5 Unique Foodie Experiences in Lafayette

Every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, local farmers, fishers and artisan producers set up shop on the shady grounds of a former horse farm. It’s a lovely setting for sampling and purchasing Louisiana treats from pecans to sugar cane. It also serves as a scenic breakfast spot where vendors offer several choices, such as fresh buttermilk biscuits topped with fig preserves and boudin, Lafayette’s signature sausage.

In Lafayette, farm-to-table and sea-to-table dining opportunities are seamless, blending the bounties of regional farms and Gulf Coast waters. Share a flatbread of local mushrooms at Social Southern Table & Bar and savor Cajun and Creole seafood dishes at Boutin’s Seafood Steakhouse and Oyster Bar.  

Keep your traveling energy high and hang with the locals at Lafayette’s coffee and sweet shops: Rêve roasts its own coffee in small batches. Cozy up with a mug and purchase a bag of beans on your way out as a souvenir. Rêve Coffee Lab pairs coffee from premium U.S. roasters with flaky croissants. Black Café is a downtown hub for coffee and fresh lunch selections. Carpe Diem Cafe & Wine Bar serves specialty coffee drinks and gelato.

Nothing complements the cuisine of Southern Louisiana like regionally crafted beer. Look for Bayou Teche and Parish Brewing Co. microbrews in the Lafayette area, or visit their facilities for tours, tastings and live music events. Though each of the brewers crafts multiple varieties, don’t miss their signatures: Bayou Teche’s LA-31 Bière Pâle is an herbal-yet-mellow pale ale; Parish Brewing Co.’s Canebrake is a wheat ale with a hint of Louisiana sugarcane.

Pure Louisiana cane sugar and molasses combine in a copper pot still to create Bayou Rum spirits. Tour the distillery in Lacassine for a glimpse of the handmade process, and look for varieties such as Satsuma Rum Liqueur, sweetened with local tangerines, in Lafayette-area bars and restaurants. 

Centrally located within hours of major Louisiana cities like Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Lafayette is a convenient hub for exploring the southeast. The city is serviced by the Lafayette Regional Airport offering flights to major domestic destinations with connection service to points around the globe; flying in and out couldn’t be easier.