With so many amazing restaurants and foods throughout the state of Louisiana, it’s very hard to come up with a list like this. But taking into account all of the various kinds of foods and delights that are available, we’ve found some of the dishes that you simply can’t miss if you want to consider yourself someone who has truly done the culinary tour of Louisiana. Here are the 12 dishes you have to eat in Louisiana before you die:

  1. Strawberry Pie from Strawn’s Pies, 125 Kings Hwy, Shreveport

facebook.com/strawnseatshop Open the doors here and you’ll feel like you are stepping into the past as you enjoy the friendly, family oriented atmosphere. But it is the legendary strawberry pie here that will ensure you make a number of trips back!

  1. BBQ Shrimp from Mr. B’s Bistro, 201 Royal St., New Orleans

Facebook.com / Mr. B’s Bistro This upscale French quarter restaurant offers a rich and flavorful version of this dish that just can’t be found anywhere else. Don’t forget to save your bread to sop up the sauce!

  1. Boudin & Cracklins from T-Boy’s, Ville Platte

facebook.com/tboysboudinandcracklins

facebook.com/tboysboudinandcracklins This Cajun classic has a number of locations and offers amazing, high quality Cajun meats to residents throughout the area for over 17 years. And their boudin is truly something else.

  1. Meat Pies from Lasyone’s, 622 2nd St., Natchitoches, LA

facebook.com/Lasyones Natchitoches is known as the home of the Louisiana style meat pie, and Lasyone’s is often recognized as the epicenter of those pies. You’ll want to get more than one to really savor the delicious flavors!

  1. Shrimp Buster from Herby K’s, 1822 Pierre Ave, Shreveport

Yelp.com / Justin P

Yelp.com / Bryan F. If you stay in Shreveport long enough, you are bound to find yourself at Herby K’s where their famed dish, the Shrimp Buster po-boy, solves the perennial issue of having shrimp fall out of your sandwich as you are trying to enjoy it. Solution? Flatten out the shrimp, then fry them. It’s delicious.

  1. Shrimp and Grits from Restaurant Cotton, 101 N. Grand St., Monroe, LA

Yelp.com / Kelly L. Served up hot in an iron pot, the Shrimp and Grits here balances the classic flavors of this dish with fresh ingredients and seasonings.

  1. Fried Chicken from Rita Mae’s, 711 Federal Ave., Morgan City

Yelp.com / Matt C.

facebook.com/RitaMaesKitchen This sweet Morgan City favorite has a warm and inviting atmosphere for you to enjoy a range of southern favorites, including some incredible fried chicken.

  1. Hallelujah Crab from Juban’s, 3739 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge

facebook.com/jubansrestaurant Stop on by this fine dining restaurant in Louisiana and you’ll be in for a treat of great Cajun favorites. The Hallelujah Crab, pictured here, is the real treat, offering a soft shell crab stuffed with crawfish tails, shrimp and crabmeat, topped with creolaise sauce.

  1. Gumbo from Prejean’s, 3480 NE Evangeline Trwy, Lafayette

Yelp.com / Angelle S. Full of flavor, not too thick and not to thin, the gumbo here will not disappoint you and will give you a measure against which to measure all other gumbos that cross your path.

  1. Seafood Platter at Deanie’s Seafood, Variety of Locations

While there are now a number of locations throughout Louisiana, the Deanie’s in the French Quarter of New Orleans serves up this classic Louisiana dish in a way that sets the standard for all other restaurants that offer it. The hush puppies here seal the deal.

  1. Crab Au Gratin from Blue Dog Café, 1211 W Pinhook Rd, Lafayette

Yelp.com / Anne I

Yelp.com / Catherine A. This classic Lafayette restaurant now has a number of locations, but it’s at the original one in Lafayette that you’ll enjoy the rich flavors of the cuisine here. The crabmeat au gratin violates the traditional rule of keeping seafood and cheese separate in the most delicious way possible!

  1. Darrell’s Special Po-boy from Darrell’s, 119 W College St., Lake Charles

Yelp.com / Amanda S.

Yelp.com / Amanda S. Ask anyone from Lake Charles where to eat, and Darrell’s is bound to come up sooner rather than later. The Darrell’s special is a particular favorite, including ham, turkey, roast beef, gravy on a fresh baked bun.

So, those are our selections for the dishes you have to eat in Louisiana before you die. We know this is going to be controversial. Where do you like to eat? Which places are your favorite? Let us know your thoughts! We love to hear your feedback.

facebook.com/strawnseatshop

Open the doors here and you’ll feel like you are stepping into the past as you enjoy the friendly, family oriented atmosphere. But it is the legendary strawberry pie here that will ensure you make a number of trips back!

Facebook.com / Mr. B’s Bistro

This upscale French quarter restaurant offers a rich and flavorful version of this dish that just can’t be found anywhere else. Don’t forget to save your bread to sop up the sauce!

facebook.com/tboysboudinandcracklins

This Cajun classic has a number of locations and offers amazing, high quality Cajun meats to residents throughout the area for over 17 years. And their boudin is truly something else.

facebook.com/Lasyones

Natchitoches is known as the home of the Louisiana style meat pie, and Lasyone’s is often recognized as the epicenter of those pies. You’ll want to get more than one to really savor the delicious flavors!

Yelp.com / Justin P

Yelp.com / Bryan F.

If you stay in Shreveport long enough, you are bound to find yourself at Herby K’s where their famed dish, the Shrimp Buster po-boy, solves the perennial issue of having shrimp fall out of your sandwich as you are trying to enjoy it. Solution? Flatten out the shrimp, then fry them. It’s delicious.

Yelp.com / Kelly L.

Served up hot in an iron pot, the Shrimp and Grits here balances the classic flavors of this dish with fresh ingredients and seasonings.

Yelp.com / Matt C.

facebook.com/RitaMaesKitchen

This sweet Morgan City favorite has a warm and inviting atmosphere for you to enjoy a range of southern favorites, including some incredible fried chicken.

facebook.com/jubansrestaurant

Stop on by this fine dining restaurant in Louisiana and you’ll be in for a treat of great Cajun favorites. The Hallelujah Crab, pictured here, is the real treat, offering a soft shell crab stuffed with crawfish tails, shrimp and crabmeat, topped with creolaise sauce.

Yelp.com / Angelle S.

Full of flavor, not too thick and not to thin, the gumbo here will not disappoint you and will give you a measure against which to measure all other gumbos that cross your path.

While there are now a number of locations throughout Louisiana, the Deanie’s in the French Quarter of New Orleans serves up this classic Louisiana dish in a way that sets the standard for all other restaurants that offer it. The hush puppies here seal the deal.

Yelp.com / Anne I

Yelp.com / Catherine A.

This classic Lafayette restaurant now has a number of locations, but it’s at the original one in Lafayette that you’ll enjoy the rich flavors of the cuisine here. The crabmeat au gratin violates the traditional rule of keeping seafood and cheese separate in the most delicious way possible!

Yelp.com / Amanda S.

Ask anyone from Lake Charles where to eat, and Darrell’s is bound to come up sooner rather than later. The Darrell’s special is a particular favorite, including ham, turkey, roast beef, gravy on a fresh baked bun.

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