Top Restaurants and Culinary Experiences Along the Cajun Coast
These must-try local eateries offer the best of the best in terms of cuisine in St. Mary Parish.
St. Mary Parish - also known as the Cajun Coast - is a prime spot for paddling, gaming, and of course, eating all the local delicacies. The Cajun Coast is located in southern Louisiana on the Bayou Bounty Culinary Trail, making it a hub for the freshest catches straight from the nearby Gulf of Mexico. See some of the Cajun Coast's best restaurants and culinary experiences below.
Top Restaurants Along the Cajun Coast:
Sam’s Southern Eatery
Sam’s Southern Eatery began as a locally-owned establishment in Shreveport, and after gaining popularity, has grown to multiple locations across the state. At its location in Morgan City, try southern favorites like fried green tomatoes, po’boys, seafood platters, and yes – even fried chicken livers and gizzards.
Atchafalaya Café
At Atchafalaya Café in Morgan City, you’ll find Cajun cuisine paired with a side of live music. Order up some fried alligator bites, sip some shrimp, corn and crab bisque, get a platter of char-grilled oysters or check out their rotating lunch specials.
East Gate Barbecue
East Gate Barbecue in Morgan City specializes in authentic barbecue done in their wood burning grill or smoke tower for a full punch of flavor. Get a plate and choose from pulled pork, pork ribs, sausage, chicken or brisket. Or, try one of their creative sandwiches – like the Psycho Pig with pulled pork, grilled onions and jalapenos tossed in buffalo sauce and topped with pepper jack cheese. If you’re coming with an appetite, dare to attempt the Big Skinny challenge, complete with four 8oz Black Angus burger patties on a 24 inch loaf of French bread, topped with brisket, pulled pork, cheddar, pepper jack, sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions, cabbage, pickles, tomatoes, mayo and mustard!
The Original Castalano’s
The Original Castalano’s in Morgan City was founded in 1961 and is still going strong, feeding happy customers with their Italian-American specialties. Their homemade spaghetti and meatballs are their pride and joy, but you can also find tasty dishes like eggplant or chicken parmesan, Muffalettas and more on their large menu.
T-Noon’s Seafood
If you’re looking for hot boiled seafood, T-Noon’s is the place to go. After chowing down on crawfish and crabs with all the fixin’s, wash it all down with a cold, sweet snowball to beat the heat. It’s a match made in heaven.
Claudia’s Soul Food
There’s nothing better than down-home Southern cooking, and Claudia’s Soul Food knows best. Claudia’s serves up comforting plate lunches filled to the brim with all the traditional favorites – like red beans & rice, fried pork chops, fried catfish, smothered okra with shrimp and sausage, corn bread, potato salad and more!
Lynn’s Hot Tamales
Lynn’s serves up daily plate lunches, yummy po’boys, burgers and hearty entrees like chicken fried steak with gravy, but the star of the show here (as you can tell by the name) is the tamales. Get them plain or fancy it up by ordering a tamale pie – four tamales topped with chili, cheese, lettuce and tomato.
Don't-Miss Culinary Experiences
Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival
The Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival is held every Labor Day weekend in Morgan City. The shrimping and oil industries are admittedly strange bedfellows for a festival, but this event celebrates the livelihood of these two vital south Louisiana industries. A great cultural microcosm of Louisiana, the festival is everything great about the state – food, music, children’s activities, historic events and more.
The Atchafalaya at Idlewild
The Atchafalaya at Idlewild is a public golf course that is part of the Audubon Golf Trail. Play a round or simply stop by The Atchafalaya Clubhouse for great views and a nice meal. The Clubhouse is modeled after an Acadian-style cottage with a larch porch that overlooks the greens. Inside, fresh and flavorful dishes are prepared – earning this spot a top dining experience in the area.
Cypress Bayou Casino
The Cypress Bayou Casino is located on the Chitimacha Indian Reservation in Charenton. The casino hosts multiple restaurants with plenty of delicious menu options sure to please every taste. Sink your teeth into a juicy steak at Mr. Lester’s Steakhouse or an award-winning gumbo at Mabel’s Kitchen.
For more info on good eats on the Cajun Coast and surrounding areas, visit the Bayou Bounty Culinary Trail.
