Restaurants

South Louisiana has some of the best restaurants in the world. Food selection, preparation, and serving are almost an art form in private homes and restaurants. It’s not unusual to hear men at a dinner conversation discussing where to find just the “right” seafood dish in town. Taking a lighthearted approach to local eating customs, a food aficionado recently remarked, “In Louisiana, when we eat breakfast, we talk about what we’re going to have for lunch. At lunch, we talk about what we’re going to have for dinner.”

The cuisine in Plantation Country evolved from the region’s rich cultural blend: French, English, Spanish, African American, German, and Italian. Add to this the more recent arrival of people from China, Thailand, India, and Vietnam. The ebb and flow of south Louisiana’s economy also has played a role in the food. In eras of great wealth, elaborate dishes were prepared in wealthy mansions. When times were bad, sparse meals were created with simple ingredients enhanced with spices.

There’s an abundance of fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico and the wetlands, and a long growing season allows an abundance of vegetables and herbs. The result is a diet heavy in seafood. Gumbo (an African word that means okra) is a staple in south Louisiana. Thickened with a rich roux (browned flour in oil), gumbo comes in many versions (shrimp, chicken, or vegetarian), and you will find it in almost every cafe, with the exception of most fast-food chains and ethnic restaurants. Since seafood is plentiful, local favorites include oysters on the half shell, shrimp and crawfish cooked every possible way, and fish fried, broiled, and baked. Always a meal in itself is the po’boy, a sandwich of sliced French bread packed with fried seafood, roast beef, meatballs, or other filling. The best po’boys feature French bread with a crusty top and soft interior. You will be asked if you want it “dressed,” meaning served with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Po’boys and hamburgers are often served with a large helping of french fries.

Two dishes created in local kitchens are traditional favorites. Sensation salad, introduced by the former Bob and Jake’s Restaurant, features a dressing of salad oil and lemon juice with plenty of garlic and grated Romano or Parmesan cheese over crisp shredded lettuce and a bit of parsley. Spinach Madeleine, created by a prominent local homemaker, is a blend of buttery cream sauce, melted jalapeño cheese, and spinach baked in a casserole. The recipe was printed in River Road Recipes, produced by the Baton Rouge Junior League, and is now legend. The most popular dessert in local restaurants is bread pudding, and there are seemingly hundreds of versions. The best bread puddings are topped with a sweet whiskey or rum sauce and served with hot steaming French roast coffee.

Mealtime here means more than just eating for nourishment. It’s time to relax, enjoy the bounties from hard work, and visit with family and friends. A Sunday brunch can take hours. Dinner is often a complete evening of conversation and entertainment over an exquisite meal served with love.

There are more than 900 restaurants in the Baton Rouge area offering every type of menu. From fried green tomatoes topped with remoulade sauce to grilled shrimp pierced with sugar cane skewers, an abundance of innovative menus and dishes are found throughout the city. At the same time some of the simplest dishes served in the most humble restaurants—chicken and sausage gumbo, a roast beef po’boy—can be spectacular.

Whatever food you select, you will find most Baton Rouge restaurants are casual or dressy casual for evening. During the summer months, expect to see people in shorts and T-shirts in the college and tourist areas. Downtown, where state and city government offices are near tourist sites, you will see legislators and well-dressed businesspeople enjoying lunch side by side with tourists in casual garb. Some restaurants are “dress-up” by local standards, and male diners will feel more comfortable with a jacket. We’ve indicated these in the listings. Almost all restaurants are air-conditioned and women may want to wear a light wrap, especially in the evening.

The restaurant listings are arranged by cuisine. As a rule chain restaurants are not included, except for a few that offer a unique experience. Instead the list features restaurants owned or operated by local residents. In many you will find cuisine by award-winning chefs and chefs-in-training. Often a friendly waitstaff will include future restaurant owners and managers.

Most restaurants are open for lunch and dinner. Some close for a short time between meals. Most close up around 10 p.m.; a few stay open until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Most larger restaurants encourage reservations. Often, if you just show up and get your name on the waiting list, you will be given an approximate wait time. On game days, it’s always wise to call and ask the length of wait time. Most restaurants accept credit cards.

Because of the Mediterranean culture of south Louisiana, drinking alcoholic beverages is acceptable and common when dining out. Wine, beer, and alcoholic cocktails are available at most restaurants. Often the bar is in a separate area from the main dining room or in a side room. Your waiter often will ask if you want a wine menu or a beverage from the bar. However, if you choose only water or a soft drink, you will be served quickly.

A particularly popular beverage in Louisiana, as well as throughout the South, is iced tea. During the long, hot summer, this beverage is particularly popular, but people drink it all year long. Expect the tea to be freshly brewed. You will be asked if you want sweet or unsweetened tea. If you choose sweet tea, you will receive a pre-sweetened beverage that can be very sugary. Many prefer to sweeten their beverage themselves with sugar or sweeteners available on the table.

Louisiana is famous for its rich, dark coffee. In south Louisiana, the hot beverage is enjoyed with meals and throughout the day. Hostesses often graciously ask if you would like coffee or another beverage as soon as you enter their home. Travelers from other states often expect to receive coffee with chicory. However this drink, which can be bitter, is rarely served in restaurants. Instead people usually prefer a well-brewed French roast coffee. Restaurants often serve a special restaurant blend that is full-bodied and delicious. Many local residents prefer to end their evening with this drink.

Smoking is not allowed in establishments that serve meals.