More than 130 miles from tip to tail, sinuous Bayou Teche snakes through four parishes. In St Martin parish, the historic waterway serves as a veritable main street for St. Martin’s distinctive local “dock-and-dine” culture. Reed Rudasill, the owner of Wanderlust Rentals, a self-service kayaking company with rental kiosks in seven locations across Louisiana, describes dock-and-dine culture as, “the ability to hop in a kayak, paddle through beautiful stretches of bayou, and then pull up directly to a restaurant, tie off, and enjoy a meal. It blends outdoor adventure with our region’s food, culture, and hospitality in a really unique way.”
To embark on this waterborne culinary adventure, Rudasill recommends renting a kayak and heading down Bayou Teche toward Breaux Bridge. You’ll soon come to Poche’s Market and Restaurant, where you’d be well-advised to step ashore for one of their famous homestyle plate lunches, and potentially, a wedge of decadently rich pecan pie.
1 of 4
The Beer Garden at Bayou Teche Brewery
2 of 4
Bayou Teche Brewery's Cajun Saucer Pizza
3 of 4
St. John Restaurant in St. Martinville
4 of 4
A hearty plate lunch at Poche's Market and Restaurant
If you’d rather get a taste of the dock-and-dine life within a group setting, Wanderlust Rentals hosts guided trips called “Paddle Therapy,” sessions. Participants paddle en-masse from the company’s Leonville launch to Arnaudville-based Bayou Teche Brewing to feast on wood-fired pizzas from The Cajun Saucer restaurant, and sample craft IPAs, lagers and ales brewed on-site. Previously, Paddle Therapy trips have also drifted downstream to St. Martinville’s St John Restaurant, disembarking to enjoy St John’s famous jumbo lump crab cakes, creamy corn and crab bisque, fried oysters, and pecan praline bread pudding.
“In just 2–4 hours, you can move from a quiet, natural stretch of bayou into a completely different town with its own culture, history, and food scene,” Rudasill marvels. “One moment you’re surrounded by cypress trees and wildlife, the next you’re tied up at a dock enjoying a meal and a drink. It’s a really authentic way to experience Louisiana—on the water, at your own pace, and always with something good waiting at the next stop.”
At the end of April, Wanderlust Rentals will open an eighth location in downtown St Martinville—conveniently located near St John Restaurant. “These self-service locations, along with the kayak docks themselves, make it easy for anyone to rent, launch, and experience the dock-and-dine culture firsthand,” Rudasill says.
Plan your dock-and-dine experience on Bayou Teche at CajunCountry.org
.jpg)
