4 Must-Visit Restaurants in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana   

In Cajun country, food is practically a religion. Locals say that food goes beyond nourishment and instead is a way to feed the soul. Explore these St. Martin Parish restaurants that pay homage to Cajun culture and celebrate the local cuisine that has been passed down from generation to generation. 

Glenda’s Creole Kitchen

Glenda’s Creole Kitchen is as authentic as it comes. As you pull up to the unassuming roadside building, you will find a tiny white country restaurant that has stood the test of time. Glenda Broussard opened her restaurant in August of 2000, and has been serving up plate lunches to the St. Martin Parish community seven days a week ever since. When you walk into the restaurant, you will most likely be greeted by Broussard herself as you walk up to the counter to view the days offerings. Most days, the menu consists of staple creole dishes like stuffed turkey wings, smothered sausage, meatball stew, baked steak, and of course shrimp etouffee, all crafted to perfection using Broussard’s homemade roux. No plate lunch would be complete without the sides, and Glenda’s serves plenty of them. Local favorites include the Southern mashed potato salad, cornbread dressing, green bean casserole, mac and cheese, and baked beans. In 2012, the popularity of Glenda’s Creole Kitchen skyrocketed after being featured on Anthony Bourdain’s show No Reservations. Photos of Bourdain and Broussard still hang framed on the restaurant wall to this day, along with photos of many other celebrities that have visited the restaurant throughout its history.

Randol’s Restaurant & Dance Hall

Randol’s Restaurant & Dance Hall had a location in Lafayette for over 50 years before closing its doors in November of 2021. The community was thrilled when owner Frank Randol announced that the popular restaurant would be making its return in 2023, but this time in St. Martin Parish. Today Randol’s is housed in the former Mulate’s building, a famed local restaurant known as the “original Cajun restaurant” that operated in Breaux Bridge for nearly 60 years. Randol’s restaurant is the epitome of authentic Cajun cuisine and culture. Stepping into the restaurant, you’ll find that Cajun music takes center stage, literally as the dining room is built around a huge stage and dance floor in the middle of the room. Every weekend, the restaurant is filled with the sounds of Cajun and zydeco music and locals who flock to the dance floor to work up an appetite. Randol’s offers a menu filled with classic Cajun dishes, including catfish po’boys, seafood gumbo, and alligator bites, all made with the freshest seafood sourced daily from the Gulf of Mexico. The real star though is their shrimp etouffee. Chef Dudley Touchet prepares this dish fresh daily, featuring tender Gulf shrimp in a flavorful Cajun gravy served over Louisiana white rice. Whether you crave Cajun flavors or a lively night of music and dance, Randol’s has everything needed for an unforgettable experience.

Pat’s Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant

Pat’s Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant sits right on the Bayou Amy and was founded in 1948 by Pat Huval, whose three children continue to run it today. The recipes at Pat’s have been passed down through three generations, making the restaurant a cult favorite amongst locals and visitors. Chef Jude Huval is the man behind the menu who produces the restaurants staples like fried oysters, seafood gumbo, crawfish boulettes, and his grandmother’s signature camp style (meaning rustic) shrimp etouffee. Accompanying the classics are Huval’s unique creations like snapper Patrick, snapper filets wrapped around jumbo lump crabmeat that’s been baked and smothered in a delightful lemon cream sauce, or his perfectly battered and fried soft shell crab dish that is served with a luscious crawfish etouffee cream sauce. Jude was featured on the Food Network show Chopped in 2012, and continues to compete in culinary competitions through the American Culinary Federation.

Cajun Saucer at Bayou Teche Brewing

Cajun Saucer and Bayou Teche Brewing take the prize for being one of the most eclectic spots in St. Martin Parish, if not all of Louisiana. Opened in 2009 by brothers Karlos and Byron Knott, Bayou Tech Brewing makes around 14 varieties of IPA’s, stouts, and sours in their on-site brewery. Their LA 31 Swamp Thing IPA and Walking Dead Coffee Kolsch are unique local favorites. Things get really interesting when you head into the adjacent restaurant. As you walk through the front door you are greeted by walls lined with quirky pop culture-inspired art and arcade games that lead guests straight to the back of the room where you will find the tiki lounge–yes, a tiki lounge in the middle of Cajun country. Taking inspiration from his travels across the world while serving in the military, Karlos became a big fan of tiki drinks, one of the longest standing drink trends in America, and decided to bring a luau themed menu to the bayou. Surprisingly, the tiki drinks are the perfect accouterments to the wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas offered by the Cajun Saucer. Stinking to the out of the box theme, the restaurant serves up pizzas like the Elvis Abduction with muenster cheese, sliced bananas, and bacon and served with a drizzle of peanut butter cream sauce, along with crispy kung pao style cracklins, and an array of house made gelato flavors like rum raisin and cookie butter. The creativity at Bayou Teche Brewery and the Cajun Saucer is endless and the Knott brothers are always experimenting with new flavors and offerings for their ever-changing menus.

Discover more restaurants at CajunCountry.org.