DIG Baton Rouge

Four events, one weekend in St. Francisville, Nov. 13 to 15: a visiting chef dinner at Restaurant 1796, Bubbles & BBQ, a jazz brunch and Sunday's Grand Tastings at The Myrtles. 🥂 Pick your ticket: https://digbr.com/articles/st-francisville-food-wine-festival-2026-four-events-one-weekend-nov-13-15

St. Francisville Food & W**e Festival 2026: Four Events, One Weekend,… A chef dinner, a live-fire barbecue party, a jazz brunch and grand tastings at The Myrtles: here's how St. Francisville's food weekend breaks down.

Nobody wants to cook the week after Halloween. Four local kitchens from recent DIG stories, all worth the drive:

🧆 Starbox Falafel on S. Sherwood Forest keeps the fryer going until 10 p.m. every day, with stuffed falafel, shawarma plates and pistachio crepes for dessert: https://digbr.com/articles/starbox-falafel-on-south-sherwood-forest-stuffed-falafel-shawarma-plates-and-crepes-until-10-p-m
🥖 Fat Daddy's in downtown Plaquemine is the place for Sharon's Special, a hot roast beef po-boy with Swiss and gravy, plus smoked brisket and a sports bar next door: https://digbr.com/articles/fat-daddys-in-plaquemine-sharons-special-smoked-brisket-and-a-sports-bar-next-door
🍝 Stefano's on Airline Highway in Prairieville does fried ravioli, Shrimp Emilia and family-recipe pastas, and it books holiday parties too: https://digbr.com/articles/stefanos-authentic-italian-in-prairieville-shrimp-emilia-fried-ravioli-and-room-for-your-holiday-party
🌮 Casa Maria Mexican Grill pours more than ten house margaritas at its Baton Rouge, Gonzales and Watson dining rooms, with weekday happy hour from 3 to 6: https://digbr.com/articles/casa-maria-mexican-grill-fajitas-combo-plates-and-a-long-margarita-list-in-baton-rouge-gonzales-and-watson

Which one's getting your order first?

Starbox Falafel on South Sherwood Forest: Stuffed Falafel, Shawarma… A family-owned Mediterranean kitchen on S. Sherwood Forest Blvd. pairs falafel and shawarma with crepes, waffles and fresh juices, open until 10 p.m.…

New Roads was throwing Mardi Gras parties as early as 1881, which is how it earned the nickname "Little Carnival Capital" of Louisiana. Morel's Courtyard Inn puts you right downtown, with 12 rooms around a gas-lit courtyard, an apartment overlooking False River and a 1903 fire station next door restored as an event hall. Thinking about a weekend away? Start planning here: https://digbr.com/articles/morels-courtyard-inn-in-new-roads-a-12-room-false-river-getaway-with-a-1903-firehouse-event-hall-next-door

Morel's Courtyard Inn in New Roads: A 12-Room False River Getaway… Family-run Morel's Courtyard Inn in downtown New Roads pairs 12 rooms and a False River apartment with Circa, a party venue inside a 1903 fire station.

Five Friday nights at the PMAC are already spoken for. LSU Gymnastics hosts Arizona State, Georgia, Oklahoma, Florida and Missouri at home in 2027, and the Feb. 12 rematch with national champ Oklahoma is the one to circle. Before all that, the free Gymnastics 101/Open Mike Night on Jan. 1 at 1 p.m. is your only shot all season at post-meet autographs. Every date and time is right here: https://digbr.com/articles/lsu-gymnastics-2027-five-pmac-home-meets-and-a-free-new-years-day-preview

LSU Gymnastics 2027: Five PMAC Home Meets and a Free New Year's Day… LSU Gymnastics hosts five home meets at the PMAC in 2027, plus a free Jan. 1 exhibition. Here are the dates, times and Tigers to watch.

It started as a cake decorating class she took to unwind at LSU. Laura-Kate went on to graduate from Le Cordon Bleu in Austin as a pastry chef, and now Sweet Stirrings bakes on High Street in Zachary, from the $124 Works Cake to a seven-layer Cookie Stack. Want to try it yourself? Christmas Girls Night on Thursday, Dec. 3, lets you decorate your own holiday cake: https://digbr.com/articles/sweet-stirrings-in-zachary-pastry-chef-laura-kates-works-cakes-cookie-stacks-and-a-december-decorating-night

Sweet Stirrings in Zachary: Pastry Chef Laura-Kate's Works Cakes,… From LSU hobby to Le Cordon Bleu pastry chef, Laura-Kate's Sweet Stirrings on High Street in Zachary bakes custom cakes, cookies and holiday classes.

When Theatre Baton Rouge went dark in 2025, local arts leaders refused to let the Florida Boulevard stage stay that way. Now renamed Mid City Civic Theatre, it opens A Christmas Carol on Dec. 11, with Robby Wilson as Scrooge, a cast of more than 30 and seven shows through Dec. 20. Adult seats are $40, students and kids $20, so grab yours before they're gone: https://digbr.com/articles/mid-city-civic-theatre-brings-a-christmas-carol-to-its-florida-boulevard-stage-dec-11-20

Mid City Civic Theatre Brings 'A Christmas Carol' to Its Florida… The new nonprofit reviving Theatre Baton Rouge's historic Florida Blvd. stage opens A Christmas Carol Dec. 11. Seven shows, tickets $20-$40.

Pho for breakfast is a perfectly good plan. Dang's on Florida Boulevard opens at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday, with pho from $12, banh mi from $7 (the crispy duck version comes with bone-in duck on the side) and milk teas in taro coconut, honeydew and Thai tea. See what else is on the menu: https://digbr.com/articles/dangs-on-florida-boulevard-pho-crispy-duck-banh-mi-and-milk-tea-from-a-baton-rouge-vietnamese-kitchen

Dang's on Florida Boulevard: Pho, Crispy Duck Banh Mi and Milk Tea… Dang's serves pho, hu tieu, banh xeo, crispy duck and $7 banh mi on Florida Blvd in Baton Rouge, plus milk teas and Vietnamese coffee. Open Tuesday-Sunday.

The first crop never stood a chance: the family's pet donkeys ate the tops off nearly every seedling. Steele's Christmas Tree Farm in Angie replanted, survived a 1993 fire and Hurricane Katrina, and was named Grand Champion by the Southern Christmas Tree Association in 2023. Its 2026 season opens Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, so pack gloves, boots and cash for a Leyland cypress: https://digbr.com/articles/steeles-christmas-tree-farm-2026-cut-your-own-award-winning-tree-in-angie-starting-thanksgiving-day

Steele's Christmas Tree Farm 2026: Cut Your Own Award-Winning Tree in… Family-run since 1979, Steele's Christmas Tree Farm in Angie opens Nov. 26, 2026, with choose-and-cut Leyland cypress, pre-cut trees and a gift shop.

Still deciding where Friday night lands? Pedro's Tacos & Tequila Bar on Andrea Drive, just off Siegen Lane, has a live band every Thursday through Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m., and the doors stay open until 11 on weekends. Next time, beat the music by getting there between 2 and 6 for 2-for-1 margaritas. Here's how to plan the night: https://digbr.com/articles/live-music-thursday-through-saturday-and-2-for-1-margaritas-a-night-out-at-pedros-tacos-tequila-bar-off-siegen-lane

Live Music Thursday Through Saturday and 2-for-1 Margaritas: A Night… Pedro's on Andrea Drive pairs live music Thursday-Saturday with 2-for-1 margaritas every afternoon and all day Wednesday. Here's how to plan a night.

Thanksgiving is four weeks out and the gift lists are already starting. Four local shops from today's DIG stories can knock out both:

🦃 HighlandSide on Highland Road has helped Baton Rouge set the table since 1999, with pumpkin topiary trays, Tiger mahjong mats and monogramming from $15 an item: https://digbr.com/articles/highlandside-on-highland-road-thanksgiving-table-finds-tiger-mahjong-and-15-monograms-in-baton-rouge
💜 Fleurty Girl on Government Street is stocked with purple and gold game-day gear, Casserollin' with my Homies tees and a glittery Stick of Butter ornament: https://digbr.com/articles/fleurty-girl-baton-rouge-purple-and-gold-gear-thanksgiving-tees-and-quirky-ornaments-on-government-street
🧸 The Sensory in Prairieville has $3 stocking stuffers, NeeDoh favorites and quiet private shopping before or after hours, lights down and music off: https://digbr.com/articles/the-sensory-in-prairieville-needoh-squishies-3-stocking-stuffers-and-quiet-after-hours-shopping
🥧 Cheesecake Lab on Jefferson Highway does pecan pie and maple brown sugar cheesecakes, plus catering trays by the dozen for Friendsgiving: https://digbr.com/articles/cheesecake-lab-on-jefferson-highway-pecan-pie-maple-brown-sugar-and-thanksgiving-trays-by-the-dozen

Who's first on your list this year?

HighlandSide on Highland Road: Thanksgiving Table Finds, Tiger… A Highland Road gift shop open since 1999 is stocked for Thanksgiving hosts, mahjong nights and personalized holiday gifts with monograms from $15.