Lafayette, Louisiana is undoubtedly the Cajun Food Capital of the Deep South!. The city has such a culinary background that it won Southern Living’s - Tastiest Town in the South, topping more well-known names such as Charleston, Houston, and more locally, New Orleans. Small, independent Cajun food restaurants dominate the streets here, all with their own unique tastes and secret family recipes.
Lafayette is definitely a culinary-minded community, the culture within Lafayette is strong and the local cuisine has a great impact on the locals of the town and tourists alike and reflects the Cajun heritage perfectly. A Foodie event that’s definitely worth putting in your calendar is the Festival Acadiens et Créoles. Held every October, at this lively festival you can sample the local fayre and immerse yourself in the colourful Cajun culture. Local chefs from the Lafayette area gather at this festival to show off their cooking skills and wow the festival goers with their latest tasty recipes. A festival favourite is the deep fried trout head in thick peppered gravy! Delicious!
The festival also offers three days of the best Cajun and Zydeco music from the area. With more than 50 musical acts spread across a handful of stages there is no shortage of live music and dancing. If you’re up to the challenge, ask a local to teach you how to waltz or two-step. You may even pick up some new dance moves to take home in the process.
Anytime of the year, a great way to sample the foodie delights of Lafayette is on the Bites and Sites Tour. This tour is fun and informative and gives you an opportunity to visit six food-tasting stations. Here you'll sample local favourites such as; Boudin, a French type of black pudding, Crawfish, King Cake, a colourful cake associated with the Mardi Gras festivities and, of course, Gumbo. If you're lucky you may even get to taste other local specialities such as alligator meat, fried shrimp and cracklin’. This tour lasts 3½ hours and is the ideal way to see for yourself why Lafayette is the Tastiest Town in the South.
