Meet Me for Coffee

Louisiana Coffee Shops are Cultural Epicenters

In small Louisiana towns, the local café is the center for arts and music

Are there any two things more universally enjoyed than coffee and music? Beyond perhaps food and air, little comes to mind.

Ever since coffee’s seventeenth century arrival in the Western world, the bitter, caffeinated bean has held a strong grasp on modern life and culture. In addition to its abilities to enhance mental clarity and productivity, the daily act of consuming coffee has evolved into a revered, often social ritual upon which many have become dependent in ways beyond brain chemistry. For those such as the European philosophers in London in the 1700s and the Greenwich Village Beatnik writers of the 1950s, coffee shops have long served as communal spaces where creativity historically and famously sparks, and thrives.

Of course, in cultural epicenters like London or Greenwich Village, other venues for the arts abounded alongside the coffee houses, and still do. In small Louisiana towns like Folsom, Saint Francisville, and Breaux Bridge, though, coffee shops are not merely one outlet for artists, musicians, writers, and other creatives to meet and express themselves. In these three rural towns, and others like them, coffee shops are often the only communal hubs for artists available.

Here are three coffee shops in rural Louisiana small towns that not only provide their communities with quality caffeine fixes and pastries, but also serve as incubators for the arts; providing outlets for local musicians, visual artists, and beyond to express themselves creatively, and nurturing a culture of artistic community.

The Giddy Up, Folsom

The Giddy Up in Folsom

Alexandra Kennon

With a population under one thousand, Folsom does not technically qualify as a town; it’s a village. At the heart of that village, both physically and otherwise, is a grand, beautifully-restored wooden home with a high, peaked roof and a steady stream of locals coming and going, checking in on each other and sipping on—you guessed it—coffee. A shiny baby grand directly by the front door hints that there is even more brewing at The Giddy Up.

Not that the coffee alone isn’t worth a trip—owner Frank Richerand is a self-professed connoisseur, and sources one hundred percent Arabica beans from South America, Central America, Indonesia, Honduras, and Guatamala, which are blended and roasted in New Orleans. “I get testimonial after testimonial about the coffee. People drive here for it,” Richerand told me. There are also house baked Morning Glory muffins and other pastries, a sizable variety of paninis (including the “Muffulini,” whose name Richerand had trademarked), a Greek frittata and other gluten-free offerings from certified local vendors, soups, smoothies, and more. The sprouts in the veggie sandwich are from local farmer/vendor Sam’s Sprouts, and the tomatoes and goat cheese cake are from right around Folsom, too. “We try to buy as much local as we can,” explained Richerand. Their iced coffee and “Frost Bite”—a frozen, frappé-like drink—are also favorites among regulars. There’s even a drive-thru, which kept the business going at the height of the pandemic.

When The Giddy Up first opened in 2016, Richerand and his daughter Ashley Richerand Penton, who joins him in running the business, thought coffee was going to be the priority. “When we first started, we were focused on the food and the coffee, but we always talked about doing music, open mics,” Penton explained. Her sister, Micah Richerand Desonier— who works part time at The Giddy Up— is a singer and actress, frequently leading musicals with the Jefferson Performing Arts Society and encouraging a family-wide love of the arts. “So, it’s something that we definitely love being a part of, but we didn’t know how the community would respond,” Penton said.

At Giddy Up Folsom, visitors can enjoy South American coffee roasted in New Orleans along with handmade pastries. There is also an Art Gallery and a popular venue for live music.

Alexandra Kennon

Now, The Giddy Up hosts live music on the first Friday night of each month and every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, either inside The Giddy Up itself or out back in The Paddock—a literal grassy, fenced paddock, where “We could have horses,” said Penton, but instead there’s a stage, and folks are invited to bring their own chairs or blankets to enjoy outdoor concerts.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time we use Northshore people,” Richerand said of the musicians they book, noting an exception that was recently made for the New Orleans-based cellist Hellen Gillet. “We do try to keep it local,” Penton chimed. “It’s nice to be able to offer it to the artists around here—there’s a lot of talent.” From jazz, to rock ‘n’ roll, to bluegrass, and beyond, the talent to grace The Giddy Up covers quite a few genres, too.

After a few local artists requested to have their artwork hung in the coffee shop, Richerand and Penton realized that Northshore visual artists needed an outlet, as well. In November of 2020 they opened Far Horizons Art Gallery directly next to The Giddy Up. In May, they hosted the Louisiana Scenic Rivers Art Show, a juried art show featuring local artists of a variety of mediums commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Louisiana Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Some of the work, along with ceramics by Craig McMillan, paintings by Peg Usner, and much more, is still hanging in the gallery for viewing, along with other local pieces. Moving forward, the plan is for Far Horizons to host an annual Scenic Rivers Art Festival. The thread weaving together all the art, music, and coffee in and surrounding The Giddy Up is the community of Folsom itself. Another of the many events usually offered (but on hold at present due to COVID) are Community Breakfasts every first Friday of the month, which usually feature a guest (like the local sheriff), providing opportunities for networking and community building. “I think people feel comfortable here. It’s cozy,” Richerand said. “They know they can put their feet up and relax.”

On second Saturdays, the Northshore Writers’ Group meets in the afternoons, and on the fourth Saturday of each month, a Mixed Media Art & Junk Journaling Group convenes. There are also periodic art workshops and book signings, and plans for several styles of dance classes in the future. If that seems like a lot to keep up with (and we haven’t even mentioned the snowball stand/ice cream parlor/pizza shop Bee Sweet Courtyard, pending bed & breakfast suites, historic library renovation, or other undertakings the industrious father-daughter duo have in the works), not to worry: there’s a weekly text line to update folks on upcoming events (text “JOIN” to (985) 520-4030 to sign up), as well as a monthly newsletter called the Giddy Up Gambit that can be found and subscribed to at giddyupfolsom.com.

Birdman Coffee, Art & Music, Saint Francisville

Birdman Coffee, Art & Music in St. Francisville.

Ellen Kennon

In the town of St. Francisville, to which the word “bustling” has never been applied with any sincerity, there is one place that—especially prior to 11 am—is almost always bustling. Families sit having breakfast, groups of regulars converse spiritedly about culture or politics, and if you’re from St. Francisville or have spent any amount of time there, you probably won’t spend more than five minutes without someone you know passing your table to say “hi,” and to ask how your family is doing. “This place is about being a community thing,” owner Lynn Wood explained. “It’s kind of like my living room.”

When Wood opened Birdman in 2001, never having run a business, let alone a coffee shop, she thought business would be slow enough to allow her to set up easels and paint—a long-time, beloved pastime of hers. These days, with a constant stream of traffic as the only coffee shop in town, Wood laughs at her past naivety. “I envisioned painting and putting my paintings on the walls. And I did that for a while, but we got busier, and that kind of stopped, of course,” Lynn recalled. “But that kind of set the tone though, it really did.”

Wood used to stock literature in the shop, which was originally named “Birdman Coffee and Books”. But between the jam stains that kept appearing on the pages and the clear focus on art and music the small hub had taken on, she has since changed the name to “Birdman Coffee, Art & Music”. The River Road Coffee (or house “Hummingbird Tea,” delicious espresso, or countless other beverages) has always been at the forefront, but Wood is always looking for local art (besides her own) to grace the walls, and music has become a major fixture of the Birdman, too.

The Birdman in St. Francisville is a favorite spot for local musicians to gather and jam together.

Alexandra Kennon

“We have had some of the best jam sessions ever. I always have a person who’s leading the sessions, and then I invite people, and other people hear about it,” Wood said. “I mean we have had it packed in here before—a big circle of chairs, everybody playing together, all ages. That is just the most fun.”

One of the more memorable Birdman jam sessions took place when Ethan Hawke was in town filming the movie Blaze. After coming into Birdman to grab coffee a time or two, he asked Wood about the instruments. “He was very interested in the music part, because he loves music as well,” Wood explained. “And I told him about the jam session, and I said, ‘y’all come!’ And I didn’t expect him to come, but sure enough, he walked in. And he just had a ball.” Hawke performed a song, accompanied by his two daughters. “He brought them up to the microphone, and it was the cutest thing ever. He liked the same kind of music we were doing, you know?”

For jam sessions, which in non-pandemic circumstances happen monthly on Sundays, Wood has local talents like Nancy Roppolo or Adrian Percy lead the diverse group of musicians in songs everyone knows and loves. “They understand music well enough to keep it to things everybody can play along with,” Wood said. “And they’re both really good at that.” The only real parameter is that folks are asked to keep it acoustic, so everyone can participate and be heard.

Don’t sleep on the sweet potato pecan waffles at the Birdman Coffee, Art & Music.

Alexandra Kennon

In the summer months, Wood hosts Songbird Music School at the Birdman, which includes Young Songbirds, an adult Jam Camp, songwriting classes, and more. Songbird provides opportunities for fun creative collaboration, and a supportive community to help build confidence, even allowing participants to pick up an instrument for the first time—that’s how Wood discovered her own love of playing upright bass. She had never before played an instrument, and the first couple of years she hosted Songbird, she just observed. “I’d gained a lot of knowledge from watching and listening, so I decided I was going to try it myself,” Wood said. “I tried the bass because I thought it was something I could handle, something I could do. The first time I tried it was on David Hinson’s bass that he brought to Songbird, and he just told me a little bit and I started playing, and I played all weekend long with the Jam Camp. After that weekend, I knew that I could do that. That was maybe five or six years ago. I love it, I just love it.”

The Birdman also hosts monthly evenings of Supper and Music, usually on Sundays, where bands like The Fugitive Poets take the “stage” and Wood cooks a big pot of some comfort food or other for those who come to listen and sing along.

Of course, even with all the music, art, and quality coffee, breakfast at the Birdman is a favorite of many. Wood or Manager Christi Jarreau bake pastries from scratch each day—from cheesy sourdough biscuits, to blueberry muffins, to tea cakes, to gluten-free and vegan breakfast cookies. “They’re popular with everybody, not just vegans,” Wood assured. As for hot breakfast favorites, the simple classics really shine. “People just love an old fashioned breakfast,” Wood said. “The Tradition” remains a star: yellow corn grits, two eggs any way, bacon or sausage, and a biscuit or toast. There are also low-carb options like salsa eggs and egg white omelets; or on the opposite end of the spectrum, fluffy waffles and pancakes (regular or sweet potato, with the option of adding pecans, blueberries, or chocolate chips). Whether it’s for a homey breakfast, a jam session, or a coffee and catch-up, the local regulars keep coming back. “We have a wonderful group of regulars. They just keep us going, and we love ‘em. We’re all so close,” Wood gushed.

Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge

Tante Marie in Breaux Bridge

Photo by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

In the historic 1920s Broussard Hardware Store building in downtown Breaux Bridge, fluffy biscuits are served with jam of two varieties: fruit preserves, sure, but also improvised music. Each Saturday’s busy breakfast service marks the weekly Cajun Jam, where Zydeco and Cajun French musicians are invited to play in an always-changing rotation. Never too early for dancing in Acadiana—couples often get up and waltz between the tables in Saturday brunch bliss.

Friday and Saturday evenings might even bring genres beyond Zydeco (though in Breaux Bridge, French music remains a favorite): The Huval Family Band, Le Recolte, Cedric Watson, Amis Du Teche, and T’Monde are among the many acts to appear at Tante Marie. On Tuesday evenings, the Teche Center for the Arts hosts Table Français Chez Tante Marie, inviting locals to practice their Cajun French together.

In addition to serving delicious coffee and pastries (as well as Cajun lunches and dinners), Tante Marie in Breaux Bridge also hosts French Tables and Cajun Jams.

Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Breakfasters can sip on Community Coffee, locally-roasted Rêve espresso, or even bottomless mimosas while tackling a rich, hearty Cajun breakfast seasoned by the lively sounds of accordions and fiddles. Shrimp and grits in a tasso cream sauce is a go-to, as are their chicken wraps, and the Zydeco Salad. In the heart of Cajun Country, beignets are big at Tante Marie, too. “We stuff the beignets with boudin, so that’s a hit, as well,” said Angela Theriot, who stepped into ownership of Tante Marie in March of 2021.

Previously known as Joie de Vivre, which has a similar café business model and also hosted live music, Tante Marie is named for a former chef’s aunt (“tante” being the Cajun French translation for “aunt”). In November of 2020, Theriot—a native of St. Martinville—was contacted by the café’s previous owner and manager Scott Shilling, who invited her to open a location of her rolled ice cream business, The Moo Cow Moo, in a spot next door to the café. “A little spot was coming up open, and he wanted to know if I’d bring my ice cream to Breaux Bridge,” Theriot explained. And she did. Three months after the new Moo Cow Moo opened—after observing how well Theriot ran her ice cream shop— Shillings invited her to take over ownership and management of Tante Marie.

Boudin Beignets at Tante Marie

Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Since stepping into ownership of the Breaux Bridge institution, which draws locals and tourists looking for an authentic Cajun experience alike, Theriot said the response has been wonderful. “Our sales have tripled since I’ve walked in there,” she said. “We get new people, I mean we’re in a tourist area, so it’s not like an out of the way thing. But we get nothin’ but good, good feedback. From the community, from tourists, just all around.”

Note: Many of the offerings at these coffee shops, like the Birdman’s Supper and Music nights and the Giddy Up’s Community Breakfasts, are currently on hold due to COVID concerns. Keep an eye on their Facebook pages and websites for the most updated information.

giddyupfolsom.com

jamsandbiscuits.com

Find Birman Coffee, Art & Music on Facebook.