Bistro 501 — Restaurant in Lafayette

We recently enjoyed a remarkable evening at Bistro 501 in downtown Lafayette, dining from their Spring 2025 menu, and the experience was nothing short of exquisite. Every course felt thoughtfully curated, bursting with flavor, and rooted in seasonal elegance.

To begin, we shared the Bistro Board, which was a beautiful spread of the chef’s seasonal selections. The Smoking Goose Capocollo added a savory, smoky depth, balanced by the richness of the 501 Chicken Liver Pâté, while dijon mustard, cornichons, fresh fruit, and preserves brought brightness and variety. Petits toasts and artisan cheeses rounded it out, making it the perfect starter for two.

For our first course, we sampled the Chai Carrot Bisque—a velvety blend of carrot and coconut milk, infused with house chai spices and garnished with candied almonds. It was warm, aromatic, and just the right mix of sweet and savory. We also tried the French Onion Soup, rich with caramelized onions and leeks, topped with a bubbling layer of gruyère and Swiss, and anchored by a toasted crouton. Classic, comforting, and deeply flavorful.

For the main event, the Wild Mushroom & Truffle Pasta was absolutely divine — cavatappi pasta enveloped in a creamy marsala sauce, with roasted oyster, shiitake, and cremini mushrooms, finished with pecorino, truffle oil, and chive. It was the kind of dish you don’t want to end. The Maple Leaf Duck Confit was equally outstanding — a perfectly crisped duck leg from Maple Leaf Farms here in Indiana, resting on a bed of silky parsnip purée, complemented by duck fat roasted fennel, crispy parsnip, arugula, and a spring berry gastrique that added just the right amount of tang and sweetness.

Our cocktails were beautifully crafted — balanced, seasonal, and utterly refreshing — the ideal pairing for our meal and a testament to Bistro 501’s commitment to quality in every detail.

To finish, we shared two desserts that were both showstoppers. The Sticky Toffee Carrot Cake was a warm, indulgent fusion of sticky toffee pudding and carrot cake, soaked in luscious toffee sauce, and crowned with a scoop of cream cheese buttermilk ice cream — absolute heaven. The Chocolate Pot de Crème was pure decadence — a rum-infused chocolate ganache topped with fresh whipped cream and cocoa nibs, offering a rich, silky finale to a truly spectacular meal.

With an inviting ambiance, attentive and knowledgeable service, and a menu that celebrates both creativity and comfort, Bistro 501 is a Lafayette treasure. Whether you’re celebrating something special or just in the mood to savor spring’s finest flavors, this is the...

Hands down the best dining experience my husband and I have ever had. The ambiance was inviting and our waitress Emily was superb. We were promptly greeted with cold water when we sat down. My husband ordered the Bee 501 drink and thoroughly enjoyed it. I had iced tea and it tasted fresh. For appetizers he got the Ahi Tuna Ceviche. It was refreshing and light with a unique combination of flavors. Absolutely delightful. I got the escargot and it was my favorite dish of the night. Buttery and cooked perfect, paired with the most delicious goat cheese cream sauce, so good you'll want to drink the rest of it. We both then had a cup of the french onion soup. Melted cheeses, fresh bread soaked in the broth, rich onions on the bottom; it was everything you'd want in a classic french onion soup. For dinner he got the Seafood Cioppino. It was served in an adorable little pot with a seared lemon and charred bread on the side. When he took the lid off the aroma overtook the table. The mix of seafood were each cooked perfectly and the broth was devine. Both of our first times having a stew like this and we were blown away. The portion was more than generous, with the shrimp especially being large and succulent. I had the Duck Breast. The duck was cooked perfectly and the prickly pear berry sauce was sharp and tangy which balanced out the richness of the duck. The crispy parsnips were excellent, as were the greens. I was neither disappointed nor overly impressed with the wild rice, it was simply rice. The parsnip puree was the only part of my meal I wasnt enthused about; it was slightly bland and didn't seem to match the other flavor profiles on the plate. We finished off dinner with a french press coffee each, which was full bodied and aromic. For dessert we had the chocolate raspberry cake and it was absolutely devine. Heaven on a plate. Every single dish was plated beautiful and with great care. All in all, we were extremely impressed and cannot...

A chic French bistro with country charm and incredible cuisine — what’s not to love about Bistro 501?

Although I’m not a Lafayette local, I travel here frequently for business and this has become my go-to for sit-down meals. Most recently, I stopped in for an early lunch during the busy Christmas shopping season. While I didn’t have a reservation, I was quickly seated. The staff was very attentive, taking my order and then bringing out my meal before the dining room filled up for the big lunch rush.

The menu always features seasonal and sophisticated dishes. This time I started with a cup of sugar pumpkin and wild rice soup, which was perfectly rich and creamy — just as a French soup should be! For my main course, I ordered the humongous beet and goat cheese salad, which was well appointed with lots of other goodies like wild rice, pepitas and oranges. I added salmon, which turned out to be a full portion. The whole dish was so flavorful it could easily stand on its own, but a few touches of the creamy apple cranberry dressing put it over the top!

The beautiful details — lovely old portraits, antiques and carved wood finishings — throughout the dining room make a spectacular backdrop for the meal.

Keep in mind, this is an upscale French restaurant, so you should expect to pay a little more. But the portions are large and the overall experience is...