Get To Know Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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It would be an understatement to say food is important in the capital city of Louisiana. In Baton Rouge, dining and entertaining happen almost effortlessly, especially when an LSU team is playing. From date-night classics like Eliza and Mansurs to the bustling counters at Tony’s Seafood and must-visit staples like Parrain’s and The Chimes, the capital is steeped in homegrown flavor and a warmth from locals that stands out.

What feels fresh is the Perkins Road Overpass District. Once a forgotten strip of land, it has been transformed into a travelworthy hub of dining and nightlife. The mix spans Irish pubs, Italian eateries, ice cream counters, cocktail bars, public art—and even parking. The district offers something for everyone and at every price point. Baton Rouge really shows off its history and charm when explored on foot. Downtown, the Old State Capitol building glows under a stained-glass cathedral dome, a landmark known as Louisiana’s castle-on-the-river. On campus at LSU, yellow brick and Spanish tile set the standard for Southern campus aesthetic. At the Ag School’s Dairy Store, a scoop of ice cream—churned from the milk of 100 Holstein cows—will set you back just $2. It may be the sweetest deal in town.

Best Places to Eat, Drink, and Explore

Chow Yum Phat image courtesy of Jordan Hefler — Chow Yum, Image courtesy of Jordan Hefler

BEST COCKTAIL BUZZ: The Colonel’s Club

The bespoke cocktail bar is moody in a dark, handsome way, and it’s danger- ously easy to order a second or even a third drink. Patrons drift between the piano, the fireplace, and the polished mahogany bar. Cocktails arrive showy, balanced, and delicious; it’s quite a hat trick.

BEST BOARD MEETING: Bldg 5

This restaurant and gourmet market feels built around entertaining: bread boards, meat boards, and dessert boards allow group dining to come across as effortless but chef driven. Sauces like chimichurri, romesco, and piri piri make grazing here especially fun. This is also the spot for dining al- fresco, whether on the patio or rooftop.

BEST HOT GIRL HAPPY HOUR: Jubans

Every themed room in Jubans, a Baton Rouge mainstay, experienced a recent renovation, and they all look like a photo op, including a green-and-pink garden bar ideal for seasonal cocktails—both spirited and zero proof—as do craveable apps like boudin dip on toasted saltines.

BEST ONE-HANDED TREAT: Counter Space or Gail’s

It’s a toss-up between cookies or ice cream. Counter Space is known for a salted chocolate chip cookie that’s ideally sized, with both chew and crunch. They offer a delicious gluten- free red velvet Oreo cookie, too. Gail’s is a winner with a scoop of lemon berry icebox pie.

BEST REASON TO GET OUTTA BED: Coffee Call

What happens at the intersection of a beignet and a funnel cake? Find out at Coffee Call, a nearly 50-year-old institution in the College Drive area, where beignet fingers and café au lait are the stars of every morning. Biscuits here offer buttery goodness in every bite and can be ordered with local sausage.

BEST EAT-LIKE-A-LOCAL LUNCH: Phil’s Oyster Bar & Seafood

The 75-year-old restaurant is a seafood fantasy with offerings from crabmeat Caroline to barbecue shrimp, eggplant Owen topped with crawfish, and oyster variations from raw to charbroiled. Prompt service makes Phil’s an ideal spot for midday. There’s fried catfish, shrimp po’boys, and soft-shell crab BLTs, too.

Coffee Call Image courtesy of Tamaria Williams — Coffee Call, Image courtesy of Tamaria Williams

BEST SECRET MENU ORDER: Roul’s Deli

The local chain may be known for burgers, but deep-fried eggrolls stuffed with crawfish and queso are the stuff that munchy dreams are made of. Roul’s is a great example of throwback fast food with a counter-service line that moves quickly. roulsdeli.com

BEST UPPER CRUST: Elsie’s Plate and Pie

A star of Mid City, Elsie’s serves a menu full of pie by the slice, served as a hand pie or in an individual pie pan. Favorites include seafood pot pie, smoked chicken pie, chocolate cream pie, and of course, a lemon icebox pie with blueberry whipped cream known as Eye of the Tiger. elsiespies.com

BEST FLAVOR RIOT: Chow Yum

Asian street food with Louisiana sensibilities shines at the funked-up restaurant and bar tucked directly under the Perkins Road overpass. Think ramen, dumplings, bao buns, and wings doused in pan-Asian flavors. Standout plates include dan dan dumplings, citrus curry crab claws, and crispy pig ear with roasted corn slaw.

Claim to Fame

Raising Cane’s

Todd Graves turned fried chicken fingers into a mega-sensation at the OG Raising Cane’s, located steps from LSU’s campus, opened in 1996. Its interior remains as initially designed, with walls packed full of local memorabilia and the building’s original bakery mural. A combo box eaten in a tiger-striped fabric booth is considered a pilgrimage on game day.

Circa in Baton Rouge Louisiana — Circa 1857

Where to Shop

The Royal Standard

This design store offers local gifts: artisan goods, kitchenware, LSU- and tiger-branded items, ceramics, books, and more. Look for printed pajamas celebrating crawfish boils, coffee and beignets, and snowballs. Near the door is a refrigerated section packed with take-home items like dips, casseroles, and gumbo.

Mimosa Handcrafted

This jewelry boutique offers a selection of polished bronze, heirloom-quality pieces infused with local inspiration—including food. Take note of the boudin cuff as well as a “fish in our bones” collection. There’s also the Baton Rouge quatrefoil, lovingly replicated in gold or sterling silver, as pendants, rings, and earrings.

Circa 1857

The architectural salvage-meets-antiques warehouse is replete with oyster plates, cocktail glasses, decanters, English sideboards, and French cupboards and the store ships anywhere in the US. An adjoining café, Leola’s, is a nice spot for lunch, and there’s a new cocktail concept at Circa, down a somewhat hidden hallway to the left of the front counter.

Where to Stay

Indigo Hotel Downtown

This historic building upfit into a boutique hotel is right at home in downtown Baton Rouge, steps from the Old State Capitol and the Museum of Art and Science. Look for repeating architectural details like the quatrefoil, a cloverlike shape rooted in Gothic and Tudor Revival styles. Rooms here are thoughtfully well lit, with lamps, uplighting, and task lighting embedded into custom burlwood headboards. Modish art with fun nods to LSU’s Mike the Tiger makes a stay here feel stylish and well-appointed.