Cajun and Creole cuisine refers to the traditional food of Acadia (South Louisiana). Creole cuisine encompasses the dishes of those born in Acadia before it became part of the U.S., including French Canadians, West Africans, indigenous Chitimacha and Choctaw peoples, and people of Spanish descent from the Caribbean. Cajun cuisine, on the other hand, specifically refers to the food of the Canadians who lived in the region; this means that all Cajuns are Creole, but not all Creole are Cajuns.
Creole communities are often centered in New Orleans, while Cajun communities are typically found in rural parts of South Louisiana. Both cuisines blend French, Spanish, Native American, and African influences, along with the American South in which they were born. The cuisines relied on ingredients that those communities had on hand. Although Cajun and Creole cuisines are very similar, Cajun food is typically spicier and features more pork and crawfish, while Creole cuisine utilizes tomatoes, shrimp, oysters, and crab. Popular dishes from both traditions include jambalaya, gumbo, and andouille sausage.
You don’t have to travel to South Louisiana to enjoy this flavorful melting pot of cuisine; authentic Cajun and Creole restaurants are right here in Westchester County.
Cajun Boil
23 A Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains; 914.488.6839
If you’re looking for authentically spicy seafood in White Plains, look no further than Cajun Boil. At this restaurant, freshly caught fish such as scallops, crabs, lobsters, and crawfish are boiled in secret spices, blended with Cajun signature seasonings, and served in a bag. Each pound of seafood boil comes with potatoes and corn on the cob.
Another tempting menu item is the special combos, which include black mussels, shrimp, and snow crab, or crawfish, shrimp, and snow crab. Special orders include grilled salmon and grilled steak.
Crawdaddy’s Creole Kitchen
68 Wheeler Ave, Pleasantville; 914.449.6199
Crawdaddy’s Creole Kitchen serves New Orleans favorites such as fried shrimp, fried crawfish, fried catfish, fried oyster, jambalaya, gumbo, and crawfish mac and cheese. While these classics are served for lunch and dinner, you can also order from the “fancy stuff” section of the menu for hearty and flavorful plates. Those include the Turbodog braised beef brisket, barbecue shrimp and grits, and blackened catfish.
Fry baskets include your choice of seafood with French fries, remoulade, crunchy slaw, and lemon. The lunch specials, served from Monday to Friday between 12-4 p.m., are a half po’ boy with fries or chicken gumbo, jambalaya, mushroom yaya, crawfish mac, or whiskey mussels. Both options are served with a nonalcoholic beverage or Abita beer.
With plenty of options on the menu, it’s difficult to play favorites, but executive chef of 15 years Michael Boulos lists dirty fries and whiskey mussels as two of the most popular menu items. The Carpetbagger, a boneless ribeye topped with Cajun remoulade and fried oysters, is ideal for a big dinner. “We’re excited to be bringing our interpretation, our love of Creole food and New Orleans to Westchester,” Boulos says.
Rye Roadhouse
12 High St, Rye; 914.925.2668
According to co-owner Greg DeMarco, “at the Rye Roadhouse, we’ve been serving up Cajun, Creole, and southern classics for over 17 years…our customers are what make us who we are. We’re a small, family-oriented business, and nothing makes us more satisfied than being able to bring smiles and happiness to our clientele through down-home comfort food, icy cold beverages, and friendly service.”
Westchester Magazine awarded Rye Roadhouse the titles of best meatloaf in 2012, best comfort food and Bloody Mary in 2014, best fried chicken in 2015 and 2017, best sweet potato fries in 2016 and 2020, best neighborhood tavern in 2023, and best weeknight specials in 2024. Meatloaf, which can be grilled or blackened, comes with any two house-made sides, such as collard greens, homestyle coleslaw, rice and beans, sauteed vegetables, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potato fries, or baked sweet potatoes. You can also try it with Rye Roadhouse’s Cajun remoulade.
For lunch and dinner, try the buttermilk-soaked fried chicken, jambalaya, chili sticks, boiled Louisiana crawfish, Creole gumbo, gator nuggets, blackened catfish and mahi-mahi, or beer-battered fried pickles served with Cajun remoulade. For Sunday brunch, enjoy Southern classics such as crabcake Benedict, andouille hash with poached eggs, and chicken and waffles. On the other hand, you can treat yourself to Belgian-style sweet potato waffles, buttermilk pancakes, or a customer favorite: the Cajun heaven omelet, which is served with chopped andouille, red and green bell peppers, onions, and your choice of cheese.
Be sure to stop by for events, such as build-your-own stuffed quesadillas on Monday, taco Tuesday with Cajun nachos and $10 margaritas, fried chicken night on Wednesday, and half-priced burger night on Thursday.
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The Bayou Restaurant
580 Gramatan Ave, Mt Vernon; 914.668.2634
The Bayou, which opened in 1991, serves authentic Cajun food, spicy sauces, and strong drinks alongside live music and entertainment. Priding itself on “darn good eats and darn good music,” the eatery invites diners to choose between dishes like Bourbon Street barbecue ribs, southern fried kickin’ chicken, grilled pepper catfish, frog legs, and alligator sausages, just to name a few. With 100 hot and spicy sauces to choose from, The Bayou will certainly have you returning to try all the saucy options.
You may want to consider the most popular menu item: the signature wings, with your choice of VooDoo, Bayou, Buffalo, pineapple, or barbecue seasoning, served alongside creamy garlic ranch sauce. Alternatively, another popular menu item, the Swamp & Turf comes with barbecue alligator and ribs.
The Bayou has happy hour every Monday through Friday from 4-7 p.m. and events every day of the week. This includes open mic nights on Monday, fat taco Tuesday, VooDoo nights with food and beverage specials on Wednesday, trivia nights on Thursday, live music with new bands every Saturday, and a Southern-style Sunday brunch.
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