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This cold weather calls for gumbo, and Baton Rouge restaurants offer plenty of variations

In Baton Rouge, there are few foods that inspire as much debate as gumbo.

Whether you grew up in Louisiana, or moved here as a transplant, it doesn’t take long to feel the significance of gumbo. The savory, stew-like soup has been on the Louisiana menu for more than 300 years, when West African slaves are believed to have introduced it. Gumbo continued to evolve and remains the anchor of our culinary culture.

But history aside, what makes this dish so powerful is that it is steeped in passion and ritual—from how you use rice in the bowl to whether you prefer seafood or chicken and sausage.

Knowing that this week is bringing some incredibly cold weather to Baton Rouge, we dipped into our archives for some cozy comfort food ideas. And wouldn’t you know it, in December 2016, we dedicated an entire issue to Baton Rouge’s best comfort food.

One area we definitely had to explore was all the variations on gumbo Baton Rouge has to offer. Read on for the full story and the 14 options we found around the Capital City.

And let us know your favorite gumbo from local restaurants in the comments!