One of the things Louisiana is known for is its food, but LSU students may not know of the wide variety of cuisine downtown restaurants have to offer.
Students may often overlook this area for several reasons.
Ally Burlew, a communications disorders freshman, said downtown is too far from campus.
“It’s sort of inconvenient,” she said.
Burlew said she is also uninformed about which and what type of restaurants there are in the downtown area.
Once students venture to the downtown area, they often find a charming and eclectic mix of dining establishments from which to choose.
One of the newest additions to the downtown dining scene is the Main Street Market, located on the corner of 5th and Main Street.
The Main Street Market is a collection of stores, cafés, and restaurants with something for everyone.
The atmosphere is one of an open air market — sunshine streams in on the wrought iron tables and chairs both inside and outside the building.
Michael Lester, a political science and international studies senior, said he ate at the Main Street Market recently.
“It has a big advantage in that there’s several different selections in one place,” he said.
Patrons can choose to eat almost anything, with selections ranging from Rocket Fajitas to Chef John Folse’s Petit Marché.
The price is right, especially for college students on a budget.
“You can get in and out between $5 and $8,” Lester said.
He said he also has dined at the Black Forest Café, a German restaurant on North Boulevard.
The owner is from Germany, and many of the dishes prepared have an authentic flair. Sandwiches run about $8. Authentic German entrees, such as Wienershchnitzel, cost closer to $15.
“You’re paying for the uniqueness and the authenticity,” Lester said. “It’s food indigenous to that region.”
German costumes and flags adorn the walls of the quaint establishment, creating a charming atmosphere.
Like most restaurants downtown, Black Forest Café is open only for lunch during the week. It is also open Friday and Saturday for dinner.
North Boulevard is also home to Jobe’s Cafe, a down-home style restaurant.
Veggies and entrees, such as meatloaf and gumbo, are served hot off the line every weekday at lunch for around $7.
Po Boy Lloyd’s, located on Florida and Lafayette, is a true Cajun eatery — LSU paraphernalia decks the wood-paneled walls as the cooks shout across the restaurant.
Angela Kopynec, a psychology freshman, said she thinks Po Boy Lloyd’s satisfies in several different areas.
“It was really good food,” Kopynec said.
The prices range from $3 to $10. Seafood dishes, such as a fried catfish plate, are in the upper section of the price range.
She said she also liked the “old time-y” atmosphere.
Po Boy Lloyd’s is open for breakfast and lunch. Fridays they stay open for dinner and live blues bands add flavor to the dining experience.
A walk down 3rd Street reveals a string of eateries with diverse atmospheres and cuisines.
Cafe Mediterranean, which is open for lunch on weekdays, offers Greek, Lebanese, Turkish and Italian cuisine at relatively cheap prices, with the average entree costing about $5 and sides starting at $1.
Swamp Mama’s is a dive that often has live Cajun music to complement the festive Mardi Gras decorations.
The menu features burgers, starting at $6, and pizzas, starting at $5. Swamp Mama’s is only open for dinner and remains open until 2 a.m. every day of the week except Sunday and Monday.
Marrazil is a new upscale Brazilian restaurant/lounge. It opens for lunch at 11 a.m. and the lounge closes at 2 a.m.
Lunch consists of a 30-dish “Around the World Salad Bar” for $9.95.
For dinner, diners have several options. There is a distinctly different Brazilian meat service available Thursday through Saturday for $34.95 that is made up of the salad bar and an “all-you-can-eat meat feast” consisting of filet mignon, lamb, sirloin and more brought to the customer’s table.
Patrons can enjoy the dark, exotic decorations downstairs or on the second floor lounge.
Many typical lunch diners
are located on 3rd street. Faye’s serves po-boys and salads for under $4 every weekday at lunch. Avoyelle’s café has a wider variety of salads and sandwiches that cost between $3-6.
Mortorano’s is one of the only Italian-inspired restaurants open for lunch downtown. The sidewalk seating
adds to the European feel of the restaurant. Pizzas and traditional Italian dishes are
moderately priced.
Casselberry’s Cafe is another one of the few locations open for breakfast (at 7:45 a.m.) and lunch (at 10:45 a.m.) downtown. The breakfast menu has a variety of items including biscuits, bacon and more for under $3. The lunch menu includes po-boys and salads for around $5.
Baton Rouge offers a wide
variety of places to eat, and most students can find something to enjoy when they venture downtown.