Red River Riches

If you think South Louisiana has a monopoly on legendary cuisine, you’re sadly mistaken. Find your way to the northwest corner of the state, where Southern fare meets Louisiana flair. 

In Shreveport-Bossier City, munch on a Muffy—a north Louisiana take on the muffuletta—at Fertitta's Delicatessen, or try the Shrimp Buster at Herby K's, a hole-in-the-wall that's a local institution. Save room for a slice of strawberry pie at Strawn's. The local casinos draw a crowd to the twin cities, and the setting and resources attract the film industry. While you’re dining out, you may just spy a celebrity at the next table. 

Each town along this trail has a specialty, it seems. In Zwolle, it's hand-rolled tamales, and Nimmo's Lakefront Grocery & Deli is the place to find them if you're not visiting during the Tamale Fiesta in October.

The meat pies at Lasyone's helped put Natchitoches on the culinary map, but so did restaurants like Merci Beaucoup, where the Cajun potato topped with crawfish étouffée and fried shrimp is a crowd-pleaser. In Lecompte, the cherry, peach, chocolate, banana and pecan pies at Lea's Lunchroom are so good that diners frequently say, "Let's start with dessert!" In the Alexandria-Pineville area, check out Verona for an Italian meal.

With the rivers and lakes in this pocket of the state, there are many great restaurants with scenic deck seating. Why not grab a table and enjoy the region’s riches? One perfect spot is Tunk's Cypress Inn on Kincaid Lake in Boyce. Hang out at their oyster bar for live music.