Photo courtesy of Visit the Northshore

Savory deliciousness, served fresh at Covington's Cured on Columbia

In towns along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, a diverse and sophisticated dining scene awaits. With dozens of prix-fixe menus on offer through August, the best time to explore it is during the Tammany Taste of Summer

The Northshore region has a well-earned reputation for culinary excellence that has kept St. Tammany towns like Covington, Mandeville, Madisonville, Abita Springs, and Slidell among Louisiana’s prime destination dining sites for decades. Each summer from August 1—31, the region shines a spotlight on those culinary hotspots during the Tammany Taste of Summer event, when more than sixty local restaurants offer prix-fixe and special, limited-time menus that make some of Louisiana’s finest flavors available at un-matchable prices. Returning participants in this year’s event (the ninth annual) include St. Tammany stalwarts Gallagher's Grill, Pat’s Rest Awhile, The Dakota, Palmettos on the Bayou, Tchefuncte's Restaurant and The Anchor in Madisonville, Valencia, Empa Taco Lacombe, Cured On Columbia, Boulevard American Bistro and many more.

New additions to the Tammany Taste of Summer’s 2026 roster include The Trace in Mandeville and Zea Rotisserie & Bar in Covington. An interesting option on Zea’s summer set menu is a two-course meal for two, with prices starting at $59.99 (available to guests dining in). Participating restaurants in Slidell include Audibert’s Bistreaux, Sedra Bistro, Camellia Point Public House, and seafood-forward Brooks on the Water. Audibert’s Bistreaux’s prix fixe offering features three courses, with an appetizer, an entrée and dessert. 

Stay Awhile

The Tammany Taste of Summer provides an ideal excuse for booking an intimate table for two, planning a celebratory banquet, or simply for taking a well-deserved break from doing the dishes. With a huge range of restaurants to discover and dishes to try—from Creole cuisine to hearty steakhouse fare, to the freshest Gulf-caught seafood—you’ll want to stay awhile. The Northshore is home to plenty of distinctive bed & breakfasts and small inns that put the full range of summer dining options within easy reach. You might enjoy a peaceful night or two at historic Blue Heron in old Mandeville, or at the Abita Springs Hotel, which occupies a charming turn-of-the-century-home. At lunchtime, step into the old Covington Train Depot, where beloved restaurant LOLA awaits. Here, an artfully retro-fitted train caboose houses the kitchen where husband-and-wife chef team Keith and Nealy Frenz have built a regional reputation for beautifully presented, locally-sourced, casual-meets-fine-dining cuisine that is as approachable as it is sophisticated. Be sure to save room for one of Chef Nealy’s famous desserts, too, and afterwards, time for exploring historic downtown Covington’s walkable, lively streets, which are lined with bustling boutiques, bars, and cafés. In the evening, you could meander over to Mandeville for dinner at Café Lynn, where another husband-and-wife team, Chef Joey Najolia and his wife, Brandi, preside over a menu of French country-style classics—served with a Louisianan twist—that recalls the legacy of iconic Northshore restaurant La Provence, where Chef Joey learned his craft as Chef de Cuisine. 

Whether you confine your Tammany Taste of Summer adventure to a one-day sprint or a leisurely weekend-long culinary tour de force, don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity to sample some of the most sophisticated flavors that the Deep South has to offer. 

For a complete list of participating restaurants and the prix fixe menus on offer, visit  TammanyTaste.com.