I lived in Lafayette for about six years and probably exhausted the supply of good restaurants,
hence my return to New Orleans. Lafayette
lunch is a lot different than New Orleans.
Lafayette is big on the “plate lunch” mentality, which I thoroughly
enjoy, and most of the best lunch spots are local. For dinner, there are several
nice local restaurants; however, Lafayette has been inundated by chain restaurants. That being said, I ate at Chili’s about once a week when I lived there –
it’s just too easy. Here are some GOOD recommendations:
Café Vermillionville is located on Pinhook. Fantastic for lunch or dinner and has a great selection of Creole and Cajun food. It is more of an upscale, “white tablecloth” type of place, but it is worth the money.
Blue Dog Café is average.
I find that a lot of the food is heavy and over seasoned for an “attempted” Cajun cuisine. It is also located on Pinhook, almost directly across from Café Vermillionville.
On Ambassador Caffery Parkway,
Charley G’s is always a safe bet for an upscale lunch or dinner.
The bar is a quiet setting for a cold beer or a Bloody Mary, and the food has always been good. Now that the Metairie location is closed, I have a feeling they are giving all of
the attention to the Lafayette location.
Hard for me to say though, I haven’t been in a while – but I’ve always had fond memories of the crab
cakes and my favorite- the duck and andouille gumbo
If you can make it a few miles north on I-49, I think Prejean’s
has some of the best Cajun food in the world. Get a seafood platter and sample
it all. It comes fried, but they will be happy to grill it for you. The shrimp dinner is to die for – fried shrimp, grilled shrimp, stuffed shrimp, shrimp gumbo…
you know the drill. It’s worth the short 15 minute drive. You’ll likely be taking leftovers with you.
If you want some mediocre San Antonio
style Tex-Mex I suggest you visit La Fonda, on Johnston St. The place is an institution and the “place to be” for lunch on Friday
afternoons. Locals have been known to start there at lunch and sip on margaritas
all the way through happy hour and dinner (yes, I’ve done it many times). Be
careful though, the margaritas are small, but the most potent I’ve ever had. It’s
still a mystery as to what goes into them. Try the fried rabbit for an appetizer,
and the cheese enchiladas and guacamole are some of the best I’ve had. If
you are in the mood for a real treat, ask for the “Don Briggs Special.”
It isn’t on the menu, so you have to be “in the know.” It
is a filet mignon topped with sautéed onions and cheese - I suggest getting the cheese enchilada as your side dish. Wash it down with some margaritas; just make sure you have a place to take a nap afterward.
Almost next door on Johnston Street
is Pete’s sports bar – another Lafayette tradition. The hamburgers are fantastic, but no trip to Pete’s is complete without the
homemade onion rings and homemade chips (yes, they slice the potatoes and make chips – fresh and hot). The beer is cold and the atmosphere is relaxed, but hey – it’s a sports bar! This is a great place for lunch or casual dinner.
Another Lafayette institution is
Judice Inn on Johnston St. Their hamburgers are out of this world and priced just right. You
can probably eat two if you have a healthy appetite. Don’t expect French
fries though – they’ve never had them and probably never will – have a bag of Zapp’s chips instead.
A great lunch spot on the corner of Pinhook
and Kaliste Saloom is Edie's. They are well known for their affordable lunches, fried chicken and best
of all - the biscuits. I have to say, they are some of the best I have ever had. For office workers, a typical
box of donuts on a Friday morning would be replaced by a box of biscuits from Edie's. Another thing they are well known
for is their waitstaff, comprised entirely of good looking sorority girls from UL. An attorney friend of mine likes
to call it "The Cajun Hooters," but I'll let you judge for yourself.
Downtown are some great places for lunch.
I always suggest T-Coon’s, especially on the days they serve the rabbit. Always a good selection for lunch and the service is usually fantastic.
You get your food cafeteria style, so you get to pick from the selections of the day.
To boot, the service is always smiling and perky (and attractive).
Last but not least is Dwyer’s Cafe on Jefferson
Street downtown. They have the most unbelievable plate
lunches and a fantastic breakfast. I don’t even need to make a recommendation,
just eat whatever they are serving; it will be good and hearty.
Hope this helps,
Kevin
