With its location in an unassuming building on a major thoroughfare, Elsie’s looks like an old-school diner and is easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. But turn the corner into their parking lot and you’re met with a bright pie-themed mural and an inviting entrance into their warm, modern-industrial dining room.

The fare is classic Southern: boudin melts, fried okra, pimento dip, and red beans and rice with fried chicken. And then there are the pies. The savory selection includes a crawfish hand pie, a Natchitoches meat pie (one of the state’s official foods!), and their Louisiana poulet pot pie, filled with smoked chicken and peppers in a creamy tasso gravy. 

The food is decadent and alive. The salt levels are just a bit high, and butter, cream, and other fats are used generously. Pork finds its way into most things. The portions are generous, but let’s face it, you’re not here for a modest meal.

Elsie’s sweet pies also shine, including a chocolate pecan, a slight twist on a classic, and other staples like their s’mores, turtle, apple, and coconut cream pies. 

If you show up on the day of an LSU football match, you might catch their game-day special “Eye of the Tiger” dessert—a lemon ice box pie with vanilla wafer crust and blueberry whipped cream, vibrant in the colors of their hometown team and a perfect balance of tart lemon and sweet blueberries. Even if there’s no game underway, in-the-know regulars will often special order it in advance.