For Decades, This Louisiana Family Served Soul Food In America’s Oldest Black-Owned Business

This restaurant has gone by at least four different names, and one family has kept the kitchen running through every single one.

Although that’s quite a thing to casually mention, it gets better.

The family began feeding the public in 1921. Five generations later, they still run the place.

The business is now recognized as the oldest continuously operating African-American family-owned restaurant in the United States.

That’s more than a century of gumbo, catfish, and hard work passed from parent to child.

Well, now there’s a little more to it.

The whole operation sits right on a lake in northwest Louisiana, with windows facing the water. Who’s supposed to say no to that?

A Century-Old Family Kitchen Still Has Its Original Owners

Plenty of restaurants brag about being family-owned. Orlandeaux’s Café can back that up with a family story stretching back more than a century.

Its roots lead to Freeman Café, which developed into Freeman & Harris Café in Shreveport during the 1920s.

The original business was established by relatives whose cooking eventually became part of the city’s culinary identity. Five generations later, descendants continue preparing dishes connected to that early kitchen.

The family operates Orlandeaux’s Café today, carrying forward recipes for stuffed shrimp, gumbo, seafood, and traditional Southern meals.

The restaurant’s story spans several businesses and locations, each contributing another chapter to the family’s culinary heritage.

In Louisiana, where family cooking traditions carry enormous cultural importance, this particular story reaches back farther than most.

A meal here becomes a connection to generations of cooks who helped shape Shreveport’s food culture.

Four Names, One Family, And A Tribute To Orlando

Freeman & Harris Café. Pete Harris Café. Brother’s Seafood. Orlandeaux’s Café.

Those names sound like four separate restaurants, but they’re connected through one extended family’s culinary history.

The original Freeman & Harris Café became a gathering place for Shreveport residents during the twentieth century.

Pete Harris Café later carried forward many of the same specialties, including the signature stuffed shrimp and seasoned dipping sauce.

Brother’s Seafood continued the tradition under another generation of family ownership.

The current name pays tribute to Orlando Chapman, whose cooking and dedication helped preserve the family’s recipes.

There’s a playful local touch to the spelling. Adding the French-inspired “eaux” ending transforms Orlando into Orlandeaux, giving the restaurant a name that feels distinctly regional.

The name also recognizes the people who prepared these dishes long before the present Cross Lake location opened. Family members learned by working in the kitchen, helping with orders, and gradually taking on greater responsibilities.

Everyone Got A Seat Here When Few Places Allowed It

History books often focus on major speeches and famous marches. Sometimes, though, important change happened around a dinner table.

Freeman & Harris Café played a significant role in Shreveport’s African-American community.

During the segregation era, the restaurant became one of the city’s earliest dining establishments where Black and white customers could eat together.

Its dining room and meeting spaces welcomed community leaders, business owners, and people involved in efforts to expand civil rights.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. also visited the establishment during trips to Shreveport between 1958 and 1962.

Community discussions, political gatherings, and everyday conversations became part of the restaurant’s broader history. The café helped establish a social space where food and civic life came together.

Today, Orlandeaux’s carries that heritage into a different setting, preserving the family’s culinary connection to the original establishment.

There’s something meaningful about enjoying a meal tied to such an important chapter of Louisiana history.

Grab A Window Seat Because Cross Lake Steals The Show

Lunch with a side of lake views? Not a bad deal at all.

Orlandeaux’s Café sits directly along Cross Lake in Shreveport, with large dining room windows offering a wide view of the water.

The restaurant opened at this location in 2021, moving into the former Smith’s Cross Lake Inn.

That property already had a longstanding connection to local dining, making it a fitting setting for another chapter of the family’s restaurant story.

The move brought the kitchen closer to one of Shreveport’s most recognizable natural landmarks.

Cross Lake stretches across the city’s western side, with wooded shorelines, boat docks, and open water visible from the restaurant. Inside, wooden tables and chairs maintain a casual atmosphere.

The windows are the real attraction, giving diners a view that changes with the weather and time of day.

Outdoor seating is another option when conditions are pleasant. It’s easy to imagine spending a leisurely meal watching boats pass in the distance.

The Stuffed Shrimp Is A Family Specialty Worth Ordering First

Some dishes become famous beyond the restaurant that first popularized them. Shreveport-style stuffed shrimp is one of those specialties.

The dish became associated with Freeman & Harris Café during the late 1950s. Large shrimp are butterflied, filled with seasoned stuffing, coated in a crisp batter, and fried until golden.

The result is substantially different from an ordinary plate of fried shrimp. Each piece combines seafood, a savory filling, and a crunchy exterior that makes the dish especially satisfying.

Orlandeaux’s continues preparing its own version using recipes connected to the family tradition. The shrimp is traditionally accompanied by the restaurant’s Original Tartar Sauce.

This isn’t simply a conventional creamy seafood dip. The family’s distinctive sauce has a seasoned, tangy character that complements the filling. The restaurant even offers containers of the sauce to take home.

Stuffed shrimp can be ordered individually, as a platter, or tucked into a po’boy. For first-time visitors, it’s a natural place to begin.

Spoon-Worthy Bowls Bring Creole Comfort To The Table

Gumbo gets a fun spelling makeover here. On the menu, it shows up as Gumbeaux, matching the restaurant’s playful name.

The dish combines shrimp, chicken, crab, and sausage in a richly seasoned, roux-based broth served with rice.

It’s a substantial bowl, bringing several of the restaurant’s traditional ingredients together. Crawfish Étouffée offers another direction.

The kitchen prepares it with a blonde roux, creating a lighter-colored sauce filled with crawfish tails and served over rice.

Unlike the deeper-colored roux commonly used in gumbo, a blonde roux keeps a gentler toasted flavor. Shrimp Creole adds yet another variation.

Shrimp is prepared with bell peppers, onions, celery, and a seasoned tomato-based sauce before being served over rice.

Gumbo emphasizes its rich broth, étouffée focuses on a smooth sauce, and shrimp Creole brings tomato and vegetables to the foreground.

For anyone exploring traditional Louisiana cooking, ordering one of these dishes provides an introduction to the flavors that have shaped the family’s menu.

Catfish Campti And Alligator Bites Make A Bold Combo

Catfish fans, this section is for you. Orlandeaux’s Café serves fried catfish in several forms, but one specialty deserves particular attention.

Catfish Campti combines crispy fried catfish with crawfish étouffée, served over a bed of rice. The contrast makes the dish memorable. Crunchy fish sits beneath a rich crawfish sauce, while the rice brings everything together.

The name also connects the plate with Campti, a small community in Natchitoches Parish associated with the family’s early roots.

Feeling adventurous? Alligator Bites offer another distinctly regional appetizer. Boudin Balls are available as well, bringing the familiar Louisiana combination of seasoned meat and rice into a crispy, bite-sized form.

Shrimp and Grits provides a creamier option, featuring jumbo shrimp, smoked sausage, vegetables, and a seasoned sauce over grits.

For something more traditional, the menu also includes smothered pork chops, chicken-fried steak, and hamburger steak.

Weekday lunch specials bring additional homestyle choices, with different dishes offered throughout the week.

Save Room, Because Dessert Comes Dusted In Sugar

Powdered sugar on your shirt is practically a badge of honor here. The warm beignets come generously dusted, so napkins are highly recommended.

These soft pieces of fried dough offer a familiar Louisiana finish to a substantial meal.

Their light interior contrasts with a golden exterior, while the powdered sugar adds just enough sweetness.

The kitchen serves them in an order of three, making them easy to share. Peach Cobbler is another traditional dessert.

Tender peaches and a baked topping create the kind of comforting combination associated with Southern family cooking. Apple Cobbler offers a similar style with a different fruit filling.

The dessert selection also includes a bundt-style pound cake, providing something simpler for anyone who prefers a traditional slice of cake. Considering the generous main dishes, dessert might require a little planning.

Packing part of your meal to take home could leave room for something sweet. Then comes the setting. A plate of warm beignets beside the Cross Lake windows makes an inviting ending to lunch or an early evening meal.

A Little Planning Makes Your Visit Much Smoother

Popular places come with one small catch. Orlandeaux’s Café can attract a substantial lunch and dinner crowd, especially when families gather for weekend meals.

Arriving early is a sensible option if you’re hoping for a particular table or a shorter wait.

The restaurant welcomes walk-in customers, so reservations aren’t necessary for an ordinary visit. You’ll find it at 5301 S Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport.

The current schedule runs Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with Sunday closed. Parking is available on the property, and the restaurant offers accessible seating and facilities.

The dining room is casual, with tables arranged near the large windows overlooking Cross Lake. Takeout is also available, although orders are placed in person rather than by telephone.

If you’re visiting for the first time, consider starting with the stuffed shrimp or Gumbeaux before exploring the larger menu. Then save a little room for dessert.