Spice, Seafood & Sweets: Louisiana’s Best Local Eats

Louisiana’s food scene is a delicious blend of French, Spanish, African and German influences, making it one of the most diverse culinary landscapes in the United States. From hearty Cajun dishes to delicate sweet treats, each region boasts its specialities. Explore the state’s best-loved delicacies and discover what makes Louisiana’s food so unique.

New Orleans:

New Orleans is the home of fancy cocktails, tantalising dishes and perennial favourites like café au lait. Before leaving, be sure to grab some Café Du Monde chicory coffee and beignet mix to recreate the experience at home.

 For a taste of history, visit the French Market, America’s oldest continuously operating open-air market. Here, you’ll find an array of local produce, fresh seafood, speciality foods, cheese, wine, sandwiches and sweets. A short trip to St. Bernard Parish will introduce you to the Isleños, descendants of Spanish settlers, where you can explore their history at the Los Isleños Museum and take home a copy of Los Isleños Cookbook: Canary Island Recipes.

Northshore:

 If your travels take you outside of New Orleans to the Northshore, head to the fertile grounds of St. Tammany Parish. In Mandeville, the Mandeville Trailhead Community Market is a Saturday morning hotspot for local produce, eggs, herbs and specialities like pepper jelly, beef jerky, boudin and fresh-roasted coffee. 

 In Covington, Pat’s Seafood & Cajun Deli offers unique Louisiana food and gifts, including cookbooks, beignet mix and premade dishes such as crawfish pie, gumbo, jambalaya and more, or pick up fresh raw and boiled seafood and try your hand at your own Louisiana dish. And you cannot leave the Northshore without paying a visit to the Abita Brewing Company, the 21st-largest craft brewery in America, for some local brews, root beer and merch.

Lafayette:

 Lafayette is where Cajun culture thrives, and its food scene reflects that heritage. Stop by Tony Chachere’s in St. Landry Parish to pick up their famous Creole seasoning. For an authentic taste of Cajun cuisine, visit Hebert’s Boudin & Cracklins, where you’ll find pork cracklins, boudin, smoked sausage, and spicy tasso.

Follow the Cajun Boudin Trail to sample Louisiana’s best boudin, and wash it all down with a craft beer at Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville, known for its award-winning brews. You can also get your favourite T-shirt or pint glass here.

Baton Rouge:

 Louisiana's capital is home to a diverse culinary landscape that features everything from tailgating fare to fine dining. No Baton Rouge trip is complete without a visit to Tony’s Seafood, the largest seafood market in the Gulf South. While there, stock up on Louisiana Fish Fry products, from seasonings and sauces to mouth-watering mixes.

Visit the MidCity Makers Market for a variety of local treats and trinkets. At Red Stick Spice Company, you will find hand-selected spice blends, house-blended teas, soup mixes, olive oils and other authentic local Louisiana products. Pick up some of Red Stick Spice’s ingredients, take one of their hands-on cooking classes with a local chef, and you are set to make delicious meals with a Louisiana kick at home.

Lake Charles:

 The abundance of Southwest Louisiana’s coasts and wetlands makes it the ultimate road trip for seafood lovers. In Lake Charles, Big Easy Foods is famous for its pre-seasoned shrimp and cornbread casserole and turduckens, ready-to-cook, pre-seasoned, and stuffed with an authentic Louisiana pork or seafood stuffing along with gumbos, sausage and boudin balls. If you are a coffee fanatic, check out Acadian Coffee Roasters for organic, gourmet blends.

 For a sweet taste of Louisiana, pick up a bottle of Steen’s Cane Syrup; else go for Cajun Power Garlic Sauce, and if you fancy a tipple, visit Bayou Rum in Jefferson Davis Parish. This distillery, the largest privately owned in the USA, produces handcrafted rum using traditional methods and offers guided tours with tastings.

Natchitoches: 

 The Red River Riches Trail offers a mouthwatering selection of Cajun favourites like crawfish étouffée, fried shrimp, and the famous Natchitoches meat pies from Lasyone’s Meat Pie Kitchen. These hand-held delights are the perfect road trip snack.

The Red River Riches Trail will greet your taste buds with meat pies, crawfish étouffée and fried shrimp, while the desserts feature iconic icebox pies. Stop by Lasyone's Meat Pie Kitchen to pick up their meat pies, a perfect road trip snack.

For a sweet treat, head to Lea’s Lunchroom in Alexandria for their legendary pies, or if you’re in Shreveport, discover what really puts the signature flavour on a muffuletta with Papa Fertitta's Famous Olive Mix. At Monjunis Italian Café & Grocery, you can purchase their very own speciality oils, vinegars, olive salad and their famous red sauce. They even offer curated gift boxes with a variety of their products with some extra treats.

Monroe:

 The relaxed atmosphere of Northwest Louisiana is contagious. The food reflects this vibe with warming cornbread, delicious catfish, crawfish, and lots of fresh garden items like peaches. A trip to family-owned Landry Vineyards in West Monroe offers picturesque vineyard tours and wine tastings.

 If you love peaches, don’t miss Mitcham Farms in Ruston, where you can stock up on peach preserves, cobblers, sauces and dessert mixes for a taste of Louisiana at home.