Staff picks: Louisiana restaurants that are worth a trip
225 Magazine staffers share dining experiences within an hour or two’s drive.
Bear’s Restaurant
Covington
Po-boys don’t get better than this. Trust me—and the line of patrons packing in for lunch. Wrapped up in paper like a gift, these handhelds have earned their cult following. My go-to is the French Fry, a carb lover’s delight with fries, gravy and roast beef “debris” on St. Bruno Bread Co. French bread (bakery owner Steven Gottfried is a Covington native like me). My advice for first-timers? Pounce on any empty table. Order it dressed. Remember, hours are limited. I even debate taking PTO just to snag lunch at this not-so-hidden gem.
—Olivia Deffes, 225 managing editor
Social Southern Table
Lafayette
On my first visit to this Johnston Street restaurant on the way to see the Cajun Christmas lights at Acadian Village in Lafayette, I spent half my time laughing at the eatery’s holiday decorations recreating scenes from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, complete with Cousin Eddie in a bathrobe. But it was the food that brought me back, beginning with the warm sweet potato biscuits served with butter and peppered honey. Other menu standouts include the Social Reuben sandwich made with Poupart’s rye bread and the short rib grillades served with tomato gravy over polenta. Worlds away from Clark Griswold’s Christmas turkey, indeed!
—Kelli Bozeman, 225 editor-in-chief
Grapevine Café
Donaldsonville
Grapevine Café is a small local spot located in downtown Donaldsonville, just 40 minutes away from the Capital City. Dishes consist of large portions of south Louisiana favorites, helping diners feel right at home from the first bite. The café serves plenty of seafood options, classic Southern comfort foods and a variety of cocktails. Whatever dish I’ve tried, I’ve left satisfied, but I suggest tasting one of the restaurant’s signature red sauce pastas.
—Catherine Clement, 225 digital staff writer
The English Tea Room and Eatery
Covington
Pinkies up! I’m a sucker for a proper British afternoon tea, which is why this charming restaurant tucked into a house in a quiet section of Covington has been a favorite of mine for years. The pages-long list of tea selections and the individual-size teapots ensure that each person can sip the flavor they favor—in a dainty floral china teacup, of course. The food menu is loaded with English classics from Coronation chicken salad to Scotch eggs, but I usually go with the “high tea,” which comes complete with a three-tiered server topped with bonbons, fruits and sandwiches with the crusts cut off. I’ve been known to ask for extra scones to take home, and even though the late Queen Elizabeth II decreed that the jam goes on before the cream, I take the other side in this debate.
—Kelli Bozeman, 225 editor-in-chief
Bon Temps Grill
Lafayette
If you’re going to dine in Lafayette, you have to eat an authentic Cajun meal, and Bon Temps certainly fits the bill. Open every day for lunch and dinner, Bon Temps is a popular pick for residents, and it’s probably one of the first recommendations you’ll receive from a local. The restaurant’s seafood dishes include perfected versions of Gulf Coast staples. You can taste the clear Cajun influence in the seasoning of every dish—even in more mainstream fare like alfredo pasta and ribeye. I could probably get by on just the side options; the corn maque choux, jalapeño cheese grits and sweet potato mash supply just as much flavor as their main dish counterparts.
—Catherine Clement, 225 digital staff writer
The Saint
St. Francisville
It was already a best-kept secret among fans of West Feliciana Parish, but further proof came when the St. Francisville Inn’s The Saint Restaurant was named a Michelin-recommended restaurant in 2025—one of only two in the Capital Region. The restaurant’s layered Southern aesthetic is joined by a menu awash in elegantly rendered Cajun and Creole favorites, like the brunchtime crabcake Benedict, served with eggs baked in a ramekin, fluffy biscuits and hollandaise sauce. Enhancing the meal are several newish boutiques and stores just steps away along St. Francisville’s revived North Commerce Street.
—Maggie Heyn Richardson, 225 features writer
Emeril’s
New Orleans
Don’t let the words “tasting menu” fool you. You’ll leave Emeril’s delightfully full, still mulling over what is sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime meal. Months later, I’m still talking about this dining experience and trying to recall all the mind-blowing bites. Between courses, expect little extras—like a tour of the kitchen, tableside snoballs and the cutest mini oyster po-boys—to keep you satiated and make you feel like the only table in the restaurant. After the last bite of dessert, it’s clear that those two Michelin stars are very well deserved.
—Olivia Deffes, 225 managing editor
Middendorf’s Seafood Restaurant
Manchac and Slidell
Come casual and come hungry. Middendorf’s is one of those road food restaurants that should be on everyone’s bucket list. The original location on Lake Maurepas in Manchac has been drawing a crowd since it opened as a roadside shack in 1934. A second spot in Slidell opened in 2019, and in March the restaurant held an extended pop-up at Passé All Day Café in downtown Baton Rouge. The menu spans Louisiana seafood favorites, but the impossibly thin catfish served with fries, hush puppies and coleslaw is a must. The family-friendly haven keeps kids busy with a popular sand play area and animal enclosure.
—Maggie Heyn Richardson, 225 features writer
This article was originally published in the May 2026 issue of 225 Magazine.
