make you want to go home and slap ya mama because she could never make something taste that great.” ” I prefer this story, haha.
Food is like a religion in Louisiana. People get into fights over arguments about who makes the best boudin; a sausage that makes use of pork shoulder, pork innards, rice, pepper, and aromatics. Boudins vary across town, and I will also share my own favorite; I tried at least 20 different boudins while in Louisiana.
Altogether, I gained at least 10 lbs in my search for this information, enjoy!
Amazing Cajun Restaurants to Visit in Louisiana
The Little Big Cup
Address: 149 Fuselier Rd, Arnaudville, LA 70512
A beautiful and popular restaurant that requires booking a table well ahead of time because their guests travel quite a bit just to eat here. I ate here with a large group and got to try out an overwhelming amount of food. Besides the beautiful decor inside and outside the restaurant, the food and cocktails here are divine.
If you decide to head this way, try to reserve a table on the lower deck outside and make sure to go there hungry.
Their serving sizes are massive, and every plate is best shared with friends or loved ones in order to experience as many options as possible. They have a Sunday brunch buffet here, but for a better experience go there on a weekday to avoid the crowd and their a la carte menu is better than their buffet options.
My favorites on the menu are the Praline Chicken, Cajun Kevin Po Boy, and Crab Stack 2.0. You may tempt your arteries by trying out their Cracklin’ Dusted Mac n Cheese Burger, which is delicious, just a tad bit messy when you bite into it. In case you are struggling to picture what a mac n’ cheese burger is, imagine 2 slabs of breaded and fried mac n’ cheese with a burger patty in between with veggies on the side. Delicious, but definitely a fork and knife dish and a dish to share with many for health’s sake.
My cocktails of choice were their signature Butter Pecan Old Fashioned and Daiquiri. Altogether, if you have the time, definitely make the drive this way because it is truly one of the most amazing restaurants to visit in Louisiana.
Legnon’s Boucherie
Address: 410 Jefferson Terrace, New Iberia, LA 70560
Legnon’s Boucherie is hands down the best place in town to get boudin and 90% of the locals (that I asked) agree with me (if you don’t agree with me, definitely share who your favorite is in the comments section). I had eaten at least 15 variations of boudin before I tried theirs and it blew me away. It has the near-perfect combination of rice and tender pork shoulder with a little kick of heat to make it a delightful party in the mouth. They make other food, but I focused only on their boudin; if you have the time, you should visit them.
Make sure to try their crawfish boudin and spicy sausage boudin. They also sell uncooked versions of their boudin, so take a cooler if you want to stock up in your freezer.
Vestal
Address: 555 Jefferson St, Lafayette, LA 70501
Great food, great service, and Vestal is a bit more upscale compared to the restaurants on this list. A bowl of their crawfish bisque was my introduction to this gem of a restaurant, and if you are in the mood for a special night with loved ones, definitely go for a splurge here.
The food served here is not the typical Louisiana flair and in their own words, Vestal is “a contemporary take on traditional southern cuisine”. From the Cajun caviar to the grilled shrimp that is served with kimchi grits, you will find yourself experiencing the taste of the South with an international flair.
Cajun Donut Co
Cajun Market Donut Co. 1812 W Pinhook Rd. Lafayette, LA. (337) 504-4242
Don’t let the name fool you, Cajun Donut Co serves a lot more than donuts. Their donuts are worth jumping out of bed for but don’t miss out on their boudin stuffed bread, boudin kolaches, and apple fritters. Starting your day here for breakfast is a must-do.
Charley G’s
Address: 3809 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy #120c, Lafayette, LA 70503
Charley G’s is another upscale dining option to experience in Lafayette. I loved the amount of smoke in the smoked duck and andouille gumbo and kept going back for more. Other must-try options are the manchego corn grits, the foie gras, crab cakes, and the pan-seared seabass.
Johnson’s Boucaniere
Address: 1111 St John St, Lafayette, LA 70501
The food here is easy on the pockets, country, and delicious. If I could swim in a vat of the sausage + tasso sauce piquante, I would. The sauce reminded me so much of how we make our sauces in Nigeria and eating it with white rice made me feel like I was back in my mum’s kitchen in Lagos. Note that the sauce must be ordered a week ahead from their catering menu.
If you are unable to order the sauce, make sure to try the brisket, the bread pudding, and their boucaniere board of beignets and fried boudin balls.
Laura’s II
Address: 1904 W University Ave, Lafayette, LA 70506
I tried their dirty rice here and immediately knew that they had a place on my list of amazing cajun restaurants to visit in Louisiana. If you live in Lafayette or will be there for a long stay, get the dirty rice here and eat it with Johnson’s Boucaniere piquante sauce (the sauce needs to be specially preordered). Besides their delicious dirty rice, they are known for their stuffed fried turkey wings, Mark Wiens even made a video about it!
Bonne Vie
Address: 607 Kaliste Saloom Rd a, Lafayette, LA 70508
If you have a sweet tooth, Bonne Vie will more than feed your sugary needs and then some. Macarons are their specialty and while I’m not big on macarons, my friends loved them and may have gone overboard with how much they ate and packed to go. They serve brownies, blondies, cakes, cream tarts, etc, if you have the time for some amazing desserts, definitely go here and grab a cup of their creamy hot chocolate to top it off.
Pamplona Tapas Bar
Address: 631 Jefferson St, Lafayette, LA 70501
Pamplona tapas bar was a welcome surprise, I visited when they had a Halloween-themed decor and menu in October. Beyond how spectacular they pulled the theme off, their extensive bar offerings, cocktails, service, and food were the highlights.
Pamplona tapas bar is pretty difficult to get into without making a reservation way ahead of time. And once you do get in, you will immediately understand why locals and travelers consistently clamor to get a table to eat there.
Besides being one of the most amazing restaurants to visit in Louisiana, their bar has a pretty impressive drinks selection, and if you are a fan of tequila, ask for a neat shot of Fortaleza blanco to savor slowly. I was introduced to it by a friend when we grabbed dinner there, and that has now become my tequila drink of choice wherever available.
Fezzo’s
Address: 6701 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Broussard, LA 70518
The standout dish for me was their fried battered alligator bites with tartar sauce. For those that have eaten alligator meat before, you know how chewy and rubbery they can be, but the people at Fezzo’s worked some magic and turned a typically dry and bland type of meat into a succulent umami bite. So if you are hankering to get a taste of alligator meat, Fezzo’s will make it worth your time.
Bonus! Tabasco Culinary Experience
Address: 32 Wisteria Rd, Avery Island, LA 70513
Yes, tabasco offers a culinary experience and it was amazing! You get to eat 6 different dishes, along with a flight of bloody mary and some tabasco mash tastings. Each dish highlights the local Cajun food culture and how well each dish pairs with different Tabasco sauces. Fun fact, they get their boudins from Legnon’s Boucherie!
https://www.tabasco.com/visit-avery-island/tickets/
Make sure you try out their tabasco ice cream and coke options! The bread pudding was arguably the best I ate in Louisiana and do not be afraid to ask for seconds. I still dream of the bowls of etouffee and gumbo, sigh. The drive from Lafayette to Avery island is a long one, but if you have the time, make sure to explore the island and experience the culinary package.
Also, they have alligators on the island, so be careful and have a great time!
Shortcut to Experience Cajun Food in Lafayette
If you’re short on time, but want to experience a good range of Cajun food, hop on a food tour with the Cajun Food Bus tour. Some of my favorite restaurants on this list get covered by the tour and the tour operator, Marie, was so much fun throughout the 3+ hours long experience. Make sure to show up hungry because, by the 3rd stop, you may find it difficult to eat any more deliciousness!
Let me know what your favorite Cajun restaurants are in Louisiana!
Flight Options to Lafayette
