International Flavors in Acadiana

If you are from Acadiana, you are well aware that Cajuns are very proud of their food. This is evident in the multitude of locally owned Cajun restaurants throughout the area, but have you also noticed that Acadiana is rich with locally owned restaurants of worldwide flavor & influence?  We’ve gathered a few of our absolute favorites so you can check them out yourself OR you can just take the new Around the World in Acadiana Food Tour from Cajun Food Tours!

Blu Basil on Johnston Street serves up delicious traditional Vietnamese dishes in a contemporary environment with a friendly staff. They offer a wide variety of classics, including pho, stir-fry, and rice plates. Even the pickiest of eaters can find something appetizing at Blu Basil.

Looking for some authentic Cuban cuisine? Visit Café Habana City on Bertrand Drive! This was Lafayette’s first Cuban restaurant and currently employs three generations of the family. If you enjoy partaking in an adult beverage every once in a while, make sure to try Café Habana’s Cuban mojitos as well!

Also on Bertrand Drive in Lafayette is Patacon Latin Cuisine. At Patacon, they share with Acadiana the mouth-watering foods of Venezuela. They are well known for their Patacone sandwiches which are made with fried plantains rather than bread!

Italian food isn’t quite as sparse in Acadiana, but if you’d like to support a locally owned restaurant while savoring traditional Italian with a few creative twists, Antoni’s Café in the Oil Center is the place for you! Antoni’s has been offering their authentic food in a casual yet classy atmosphere for over 20 years.

Pimon Thai on Johnston Street prepares original Thai food using recipes that are generations old. Pimon Thai prides themselves on their friendly, relaxed dining experience as well as their fresh seafood and hand prepared meals.

Started by a student of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Urbano’s Taqueria is proud to serve the Acadiana area great Latin American cuisine. With locations on Pinhook and Johnston Street, Urbano’s gourmet fusion “street” tacos reflect flavors from Mexico, the Caribbean, Asia, and the Americas.

If you are interested in sampling the delicious foods these restaurants have to offer while learning about their cultures, consider taking Cajun Food Tours’ “Around the World Taste Tour,” offered most Wednesdays & Thursdays at 6:30 pm.

By: Whitney Ross, Lafayette Native