Gobbling gluten-free . . . Local chefs and restaurateurs Cara and Evan Benson recently hatched another restaurant in Gretna dubbed the Hen House. Located on Hancock Street, the cinder block space once was the home of Donewar’s Superette, a corner market slinging home made sausages and hot plates since the mid-1950s, but the storefront has been vacant for several years. The Bensons purchased the property last year with the intention of using it as base of operations for they’re booming king cake business (they shipped out 7,000 last year!), but Cara decided to open it up as a cafe in the off-season and the Hen House was born. The new cafe and bakery offers bagels, quiche, sandwiches, soups and salads — much like her Uptown restaurant Tartine. What makes the Hen House really chic(k), is the fact that nearly every item has the option of going gluten-free, from the ham and cheddar on sourdough and chicken salad slathered on a French baguette, to cranberry scones and cinnamon rolls.
938 Hancock St., (504) 255-5097, henhousegretna.com
Crankin’ up the Wank . . . Coffee-lovers in Gretna have a sweet, new way to celebrate the almighty bean at Cherry Coffee on Lafayette Street (a.k.a LA 23). Owner Lauren Fink’s roasting operations outgrew their Bywater digs and they decided to stretch out across the river into what was previously the Living Room Cafe. Fink got her start over seven years ago, pulling her precise blends in a pop-up at Stein’s Deli on Magazine Street. Cherry Coffee is a curated brew – a coffee women-grown and women-owned – with specific attention paid to the gourmet, wine-like flavor profiles different brews, beans, and roasts contain.
401 Lafayette St. (LA 23), Gretna, cherrycoffeeroasters.com
Designing a better cup . . . Trumpet & Drum recently opened Uptown inside what was formerly Scairono Martinez Architects’ offices on Magazine Street. The new cafe offers specialty coffee blends and drinks from Orleans Coffee, as well as pastries from tM Bakery downtown. The new cafe is owned by Nicholas G. Pejic, a New Orleans psychiatrist who’s practice is right next door.
3642 Magazine St., @trumpetanddrum
Northshore nosh . . . Mash-up Italian entrees with French dessert and you get Prima Après, the latest fast-casual concept to open in Mandeville and Baton Rouge. Attorney-turned-chef Abney Harper recently launched the Northshore restaurant offering house made pastas and pavlovas (meringue) with choose-your-own toppings. Contrary to they’re Instagram posts, you don’t have to be #hotpeopleeatingpasta, but if you’re not, don’t count on appearing in their grid. #uglypeopleeatpastatoo
2180 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville, (985) 807-1144, @primaapres
On the Avenue . . . Lucky visitors staying at the new Henrietta Hotel from Sandstone Hospitality (The Frenchmen, The Drifter, Hotel Saint Vincent) are jumping over the moon for Flour Moon Bagels which has its own installation inside the hotel. Though the menu is limited compared to the original next to the Lafitte Greenway, Uptowners and visitors both are happy to have them in the ‘hood. By-the-each bagels, tartines and coffees are better than good.
3500 St. Charles Ave., @flourmoonbagels, hotelhenrietta.com
*Article originally published in the June 2024 of Where Y’at Magazine
