At Olde Tyme Grocery in Lafayette, the sandwich order has a pleasant tendency to become a serious meal. The po’boys arrive on soft French bread with plenty of meat or seafood inside, and the fried shrimp version has long been a favorite for good reason.
The shrimp is crisp outside and succulent within, joined by lettuce and tomatoes that keep the sandwich from becoming all bread and fry coating. It is a straightforward Louisiana lunch, generously put together and best approached with both hands.
Olde Tyme is also more than a sandwich counter. It combines the character of a neighborhood grocery with a casual place to settle in for lunch or dinner, a combination that gives even a quick takeout order a little more personality.
Start With the Fried Shrimp
The fried shrimp po’boy is a natural first order. Its appeal is not complicated: well-fried seafood, soft bread, cool vegetables, and a filling substantial enough to make a bag of chips or side dish seem optional.
Still, the menu does not stop at shrimp. Fried oysters, crawfish, catfish, meatballs, and combination po’boys give regulars and first-timers several routes through the board. The meatball po’boy deserves its own consideration when seafood is not the mood.
The Olde Tyme Special is another house favorite, built as a sizable sandwich of bread, meats, and balanced fillings. It is a good choice for someone who wants the full, generously stacked po’boy treatment without overthinking the order.
The Pleasure of a Half-and-Half
A half-and-half po’boy is where an already good lunch can get more interesting. Fried shrimp and catfish is one combination, while shrimp with oysters and shrimp with crawfish have also found plenty of fans.
The point is not novelty for novelty’s sake. A shrimp-and-oyster sandwich puts two distinct fried seafood textures into the same soft roll, while shrimp and crawfish gives the order a more Louisiana-specific turn.
These are large sandwiches. Some people find that a whole po’boy stretches into a second meal, which is useful knowledge before adding too many sides to the tray.
Hot Potato Wedges and Other Necessary Additions
Fresh-cooked potato wedges come out piping hot and make an especially good counterweight to a seafood po’boy. They have the simple, satisfying purpose that a lunch-counter side ought to have: something hot to pick at between bites of sandwich.
French fries are another popular accompaniment. With a po’boy this substantial, the better strategy may be sharing sides around the table rather than trying to turn one order into a test of endurance.
A Grocery Store With Ragin’ Cajuns Spirit
The room carries old-fashioned grocery-store character rather than a polished chain-restaurant look. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns memorabilia appears among the objects and displays, helping the place stay firmly connected to its hometown.
There is cooking in the air when you come in, along with the lived-in, homey energy of a longtime local lunch counter. The atmosphere is casual and fun, without requiring diners to dress up a po’boy stop into more than it needs to be.
Seating includes an indoor dining area, counter seats, a bar area, and an outdoor patio or terrace. That range helps the place work for a fast bite as easily as a longer sit-down meal.
How the Stop Works
Orders are generally placed at the counter, with sandwiches taken to a table, outside seating, or out the door for pickup. One practical quirk: ordering may be handled from the grocery side of the building rather than through the dining-side entrance.
The counter can keep moving even when the dining room is busy, which suits Olde Tyme’s dual identity as a grocery stop and a meal destination. Takeout is a useful option when tables are in demand or when a large po’boy is headed back to a hotel room, picnic table, or home kitchen.
Free parking is available in a lot, and street parking has also been used, though the ease of finding a space can vary. The room can be lively and noisy at busy times, with seating availability changing along with the crowd.
A Friday Catfish Possibility
Catfish is a po’boy worth watching for, especially on Fridays, when it has been offered. Since sandwich availability and schedules can change, it is sensible to confirm the current lineup before making a special trip for catfish.
Dinters with peanut allergies should also verify the current cooking-oil policy before ordering fried food. Olde Tyme has previously used peanut oil, and that is one detail best checked directly rather than assumed.