When I first discovered St. Tammany Parish after venturing outside the New Orleans area, the first place I happened upon was Mandeville. Having loved what I experienced, it was time to visit this beautiful place again.
Start the Day Off Right
Louisiana is known for its delicious food, and what better way to start off the day than with a delicious Cajun-and-Creole-inspired menu! When I Googled breakfast joints, one immediately got my attention. Liz’s Where Y’at Diner lived up to its unique name. While there were so many fantastic options, including a whole section on eggs Benedict varieties, I opted for shrimp and grits. Go ahead and add the crabmeat; you will be happy you did.
Relax a Few with a Brew
With all the fantastic brewing companies in St. Tammany Parish, Chafunkta Brewing Company was a repeat mention. I had to go there, if nothing else than for learning about the name. In less than a minute, I overheard someone talking about the Tchefuncte River. Aha! The pronunciation is the same, and of course, adding the word “funk” makes it even cooler. I drank one of their signature brews, the Voo Ka Ray (as in Vieux Carre, the original name of NOLA’s French Quarter) an IPA with little bitterness. Chafunkta has a tap room with tastings in several sizes, so you could easily spend a few more relaxing hours there.
More Food for Thought
With an awesome sign like this, you know there is some good eats inside!
After a few stomach growls, it was time to find my lunch place. I was craving seafood, and I recalled awhile back hearing about Rusty Pelican. The name itself called for at least a look-see. The restaurant is cozy and casual, perfectly suited for the lunch crowd. While everything sounded delicious on the menu, I ordered the fried artichoke hearts with an incredible ranch dip (can you really go wrong with anything fried with a dip?) and a bowl of gumbo. Did I mention the gumbo came with half a shrimp po-boy? Don’t judge me; I really love seafood and I was hungry. And yes, I was completely satisfied on both counts.
These three food-and-drink spots are the top places I recommend in Mandeville. Next month, I will focus on the activities I did to work off these calories!