Whether you’re a bonafide Louisiana resident or a visitor to the state, you’ll no doubt find yourself in search of the celebrated Cajun, Creole, and southern cuisine that the state is known for. Though, such unforgettable dishes don’t have to be ordered from a five star restaurant found in the New Orleans French Quarter.  These quintessentially-Louisiana meals are more often found in the state’s more rural locations, and to better supply you with an itinerary for the leading Louisiana restaurants that are off the beaten path, the website Only In Your State has curated the following list of rural restaurants that are “so worth the drive.”

Bayou Lagniappe- Louisiana Restaurant

One of the State’s premier names in seafood comes from an unassuming building in the town of Berwick, Louisiana. Located (quite literally) mere steps away from the Atchafalaya River and Berwick Bay, this seafood shack specializes in freshly-captured Louisiana seafood in all its many forms. The restaurant is known to be most popular during crawfish season when their partnered fishermen are able to bring in loads upon loads of large crustaceans for a regular night of boiling.

Additionally, the Louisiana restaurant’s location also specializes in its offerings of seafood sandwiches, hamburgers, and po’boys. Stop in some time for the notorious braised beef po’boy that spends its morning “slow-braised” in “beef jus” for a savory meal that is best eaten with multiple napkins or a fork and knife combination. Outside of breaded dishes, the restaurant also offers a hearty crawfish etouffee, pepper jelly bacon chicken breast,  and a fried seafood platter named the “Bayou Lagniappe Taster Plate.” Named after the francophone term for “something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure,” this restaurant is right to be named “Lagniappe,” as this rural treasure specializes in all things extra.

Suire’s Grocery- Louisiana Restaurant

Ask around on an average afternoon for a good meal in Kaplan, Louisiana, and you’ll be thankful that you’re pointed in the direction of Suire’s Grocery. As is often the case in rural Louisiana, the suggestion to visit a grocery store for a good meal isn’t a sly way to hint that you could pick up your own ingredients for an afternoon of cooking, but instead, it is the ideal place to get the much-sought-after delicacy that is the plate lunch, and if you’re going to Suire’s, you best get there early.

Enjoy the allures of a southern home-cooked meal by ordering a plate of every fried piece of freshly-caught seafood known to man and enjoy the breaded pieces alongside rice dressing, potato salad, freshly-baked bread, and/or a cup of gumbo. Notable standout dishes include the seafood platter for a hefty sampling of Suire’s best, the chicken and sausage gumbo, and the smoked sausage po’boy. The restaurant’s motto is “if you want country cooking, come to the country,” and with authentic Louisiana cuisine to be found inside a styrofoam container from the counter at Surie’s Grocery, there’s no better motto for the establishment.

BubbaQue’s- Louisiana Restaurant

This last Louisiana restaurant from the more extensive list is the first and last name in commercialized Louisiana barbecue. While the best BBQ dishes are said to be found in the backyards of your Louisiana uncle’s friend, this restaurant with its two locations in Alexandria and Leesville definitely gives that Sunday afternoon grill a run for its money.

The BubbaQue motto is “low and slow,” hinting at the preparation practices for the booking of their more tender meat selections. Often cooking at a low heat throughout the morning and night, the restaurant’s pulled pork, Texas brisket, smoked turkey, and “sticky bones” baskets are its notable staples. Offered as both a hearty basket or a plate lunch, you get your choice of side dishes from this celebrated establishment, and with two locations in the state, you’re never terribly far from genuine Louisiana cuisine.

 For more Louisiana-related articles, click here.