12 Unusual Louisiana Restaurants Locals Say You Have To Experience At Least Once
Louisiana is a playground for adventurous eaters, where every corner hides a taste of the state’s bold spirit and colorful culture. Picture tiny-town diners dishing out perfectly crisp catfish or plantation kitchens where flames dance under simmering pots.
These restaurants don’t just serve food – they create experiences locals swear by and visitors can’t stop talking about.
1. Mosca’s Restaurant: The Roadhouse Time Forgot
Standing alone on a quiet highway since 1946, Mosca’s looks more like someone’s house than a culinary landmark. Family-style platters of Creole-Italian classics arrive at wooden tables where generations of locals have celebrated special occasions.
Oysters Mosca – baked with breadcrumbs, garlic, and herbs – vanish moments after hitting the table. The chicken à la grande, swimming in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary, has converted countless poultry skeptics with its rustic simplicity.
2. Jacques-Imo’s Cafe: Where Alligator Meets Cheesecake
Tucked away in Uptown New Orleans, Jacques-Imo’s redefines Creole cuisine with combinations that sound bizarre but taste heavenly.
The walls burst with eccentric art while diners feast on shrimp-and-alligator-sausage cheesecake – a savory appetizer that defies expectations.
My cousin nearly fainted when I suggested alligator cheesecake, but now she requests it for her birthday. The fried grits elevate a Southern staple to artform status, crispy outside and creamy within.
3. Herby-K’s: Home of the Legendary Shrimp Buster
Shreveport’s tiny blue shack has been slinging the same signature sandwich since 1945. The Shrimp Buster – butterflied shrimp pounded thin, fried crisp, and served on buttered toast with secret sauce – keeps locals lining up around the block.
The interior feels frozen in time, with vintage photos and memorabilia covering every inch of wall space. Regulars know to grab a seat at the cramped counter for the full experience, watching as orders fly out of the kitchen at lightning speed.
4. Prejean’s: The Taxidermy-Filled Cajun Wonderland
Walking into Prejean’s feels like entering a Cajun wildlife museum where the animals watch you eat. Massive stuffed alligators and Louisiana critters peer down from the rafters while live accordion music fills the air.
I once brought my vegetarian friend here accidentally – she spent the evening staring nervously at the mounted boar head above our table.
The crawfish étouffée remains the gold standard, with plump mudbugs swimming in a roux so rich it should have its own tax bracket.
5. Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant: Natchitoches’ Savory Treasure
Meat pies might appear on menus statewide, but true connoisseurs make pilgrimages to this humble Natchitoches institution.
The half-moon pastries – stuffed with perfectly seasoned beef and pork – showcase a recipe that’s remained unchanged for over 50 years.
The restaurant itself lacks pretense, with simple tables and chairs that have witnessed countless visitors biting into their first authentic meat pie.
Locals pair their pies with sides of red beans or dirty rice, sopping up every last bit of flavor with leftover crust.
6. Middendorf’s: Where Catfish Gets Paper-Thin
Perched between Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas, Middendorf’s serves catfish so thin you can practically read through it.
The secret technique – slicing fresh catfish into whisper-thin fillets before frying – creates a delicate crunch unlike any other fried fish in Louisiana.
Hurricanes have repeatedly battered this lakeside institution, but it always rebuilds. The restaurant’s resilience mirrors Louisiana’s spirit perfectly.
Hushpuppies accompany every catfish order, golden-brown spheres that regulars dunk in house-made tartar sauce.
7. Restaurant 1868: Dining on Hot Sauce Island
Few dining experiences match eating lunch on Avery Island, birthplace of TABASCO sauce. After touring the factory where the iconic pepper sauce has been made since the 1800s, hungry visitors can sample dishes where TABASCO isn’t just a condiment – it’s the star.
I still remember my grandfather’s face turning the same shade as the sauce when he accidentally doused his crawfish bisque with the extra-hot variety.
The open-air patio offers views of the island’s lush landscape, peppered with the occasional alligator sighting.
8. Casamento’s: The Tiled Oyster Temple
Step through Casamento’s door and enter a shrine to oysters unchanged since 1919. Floor-to-ceiling tiles gleam under vintage lighting as shuckers work lightning-fast behind the counter, opening fresh Gulf bivalves for eager customers.
The oyster loaf redefines sandwich architecture – crispy fried oysters stuffed between thick slices of buttery Texas toast instead of regular bread.
Seasonal hours reflect old-school dedication to quality, closing entirely during summer months when Gulf oysters aren’t at their peak.
9. Commander’s Palace: Land of 25-Cent Martinis
The teal Victorian mansion in the Garden District hides Louisiana’s most ingenious lunch deal. Commander’s Palace serves 25-cent martinis alongside sophisticated Creole cuisine, proving high-end dining can still have a sense of humor.
The catch? You’re limited to three cocktails, and must order an entrée. Generations of New Orleanians have celebrated special occasions here, where bow-tied waiters navigate the elegant rooms with practiced precision.
Their turtle soup, finished tableside with sherry, provides the perfect counterbalance to those potent martinis.
10. Restaurant 1796: Fine Dining with Friendly Ghosts
The only thing more memorable than the food at Restaurant 1796 is its location – inside The Myrtles, one of America’s most haunted plantations.
Chefs cook over a massive 10-foot hearth, preparing dishes using techniques from the property’s 200-year history.
After dinner, brave patrons can join ghost tours of the main house. My aunt swears her wine glass moved by itself during our last visit, though that might’ve been her third glass talking.
The wood-fired vegetables, kissed by smoke and flame, convert even the most committed carnivores.
11. Turkey and the Wolf: Sandwich Madness Unleashed
Imagine if your most creative friend opened a sandwich shop after raiding the corner store. Turkey and the Wolf takes familiar ingredients and rearranges them into mind-bending combinations that somehow work perfectly.
The space feels like a quirky thrift store, with mismatched furniture and vintage toys displayed alongside cult-favorite sandwiches.
During Creole tomato season, their special tomato sandwich – slathered with mayo and topped with salt and pepper – proves simplicity sometimes trumps complexity when ingredients reach peak perfection.
12. Suire’s Grocery & Restaurant: The Gas Station Gourmet
From the outside, Suire’s looks like any rural gas station grocery. Step inside this Kaplan institution, however, and you’ll find some of the most authentic Cajun cooking in existence. Hunters, farmers, and food pilgrims share tables in the tiny dining area.
The turtle sauce piquante draws people from hours away – a rich, spicy stew that’s slow-simmered and deeply flavored.
I watched my city-slicker brother transform into a true Cajun after one spoonful, suddenly understanding why locals guard their sauce piquante recipes like treasure maps.