Visit one of Louisiana’s big “food” cities—New Orleans, Lafayette, or Baton Rouge—and you’ll find no shortage of delicious culinary experiences, it’s true. But if you’re looking to see South Louisiana food culture closest to its source, you need to head to the small towns lining the southern bayous. This is where many of Louisiana’s most beloved food traditions were conceived: as a direct result of the seafood teeming from the coast and the bayou, the wild birds and game that call the swamp their home, and the diverse peoples who brought their distinct knowledge of spices, preparation, and survival to bear on it all. Lafourche Parish’s Cajun Bayou Food Trail offers a roadmap to experiencing the best of the region’s flavors, delivered at restaurants owned by families who have lived here for generations. Mark five restaurants on your official Cajun Bayou Food Trail Passport to receive a free t-shirt from Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. You can’t go wrong with any of the 18 stops on the list, but here are five of our favorites.
Kajun Twist & Grill
Galliano & Lockport
Helmed by born-and-raised Galliano local Chef Anthony Goldsmith, whose goal as a legacy chef (his great grandmother was the one-and-only Alzina Toups) is to preserve “true Cajun bayou cooking,” Kajun Twist & Grill hearkens back to the old Cajun ways. The restaurant hangs its hat on family recipes and an ever-rotating menu of beloved regional comfort foods: shrimp stew, boudin egg rolls, country fried steak, meatloaf with gravy, fried seafood platters, and more. See the latest specialty menus on the Kajun Twist & Grill Facebook page.
Spahr’s Seafood
Des Allemands, Thibodaux, and Cut Off
Spahr’s history goes back to 1968, when William “Bill” Spahr and his wife opened their bar and service station in Des Allemands. It didn’t take long for them to catch on to the demand for a community restaurant serving local seafood; four generations later, the Spahr family is still operating its full-service restaurant, which now has three locations. The original Spahr’s was lost to a fire in 2002, but then re-built and opened on the same slab in 2006—still offering its classic scenic views of Bayou Des Allemands. In the meantime, the family opened the now-hotspot location in downtown Thibodaux; and in 2016, they opened Spahr’s at the Station in Cut Off as well. All three locations are known for serving seafood caught wild just down the road, and hold the titles of home of the “Original” catfish chips and a “world famous gumbo” recipe. Explore the menu at spahrsseafood.com.
"Catfish is king" at Spahr's Seafood.
Cher Amie’s Seafood
Cut Off
The storefront might be nondescript, easy to miss on Cut Off’s Main Street—but step inside and be welcomed into a world revolving around the distinct Cajun/Creole cultures of the bayou, artistically rendered by murals depicting traditional Acadian cottages, pirogues, and a shrimp boat called “Cher Amie”. The menu follows suit, offering regional classics—sometimes with a twist. Try a pistolette, stuffed with crab, shrimp, or crawfish; or a fried seafood kabob. Get a little of all the best of it with masterpieces like the softshell crab and crawfish étouffée, or “Dan’s Seafood Boat”: a bread boat topped with cream sauce and crabmeat, three oysters, three fried shrimp, three pieces of fish, and popcorn shrimp. Explore more of the extensive menu at cheramies.com.
Cher Amie's Seafood is Cut Off's hidden gem on Main Street.
Grady V’s
Thibodaux
Born and raised in Thibodaux, Chef Brent Daigle grew up inspired by the cooking of his grandmother and his father. The passion took him through Chef John Folse’s Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University, and his mastery over local seafood even earned him a spot in this year’s Louisiana Seafood Cookoff. His work as the chef at Grady V’s is a fantastic example of what happens when the freshest local seafood meets time-tested old recipes, and gets a dash of creativity. Some of Daigle’s specials include a Cajun Redfish Pirogue (the fish is served over roasted boudin, topped with andouille tomato cream sauce and sautéed gulf shrimp) and “All the Way” gumbo (served with chicken and sausage and crab and shrimp in a medium roux). See the entire menu at gradyvs.com.
Chef Brett Daigle's passion for Louisiana cuisine spans over generations.
Politz’s
Thibodaux
This family-owned restaurant has flourished in Thibodaux for almost sixty years, offering a rotating specials menu of the community’s favorites. On any given day, you’ll find huge pots steaming in the kitchen, filled with shrimp stew and gumbo, red beans and lima beans and more. Steaks are cooked to order, and a recent flounder special stuffed the prized fish with crab and topped it with broiled shrimp and mushrooms. Oh, and save room for the bread pudding (… you’ll thank us later). See the latest specialty menus on the Politz’s Restaurant Facebook Page.
Find the entire Cajun Bayou Food Trail Map and Passport at lacajunbayou.com/foodtrail.
