The best food and drink in Louisiana 

From Slidell to Shreveport, Louisiana is home to stunning natural beauty, world-class attractions, and, of course, some amazing things to eat. And to celebrate all the great food and drink that this wholly unique has to offer, we’ve rounded up 23 of the Pelican State’s claims to culinary fame as part of our first annual guide to the best food and drink in every state.

The Best Food and Drink in Every State for 2018: Louisiana (Gallery)

Any conversation about the cuisine of Louisiana will be dominated by that of New Orleans, which is without a doubt one of the finest (and most unique) food cities in America. New Orleans is synonymous with Cajun and Creole cuisine, which means it’s also synonymous with deliciousness. Barbecue shrimp, po’boys, jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish étouffée, beignets, muffuletta, red beans and rice... these are some of the most delicious dishes on earth, and while you can probably find serviceable variations outside of Louisiana, they’ll never be as good as the real deal, served at legendary New Orleans institutions like Brennan’s, Commander’s Palace, Galatoire’s, Dooky Chase, and Tujague’s. Chefs such as Emeril Lagasse, John Folse, and Donald Link have brought this classic cuisine into the 21st century, and New Orleans also has plenty of amazing restaurants that aren’t remotely Cajun or Creole; you can find arguably the best fried chicken on earth at Willie Mae’s Scotch House, and the city’s more than 14,000 Vietnamese residents have also left their mark on the local dining scene.

But there’s a lot more to Louisiana than New Orleans, and over the course of the past year we’ve honored everything from its best hot dogs and farmers markets to its best dive bar and craft brewery in our comprehensive and wide-ranging lists and rankings, compiled through extensive research and with input from a wide network of site contributors, bloggers, journalists, and chefs. We’ve compiled these into individual slideshows celebrating the best food and drink in every state, and you can find our Louisiana gallery here. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

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