Louisiana: Hit Highway 90 for classic Pelican State fare

Like the high temperatures of the region’s climate, the spicy sauces and seasoning of Cajun-style cooking are found nowhere else on the planet. From New Iberia, home to world-famous Tabasco sauce, to Houma’s crawfish etoufee, you’ll savor the sizzling flavors.

Drive 165.6 miles, 2 hours, 46 minutes

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1. Lafayette

Starting Point

Known as Hub City because of the many roads that converge there, Lafayette resides in the very heart of Acadiana, which explains why Cajun cuisine is a passion here. Louisiana Crawfish Time features fresh local seafood, expertly boiled and seasoned; the crawfish are impeccably spiced, but not for the faint of heart. Po’boys are awesomely stuffed, and the staff is knowledgeable. Bon Temps Grill is a Cajun foodies dream specializing in swamp-edge cuisine like Bon Temps Sausage, Blackened Chicken, Crawfish Pot Pie—even barbecue Alligator—and all of the dishes have that melding of flavors that say, “Cajun.”

RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS 

Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission
Lafayette, LA
(800) 346-1958

2. New Iberia

24 miles, 29 minutes

This Queen City of the Bayou Teche is also home to that world-famous pepper sauce—McIlhenny Company Tabasco. A trip to Avery Island is a hot pick among visitors, and the first stop is a tour of the pepper sauce factory to see how Tabasco is made. Experience nature Louisiana-style at Jungle Gardens, which features 170 acres of tropical beauty. Take an afternoon Tabasco Food Tour and delight in Cajun cuisine while soaking up the culture and savoring that down-home Southern atmosphere, but remember, reservations are required.

3. Morgan City

49.8 miles, 47 minutes

Local restaurants here know how to serve up the perfect Cajun and Creole dishes. Pull up a chair at Rita Mae’s Kitchen for tasty local catfish with fresh cornbread and white beans, or order a bowl of seafood gumbo and a sausage po’ boy to enjoy in the homey, laid-back atmosphere. Morgan’s Restaurant is a local favorite that prides itself on Creole/Cajun home cooked family-style buffets, or order off the menu for some mouth-watering Southern dishes. Atchafalaya Café dishes out authentic Creole and Cajun food like the Bayou Pasta with fried shrimp in a crawfish cream sauce.

RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS 

Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau
Morgan City, LA
(800) 256-2931

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4. Houma

34.6 miles, 37 minutes

Dine where the locals eat, soak up the atmosphere, and revel in authentic Creole and Cajun dishes. Bayou Delight Restaurant cooks up some of the best fried chicken around, along with boudin balls, fried crab claws and tasty alligator, all served in their quaint dining room. A 12-foot stuffed ’gator stands by to greet you at Boudreau & Thibodeau’s Cajun Cookin’ Seafood Restaurant, but that huge impression will soon be replaced by the outstanding food. Grab a bowl of corn-and-crab bisque before launching into the crawfish etoufee smothered in a spicy red sauce, or try the restaurant’s signature seafood platter served with a creamy crawfish sauce.

RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS 

Houma Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Houma, LA
(800) 688-2732

5. New Orleans

57.2 miles, 53 minutes

NOLA, the Crescent City, the Big Easy—New Orleans may go by a lot of names, but regardless of the moniker, foodies know this is the home of Creole and Cajun cooking. Charcoal’s Gourmet Burger Bar isn’t your ordinary burger joint: Here, a burger can be crafted from venison, buffalo, elk, antelope, salmon or akaushi-kobe, with ample sides and specialty cocktails. Tableau at Le Petit Theatre marries understated elegance with exceptional French Creole dishes to provide a depth of flavors with a twist.