The kitchen is in a caboose. I had to see it to believe it, and even standing there, watching the chef plate red beans and rice inside a train car, it still did not seem genuinely real. The restaurant sits in a historic depot with original brick walls and doors that still slide on their tracks.
The couple who owns it both trained at one of the most famous restaurants in the French Quarter before moving here and opening their own place. The lunch menu is straightforward, and that is very much the point.
Red beans and rice, soups, sandwiches, all made from scratch. On Friday and Saturday nights they do an upscale dinner service that draws people from across the lake.
A train depot restaurant with an actual caboose kitchen serves scratch-made Southern fare from chefs who trained in the French Quarter in Louisiana.
Choose Your Railway Seat
Eating inside an antique passenger car turns an ordinary meal into something closer to a short journey, even though the train never leaves downtown Covington. LOLA has folded a renovated railcar into its dining space, offering guests a closer look at the property’s transportation history while they enjoy modern Louisiana cooking.
Seats in the railcar can feel separate from the main counter and restroom, so collect needed utensils and napkins before getting comfortable. Families and railway fans may especially enjoy the setting, but the depot interior and outdoor tables provide appealing alternatives when the car is occupied.
Ask which areas are open when you arrive, since seating arrangements may differ between casual weekday lunch and weekend dinner. Wherever you land, avoid spreading bags into the aisle.
The narrow shape is part of the charm, and keeping belongings tucked away makes service easier for everyone aboard.
New Hampshire Street Still Pulls Into The Old Depot
LOLA is located at 517 North New Hampshire Street in downtown Covington, Louisiana, inside the city’s historic train depot. New Hampshire Street runs directly through the walkable downtown district and brings you to the restaurant without leaving the central street grid.
Continue along North New Hampshire Street toward the 500 block, just beyond the Covington Trailhead area. The old brick depot beside the tracks makes the final destination distinctive, with LOLA occupying the station building and its converted rail spaces.
Use the free public parking available around historic downtown Covington, including the city’s traditional Ox Lot parking areas, then finish the short approach on foot along New Hampshire Street to the depot entrance.
Notice The Depot Details
Old brick has a way of making lunch slow down. Inside LOLA, exposed masonry and original depot doors preserve traces of the building’s former life without turning the dining room into a dusty museum.
Clean, updated finishes sit comfortably beside those historic features, creating a space that feels cared for rather than staged.
Arrive a few minutes before your meal if you enjoy architecture. A quiet look around reveals how the restored depot, caboose kitchen, and antique passenger car connect, forming one practical restaurant from several pieces of railway history.
Downtown Covington supplies the wider setting, so consider pairing lunch with a walk through the surrounding historic district. Stay mindful of active tables when taking pictures indoors, and never block original doors or service paths.
The best view is often the simple one from your seat, where aged brick becomes a warm backdrop for colorful Southern plates.
Match Your Visit To Service
Timing changes the whole personality of LOLA. Weekday lunch is casual and compact, while weekend dinner takes on a quieter, more polished bistro mood.
Current posted hours list lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, with dinner from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Schedules can change for holidays, private events, or seasonal needs, so check the restaurant’s official website or call before making a special trip. The listed phone number is 985-892-4992, and the address is 517 N New Hampshire Street in Covington.
Arriving early during the short lunch window gives you more time to understand the ordering setup and consider daily specials. Dinner deserves firmer planning because service is limited and reservations are recommended.
Confirming the latest information beforehand prevents a hungry encounter with a locked historic door, which is never anyone’s favorite railway story.
Check The Daily Specials
A menu can only tell part of the story when local ingredients keep changing. LOLA regularly announces daily specials through its social media pages, making a quick check worthwhile before you leave home.
Seasonal seafood, farmers market produce, and limited preparations may appear alongside established lunch or dinner choices.
Chefs Keith and Nealy Frentz describe their cooking as simple Southern fare and New Louisiana fare. Their relationships with Covington farmers market growers and nearby seafood suppliers allow individual dishes to shift with availability rather than remain frozen in one season.
Ask about the special before ordering, particularly if its name does not explain every ingredient or sauce. Staff can clarify the preparation and help you compare it with familiar choices.
Build some flexibility into your plan, since a featured dish may sell out or change. That uncertainty is not a flaw here; it is evidence of a kitchen responding to fresh local food.
Start With A Shareable Plate
Red beans become unexpectedly sociable at LOLA. The red bean hummus, when available, arrives with bacon marmalade and grilled focaccia, combining a Louisiana pantry staple with a familiar dip format.
It is a smart plate to share because sweet, smoky, creamy, and toasted flavors meet without requiring a heavy beginning.
Other rotating starters have included Louisiana sweet potato ravioli with toasted walnuts and fried sage, deviled eggs dressed with hot sauce and chives, and pizza of the day made with local ingredients. Oyster preparations may also appear, reflecting the chefs’ strong seafood background.
Choose one starter for a small table before ordering several, since sandwiches and entrees can be filling. Anyone with food allergies should ask about nuts, shellfish, dairy, and other ingredients rather than guessing from a brief menu description.
Sharing also lets each person sample the kitchen’s playful side while saving space for dessert.
Build Lunch Around A Sandwich
Lunch arrives with both hands required. The LOLA Burger is built with sharp cheddar, house-made pickles, and bacon marmalade, creating a rich stack balanced by sharp cheese and pickle tang.
White truffle fries often accompany it, adding a fragrant side that can be shared if the burger already looks like a serious project.
Sandwich choices have also included The Depot, Hot Mess, and Smokin Cuban, the latter made with smoked pork butt and shaved ham. Names and ingredients may change, so read the current menu instead of relying on an older favorite list.
At casual lunch service, be ready to order at the counter, receive a number, and choose an available table. Grab extra napkins before sitting down, especially for a generously dressed burger or pressed sandwich.
If you have afternoon plans, consider splitting fries or arranging takeout, since these are hearty plates rather than tiny railway snacks.
Save Monday For Red Beans
Monday tastes reassuringly traditional here. LOLA’s recurring special pairs Camellia red beans with smoked sausage, white rice, and cheddar cornbread, turning a well-known Louisiana custom into a complete restaurant lunch.
The creamy beans and savory sausage offer comfort, while the cornbread brings a slightly richer finish than plain bread.
Because specials depend on the day and current kitchen plans, confirm availability through LOLA’s social pages or by phone before traveling specifically for this meal. Lunch runs within a narrow daytime window, so arriving well before the 2 p.m. closing time reduces the chance of missing it.
The plate is naturally substantial, making it useful fuel before exploring downtown Covington. Ask whether any current adjustments affect ingredients if you follow a special diet.
Tradition is the appeal, but careful questions still matter. When the special is running, order promptly because a popular pot of red beans does not refill itself forever.
Reserve Dinner Before Arriving
Once evening settles over the depot, LOLA trades its brisk lunch rhythm for a calmer bistro experience. Dinner is offered on limited weekend evenings, and reservations are recommended.
Confirm the current schedule directly, since posted days and hours can change more quickly than a carefully planned night out.
Dinner menus have featured Gulf shrimp and grits, lamb shank with mascarpone grits and braised collards, grilled sirloin strip with roasted garlic butter, Louisiana crawfish risotto, and market fish. Seasonal supply guides the final selection, particularly where seafood is concerned.
Read the complete menu after being seated rather than deciding from an old online photograph. A rotating entree may prove more interesting than the dish you expected.
Mention allergies when ordering and ask how richer sides are prepared. The setting feels refined without forgetting its depot roots, making dinner suitable for a relaxed celebration or an unhurried meal with friends.
Leave Room For House-Made Dessert
Dessert has its own little engine at LOLA. The Frentz family also operates Bertie’s Bake Shop, and that baking focus appears in house-made sweets such as hummingbird cake, dark chocolate chip brownies, and the dessert called Ooey Gooey.
Availability varies, but the display deserves attention before a large order removes your remaining appetite.
Hummingbird cake traditionally brings fruit, spice, and a tender crumb together, making it a fitting Southern finish after seafood or a sandwich. Brownies provide a darker, denser direction, while Ooey Gooey signals exactly the soft richness its name promises.
Ask which desserts are ready that day and whether a slice can be packed to go. LOLA also offers custom cakes, so contact the restaurant ahead for celebration details rather than requesting one at the last moment.
Sharing one dessert at the table and carrying another home is a sensible form of railway planning.
Use Every Dining Option Wisely
Fresh air gives the old depot another way to shine. LOLA offers outdoor dining in addition to seats inside the historic building and renovated passenger car, so weather, group size, and personal comfort can guide your choice.
Outdoor tables also provide a broader view of the railway setting without the railcar’s narrower layout.
Louisiana heat and sudden rain can reshape plans, making a quick weather check useful before requesting the patio. Indoor seats may be preferable at midday during warmer months, while pleasant conditions can make an outside lunch feel especially relaxed.
Takeout is available when time is short or every favored table is occupied. The restaurant also handles catering and custom cakes, but those services should be arranged directly and well ahead of an event.
Whether dining inside, outside, or at home, verify hours first. A little practical planning leaves more attention for the food and less for logistics.