The USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year 2025 list, published today, features 44 restaurants that range from fine dining to supper clubs to seafood shacks.
USA TODAY Network food journalists from across the country pooled their expertise to select the restaurants, which include the places they know, love, and recommend. Quebedeaux's Cajun Cafe in Pineville, La., made the list. However, there are many other restaurants worth celebrating across Alexandria and Pineville.
Presented in alphabetical order, here are 10 other spots that we wish were on the Restaurants of the Year list.
Cajun Catfish House
3400 Old Marksville Highway, Pineville, Louisiana, 71360, (318) 448-9333,CajunCatfishHouse.
For the past 50 years that the Cajun Catfish House has been in business, the family-owned restaurant has never deviated from serving what has made their business a success - catfish. It’s their specialty. They’ve added other seafood items such as shrimp, crab legs and crawfish during crawfish season. There is no steak on the menu though they do have hamburgers and chicken strips.
Caro's "Authentic" Mexican Restaurant
1412 Metro Drive, Alexandria, Louisiana, 71303, (318) 445-1783.Caro's "Authentic" Mexican Restaurant.
Those who have eaten here have said Caro’s has the most authentic Mexican food you can find in Louisiana without having to travel to Mexico or Central America. But the food also has a Carribean flair. Carolina Francisco is from the Dominican Republic and her husband Memfi Francisco is Mexican and it is their backgrounds that have influenced the menu. In addition to tacos, quesadillas or enchiladas, they also serve Menudo, Caldo de Res and Chicken Milanesa. They are also vegetarian friendly.
Pamela’s Bayou in a Bowl
Pamela’s Bayou in a Bowl, 2049 North Mall Drive, Alexandria, Louisiana, (318) 704-5679Pamela’s Bayouinabowl.
This restaurant has some of the best Southern home cooking around that will remind you of Sunday dinners at Grandma’s. The weekly menu includes meatloaf, baked chicken or smothered pork chops and sides of mustard greens, mac and cheese, or yams. The restaurant is also vegetarian friendly.
The Bentley Room
200 Desoto Street, Suite B, Alexandria, Louisiana, 71301inside The Hotel Bentley. (318) 704-6111, bentleyroomdining.com
Located in the historic Bentley Hotel, the only four-star hotel in Louisiana outside of New Orleans, The Bentley Room is open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. On the menu is Bentley’s Catfish Jenkins served with Louisiana crawfish etoufee over rice and topped with a choice of fried, grilled or blackened catfish or the Bentley’s BBQ Burger made with certified Kobe Beef, Sheila Partain’s Sweet Mesquite Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce, cheddar and bacon.
The Cottage
434 Dorchester Dr, Alexandria, LA, United States, Louisiana (318) 448-4220The Cottage Restaurant
This is restaurant serves is a Central Louisiana favorite. The restaurant is low-key casual serving homestyle meals Their specialties include the cream of shrimp soup, the hot chicken sandwich, the chicken breast, hamburger steak, tomato & basil pie and roll-ups which is “a variety of fillings tucked inside a thin pastry and fried to golden perfection served with a green or spinach salad.”
The Diamond Grill
924 3rd Street, Alexandria, Louisiana, 71301, (318) 448-8989www.thediamondgrill.com
In 1931 this location was a jewelry store. The first thing you'll notice upon entering is the graceful staircase leading to the Mezzanine Bar where you can enjoy a cocktail, or watch a game on one of the televisions. The bar has a nice view of the dining room below that offers intimate fine dining in an elegant setting. The menu includes the popular appetizer Lobster Quesadillas which is "claw meat with pico de gallo, pepper jack cheese, served with sweet tomato jam, " Shrimp Alexandria which is “a local taken on a New Orleans classic, jumbo Gulf shrimp, Alexandria style with toasted bread points” and Panko Halibut that is “seared with orange white wine butter sauce topped with shrimp and green onion.”
The Main Dish & More
5821 Provine Place, Suite C, Alexandria, LA 71303, (318) 448-1830 themaindish.org
In addition to the regular menu, The Main Dish & More serves seasonal soups, salads and gumbos using Gulf shrimp and Louisiana crawfish. Lunch is served from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Lasagna is their specialty. It is made with lean ground beef in homemade tomato sauce “layered in lasagna noodles, topped with three cheeses.” The grilled black salmon is also a customer favorite. They also serve sandwiches and wraps and burgers.
Spirits Food & Friends
1200 Texas Ave, Alexandria, LA 71301 (318) 445-4491 spiritscenla.com
Spirits Food & Friends offers a casual dining experience where people can visit with each other while dining or enjoy a cocktail while listening to local musicians. There is patio sitting. The menu offers an array of sandwiches and po-boys, salads and wraps, seafood, steaks, chicken, pasta and burgers. Try the Spirits Classic burger made with angus beef and topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonaise and mustard. Or try the Burger of the Month which is a different chef-crafted burger available each month.
Tunk’s Cypress Inn
9507 Hwy 28 West, Boyce, Louisiana, 71409, (318) 487-4014,tunkscypressinn.com
Located twelve miles outside of Alexandria, diners can enjoy a scenic view of Kincaid Lake with their meal. On the menu is Tunk's Seafood Platter that includes “Miss Mayme's famous seafood gumbo, a platter of fried farm-raised catfish fillets, fried butterflied shrimp, stuffed shrimp, frog leg, oysters, shrimp & rice boulette, and hush-puppies. Served with choice of side.” Also on the menu is alligator, crab and quail.
Word of Mouth Cafe
Word of Mouth, 918 Foisy St, Alexandria, Louisiana 71301, (318) 528-8702nomwom.com
The little white house with the bright red door tucked away in downtown Alexandria is one of the best kept dining secrets that most people find out about through word of mouth. Open only for lunch, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, the weekly menu includes hot plate lunch specials like seared ahi tuna or salmon over balsamic greens with craisins, walnuts and avocado; a pot roast plate with loaded potatoes, mixed veggies, candied carrots, side spinach salad and a roll; and fish or shrimp tacos with a side Caesar salad or a cup of the soup of the day.
See the entire list of USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year here: