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LAFAYETTE

LAFAYETTE’S HISTORIC EATERIES
Step back in time and savor the rich history of Lafayette, Louisiana, through its iconic historic restaurants that have stood the test of time,
helping to shape the city’s culinary heritage. From elegant fine dining venues to charming neighborhood gems, these historic restaurants serve
up delectable dishes while immersing visitors in a bygone era. Indulge in nostalgia and explore LafayetteTravel.com/Blog/Post/Lafayettes-His-
toric-Restaurants to discover the stories and flavors that have shaped Lafayette’s dining scene.

FARM-RAISED OYSTERS
“I have so much respect for the original oystermen like my grandfather back in the day,” says Albert “Buzzy” Besson. “My grandfather would
go out in his boats and dredge for oysters. It was a very labor-intensive process. We still produce a wonderful product, but now we farm
oysters.” Albert “Buzzy” Besson owns and operates Barataria Beauties Oyster Farm in Grand Isle, Louisiana. His farm produces oysters sold
at Spoonbill, Vestal, and Wild Child Wines in Lafayette, LA. For more on the growing process, visit LafayetteTravel.com/blog/stories/post/
oyster-farming for the whole series.

PO-BOY TRAIL
The beauty of the po-boy is its malleability, the ability of the French loaf to envelope a diversity of fillings. The most popular stuffings are roast
beef with gravy and fried seafood, most notably: shrimp, oyster, catfish, and soft-shell crab. Sliced cold cuts — turkey, ham, and the requisite
cheese pairings — are available at every classic and contemporary po-boy counter. There are po-boy-centric lunch spots that serve familiar
versions of the New Orleans sandwich, while others innovate on the po-boy’s familiar fillings to arguably outshine anything the Crescent City
serves up. For a complete history and places serving up po-boys visit LafayetteTravel.com/food-drink/food-tours/poboys/.

LOUISIANA’S CAJUN BAYOU

BIG TASTES IN A SMALL PLACE

“Lafourche” literally translates to “The Fork” – as in a fork of the mighty Mississippi River. But when your parish shares a name with an
eating utensil, you kind of have to rock the culinary scene, right? And for decades, that’s what Lafourche Parish did ... quietly. But now
Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou is doing a little bragging about their chefs and all kinds of dining experiences. From mom-and-pop establish-
ments that have been around for generations to white-tablecloth establishments that are doing innovative things with the bounty of the
Bayou, the Cajun Bayou Food Trail encapsulates that for visitors near and far. As smaller, more rural destinations have become increasingly
interesting to travelers, it seems like this could be a time for Lafourche Parish to shine. You can find quality meals like you’d get in some of
those bigger places – like New Orleans, for example – but without all the people. At many establishments, your dining companions will
most likely be a pair of brown pelicans watching you from the docks on the bayou.

BAYOU TO TABLE
The term “farm-to-table” is overused and overdone, we know. But in Lafourche Parish they just skip the farm and go straight to the Bayou,
which both residents and chefs look at as their personal pantry. Need something? Head out the door and into the Bayou, pluck it out and
back into the kitchen you go. The seafood in these parts is beyond belief, with boats docking beside restaurants and delivering the freshest
catch. Louisiana is also home to 45% of the cane sugar grown in America – come to Lafourche Parish at harvest time and you’ll be steering
around the obstacle course of cane that falls off the trucks and onto the highways. Hunting is also a big deal in these parts, and depending
on the season, you could be eating duck (tastes like dark-meat chicken), alligator (when fried, it tastes like chicken) or even muskrat (nope,

doesn’t taste a bit like chicken). Chefs and home cooks alike have a nearly never-ending bounty of local items from which to choose ... and
they get creative with all of it.

Ian Wallis | Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism | iwallis@lacajunbayou.com | 985-537-5800 | LaCajunBayou.com
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