When my friends and I first laid eyes on the neon lights of Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant, we were like moths to a flame. Hours of aimless exploring in Lafayette, Louisiana led us to this glowing downtown fixture just in time for sunset. As we settled into the chatter-filled patio and our waiter kindly fulfilled my off-menu request for a lemonade-beer, the restaurant quickly became to us what it already is to many: a beacon and a breath of fresh air.
Located on the corner of Jefferson Street, Spoonbill is the carefully curated vision of Jeremy Conner, Adam Loftin, and Stephen Verret. You can’t throw a rock without hitting a seafood joint in Acadiana, but this place stands apart in more ways than one. Housed inside a 1930s Conoco service station, the spot is a celebration of second chances. The past collides with the present, and the menu is rooted in the Gulf yet open to the world. My one souvenir from my memorable summer evening at Spoonbill is a complimentary postcard: a graphic of a pink spoonbill soaring over the promise, “We only serve the Gulf’s finest.”
Reviving A Downtown Icon
The old Conoco gas station has been a familiar face in downtown Lafayette for nearly a century. In 2001, the landmark became home to a beloved Tex-Mex restaurant, fittingly named The Filling Station. Its neon sign and garage-bay bones carried a nostalgia too strong to ignore, so when the building went up for sale, Conner, Loftin, and Verret set out to honor its history while making the space their own. They opened their doors in November of 2018. The name they chose, Spoonbill, is a tribute to the roseate spoonbill—a bright-pink wading bird found along the Gulf Coast and a fitting symbol for the restaurant’s adventurous spirit.
Inside, their vision comes through in every detail: an open kitchen where diners can watch chefs at work, a curved bar alive with creative mixology, and vintage fixtures woven naturally into the space. The original charm remains, but the dining room now glows with large windows and warm lighting, anchored by bubblegum pink booths, green trim, and a colorful collection of local artwork. The thoughtful design earned Spoonbill a 2020 James Beard Foundation nomination for Outstanding Restaurant Design. Still, the best seat may be outside, where the hum of the city meets the promise of a memorable meal.
Serving The Gulf’s Finest
While seafood is the main character, one of the restaurant’s most popular entrées remains the classic cheeseburger. For adventurous diners, Wednesday nights offer a rotating off-menu experience called Wednesday Night Raw. Executive chef Tyler Langley and his team select the week’s freshest seafood and craft dishes that showcase the bounty of the Gulf…