These 10 Louisiana Restaurants Give You Plenty Of Delicious Choices Of Soul Food

Fun fact: one New Orleans spot on this list serves a gumbo built on a recipe that’s about sixty years old.

Another one swaps out the meat entirely and still makes jambalaya and yakamein work.

Who knew soul food could stretch that far?

A Shreveport kitchen on this list is famous for stuffed shrimp, while a small-town cafe near I-20 serves hot water bread with its fried chicken.

Louisiana takes comfort food seriously, from oxtails over rice and gravy to bread pudding for dessert.

These kitchens sit in big cities, quiet downtowns, and one tiny town most drivers zip right past.

1. Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe

A gumbo recipe about sixty years old is a pretty strong reason to plan lunch around one spot.

Over on Esplanade Avenue, this cafe keeps that tradition going with Creole filé gumbo rooted in a family recipe developed around 1970. Filé, made from ground sassafras leaves, gives the dish its distinctive, herbal finish.

The menu sticks to New Orleans classics, and that’s the point. Fried chicken can share a table with red beans and rice, gumbo, and greens.

The daily specials introduce different plates, including jambalaya, smothered dishes, and seafood preparations from its family cooking tradition.

Crab cakes arrive with crawfish sauce, while catfish and shrimp offer alternatives for anyone wanting a seafood-centered lunch.

Breakfast-style dishes occasionally join the daytime lineup, but this is primarily a lunchtime restaurant with a casual counter-order setup.

Choose macaroni and cheese, candied yams, dirty rice, or potato salad to round out a plate. Bread pudding provides a soft, sweet finish after the savory plates, if you still have room.

The cafe occupies 1500 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116, in the Tremé neighborhood. Regular service runs Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with selected additional Sunday openings announced separately.

Takeout and indoor seating make it convenient for a midday stop. Arrive with room for both a gumbo bowl and a side dish.

2. Sweet Soulfood

Fried cauliflower might steal the show from the fried chicken you thought you wanted.

At this North Broad Street favorite, the entire menu is vegan, with familiar Louisiana comfort dishes prepared entirely from plant-based ingredients.

Soul food gets a playful spin here without losing its regional character. Okra gumbo and jambalaya appear on the daily hot-food menu, while yakamein joins Thursday’s rotation.

Since the selection changes by weekday, the meal can be a little different every time. Orange cauliflower, barbecue cauliflower, and sweet heat cauliflower bring several kinds of seasoning to the counter.

The kitchen operates at 1025 N Broad St, New Orleans, LA 70119. For a full plate, combine cashew macaroni and cheese with collard greens, cabbage, sweet potatoes, or mushrooms in gravy.

The kitchen also prepares eggplant lasagna, chickpea cakes, stuffed bell peppers, and cornbread dressing on particular days.

Bread pudding and brownies provide sweet endings, while fruit juices include soursop with ginger and strawberry lemonade.

Ordering is cafeteria-style: choose a combination from the prepared foods, then settle into the casual dining area or take the meal away. Thursday is the day to try yakamein.

Doors open Monday through Saturday at 11 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.; Sunday is the regular day off. A meal here shows just how wide the meaning of soul food can be.

3. 3 Southern Girls

Cabbage rarely gets fan mail, but here it just might.

The kitchen at 4402 Jefferson Hwy, Jefferson, LA 70121, gives familiar vegetable sides just as much attention as the fried chicken and seafood coming out of the kitchen.

The lunch menu includes gumbo, fried wings, fried fish, and red beans with rice, alongside rotating daily specials.

Stuffed bell peppers offer another classic Southern plate, especially when paired with mac and cheese or potato salad.

Sweet peas, fried okra, candied yams, and cabbage make it easy to build a different combination on each visit. Cornbread provides a simple finishing touch beside gravy or beans.

There’s room for other lunch cravings. Fried shrimp sandwiches, baked spaghetti, grilled cheese, and onion rings have appeared on the menu.

The selection changes through the week, so individual specials may vary. A refreshing watermelon drink adds something bright alongside the rich plates.

The midday setting favors a comfortable, unrushed meal. The dining room is compact and casual, with takeout and delivery options for those eating elsewhere.

The restaurant serves weekday lunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, and closes on weekends. That makes it more suitable for a midday break than an evening outing.

Just outside New Orleans, pick a protein, add the vegetables that catch your eye, and make cabbage part of the main event for once.

4. Cafe Express, Soul Food

Soul food at 6 a.m.? Baton Rouge early birds get exactly that at this North Street cafe, where breakfast begins while many other kitchens are preparing for the day.

That early start gives the place its own rhythm. Grits, eggs, and breakfast plates help fuel the morning rush. Later, the kitchen switches attention toward the familiar Southern plate lunch.

Smothered chicken, pork chops, baked turkey wings, fried fish, and hamburger steak are among its established choices.

Rice and gravy anchor many combinations, with collard greens, mustard greens, red beans, and candied yams adding extra comfort to the plate.

The cafe at 2451 North St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, requires little ceremony. It’s a straightforward counter-service operation rather than a long sit-down occasion.

A small dining space suits quick visits, while takeout allows lunch to travel back to work. Smothered dishes suit anyone who enjoys gravy over rice. The changing daily lineup may also include oxtails and seafood gumbo.

The cafe serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, starting at 6 a.m. and finishing around 3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays are reserved as days off. Bringing cash is sensible, as the restaurant’s payment options are limited.

An early breakfast here is one way to start the day with something more substantial than a pastry, while lunch brings the slower flavors of home cooking.

5. Taylor’s Catering & Restaurant

Hot water cornbread is the kind of side people plan their whole order around. At Taylor’s in Shreveport, it shares the spotlight with fried catfish, smothered pork chops, and hearty vegetable sides.

The cafeteria counter at 1136 N Market St, Shreveport, LA 71107, makes choosing lunch fun.

Start with a main dish, then add sides such as okra and tomatoes, black-eyed peas, greens, sweet yams, or mashed potatoes.

Fried chicken wings, chicken and dumplings, and beef tips appear among its Southern staples, although the day’s exact selection can change. That variety rewards an open mind.

Desserts may also join the day’s selections. Hot water cornbread deserves particular attention. Unlike the fluffy, baked slices many people know, this version is shaped from cornmeal dough and cooked until the outside turns golden.

It’s an excellent companion to beans, vegetables, and gravy. A simple plate of fish, greens, and cornbread has all the ingredients for a satisfying lunch.

Taylor’s also prepares catering orders for groups, bringing the same country-style cooking beyond the small dining room.

Regular restaurant hours run Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; weekends are closed. Give yourself time for a weekday stop, since lunch is the only regular service period.

Between the serving line and the homestyle dishes, there’s a distinctly Louisiana sense of occasion in an otherwise ordinary midday meal.

6. Eddie’s Seafood & Soul Food Restaurant

Shreveport has its own spin on shrimp, and this Hollywood Avenue kitchen is famous for it.

Stuffed shrimp are the headline act, carrying a local culinary tradition into a family-run dining room.

The restaurant at 1956 Hollywood Ave, Shreveport, LA 71108, opened in 1978 with a recipe linked to the historic Freeman & Harris Cafe.

The dish starts with butterflied shrimp wrapped around seasoned stuffing, then coated and fried until golden.

It’s a specialty that can be ordered on its own or as part of a seafood combination. Catfish and fried shrimp provide more options for diners who enjoy a crisp seafood platter.

There is plenty beyond the fryer. Smothered pork chops, hamburger steak, and red beans with rice bring the soul-food side of the menu into focus.

Rice and gravy can accompany a main course, with vegetables and other sides completing the plate. Peach cobbler sometimes appears among the sweets, making dessert another possibility if you have room.

Inside, the setting is casual and family-oriented, with tables for a relaxed lunch and takeout for a faster stop. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Sunday and Monday are closed.

Ordering the stuffed shrimp gives you more than a plate of seafood; it’s a taste of a distinctive local tradition.

7. Soul Haus Kitchen

Soul food with a drive-through? Lafayette has an option on West Congress Street, where hearty plate lunches and pickup orders keep things moving throughout the day.

Daily specials shape the menu. Smothered oxtails and pork chops share space with baked turkey wings, fried chicken, meatloaf, and red beans with rice.

The kitchen also prepares fried catfish, shrimp, and crawfish étouffée when available.

That range is particularly useful when some people crave a classic gravy plate while others want something from the seafood side. The kitchen stands at 4150 W Congress St, Lafayette, LA 70506.

Sides matter here too. Macaroni and cheese, cabbage, greens, candied yams, cornbread, and rice can round out a lunch.

For a change of pace, yakamein offers a noodle-based alternative, while shrimp and grits and Cajun pasta expand the menu beyond standard plate lunches.

Boiled crawfish may appear during its seasonal availability, and banana pudding provides a familiar dessert option.

The dining room is casual, with takeout and delivery available. A drive-through can also make ordering convenient when time is short.

The main published restaurant hours are Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday pickup schedules may differ, so confirm the day’s service if planning a weekend visit.

Louisiana comfort food comes in several forms here, from slow-cooked gravy dishes to seafood plates assembled for the road.

8. Joub’s Taste Of The Boot

Rice and gravy could honestly be the official language of this Lake Charles kitchen.

Oxtails, sirloin tips, and other home-style plates make good use of it, building a meal around tender meat and familiar Southern sides. The storefront sits at 2502 Broad St, Lake Charles, LA 70601.

Start with the oxtail plate. Slow-cooked meat arrives over seasoned rice with gravy, and choices such as cabbage, green beans, yams, or black-eyed peas complete the combination.

Sirloin tips and meatloaf offer other comfort-food paths. A sweet potato cornbread may provide an unexpected finishing note, depending on the day’s offerings.

The menu reaches beyond traditional plate lunches. Fried fish and shrimp baskets give seafood lovers plenty to consider, while gumbo and étouffée bring Cajun and Creole flavors into the rotation.

Joubilee Fries layer cheesy potatoes with shrimp étouffée for a more playful option. The names and combinations bring some personality to a lunch counter built around substantial meals.

This is primarily a weekday lunch stop, so plan around the shorter hours. Tuesday through Friday service normally runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the restaurant closes Monday and on weekends.

Arrive with a healthy appetite, choose a couple of vegetables, and let the rice and gravy do what they do best.

9. Roxie’s Southern Bistro

Date night and smothered turkey wings belong together more often.

Downtown Monroe agrees, thanks to this bistro on Desiard Street, where Southern comfort cooking comes with a more polished dining-room setting.

The menu includes smothered turkey wings cooked in gravy with onions and peppers.

Oxtails over rice offer another hearty choice, while fried or grilled pork chops bring a familiar Southern favorite to the table.

Blackened catfish, hamburger steak with gravy, and red beans with sausage make it possible to build a very different meal on a return visit.

There’s plenty of attention to the sides as well. Candied yams, mustard greens, cabbage, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread can accompany the main dishes.

Weekend-style brunch options include chicken with waffles, shrimp and grits, and French toast. For dessert, peach cobbler or a slice of pound cake makes a fitting finish.

Music and occasional entertainment add energy to the contemporary dining room at 436 Desiard St, Monroe, LA 71201.

Lunch and dinner are served in separate periods Tuesday through Saturday, generally beginning at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday service runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., while Monday is closed. Individual menus can vary by service period.

This is the place to pair a classic gravy-centered plate with an evening out, rather than rushing through another quick lunch.

10. Soul Food Kitchen

Most drivers on I-20 never realize what they’re missing just off the exit.

Choudrant’s Soul Food Kitchen gives them a tasty reason to pull over, especially when fried chicken and hot water cornbread are on the menu.

The family-run restaurant at 3731 Elm St, Choudrant, LA 71227, prepares classic Southern meals, with fried chicken, baked chicken, hamburger steak, and pork chops appearing throughout the week.

A lunch plate includes a main dish, three sides, and a choice of hot water or jalapeño cornbread. That lets you pair crisp chicken with rice and gravy, greens, lima beans, corn casserole, or sweet yams.

Thursday also brings beef tips, while Friday adds catfish to the rotation. Breakfast starts early Tuesday through Saturday.

Eggs, grits, pancakes, biscuits with gravy, and other morning dishes make this more than a lunchtime detour. Sunday has its own comfort-food selections, including chicken and dressing or chicken and dumplings.

Dessert choices rotate, with bread pudding, pound cake, and other home-style sweets appearing on different days.

Hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, with Monday closed.

Online ordering and takeout are available for travelers continuing their journey.

A simple fried chicken plate, a side of greens, and warm cornbread make a wonderfully fitting end to a Louisiana soul-food trip.