For every triumphant business dinner sealed with a handshake over crawfish étouffée, there’s another that ends with you wondering if the plastic flamingo by the door has better social skills. The decline usually starts when you realize the ‘artisanal jambalaya’ arrives in what appears to be a Mardi Gras float decoration and the waiter’s birthday song for table six involves a full brass section.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
$ | (985) 893-0151 | WEBSITE
Finally. You’ve finally got a craving for some real American comfort food. It’s classic. It’s hearty. People call it The Barrel and the stories are that they’ve been serving up these recipes for generations. Oh, it’s also got a country store inside. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is a big, welcoming restaurant that looks part old-time general store and part cozy farmhouse kitchen, and it just so happens to serve excellent American classics like that campfire chicken.
Head here when you want plenty of home-style dishes, or just need somewhere warm and familiar that’s guaranteed to satisfy, right off the main road.
Phở Công Noodle & Grill
$ | (985) 893-3389 | WEBSITE
“We’re not looking to compete”, they claim, casual. Yeah, tell that to the spicy pork egg rolls and the grilled pork sandwiches pal. Better yet, tell it to the owner who’s sourcing your bread daily from that famous Vietnamese bakery in New Orleans East. Impossible. Phở Công Noodle & Grill is a solid Vietnamese spot in Covington that has some of the best pho on the entire Northshore. Be warned, this place doesn’t have a fancy atmosphere. Or even a particularly charming one, to be honest.
But what it lacks in upscale ambience it makes up for in consistent, satisfying meals, and a $12 lunch special that includes a two course pho situation.
Mattina Bella Restaurant
$ | (985) 892-0708 | WEBSITE
The best breakfast spots teach us three things. Always order the pancakes when blueberries are in season, there’s a good reason why you never skip the house-made dressing, and finally, that a great morning meal is really just a series of perfectly cooked eggs in places that feel like someone whispered “less rushing, more savoring” into the air. That’s pretty much what you’ll find at Mattina Bella.
It’s the cozy sibling to those hectic chain diners, and this place is more comfortable neighborhood gem than cramped roadside stop, but the exceptional breakfast dishes, friendly service, and consistently great experience remain.
Boulevard American Bistro
$$ | (985) 326-2121 | WEBSITE
We’re going to take a wild guess and say that this Warehouse District bistro has seen some pretty significant business lunches go down. Local executives sealing deals over their double crab cakes. Developers celebrating new projects with glasses of wine as they discuss Covington’s growth. Mark our words, if someone finally cracks the perfect Southern hospitality formula, it’ll be documented right here.
The space itself is quite impressive – no seriously, it’s like the polished wood and warm lighting gets more inviting the longer you sit – so keep this place reserved for those special client meetings or celebratory dinners where you want to make an impression.
Bear’s Restaurant
$ | (985) 892-2373 | WEBSITE
You’re really satisfied with your usual lunch spot but that coworker from accounting just won’t stop raving. The other day they claimed you ‘have to try the roast beef’, and everyone from your barber to mail carrier knows that to be an understatement. Enough is enough. Head for Bear’s in Covington. Why? Because if you’re going to wait in line you might as well get a killer sandwich and have a sweet tea.
This cozy neighborhood joint has enough checkered tablecloths and friendly chatter to keep things feeling homey but the $11 whole sandwich special will keep your ‘I’m definitely not skipping lunch today’ resolve intact.
Chili’s Grill & Bar
$ | (985) 892-4837 | WEBSITE
Bill Gates once offered to trade his entire Microsoft stock portfolio for one more plate of Chili’s sizzling fajitas. Okay, we might be exaggerating. But, if you’ve ever sat in their bustling dining room, sipping a margarita with a triple dipper platter within reach, you’ll probably understand the sentiment. This lively, family-friendly American spot in Covington has some very satisfying food that you could happily eat plenty of, despite it being, well, a solid value.
Our usual strategy here is to get a shared order of the triple dipper and their must-try fajitas, but if you’re celebrating, or you know, you just feel like treating yourself, then go for it – dive into their reasonably priced menu and the attentive service from staff like Montanah.
Zea Rotisserie & Bar
$$ | (985) 327-0520 | WEBSITE
We’re just going to be honest with you. After our first visit to Zea Rotisserie & Bar we contemplated quitting our jobs and moving to Covington just so we would have an excuse to spend several evenings a week eating their excellent roasted chicken.
This warm, inviting spot is of the ‘work hard, eat well’ school of dining and whether you go for the tender red fish, or, inevitably, one too many of their perfectly seasoned sweet potatoes alongside the flavorful red beans and rice with andouille sausage, you’re pretty much guaranteed a great meal here. Even if it ends up becoming a feast. And that feast ends up becoming 9pm grits and shrimp.
Crazy Pig Southern Kitchen Covington
$ | (985) 234-9447 | WEBSITE
You know that Mean Girls scene where the mum says ‘I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom’. Yeah, replace the word mom with restaurant and that’s Crazy Pig. Crazy Pig Southern Kitchen is just the kind of lowkey, sort of secret Covington spot that’s perfect for a cool weekend brunch.
The menu of Southern classics is excellent, but seeing as it’s located in a charming space with that southern ambiance it’s more suited to relaxed catch-ups with friends that’ll merrily go for another mimosa between their shrimp and grits and fried chicken and waffles. Just be warned, getting there early is essential.
Lola
$ | (985) 892-4992 | WEBSITE
You’ve seen those vintage rail cars. We’ve seen those vintage rail cars. And yes, that friend visiting from Baton Rouge has seen those vintage rail cars. That’s exactly why sometimes you need the kind of warm, inviting restaurant where you can picture travelers sharing stories and enjoying hearty meals in the caboose. You know, to capture the spirit. Lola is exactly that kind of place, and as charming as the setting is, their selection of signature dishes are equally as impressive.
Gallagher’s Grill
$$$ | (985) 892-9992 | WEBSITE
It’s time to talk about the real deal. And you know what that means? Yes, it’s pompano time. Okay, before you start thinking we’re seafood snobs, we’re talking about the neighborhood-gem that is Gallagher’s Grill in Covington. We don’t use the word ‘fabulous’ lightly, but that’s pretty much the only word you can use to describe their Pompano with citrus beurre blanc sauce.
Although the steaks won’t blow your mind, and the lighting is a bit bright, their $28 lunch specials are very solid and, importantly, include a side like sweet potato casserole. Right in the heart of Covington, this place is perfect if you’re meeting friends or family.
The Chimes-Covington
$$ | (985) 892-5396 | WEBSITE
You’re pretty sure your in-laws are coming to town this weekend, and you need a place that won’t disappoint. Put down that takeout menu and just head to The Chimes. This American restaurant in Covington is all about warm wooden booths, cozy lighting, and rustic details – because what else would you expect from a restaurant that serves a near $18 blackjack chargrilled oyster starter?
Although there are some special occasion prices here, the $28 catfish perdu entrée is entirely reasonable and we challenge anyone – including your mother-in-law – to not be impressed by the atmosphere.
Ellen’s Snowballs & Old Fashioned Malts
$ | (985) 898-3423 | WEBSITE
You don’t know these kids very well. In fact, all you know is that they really enjoy using sprinkles on everything, and haven’t quite mastered the difference between ‘snowball’ and ‘ice cream cone’. Bless ’em. The point is, when you’re meeting up with a group of little ones you need somewhere inoffensive, with good food, and a decent amount of pink lemonade thrown in for good measure.
Ellen’s Snowballs & Old Fashioned Malts is all of the above with the added bonus of some burgers that are so juicy we’re not sure whether to eat them or frame them, the option to have special sprinkles and cherry added to your ice cream cone, and a long, long menu of snowball flavors you can peruse whilst trying to resist the urge to start an impromptu food fight.
Dons Seafood – Covington
$$ | (985) 327-7111 | WEBSITE
Your boss has asked you to go for lunch three days after they changed the office water from Evian to Tesco’s own brand and no one in the HR team will sit with you at lunch. This spells trouble. But also, fuck it, suggest lunch at Don’s Seafood to gain additional compensation in the form of exceptional raw oysters and beautifully prepared fried seafood.
This Covington seafood restaurant is family-friendly with a sports bar and outside seating and everything from the attentive waitstaff to the reasonable prices spell ‘perfect for relaxing’, and, of course, ‘great value’. The etouffee here is pretty good but the garlic bread is what you really want to get involved in. Especially when you have a guilt loaded corporate card at your disposal.