11 Places to Eat and Drink in Lake Charles, Louisiana
05 Aug 2022
Lake Charles may be Louisiana’s playground, but it’s also got a ton of great places to chow down on some delicious Southern Louisiana cooking. If you’re working on your 12 things to do in Lake Charles, you’re gonna run out of steam if you don’t eat and drink. Little bit o’ Cajun, little bit o’ cowboy!
You’re still in Louisiana, but almost to Texas, so the food is kinda like John Wayne ridin’ an alligator, crunching a taco and spoonin’ up shrimp creole. How’s that for an image?
Here are 11 places to eat and drink in Lake Charles, with or without John Wayne:
Coffee: 30
Traveling is hard work, ya know. You need breakfast and caffeine to juice up the joints and get the blood pumping. And we ain’t talking about mama’s Maxwell House stuff. You need premium coffee and hot breakfast!
Coffee: 30 has what ya want. From New Orleans style beignets for an insane sugar rush, to “Omel-late for Work”, to breakfast burritos and bowls, to “Avo-cado-go Toast”, and way more!
They do lunch, too! BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, “Cuban Countdown”, and burgers (Impossible veggie included). Try their fresh pretzels and Boudin Egg Rolls. My buddy Dave almost had a coronary when he ordered the “Time Zone Triple Grilled Cheese”. It was served on thick Texas cut bread, and there was more cheese than there was toast. Now that’s one big ooey gooey sammich!
Coffee:30 is located at 127 W College Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Insane Sausages
If you love sausage, then you’ve gotta check out Insane Sausages just outside of Lake Charles. I mean, it’s worth a look just for the name alone!
This family-owned establishment has tons of sausages to choose from, but when you’re in Cajun country, you have to order some boudin. We had their boudin sausage with eggs, for breakfast, but they have a decent menu for lunch, dinner, or whenever you feel like getting your sausage on. They also have a great selection of jerky and prepared meals.
We got a tour from owner Derek Gaspard, who showed us the big smoker they use to smoke the boudin, and how boudin balls and sausages are made. Derek was wearing a “Body By Boudin Balls” shirt, which is available for sale in their store.
Insane Sausages is located at 2255 LA-109 in Vinton, just west of Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The Bekery
If you love carbs then you are going to want to check out The Bekery, where they bake up tons of amazing breads, quiche, baguettes, croissants, and other french pastries, as well as serve gourmet coffee drinks, and other yummy stuff, every day!
And no, that is not a spelling error. The Bekery is owned by Rebekah Hoffpauir, and the name of her establishment is a play on her name.
I had a pretty decent hot dog rolled up in a flaky pastry, some delicious and super fresh focaccia bread, and a hot chai latte to wash it all down. But seriously, I could have planted myself on their patio and stuffed myself full of carbs until I passed out… but I was with group and didn’t want to be that guy. Maybe next time!
The Bekery is located at 2040 E Walnut Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Area 337
Not everything in Louisiana is Creole or Cajun. The area is a blend of many cultures, including Latin American. Head on in to Area 337 for some authentic Latino cuisine. They have indoor dining, and a pretty happening patio.
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With lots of authentic dishes to choose from, I really wanted to try their deep-fried chicken and pork empanadas, and man, they were slammin! Be sure to grab yourself a nice cocktail to wash it all down.
Area 337 is located at 2500 Kirkman Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Crying Eagle Brewing Company
You know me. If I’m travelin’, I’m drinkin’. And there’s nothing more American than an ice cold beer, my friends. Down in the Bayou, they do the brew, too. How about that for some poetry?
Crying Eagle Brewing Company has got what you need to wet the whistle. From their Pistol Bridge Porter, to their Louisiana Lager and Hop Blooded IPA, they ain’t messin’ around.
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And if you’re hungry, then order from their bistro: sandwiches, hand-rolled pizzas, wings, soups, and a huge selection of appetizers. Can’t go wrong with any of those!
Crying Eagle Brewing Company is located at 1165 E McNeese Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
121 Artisan Bistro
If you’re looking for something a bit fancy, then you need to book a reservation at 121 Artisan Bistro. Executive Chef, Larry Mannheimer is cookin’ up some masterful stuff over there. Think of it as elevated simplicity: a fancy twist on comfort food that makes you yearn for home… if home is Southwest Louisiana, that is.
For starters, we shared the Tuscan Focaccia Bread, with brandy cream sauce, fresh Gulf shrimp, pancetta, smoked mozzarella, capers, and Roma tomatoes. So good!
Then we shared the Grilled Lamb Lollipops appetizer, because, lollipops.
For my main course, I ordered the Parmesan Crusted Shrimp and a 16 ounce Ribeye medium-rare Ribeye topped with lump crabmeat, and a brown Meunière sauce. Man, it was amazing!
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We finished off our evening of eats with their white chocolate bread pudding. This deliciously decadent dish is made with custard-soaked cubes of soft French bread, sugar, and plenty of white chocolate goodness. It’s served warm, drizzled with more melted white chocolate, and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Every bite was a taste of Louisiana. This dessert is not to be missed, so save some room!
121 Artisan Bistro is located at 121 Dr Michael Debakey Drive in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
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Pujo St. Café
If you’re looking for an elegant dining experience, inside or out, then the Pujo St. Cafe is definitely your place. You can boost your blood sugar on beignets for breakfast, stuff yourself on poboy sandwiches or burgers for lunch, or dine on fine seafood dishes like Blue Crab Ravioli or Shrimp Tacos for dinner. They also have steaks and chicken dishes.
And don’t forget the drinks! Try a Cat Tail: Cathead Honeysuckle vodka, with lemon, black tea and mint. Or a Honey Bee: Castillo white rum, St. George St Absinthe, lemon, honey and ginger.
Pujo St. Café is located at 901 Ryan Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Barstool Sportsbook
If you visit L’Auberge Casino Resort, then check out their Barstool Sportsbook restaurant. You can eat, drink, and gamble all at the same time! Or, you can sit on their awesome patio and watch the folks float by on the lazy river.
They serve flatbread pizzas, tacos, catfish poboys, burgers, party platters of cheese, or chicken wings, and even salads.
Of course they have booze. Try their specialty cocktails. Maybe an El Presidente: Hornitos Anejo tequila, Cointreau, with brandy and sour mix, or possibly Take a Knee: a rum-based old fashioned. Heck yes!
If you want dessert and booze, try one of their Grown Up Milkshakes! Maybe the Wake TF Up: Jameson cold brew Irish whiskey with hazelnut syrup blended with ice cream and topped with whipped cream. Ohhhh yeah!
And if you want to try your luck while there, they’ve got 19 betting kiosks, 3 over-the-counter terminals, and 22 slot machines for your entertainment, plus 45 big-screen TVs. And if those 45 TVs weren’t enough, they also have a monstrous 24-foot video wall complete with several comfy lounge chairs to sit, relax, and sip a few cold ones while enjoying your favorite sports.
Barstool Sportsbook is located at 777 Ave L’Auberge, inside the L’Auberge Casino Resort, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Drago’s Seafood Restaurant at L’Auberge Lake Charles
If you wanna raise the ante on your gambling menu, then check out Drago’s Seafood Restaurant. They’re inside the L’Auberge Casino Resort, so you don’t have to wander too far from your blackjack table to grab some fresh seafood.
Try their famous Charbroiled Oysters, or eat’em raw. Snack on their Fried Gator Bites: alligator tail meat, seasoned and fried, then served with a remoulade sauce.
Love gumbo? Try Mama Ruth’s Seafood Gumbo. It’s amazing. Or dine on one of their house specialties: Boudin stuffed shrimp.
They have so much to choose from, and they serve breakfast and drinks, too! You ain’t gonna go hungry at Drago’s, man! I bet ya! (Don’t take that bet, because you’ll lose!)
Drago’s Seafood Restaurant at L’Auberge Lake Charles is located at 777 Ave L’Auberge, inside the L’Auberge Casino Resort, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
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Luna Bar & Grill
If you love music, food, and cocktails, then Luna Bar & Grill is your place. The brainchild of Chef Dave Evans, he’s combined his love of delicious food with his love of great music and art. The walls are covered in his concert poster collection, as well as other art.
Try his Galactic Crab Dip: lump crab meat, with parmesan and cream cheeses, served with flour tortillas. Or grab one of his planetary sandwiches – possibly the Fires of Pluto: grilled or fried chicken with hot sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and jalapeño mayo. Or the Uranus: grilled or fried pork loin with applewood smoked bacon, cheddar, an over easy egg, avocado slice and jalapeño mayo!
And they have seafood, chicken, and beef entrees, too, if you’re there for dinner.
Luna Bar & Grill is located at 19 Ryan Street in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Chesson’s Grocery
Now I know what you’re thinking – thIS looks like a gas station convenience store. Well, you’re right! But, one should not discriminate when in the Lake Charles area… gas station stops like Chesson’s Grocery are known for some pretty tasty eats.
On our visit, we had some boudin sausage that was fantastic! The local Sheriff even stopped in for lunch. I had a quick chat with him and he mentioned he is there a few times week, “cuz no one does it better”. How’s that for an endorsement?
Chesson’s Grocery is located at 1005 LA-27 in Bell City, Louisiana.
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Eat Your Way Through Lake Charles, Louisiana!
Well, there ya have it! 11 Awesome places to eat and drink in Lake Charles, Louisiana! Now there are so many more places to grab a bite in Lake Charles, but these were some of the ones we loved.
Be sure to check out Visit Lake Charles for more food and drink options.
Cheers,
Big Daddy
If you are a PR agency or brand and would like me to review a travel destination, vehicle, restaurant, product or service, please send me an email at craig@bigdaddykreativ.ca
Craig Silva
Craig is a husband, a father, team leader, travel and food writer, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, and social media strategist. Craig likes to travel, go camping, go on road trips, watch movies, build stuff, operate the grill, and sing with his band. Craig is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada. In June 2017, PR firm Cision identified Craig as one of Canada’s top 10 most popular male bloggers in the parents and family space.
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