Coming to town and need restaurant info

[Ray Finkle]

No where specific really. Just whatever captures the authenticity best.

[zephyr]

Bon Temp Grill is best overall (non-chain) restaurant in Lafayette. Excellent food, causal, nice owners.

I agree with MAT, this is not accurate. Not to say that I don't like the food but there are a number of places where the food is better. Bon Temps has a lot of seafood options and their seafood is not as good as Don's on Johnston in my opinion.

[zephyr]

Aside from Prejean's, what are some places I can bring some out-of-towners to experience traditional Cajun food?

Don's on Johnston. Bon Temps as mentioned earlier is good as well. Cafe V if cost is not of major concern.

[anhil8tor]

Always considered Riverside to be pretty an authentic cajun restaurant. That house salad always gets me.

I like Bon Temp. Eat there regularly... I love the papusa's at La Pagua too tho.

[ManAboutTown]

No where specific really. Just whatever captures the authenticity best.

Man, I’ll take a shot but that’s a hefty ask.

Breakfast:
Rusted Rooster (By far, the best around IMO)
Cafe Des Amis (Breaux Bridge)
Dwyer’s (DT)
French Press (DT)
Gary’s (Free Town)
Acadian Superette (Free Town)

Lunch:
Spoonbill (DT)
Dwight’s (Midtown)
Country Cuisine (North Side)
Laura’s II (Near Campus)
Pop’s Poboys (DT)
Rachel’s Cafe (Southside)
Johnson’s (DT)
Villager’s Cafe (West End)
The Cajun Table (Southside)
Cafe 329 (Midtown)
Joey’s (Midtown)
Hub City Dinner (Oil Center)
Bon Temps (Oil Center)
Cafe Bella (Oil Center)

Plate lunches:
Nunu’s (Youngsville)
Champagne’s (Saints Streets)
M & S Grocery (Upper Lafayette)
Menard’s Cajun Grocery (Duson)
Gary’s (Again)
T-Coons (Southside)
Creole Lunch House (North Side)
Acadian Superette (Again)
Earl’s (Southside)
Glenda’s Creole Kitchen (Breaux Bridge)
Poche’s (Poche Bridge)
Veronica’s Cafe (Carencro)

Just A Burger:
Mandez’s (Midtown - Sneaky good food)
Cankton Inn (on N HWY 93 - Cankton)
Judice Inn (Of course)
Broaddus Burger (Southside)
Ground Pat’i (Midtown)
Max’s Pool Hall (Southside)
Fat Pat’s (West End)

Dinner:
Fezzo’s (Scott)
Uncle T’s Oyster House (Scott)
Don’s Seafood Hut (Midtown)
Social Southern (Midtown)
Ruffino’s (Not Cajun food - But great place)
iMonelli (Italian - Creole / Midtown)
Pat’s on the Levee (Breaux Bridge)
Cafe Vermilion (Midtown)
Cafe Josephine (Sunset)
Riverside Inn (Southside)

Places you’ll hear people talk about but should not waste your time:
Zea
Blue Dog Cafe
Lil Big Cup
Prejean’s
Charlie G’s
Randol’s
LaFonda’s

[ManAboutTown]

Always considered Riverside to be pretty an authentic cajun restaurant. That house salad always gets me.

I like Bon Temp. Eat there regularly... I love the papusa's at La Pagua too tho.

The papusa is their only saving grace!

[BeauCajun]

Artwalk is also happening this Saturday evening. We always enjoy a good stroll through downtown and hit a restaurant afterwards.

[Cajunrunner]

Places you’ll hear people talk about but should not waste your time:
Zea
Blue Dog Cafe
Lil Tea Cup
Prejean’s
Charlie G’s
Randol’s

Never been to Charlie G’s or Tea Cup, but the others above 100% agree not to waste time at.

Glad you mentioned Acadian Superette. I forgot that one in my list above. Owned by a really good, smart guy, who was also a walk-on for our football team years back.

[Ragin4U]

Man, I'll take a shot but that's a hefty ask.

Breakfast:
Rusted Rooster (By far, the best around IMO)
Cafe Des Amis (Breaux Bridge)
Dwyer's (DT)
French Press (DT)
Gary's (Free Town)
Acadian Superette (Free Town)

Lunch:
Spoonbill (DT)
Dwight's (Midtown)
Country Cuisine (North Side)
Laura's II (Near Campus)
Pop's Poboys (DT)
Rachel's Cafe (Southside)
Johnson's (DT)
Villager's Cafe (West End)
The Cajun Table (Southside)
Cafe 329 (Midtown)
Joey's (Midtown)
Hub City Dinner (Oil Center)
Bon Temps (Oil Center)
Cafe Bella (Oil Center)

Plate lunches:
Nunu's (Youngsville)
Champagne's (Saints Streets)
M & S Grocery (Upper Lafayette)
Menard's Cajun Grocery (Duson)
Gary's (Again)
T-Coons (Southside)
Creole Lunch House (North Side)
Acadian Superette (Again)
Earl's (Southside)
Glenda's Creole Kitchen (Breaux Bridge)
Poche's (Poche Bridge)
Veronica's Cafe (Carencro)

Just A Burger:
Mandez's (Midtown - Sneaky good food)
Cankton Inn (on N HWY 93 - Cankton)
Judice Inn (Of course)
Broaddus Burger (Southside)
Ground Pat'i (Midtown)
Max's Pool Hall (Southside)
Fat Pat's (West End)

Dinner:
Fezzo's (Scott)
Uncle T's Oyster House (Scott)
Don's Seafood Hut (Midtown)
Social Southern (Midtown)
Ruffino's (Not Cajun food - But great place)
iMonelli (Italian - Creole / Midtown)
Pat's on the Levee (Breaux Bridge)
Cafe Vermilion (Midtown)
Cafe Josephine (Sunset)
Riverside Inn (Southside)

Places you'll hear people talk about but should not waste your time:
Zea
Blue Dog Cafe
Lil Tea Cup
Prejean's
Charlie G's
Randol's

Nice list.
I would add The Brown Skillet. In Chevron? Corner of University and Pinhook. Great lunch, great people.
Zorbas for Lebanese-Syrian-Greek.
Steamboat Warehouse in Washington is off the beaten path but the food is good and the building and location is very cool.

[anhil8tor]

No Blanchard's MAT?

[ManAboutTown]

No Blanchard's MAT?

Inexcusable omission by me. Blanchard’s for sure belongs on this list. I haven’t been there in a while though.

[ManAboutTown]

Nice list.
I would add The Brown Skillet. In Chevron? Corner of University and Pinhook. Great lunch, great people.
Zorbas for Lebanese-Syrian-Greek.
Steamboat Warehouse in Washington is off the beaten path but the food is good and the building and location is very cool.

I’ve never had Brown Skillet. I’ll check it out, for sure.