Bayou-Side Eateries in St. Landry Parish
Eat like a local while you soak up the outdoors as part of these waterfront dining experiences.
Eat like a local while you soak up the outdoors as part of these waterfront dining experiences.
Along the waterways of St. Landry Parish, you can find eateries ranging from fine-dining hot spots with award-winning dishes to local hole-in-the-wall markets with secret menu items. Take to the water in a boat or kayak and ease up to these bayou-side waterfront dining experiences or simply enjoy your food with a view.
Fine Dining
The Little Big Cup
Located in Arnaudville where Bayou Fuselier and Bayou Teche meet, the Little Big Cup offers classic Cajun dishes and French cooking. Their signature dish, the Cajun Kevin Po-boy, is toasted French bread that's been hollowed out and stuffed with sautéed Gulf shrimp and lump blue point crab meat. It also includes Louisiana crawfish tails and andouille sausage simmered in a mixed pepper, parmesan, butter and cream reduction.
The romantic atmosphere and bayou views make this a popular location for couples ready to pop the question. But it’s the Friday-night surf-and-turf dinner buffet and weekend brunch menu that keep people coming back. Pair your meal with one of their signature cocktails, like the Butter Pecan Old Fashioned or Trinidad Daiquiri, or a glass or bottle from their extensive wine list.
Plan your visit around the Arnaudville Étouffée Festival in the spring to enjoy live Cajun and zydeco music, carnival rides — and tons of delicious étouffée.
Steamboat Warehouse, Washington
Crab Stack, Little Big Cup
Cajun Kevin Po-Boy, Little Big Cup
Little Big Cup, Arnaudville
Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant
In the 1800s, steamboat captains traversed the Louisiana bayous carrying cargo of cotton, timber and sugar. One of their most popular stops was the town of Washington, located along Bayou Courtableau. Built in 1820, this warehouse is the last of its kind still standing and was transformed into a restaurant in 1976. Now, Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant is the place to go for delicious, award-winning dishes like stuffed bell pepper filled with blue crab and Gulf shrimp stuffing. The dish is topped with a parmesan breadcrumb crust and finished with a creamy crawfish sauce.
Aside from the delicious food, the atmosphere of the restaurant is like no other. With antiques lining the walls and hushed stories of ghostly whistles, singing and conversations recorded by the staff, the Steamboat Warehouse is an attraction in itself.
Plan your visit around one of the Old Schoolhouse Antique Fair weekends in the spring or fall for the full experience of this 300-year-old town. After you shop, you can explore! A walking tour points out historic houses and buildings, each with its own story. In the evening, enjoy the food and vibes at Steamboat and end the day with a stay at Hotel Klaus, the town’s new boutique hotel.
Cajun Kevin Po-Boy, Little Big Cup
Red Snapper, Little Big Cup
Local Markets
Bourque’s Supermarket
Bourque’s Supermarket in Port Barre has been serving the community for over 70 years with specialty meats, boudin and groceries. The nearby floating dock and boat ramp marks where Bayou Courtableau turns into Bayou Teche. The dock is the starting point of many kayak and pirogue races, like the Tour du Teche.
Bourque’s is famous for its jalapeño cheese bread, but there’s a secret item at the deli. Imagine a juicy hamburger — but instead of a plain bun, it’s a cheesy, savory jalapeño-cheese bread. The jalapeño-cheese-bread burger is right up there with their Sunday barbecue plate lunches as something you must try.
Head to Port Barre during the second weekend of November to be in time for the Cracklin Festival, a celebration of that crunchy, deep-fried treat.
Champagne’s Marché
Champagne’s Marché has been a staple of the town of Leonville for 100 years. Known for their king cakes — a traditional Mardi Gras treat — this market is located right on Bayou Teche and has more than just baked goods and daily plate lunches. Every weekend they spotlight one of their experimental boudin flavors, ranging from brisket to habanero and even pickle. Of course, you can always get regular boudin if you don’t feel like experimenting.
Head there for Fête Dieu du Teche, a Eucharistic boat procession that traverses the length of the Teche, starting its journey in Leonville. Nearby is a floating dock managed by the TECHE Project, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the overall ecological health of the Bayou Teche corridor. The dock also makes it easier to navigate for travelers looking to explore the dynamic waterway. You can find them all along the Bayou Teche.
