The 10 Best Shreveport-Bossier Restaurants and Culinary Experiences

The Red River Riches trail is full of local produce that you can purchase from the men and women who grew them, down-home diners, award-winning cosmopolitan restaurants and events that celebrate the region’s culinary culture. Check out our roundup of just some of Shreveport-Bossier's best restaurants and culinary experiences.

Where to Eat in the Shreveport-Bossier Area: Top Restaurants 

Herby K’s

Walking into Herby K’s is taking a step back in time. The restaurant started in 1936 when Herby turned the family package store into a full-on eatery. Herby K’s has been serving seafood and other delicacies to loyal patrons ever since. Make sure to get the famous Shrimp Buster with the signature sauce. It has been on the menu since 1945!

Strawn’s Eat Shop

Strawn’s Eat Shop proudly proclaims to be home of the icebox pie. Give one a try and you’ll understand the magic of this dessert. They have a full menu of breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, and specials, but it is the slice of pie that will keep you coming back. The strawberry pie is heaven in your mouth and one of the primary reasons that Strawn’s has been named the most iconic restaurant in Shreveport!

Kim’s Seafood

As one of the best places to get seafood in north Louisiana, Kim’s Seafood is doing it right in a whole lot of ways. From boiled crawfish during the season to crawfish eggrolls year-round, Kim’s lives up to their reputation of putting smiles on diners faces. And if you’re looking for a po’boy, you won’t find better portions or better quality than Kim’s.

Fertitta’s Delicatessen

Papa Fertitta knows his olives. Fertitta’s Delicatessen’s olive mix, olive oil, and marinated olives are all delicious on their own, but what you really need to try at the delicatessen is a pressed muffuletta! Go for the original “Muffy” and you’ll get a 40 year old recipe with savory mustard, cold cuts, multiple cheeses, and the famously addictive olive mix. Bring a friend because the large is big enough for two!

Culinary Experiences in the #318

The Louisiana Food Prize

An extension of the Louisiana Film, Music and Startup Prizes, the Louisiana Food Prize includes a Chopped-style live cooking competition featuring some of the best chefs in north Louisiana as well as special celebrity chefs and guests from throughout the U.S. Also taking place during the Louisiana Food Prize is Come and Get It, a food, wine and spirits event. Throughout these events, food lovers can watch cooking demos, rub elbows with chefs and sample food, wine and cocktails. Insider’s tip: Work up an appetite during the Louisiana Food Prize by attending screenings at the Louisiana Film Prize, which takes place on the same dates.

318 Restaurant Week

Held each spring in various locations, 318 Restaurant Week is a week-long celebration of Shreveport-Bossier’s dining scene that is organized by the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau and its partners. Reduced price lunch specials, multicourse tasting menu dinners and unique, one-night-only foodie events highlight the energy and creativity of the local restaurant scene. Insider’s tip: Like 318 Restaurant Week on Facebook to participate in multiple giveaways during the event and in the weeks leading up to it.

Shreveport Farmers’ Market

One of the largest farmers’ markets in North Louisiana, the Shreveport Farmers’ Market takes place on most Saturday mornings in the summer and fall. With more than 100 vendors selling fresh, local produce including locally raised meats, fruits and vegetables as well as ready-to-eat meals ranging from traditional Southern comfort food to international cuisine, the Shreveport Farmers’ Market offers the atmosphere and experience of a small, local food festival. Live music, cooking demonstrations and more are also offered. Insider’s tip: Explore the Shreveport Farmers’ Market website to see a complete list of participating vendors and ready-to-eat food options.   

Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators

The annual Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators in downtown Shreveport brings together gumbo teams from throughout Louisiana and the surrounding states to cook and serve gumbo for a day-long fundraiser benefiting Volunteers for Youth Justice.  Participating teams compete for cash prizes and bragging rights while thousands of gumbo fans spend the day sampling as many gumbos as possible and vote for their favorites. Annual more than 60 pots of gumbo are prepared and more than 6,000 festivalgoers cast votes. Insider’s tip: Arrive early to have the best shot at tasting all of the competing gumbos – popular booths and returning champions can run out by 3 p.m.!

Chef’s Table at The Mabry House

The Mabry House, an off-the-beaten-path fine dining restaurant housed in a Victorian-era mansion in Shreveport’s Highland neighborhood, offers what may be the only “chef’s table” experience in northern Louisiana. Six to eight diners are seated at the only table in the kitchen, where they can watch as Chef Steve Mylar prepares an elaborate tasting menu complete with wine pairings. Must be booked in advance. Insider’s tip: If you’re not dining with six or more companions, The Mabry House also provides a very unique and romantic atmosphere for couples dining. 

Brunch at Marilynn’s Place

Shreveport’s wildest brunch is served at Marilynn’s Place, a festive Cajun and Creole eatery located in the Broadmoor neighborhood. Each Sunday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Chef Boz Baucum welcomes hundreds of diners with creative brunch specials, “bottomless” drink specials and great people-watching. As the crowd spills out onto the patio and countless mimosas are imbibed, brunch at Marilynn’s Place becomes the wildest Sunday morning party in town. Insider’s tip: Marilynn’s Place is located in a renovated service station with roll-up service bay doors; when the weather is nice during the spring and fall, all of the bay doors are raised for an indoor/outdoor patio vibe.