14 Best Restaurants in Side Trips from New Orleans, Louisiana

You're probably not going to go to Billy's for your fanciest occasions (or if you're trying to eat healthy), but if you're looking for some amazing Cajun snacks with no frills, then this is the place for you. Go inside and order at the counter to see what they've serving that day or swing through the drive-thru if you're in a rush.

The modest building that makes up Glenda's is just down the driveway from the actual kitchen in the owner-chef Glenda Broussard's house. Glenda has been making the down-home dishes on her menu like stuffed fried chicken, smothered ribs, and red beans and sausage for decades, and they taste like it, too.

This outstanding boucaniere (Cajun French for smokehouse) is run by the next generation of the family that once operated the iconic Johnson's Grocery in Eunice, Louisiana. Customers sit on the covered porch and dig into boudin sausages, sandwiches, and the heartily recommended barbecue—smoked in-house and rubbed with Cajun-style seasonings. The boudin-stuffed grilled cheese is also a crowd-pleaser. This is a laid-back, friendly place with a refreshing blend of tradition and modern style. Music from young local bands plays over the sound system and is available for purchase.

Midway between Laura and Oak Alley plantations, downtown Vacherie is short on sights but long on flavor, thanks in no small part to this down-home lunchroom. Photos and murals on the walls tell tales of local history, while po'boys, jambalaya, and fried catfish fill the tables. You can also pick up some homemade sausages as an edible souvenir. Owner Spuddy is a wealth of knowledge; call up and ask about his "Cajun Cooking Experience." He also does a version of his Experience as a free show on the restaurant's Facebook page.

This small shop and restaurant serves some of the tastiest seafood gumbo around River Road (and there's plenty of competition). Try a dash of hot sauce and a sprinkle of filé, or sample the alligator burgers; finish with a scoop of rich, dense bread pudding. The shop carries fresh and frozen catfish, crawfish, alligator, and turtle meat harvested from the nearby swamps. You can buy seafood packed to travel.

On the town square, you can step back in time at this old-style diner. Breakfast is full of hearty Cajun and southern fares such as the pain perdu (old-fashioned local version of French toast), beignets, and praline chicken biscuits; the lunch menu has sandwiches like a brisket po'boy, as well as a different plate lunch special each day. Crawfish étouffée, fried catfish, and barbecue chicken are just a few recent options.

People jam into this diner as early as 6 am for hot biscuits and grits (add shrimp if you're in the mood). Dwyer's also has a variety of omelets, breakfast plates, and sandwiches. If you're famished by midday, try the hearty plate lunch specials, which include an entrée and three classic southern sides.

A visit to Cajun country is not complete without a stop at Hebert's. This butcher shop is one of several contenders claiming credit for inventing turducken—a turkey stuffed with a duck that's stuffed with a chicken. You can grab a link of hot boudin to eat on the spot, or fill a cooler with andouille, deboned stuffed chicken, and other regional delicacies for later.

The owners' passion for locally sourced ingredients is reflected in the menu here, with likes of burgers made with locally raised beef, coffee served with milk from nearby cows, and herbal teas from a local producer. The sandwiches, wraps, tacos, and salads are healthy and delicious, and the house-made sno-balls are a wonderful treat, especially in the heat of summer. Take food to go, or swing by with a book while enjoying a tea or coffee. There is also a retail section with gifts from local makers.

This low-key and unassuming restaurant used to double as a weekend night hot spot. Nowadays "the Mag" attracts St. Francisville locals with its wide selection of sandwiches, pizza, burgers, and southern and Mexican dishes.

Order your authentic Cajun cooking at the counter of this butcher shop and lunchroom, then eat in or take away. The daily specials will always stick to your ribs. Boudin, sausage, cracklins, and stuffed chicken or rabbit are just a few of the items available for takeout. Poche's opens very early in the morning and stays open through dinner.

The majority of the menu items at Tabasco's restaurant features the iconic sauce, like boudin eggrolls accompanied by a spicy Tabasco pepper jelly and red beans and rice prepared with the Roasted Garlic Tabasco sauce. (There are 12 different Tabasco sauces in all, and you can taste each of them in the visitor's center.) Still, there's something on the menu for everyone: Louisiana staples like po'boys, gumbo, and crawfish étouffée for the adventurous eaters; and more standard fare like nachos and chicken tenders for those who want to play it safe.

This often-busy diner serves a hearty Cajun breakfast and lunch, which feature daily specials such as smothered rabbit, catfish courtbouillon, or crawfish omelets. The southern fare also includes fried chicken and seafood dishes.

LaPlace is known as the andouille capital of the world, and the spicy, smoky, Cajun-style sausage is deservedly popular here. In this butcher shop that doubles as a functional, straightforward restaurant for weekday lunches, you can get andouille in burgers, in gumbo, made into chips for dipping, or worked into white beans and rice.