11 Restaurants in Louisiana’s River Parishes Worth the Drive

Louisiana’s River Parishes may be best known for their historic plantations and scenic swamps, but the food scene here is just as worth the trip. From classic Cajun po’boys to cozy bakeries, there are plenty of delicious restaurants along this stretch of the Mississippi River.

During my time in the River Parishes, I discovered that some of the best meals come from small local spots you might otherwise drive right past — they’re unassuming from the outside but packed with big flavor (and huge portions) on the inside.

Whether you’re craving fried shrimp, homemade King Cake, or a plate of gumbo after a day of touring, here are my favorite restaurants in Louisiana’s River Parishes that are absolutely worth the drive.

Where to Eat in Louisiana’s River Parishes

1. Frenier Landing Restaurant and Oyster Bar

Seafood, Waterfront

Frenier Landing Restaurant and Oyster Bar is a casual seafood restaurant right on the water on Lake Ponchartrain. They serve seafood and Southern classics with a waterfront view (if you can time it for sunset, this place is perfect).

Start with the Alligator Sausage with Creole Mustard, my favorite of their appetizers. The Fried Crawfish Tails, Oysters Frenier, Fried Green Tomatoes topped with Grilled Shrimp, and Hush Puppies are also great choices.

I recommend their Grilled Shrimp Platter with Sweet Potato Fries for a main.

And for dessert, you can’t go wrong with their Bread Pudding, Chocolate Chip Milk Cake, Lemon Cake, or Cinnamon Cake.

113 Dottie Ln, Laplace, LA 70068

2. Oak Alley Plantation Restaurant

Breakfast, Lunch, Southern

Oak Alley Plantation Restaurant serves breakfast and lunch daily in a cute little dining room attached to the gift shop. If you stay overnight at Oak Alley and get the evening meal service, that’s also from the restaurant.

I wasn’t a huge fan of their evening meal service, because it’s like reheating leftovers: it’s never as good as fresh. But I did enjoy their breakfast, and I enjoyed when they catered a conference I attended, so I know their food is better fresh from the restaurant.

For breakfast, I recommend the Breakfast Sandwich with scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, and Texas toast. Their Plantation Breakfast also looked delicious, and you can get a little of everything including beignets.

From their lunch menu, I enjoyed the Chicken, Smoked Sausage, and Andouille Gumbo (this is also what I had for my evening meal service, and it’s just better when you don’t have to reheat it), the Crawfish Etouffee, their Smoked Sausage, and their Collard Greens.

For dessert, their Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce and their Peach Cobbler are both delicious.

3645 Hwy 18, Vacherie, LA 70090

3. Mabile’s Restaurant

Seafood, Po’boys, Cajun

Mabile’s Restaurant is a home-style Cajun restaurant serving po’boys, seafood platters, and muffalettas. They’ve been a St. John Parish institution since opening in 1984.

Be sure to come hungry to Mabile’s because these sandwiches are huge. A friend got half of a Traditional Muffaletta, and it took up the entire to-go container! By the time we were done with lunch, it didn’t even look like she’d eaten any of it.

I recommend the Fried Shrimp Po’boy; I got a regular size and it was still large and full of shrimp. Everything from the bread to the shrimp was delicious.

1124B W Airline Hwy, Laplace, LA 70068

4. Petra Restaurant & Lounge

Italian, Seafood

Petra Restaurant & Lounge is an Italian restaurant with a Middle Eastern flair, in homage to the owners’ Jordanian roots, and plenty of seafood dishes, because that’s just what this part of Louisiana does.

This was one of the best meals I had during my weekend in Louisiana’s River Parishes!

I recommend the Eggplant Sticks or the Smoked Salmon for an appetizer and the Petra Pasta with shrimp, crawfish, and crabmeat in a mushroom cream sauce for your main dish.

1036 W Airline Hwy, Laplace, LA 70068

5. Chung’s Heavenly Cafe 

Bakery, Beignets, Asian Fusion

Chung’s Heavenly Cafe is an interesting restaurant in Louisiana’s River Parishes with a variety of food, from bakery items to kimbop and chicken curry.

What I really recommend here are their beignets and their kolache from the bakery. They even have King Cake Beignets, which have a glaze on top instead of powdered sugar and are decorated with King Cake sprinkles. The kolache is a mix of sweet and savory, with a glazed pastry outside and a sausage in the center.

607 Belle Terre Blvd, Laplace, LA 70068

6. Coffee &

Donuts, King Cake

Coffee & is a casual coffee shop and bakery in Norco that is known for their gourmet donuts and their King Cakes. They also serve breakfast plates, breakfast sandwiches, omelettes, and lunch sandwiches.

I recommend their King Cakes, which they have a variety of flavors. The Plain Traditional is always a great choice, but I also really enjoyed their Apple-Filled Traditional King Cake. They also have flavors like Praline and Cream Cheese.

15641 E Airline Hwy, Norco, LA 70079

7. PJ’s Coffee

PJ’s Coffee is a coffee shop chain that was started in New Orleans and now has tons of locations all over the country, including in Louisiana’s River Parishes.

They’re known for their coffee, beignets, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and lunch sandwiches.

I had their Club Sandwich for lunch, which is a delicious combination of ham, turkey, bacon, American cheese, Swiss cheese, and ciabatta bread. I also highly recommend their massive chocolate chip cookies that are the size of your head, packed with chocolate chips, and the perfect softness.

Destrehan: 150 Ormond Center Ct, Destrehan, LA 70047

LaPlace: 1819 W Airline Hwy, Laplace, LA 70068

Lutcher: 1935 Lutcher Ave A, Lutcher, LA 70071

Luling: 12413 US-90, Luling, LA 70070

8. Honeydoux Cafe+ Bakery

Bakery, Cafe

Honeydoux Cafe+ Bakery is an adorable little cafe with a menu of sandwiches, salads, muffins, scones, cupcakes, Danishes, and other delicious bakery items.

I love their Pecan Pie Danishes and their Red Velvet Cupcakes.

13100 River Rd suite 130, Destrehan, LA 70047

9. Sports Pub & Grill

American, Bar

Sports Pub & Grill is a homey neighborhood bar with classic comfort foods like Spicy Buffalo Wings, Mozzarella Sticks, Burgers, and Fried Chicken Tenders. They also have Pub Po’boys, in classic Louisiana style, and Baked Potatoes in a variety of different ways.

Whatever you order, be sure to wash it down with a classic Hurricane Daiquiri from their colorful drink machines behind the bar.

3001 Ormond Blvd, Destrehan, LA 70047

10. German Coast Beer Company

Brewery

German Coast Beer Company is a local brewery named for the German immigrants who settled here along the banks of the Mississippi.

While the taproom itself doesn’t serve food, they do have a rotation of visiting food trucks and vendors, so check out their social media for the weekly lineup.

They serve their own craft beer, non-alcoholic craft root beer, and even cider.

13899 River Rd Ste B, Luling, LA 70070

11. At the airport: The Munch Factory

Creole, Airport Dining

Not technically in Louisiana’s River Parishes but close enough, the New Orleans airport can be a great place to eat before you catch your flight home.

The Munch Factory at the airport is a counter-serve restaurant serving Creole dishes and a limited menu much like their beloved New Orleans location, with options like gumbo, wraps, po’boys, sandwiches, red beans & rice, and shrimp. I recommend the Buffalo Chicken Wrap.

1 Terminal Dr, Kenner, LA 70062

Where to Eat Near the River Road Plantations

If you’re exploring the plantations along Louisiana’s scenic River Road, you’ll likely start to notice that there aren’t a lot of food options near popular stops like Oak Alley Plantation.

At Oak Alley itself, the Oak Alley Plantation Restaurant is a great option for breakfast or lunch before or after your plantation tour. The Plantation Cafe is also open during the historic site’s visiting hours for quick bites, sandwiches, and drinks. If you’re staying overnight in the cottages, they offer an Evening Meal Service which provides you with reheatable dishes that you can enjoy in your cottage without having to drive 20 minutes to the nearest restaurant.

B&C Seafood Riverside & Cajun Restaurant is a great lunch stop near Laura Plantation This laid-back Cajun restaurant is known for its fresh seafood and Louisiana classics.

Honeydoux Cafe+ Bakery is a great spot for breakfast and lunch near Destrehan Plantation. Ormond Manor Restaurant is also a highly rated dining experience in the area.

Because many of the River Road plantations are spread out along the Mississippi River, planning ahead for restaurant stops between tours is one of the easiest ways to turn a plantation visit into a relaxed half-day or full-day trip near New Orleans.

Restaurants in Louisiana’s River Parishes Map

Ready to eat your way through Louisiana’s River Parishes? Find all the restaurants listed in this post on the map below.

I hope you enjoy every meal in this delicious part of Louisiana!

More Louisiana Itineraries

• 16 Best Things to Do in Louisiana’s River Parishes near NOLA
• 3 Days in Louisiana’s River Parishes near New Orleans
• Staying at Oak Alley Plantation Overnight: Historic Cottages Review
• Which Plantations near New Orleans are Worth Visiting
• Ultimate River Road Plantation Itinerary near New Orleans
• 16 Can’t-Miss Things To Do in New Orleans, Louisiana
• 14 Best Summer Vacation Spots in the South
• 14 Best Spring Break Destinations in the South
• 14 Best Winter Vacations in the South
• 14 Best Fall Vacations in the South

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Cheers!

Paige

Which of these restaurants in Louisiana’s River Parishes are you most excited to try? Let me know in the comments!