A lot of successful Baton Rogue restaurants have been putting new locations in Lafayette recently, and SoLou is the latest Capital City restaurant to announce that it will be doing the same. Known for its brunch focus, SoLou has built up an impressive following with its modern presentations of Southern Louisiana fare, such as boudin quesadillas, shrimp poboys, and chicken and waffles. The Lafayette location will be in the former Grub Burger at 1905 Kaliste Saloom Rd., and the space is currently undergoing renovations.
SoLou is owned by the Baton Rouge-based Making Raving Fans Hospitality Group, and more than 10 years ago, the group’s CEO Peter Sclafani brought Ruffino’s on the River from Baton Rouge to Lafayette. That restaurant took over from Cochon Lafayette, which was based out of New Orleans. The Chimes, Superior Grill, and Walk-On’s are other Capital City restaurants that recently made the jump to Lafayette.
“I think a lot of the Baton Rouge restaurants come to Lafayette without the same chip on their shoulder as restaurants coming in from New Orleans,” he said. “I think that’s why the Baton Rouge restaurants have been a bit more accepted in Lafayette than some New Orleans restaurants that didn’t find much success there.”
He added that Ruffino’s has also succeeded because it sourced local Lafayette products and ingredients, such as bread from Poupart Bakery. “We plan to do the same thing with SoLou,” he said. “We not going to try to force what we have in Baton Rouge on this market. We’re letting the Lafayette location be its own thing.”
