Why Louisianans Swear This Po’boy Shop Is The State’s Best Kept Secret
Right off the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus sits Olde Tyme Grocery, a sandwich shop that’s been part of local life for as long as most folks can remember.
It’s the kind of place where the line wraps around the building on Fridays, especially during Lent, and nobody minds waiting. The bread is soft, the seafood is fried just right, and the crew behind the counter keeps things moving with a smile.
I’ve stopped there more times than I can count, and every visit feels like stepping into a Louisiana tradition that never gets old.
Right Next To Campus Life
Students at UL Lafayette stumble onto this place during freshman year and never really leave. Parents visiting for game weekends get dragged here by their kids who insist it’s better than any restaurant downtown.
The location puts it square in the middle of campus energy without the tourist crowds. Generations of Ragin’ Cajuns have lined up at the same counter, ordered the same sandwiches, and sat on the same worn stools.
It feels less like a business and more like someone’s kitchen that happens to serve the public.
Lent Brings Out The Crawfish Crowds
When Lent rolls around, the fried crawfish po’boy becomes the only thing anyone talks about. Lines form before the doors even open, and regulars know to call ahead if they want any hope of beating the lunch rush.
Catholics observing meatless Fridays pack the place, but plenty of folks just use Lent as an excuse to eat more seafood. The crawfish gets fried crispy, piled high, and dressed with whatever fixings you want.
Staff moves fast during this season, but the quality never slips.
Acadiana Bread Makes All The Difference
The bread here is classic Acadiana French, baked fresh and delivered daily. It has that perfect crackly crust on the outside and stays soft enough inside to soak up all the good stuff without falling apart in your hands.
You can taste the difference between this and the generic loaves some shops use to cut costs. The bread holds up under weight, whether you load it with fried shrimp or a messy roast beef with gravy.
Good bread turns a decent sandwich into something worth driving across town for.
Glenn Murphree Started Young And Stuck With It
Glenn Murphree bought this tiny grocery when he was just twenty three years old. Most people that age are still figuring out what they want to do, but he turned the place into a po’boy institution that outlasted plenty of flashier competitors.
The shop grew slowly over the years, but it never lost that neighborhood corner store feel. Murphree built something that mattered to people, not just a business that made sandwiches.
His story reminds you that starting small doesn’t mean staying insignificant.
A Ritual Spot For Ragin’ Cajuns Families
Alumni bring their own kids here years after graduating, pointing out the same menu board and telling stories about late night study sessions fueled by shrimp po’boys. It’s become a rite of passage, something you do because everyone before you did it too.
Families treat game day visits like tradition, stopping by before heading to the stadium. The shop connects generations through something as simple as a sandwich.
That kind of loyalty can’t be bought with advertising or fancy decor.
Seafood Surge When Lenten Season Hits
The kitchen shifts into high gear once Lent begins, frying seafood from morning until close. Staff takes pride in keeping up with the rush, and there’s a rhythm to how they work that only comes from doing something over and over for years.
Shrimp, oysters, and crawfish move through the fryers at a pace that would overwhelm most kitchens. But the crew here treats the chaos like a challenge, not a burden.
Traditions like this matter in a place where people take their food seriously.
Menu Goes Deep With Seafood And Combos
Shrimp, oyster, and catfish po’boys show up on Fridays, giving you plenty of reasons to skip cooking at home. Half and half combos let indecisive eaters get a little bit of everything without committing to just one thing.
The menu isn’t complicated, but it covers all the bases without trying to be something it’s not. You won’t find trendy fusion experiments here, just solid versions of what people actually want to eat.
Sometimes the best menus are the ones that don’t overthink it.
Growth Rumors Keep Locals Guessing
Every so often, someone starts talking about expansion plans or a second location, and the rumor mill spins up. Regulars debate whether growth would ruin what makes the place special or just spread the goodness to more people.
For now, the original shop stays the main attraction, and most folks seem fine with that. There’s something comforting about knowing some things don’t change, even when everything else does.
The best secrets don’t need to go viral to matter.