Cajun food is taking root on Atlanta dining scene

Carlton Fletcher, The Albany Herald, Ga.
·4 min read

Mar. 5—ATLANTA — During Mardi Gras season, Atlanta diners are getting in the mood with some Cajun food. Some of the popular spots around metro Atlanta that diners go to get their gumbo, crawfish and po'boy fix:

—AJ's Famous Seafood & Po'Boys. A laid-back spot for Cajun classics including muffuletta sandwiches, gator chili, gumbos and a variety of po'boys.

2100 Roswell Road, Marietta. (678) 999-0767

—BayouQ. Open since summer 2020, BayouQ offers a menu featuring a cross-section of traditional barbecue and Louisiana cuisine. Look for shrimp and grits, po'boy sandwiches, roux-based gumbo, housemade sausage, oysters and smoked meats served alongside sides like barbecue beans, coleslaw, cornbread and creole mac 'n' cheese.

982 Canton St., Roswell. (678) 694-8330, bayouq.com/

—Big Easy Grille. Chow down on dishes such as gumbo, po'boys, fried alligator and crawfish etouffe, and check out brunch specials including bayou benedict and Cajun Bloody Marys and margaritas.

1193 Collier Road, Atlanta. (404) 352-2777, bigeasygrille.com

—Bon Ton. Go for something a little offbeat with this New Orleans-style Vietnamese-Creole restaurant that serves up dishes including a Nashville hot oyster roll, a Cajun shrimp burger, crawfish smoked Gouda mac and cheese, and an unusual applewood-smoked snow crab preparation.

674 Myrtle St. N.E., Atlanta. bontonatl.com/.

—Cafe Bourbon St. Find the food truck serving up New Orleans-inspired specialties including jambalaya egg rolls, chicken and beignets, Bourbon wings and fried shrimp parked most days at the Triton Yards food truck park.

1318 Sylvan Road, Atlanta. cafebourbonst.com/

—Flatlands Bourbon & Bayou. This spot from husband and wife Jodi and Vinny Chieco serves up creole classics including shrimp andouille, blackened redfish and po' boys.

52B N. Main St., Alpharetta. (470) 242-5458, flatlands52.com/

—Frank's Cajun & Soul Kitchen. The cajun cuisine at this family-owned restaurant, named for owner David Simmons' father, shares a menu with Southern and soul food specialties. Cajun dishes include the fried fish and chicken platters and po'boys, as well as boudin balls with creole tartar sauce.

1175 Powder Springs St., Marietta. (678) 383-6703, frankscajunsoul.com

—Henry's Louisiana Grill. Chef Henry Chandler cooks up specialties from his native Louisiana.

4835 N. Main St., Acworth. (770) 966-1515, chefhenrys.com/

—Hugo's Oyster Bar. The Cajun seafood restaurant offers classics including po'boys, muffulettas and Cajun-prepared seafood, as well as Sunday brunch dishes and drinks including Eggs Sardou, oyster benedict. gin fizz and milk punch.

10360 Alpharetta St, Roswell. (770) 993-5922. hugosoysterbar.com/

—The Juicy Crab. Get your fill of Cajun-style seafood boils, fried fish and more.

Locations in Conyers, Douglasville, Duluth, East Point, Fayetteville, Kennesaw, McDonough and Smyrna. thejuicycrab.com

—Just Loaf'n. The popular food truck and brick-and-mortar offers a variety of po'boys and other Cajun sandwiches, as well as sides including gator bites and boudin links.

371 Boulevard SE, Atlanta. (404) 537-6269 and 68 North Marietta Pkwy. NW, Marietta, (770) 884-2434, justloafnpoboysga.com/

—Louisiana Bistreaux. Get a taste of New Orleans with gator bites, gumbo, eggplant atchafalaya, etouffes, blackened and fried seafood and po'boys, and stick around for bourbon bread pudding.

Locations in Decatur, Buckhead and East Point. (404) 762-6755. louisianabistreaux.com

—The Po'Boy Shop — Looking for authentic New Orleans po'boys? You'll find more than a dozen options at this Decatur spot, which also offers sides including gumbo and muffuletta salad.

1369 Clairmont Road, Decatur. (678) 974-8725, thepoboyshopatl.com.

—Roux on Canton — The Cajun-inspired menu features po'boys and a jambalaya-stuffed pepper.

946 Canton St., Roswell. (770) 993-0007, rouxoncanton.com

—Wegman's Bayou Louisiana Kitchen. Taking the place of cajun restaurant Adele's, which closed in late 2021 after 10 years, Wegman's retains Adele's co-owner Marc Wegman. The New Orleans-bred chef-owner serves up po'boys of both the traditional (oyster, catfish, shrimp) and unconventional varieties (roast beef, veggie), as well as muffulettas and entrees including shrimp creole and jambalaya. Don't forget to wrap things up with an order of the French Quarter beignets.

1169 Canton St., Roswell. (770) 594-0655, wegmansbayou.com