Just upriver from New Orleans on the banks of the Mississippi sits Louisiana’s capital city—come explore the meaty delights of Baton Rouge.
My good friend Jay Ducote (you might have seen him on Next Food Network Star!) excels at three things: creating fantastic food, giving incredible hugs and loving his hometown of Baton Rouge.
When Jay invited me on a guided food tour of the city (with help from Visit Baton Rouge), declining wasn’t an option. In Louisiana cuisine, New Orleans is the Creole hub and Lafayette is the Cajun capital, but Baton Rouge often gets overlooked. “The city sometimes seems like it lacks an identity and doesn’t have its own culture,” Jay says, “but I like to think our culture is a blend of all Louisiana cultures, so we get the best of everything.”
That culinary revival in Baton Rouge feels fairly recent. “You could see a shift right after Hurricane Katrina,” Jay explains. “We had a massive population influx and saw staples such as Galatoire’s and Acme Oyster House open locations here. Since then, many talented chefs have opened restaurants and chosen to stay in Baton Rouge.” From tragedy grew opportunity, and now the city is reaping the benefits.
With that background, here are the places you should be eating at when in the Red Stick:
Beausoleil Restaurant & Bar
At Beausoleil, chef Nathan Gresham blends classic French technique with excellent local produce for an elevated dining experience. You’ll find Louisiana staples—dirty rice, grits & grillades, turtle soup and gumbo—alongside inventive items that surprise. Cheese fries with gravy and brisket debris sit near miso-steamed mussels; start with crispy pork cheeks, follow with bacon-wrapped lamb tenderloin, and yes, foie gras is on the menu. It’s a true meat-focused destination.
Olive Or Twist
Tucked into an unassuming strip mall, Olive Or Twist is one of Baton Rouge’s hottest cocktail spots. It’s rare for a serious liquor bar to pair a strong food program with craft cocktails, but here the menu balances delicate drinks with hearty snacks meant for sharing. Expect crawfish beignets, duck quesadillas and cochon de lait fries. The bourbon selection is impressive—you’ll likely try labels you’ve never had before.
Mansurs on the Boulevard
Like New Orleans, Baton Rouge has its classic formal restaurant. Mansurs offers elevated Louisiana cuisine with a traditional steakhouse feel and a strong seafood focus. You can expect a perfectly chilled martini with blue cheese olives and attentive service. If you prefer a more relaxed vibe without sacrificing quality, the bar area is an excellent option.
City Pork
City Pork operates several locations, but City Pork Kitchen & Pie is the one to seek out for breakfast and hearty, meat-centered dishes. Chef Eusebio Gongora runs operations across the group. If City Pork were in Nashville, Austin, New Orleans or Charleston, it would already be an acclaimed hotspot—each dish is unapologetically indulgent and designed to satisfy. They also craft house charcuterie, including duck pastrami, andouille and excellent bacon.
Tony’s Seafood
In Louisiana, seafood often takes the place of traditional meats. Tony’s, a Baton Rouge institution since 1972, is more market than restaurant: a takeout spot where you can choose live catfish from a tank, pick up sacks of live crawfish or select from a wide array of fried seafood favorites. Their boudin balls are not to be missed.
LSU Tailgate
If you thought Texans were serious about football, meet Louisiana State University. This tip applies only during college football season, but attending a tailgate at Tiger Stadium—“Death Valley”—is a culinary event. On game Saturdays the stadium becomes the fifth largest city in the state, and the tailgates are as large and as carefully prepared as any feast you’ll find. Southern hospitality means you can walk around, taste what people are cooking, and hosts will likely insist you eat more and hold a drink in each hand.
It’s impossible to sample everything in a short visit, so Jay shared a few more must-try items: for steak, try Doe’s Eat Place on Government and tackle their 2.5 lb porterhouse if you’re feeling bold. Don’t miss the fried chicken skins at The Overpass Merchant, Wild Boar Flautas at City Pork Brasserie & Bar, and the Blackened Alligator at The Chimes—a dish that says “you’re in Louisiana.”
If you can move from meal to meal without pause, respect—but consider a few sightseeing and food-adjacent stops between feasts:
- Take a day trip down River Road to visit antebellum plantations, including The Myrtles, which is often cited among the country’s most haunted homes.
- Stop at Lock & Key, an all-whiskey bar with an extensive bourbon and whiskey selection; the owner is a walking encyclopedia of the spirit if you’re lucky enough to meet him.
- Visit Mike the Tiger, LSU’s live mascot, in his luxurious on-campus habitat.
- Shop for unique ingredients at Red Stick Spice Co., a well-curated spice emporium with salts, peppers, rubs and flavored oils and vinegars.
- See the State Capitol building, completed in 1932 and the tallest state capitol in the United States.
- Take a nap. You’ll appreciate a restorative break between all the delicious food.
