SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A beloved spot in Shreveport that honors Black history, and southern cooking was recognized as the country’s oldest, continuously Black-owned business.
Orlandeaux’s Cafe serves a legacy laid out on platters spiced with the ingredients of empowerment that offer modern creole, soul food, and southern cuisine.
“We’re liking this so far, and the service is always great when we come, and so we just feel like family in this place,” patron Martez Jones said.
“I come over here every once in a while so this would be on my list to go eat,” patron Dan Fabian said.
Best known for their stuffed shrimp, which are made in-house, Orlandeaux’s features recipes passed down through five generations. The family business dates back to 1921. It was first called Freeman and Harris Cafe.
“It’s still going. We’re just passing the tradition on,” Shreveport City Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor of District A said.
The restaurant’s work to feed and connect the community was honored by the City of Shreveport and the Parish of Caddo.
“We hereby convey its deepest and most sincere congratulations and recognition to Orlandeaux’s Cafe,” Caddo Commissioner Ken Epperson of District 12 said.
The local leaders said Orlandeaux’s Cafe is now recognized as the oldest, continuously operating black family-owned restaurant in the country.
“We work hard. My crew works hard, guys. They are here because they love the City of Shreveport. My family has always loved the City of Shreveport, and we are here and hopefully will be here for another 100 years here on Cross Lake,” Damien Chapman, Orlandeaux’s Cafe owner, and chef said.
Chef Chapman continues his family’s history by adding his own modern twist. The restaurant’s new location looks out onto the beautiful Cross Lake, a place that once did not allow black people to dine inside.
“African-American legacy and culture right here. Standing on the grounds where we weren’t allowed to be,” Taylor said.
That has changed for patrons from all backgrounds to eat, enjoy, and reflect on past struggles with excitement for the future.
You can read more about Orlandeaux’s Cafe and see their menu.
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