Ruston

The food history of Ruston and Lincoln Parish is more closely related to that of the American South, than South Louisiana. The food is less spicy and spans a variety of meats, vegetables, beans, and peas. The area still offers some of Louisiana’s more known food items such as gumbo and seafood delicacies.

The area’s food reflects a strong English-speaking British American and African American presence reflective of those who settled in the area during the early 1800s. The area was a strong farming community during that time as Ruston was founded after the Civil War in 1884 on land donated by Robert E. Russ. Thanks to many of the settlers already living in the area and new residents moving in, Ruston and Lincoln Parish developed a food identity based on agriculture from the surrounding land.

Locally owned, independent restaurants are what set Ruston and Lincoln Parish apart from other areas. From soul food at local mom-and-pop cafes to Tex-Mex at the area’s ethnic restaurants, Ruston has an eclectic collection of eateries in all food categories in the downtown area as well as the I-20 corridor.