A Taste of … Louisiana’s World-Renowned Cuisine

Louisiana’s cuisine is unlike anywhere else, and locals have conjured up a plethora of ways to honor these traditional dishes and the influences that brought them to life.

Food trails are the perfect venue for real foodies to explore the best of the best, and there’s a trail for every taste. The Andouille Trail runs through Louisiana’s River Parishes between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Louisiana loves boudin so much, there are two food trails dedicated to it for an all-encompassing boudin experience: the SWLA Boudin Trail in the Lake Charles area and the Cajun Boudin Trail in the Lafayette area. For the seafood lovers, the Louisiana Oyster Trail features the top spots shucking the freshest local oysters you can find.

And we can’t forget the state’s favorite crustacean – the crawfish! Try an array of crawfish dishes along the Bayou Country Crawfish Trail in the Houma area. Don’t forget the shrimp along the Shrimply Delicious Food Trail! Locally caught Louisiana shrimp are a staple in the bayou state. Rounding up Louisiana’s unique culinary trails, you’ll find the Gas Station Eats trail in the “No Man’s Land” region on Louisiana’s western border. From boudin, barbecue, burgers, baked goods and more home-style plates in unassuming spots, what’s not to love?

Now, Louisiana is known to find any excuse to have a good time. Why not host a festival centered around good eats? Natchitoches Meat Pies are the signature dish of Natchitoches. Find them all over town including at Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant and celebrated the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival. Find crawfish étouffée and other tasty crawfish dishes celebrated at the Étouffée Festival in Arnaudville or the World Championship Crawfish Etouffee Cook-Off in Eunice.

Gumbo is the official dish of Louisiana. There are several events honoring this beloved dish, such as the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff in New Iberia, the Opelousas Gumbo Cook-Off, the Bridge City Gumbo Festival, Louisiana Gumbo Festival in Chackbay, New Orleans’ Treme Creole Gumbo Festival and more. While Café Du Monde in New Orleans’ French Quarter is the unofficial world capital of beignets, New Orleans also has an annual Beignet Festival that you won’t want to miss.

If you’re looking for a one-stop opportunity to try dozens of creative po’boy concoctions, plan a trip to the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival in New Orleans. Gonzales, a town known as the world capital of jambalaya, hosts the Jambalaya Festival every May. Curious about cracklins? Think pork rinds, but meatier and fattier. These are a Cajun specialty honored at the Port Barre Cracklin Festival. Learn more and plan your delicious journey at ExploreLouisiana.com.