Patio Cantina & Grill — Restaurant in Natchitoches

My wife, a friend and I had lunch at the Patio Cantina today. It was excellent. It was all excellent. The “tomato sauce” (calling it that doesn’t do it justice; maybe “zesty essence of tomato goodness” would work better?) that came with the complementary bread had us asking for more bread, then more tomato. We shard an appetizer of Peruvian ceviche. My wife doesn’t like ceviche, or so she thought. This was an odd sort of ceviche, with sweet potato and dried corn in addition to the fish, tomato, avocado and whatever else was in there. It was pretty, and it really worked. Our friend had a pasta dish, my wife had something with eggs, potatoes and prosciutto, I had nachos with rib meat, jalapeños, pickled onions and cheese, and it was all excellent.

The server was charming. We were too full for dessert (we took half our food home), but we asked to see the dessert menu before we left. We’re going back, and I’ll be ordering dessert first. The listed desserts just sounded too good to miss, and you never know when you’re going to keel over dead into your soup. You don’t want to be dragged off by the Grim Reaper with your soul wailing, “wait! I didn’t get my dessert!” I might just order all desserts next time.

The flavors were all different and interesting in the very best way, It’s far and away the best restaurant meal I’ve had in Natchitoches since that upstairs place above the Landing roared across our culinary sky like a comet, and maybe the best I’ve had in the 25 years or so I’ve lived here. It was a...

This is a new restaurant in downtown Natchitoches. The menu focuses on the Mediterranean and Latin American cuisines, which is an interesting mix. The staff was attentive and friendly and answered all of my questions.

For the appetizer, I had the Ceviche Peruano, a very good Mahi-Mahi and diced vegetables dish; it included four baked tortillas in a separate bowl. The entrée was Grouper in Salsa Verde. The fish and the accompanying shrimp, mussels, and clams were tender and well-seasoned, and the house salsa verde was mild yet had depth of flavor. Dessert was Teja from the House, vanilla ice cream encrusted with almonds and garnished with blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. The dish was covered by an edible canopy made of almond flour (I believe) and decorated with slivered almonds and flower petals. It was both beautiful and delicious!

The restaurant is very close to the center of downtown on the Cane River Lake side of Washington Street. A large, two-level balcony overlooks the water, affording a good view of the boat traffic.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is relaxed and comfortable both inside and outside. It’s a good place to have a quiet dinner.

NOTE: The address given in Google Maps is correct, but the map did not show the correct building location. I have put in a request to...

I had an outstanding experience at Patio Cantina & Grill in the Natchitoches Historic District. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, perfectly matching the charm of downtown.

The queso fundido was rich and flavorful, and the carne asada was cooked to perfection—tender, juicy, and well-seasoned. To top it off, I tried their daily baked flan, which was silky, creamy, and the perfect sweet finish to the meal.

Our server, Natalia, was excellent—friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. Service overall was quick without ever feeling rushed.

This spot is definitely a gem in the historic district, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting...