Dining
The Chimes
Two locations, thechimes.com
By the numbers at The Chimes
Doors opened: 1983
Beer choices: 130
Globe trotters (people who’ve met the ’round the world challenge): About 2,000
Number of times the RCA dog above the bar has been stolen: Twice, most lately in 2003 (but successfully recovered each time)
Number of mini-liquor bottles in the owners’ collection: 70
You may be able to tour the world via their beer, but the food is all-American (heavily dominated by South Louisiana, of course). The original is an institution just outside the north gates of LSU, and made The Chimes practically synonymous with the campus. A second location in the ‘burbs on Coursey Boulevard, with its tasteful brick facades and old-timber details, feels as though it’s been there for generations. Serving up savory red beans and rice, grilled or fried alligator and some of the best bar food around, The Chimes beat out all the city’s top fine food and gourmet restaurants to earn top honors as Best Overall Restaurant.
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George’s
Four locations, georgesbr.com
Do you want cheese fries with that? Or maybe cheese-stuffed jalapeńos? The selection of deep-fried sides aims to please, but the burgers are the stars of the show, winning hands-down in our polls for the third year running. Thick and juicy with a variety of condiments from the usual bacon and cheese to the slightly more esoteric avocado, there’s something there to suit everyone’s taste.
George’s
Pick your meat. Pick your fixins. Write it all on your order slip. Depending on the rush, you’ll hear your name called in a matter of minutes. Then you can enjoy your stacked-to-the-brim po-boy bliss. Fully line your lap with napkins because parts of your po-boy are bound to escape and you’ll want to shove them back in. No matter how much change is left jingling in your pockets, you’ll feel as full and rich as a king after a George’s po-boy.
Juban’s
3739 Perkins Rd., 346-8422, jubans.com
Candlelit tables, impeccable service and a menu teeming with Louisiana’s bounty—is it any wonder that Juban’s is tops for romance? Reserve a table and impress your date with your wine expertise, or gaze into your sweetie’s eyes over a plate of the sinfully decadent bread pudding. Dinner at Juban’s is the perfect excuse to dress to the nines and make a night really special.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
4836 Constitution Ave., 925-0163, ruthschris.com
Leave it to Ruth’s Chris to make steaks a spiritual experience. At turns crisp and tender, the filet mignon will have you singing hallelujah, and the 40-ounce Porterhouse will have you praying you can finish it in one go. No needless embellishments here—just salt, pepper, butter and melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
Juban’s
How does a restaurant achieve the status as the most popular place for a gourmet or fancy meal in a city that loves to dine out? Is it the awe-inspiring wine list? The ambrosiac sauces? Maybe it’s simply Juban’s heavenly Creole cuisine. To be sure, it results from owners who’ve steadfastly stuck to an unshakable commitment to quality, a kitchen staff that keeps putting fresh twists on Louisiana cooking, and a professional wait staff that makes diners want to return. Competition in this category gets stiffer every year, with local stalwarts growing legions of new fans plus savvy newcomers joining the fray, all of which makes Juban’s second win in this category even more noteworthy.
Mike Anderson’s Seafood
1031 West Lee Dr., 766-7823, mikeandersonsbr.com
Before sushi, before blackened everything, before the world arrived and started cooking with exotic ingredients, Louisianans figured out how to catch fresh seafood, season it just so and fry it crisp and golden in hot, clean oil. In that category, Mike Anderson is the king, and the former Tiger football star’s restaurant is the castle that continues to pack loyal fans year after year. They say Anderson is meticulous about the details. Our readers couldn’t agree more. Everything that swims or floats is fried to perfection and served with plenty of lemon wedges. If you were a fish, it’s how you’d wanna go out, too.
Albasha Greek & Lebanese
Five locations, albashabr.com
Some days it seems you can’t take a step in this town without tripping over a Mediterranean café, but Albasha is one place you should be glad to stumble into. Baton Rouge is a city that knows its Mediterranean food, as evidenced by the unusually high number of Greek and Lebanese places. Albasha shines, thanks to perfectly seasoned chicken shawarma, tender gyros with tangy Grecian sauce, and oh, that Lebanese iced tea! Be sure to sample the hummus, winner of a Best of 225 all its own last year.
What’s in a name?
You know you’ve wondered, what exactly does Albasha mean?
“It means ‘the leader’,” owner Kamal Salameh says.
The leader, as in “the best,” or the top of the class.
A confident name, but Salameh feels that it’s justified.
“We put the customers first,” he says. “The food is the best you can get, the prices are reasonable—the whole equation adds up to a great deal.”
As the third-time winner of the Mediterranean categories, his confidence seems deserved.
Gino’s
4542 Bennington Ave., 927-7156, ginosrestaurant.com
This ain’t no nuevo Italian place. Candlelit tables, hearty sauces, perfectly cooked pasta and an extensive wine list add up to the most authentic Italian experience outside of the peninsula itself. The dishes may be traditional, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for innovation; the house specialties burst with local twists on the classics, and their signature arrancini is a can’t-miss.
Mama Mia!
For 40 years, family-owned restaurant Gino’s has been serving Baton Rouge authentic Italian food. The woman behind the authenticity is Grace “Mama” Marino, who has been running Gino’s kitchen since the doors opened at the original Perkins Road location in 1966.
Through a difficult venue change, family tragedies and four decades of hard work, Mama Marino has remained the heart of Gino’s.
“She’s an inspiration,” says her son, the eponymous Gino. “You just can’t keep her down.”
Even today, at 83, this Italian grandmother is in the kitchen nearly every night, supervising the staff and cooking the food that keeps customers flocking for a taste of the old country.
But customers aren’t the only ones who appreciate Mama’s dedication and talent. Last year she was the recipient of the first-ever Baton Rouge Epicurean Society Lifetime Achievement Award, which now permanently bears her name. Honored by other local restaurateurs and chefs, it’s clear that Mama has the respect of the entire community. —R.U.
Fleur de Lis
5655 Government St., 924-2904, fleurdelispizza.com
Everyone makes a different pizza. With Fleur de Lis, it’s the kind of rectangular pie you need to eat with both hands, even if one hand is holding a giant napkin. We figure it’s some combination of the shape, the tender texture and the sheer nostalgia that makes Fleur de Lis an overwhelming winner in this category year after year. Order a ’round the world version or plain cheese. Whatever toppings, the formula’s been tested and perfected since 1946 in a building as identifiable as the pizza’s aroma.
Louie’s Café
209 W. State St., 346-8221, louiescafe.tripod.com
All day and night, Baton Rougeans pile in Louie’s Café for breakfast.
Cajun hash browns the size of golf balls. Veggie omelets packed with a veritable farmers market of goodies. Biscuits that rival your granny’s. It’s all packed into one 24-hour location that sees more characters than any daytime soap opera. Plus, you can watch all the cooking and even get a life tip or two from one of the cooks. You’ll leave with a full belly and a smile, whether it’s at two in the afternoon or two in the morning.
Voodoo BBQ & Grill
3510 Drusilla Ln., Ste. D, 926-3003, voodoobbqandgrill.com
They don’t tell you to taste their magic for nothing. Voodoo has only been in Baton Rouge a couple of years but already it’s risen to the top, beating out some popular, beloved and long-standing competition. Pick a variation of barbecue sauce like the traditional mojo, the New Orleans-style spicy mango crystal, or the Carolina-like cane vinegar. Put the sauce of choice on almost any kind of meat and you’ve got a meal. The brisket is lean, slow-cooked for 18 hours and hand-carved to order. The rattlesnake beans could be deadly if you don’t exercise caution, and the portions are generous.
Magic numbers
Has VooDoo BBQ and Grill cast a spell on you? Do you dream of their rattlesnake beans and corn pudding? You’re not alone. Here are some magic numbers and facts about the Baton Rouge location.
-The best selling main dish is the pulled pork.
-The best selling side dish is the corn pudding.
-In one week, the restaurant makes 300 pounds of rattlesnake beans.
-In one week, the restaurant makes 60 gallons of barbecue sauce.
CC’s Community Coffee House
Multiple locations, communitycoffee.com
Maybe it’s the smell of roasting beans drifting across the river from Port Allen that has us hooked. Or maybe it’s just the caffeine. Whatever the reason, CC’s Community Coffee House is the three-time coffee champ. Grab a tall cup of Louisiana blend or a grande Mochasippi and you’re ready for a long day or an even longer night.
Roasts of Red Stick
Everybody has a favorite drink at CC’s Community Coffee House. It’s true even geographically speaking, with Baton Rougeans having different taste preferences than New Orleans drinkers. Marketing manager Rachel Hull says Baton Rouge’s top cold favorite is the frozen, creamy espresso concoction, the Mochasippi. In New Orleans that honor is shared between the iced latte and iced mochas. For hot drinks, 225s tend to pick up lattes and mochas while 504s want a café au lait or a coffee of the day. Overall most popular coffee blend in Baton Rouge? The Breakfast Blend.
Superior Grill
5435 Government St., 927-2022, batonrouge.superiorgrill.com
Sure their margaritas are spectacular, but it doesn’t hurt that the rest of Superior Grill’s menu is, well, superior. It’s tempting to order the signature sizzling fajitas, but whatever you order you won’t be disappointed. Meats are grilled on a wood fire, imparting authentic flavor. The salads are topped with dressings made fresh, in-house and the guacamole is worth the $2.50 a scoop price tag. Just know that if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, you may be waiting awhile for a table—but the same is true for most of the city’s top Mexican places.
Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro
6171 Bluebonnet Blvd., 761-1110, copelandscheesecakebistro.com
The restaurant’s namesake, Al Copeland, passed away earlier this year, so its honor as the best place for dessert in Baton Rouge seems fitting. There are 21 kinds of cheesecakes available at Al Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro. From the original variety topped with homemade whipped cream and a mint sprig, to the how-much-chocolate-can-we-shove-in-this-slice “killed by chocolate” variety, there’s a cheesecake for every diner. And if you’re not a fan of those slices of heaven, try a sundae, banana split, white chocolate bread pudding or Keywest lime pie.
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
7341 Corporate Blvd., 216-9044, pfchangs.com
Rightly or wrongly, Baton Rouge takes some knocks for having too many national chain restaurants. But rarely has one of them arrived and quickly leapt to the top of its category. P.F. Chang’s, however, has done so. The stylish eatery may encourage family-style dining with everyone sampling a taste of each entrée. But once you’ve conquered the lettuce wraps, it’s hard to be modest. The Philip’s better lemon chicken should really be “best” and the Buddha’s feast can keep you content for a lifetime (or two). Rebuild any family ties lost during dinner with a great wall of chocolate cake or banana spring rolls.
Raising Cane’s
Multiple locations, raisingcanes.com
You can see it in someone’s eyes before they speak. They want Cane’s. You agree without thinking. It just has that kind of kryptonite power. Chicken fingers. Crinkle-cut fries. Buttery Texas toast. Sweet tea. Hand-squeezed lemonade. And the sauce. Ohhh, the sauce. All in honor of a dog that wears sunglasses? It really is one love. There’s always one in close range to feed the need. Cane’s continues to spread its wings across America, but on its home turf of Baton Rouge it is the undisputed king of fast food.
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