Located on the edge of Bossier City’s Shady Grove neighborhood, you’d think that Fat Tuesday Sandwich Shop and Bakery (1201 Shady Grove Drive) would be easy to miss. But finding the place doesn’t appear to have been a problem for the lunch crowd; on my recent lunch hour visit, I grabbed the last available seat in the dining room. The restaurant is small but welcoming in a way that reminded me of Shreveport’s Deli Casino. There’s Louisiana-themed decor and zydeco music pumps through the speakers.
Fat Tuesday is a sandwich spot with 25 sandwich options and a half dozen salads on the menu. Bread is baked fresh daily, and it’s good bread, though not made from scratch. Most menu items are between $7 and $8, with a kids’ menu available that offers several options for less than $5. Every week, there’s a burger of the week offering, which you can find out about by checking in on their Facebook page. A drive-through window is available for to-go orders.
My muffuletta melt po’ boy was good, and I’m looking forward to trying more of their sandwiches, but my favorite things about Fat Tuesday Sandwich Shop and Bakery were the friendly service and the outstanding desserts. There’s an old-fashioned pie case filled with chunks of praline bread pudding, slices of homemade buttermilk and pecan pie, whole cheesecakes, and more. If you’re peering into the pie case, you’ll be standing next to the check-out counter, and you’re likely to strike up a conversation with co-owner Brady Hibner (who runs the restaurant with his wife, Ashley) or a member of their small team. They’re a friendly bunch who were all smiles while delivering sandwiches to a packed house.
I should probably mention that Fat Tuesday is about as casual as it gets. There are no plates; sandwiches are eaten right out of the paper that they’re wrapped in. But this seems like the kind of place that’ll still be standing in 80 years. It’s only six months old now – having opened in January 2018 – but it’s easy to imagine this little neighborhood sandwich shop becoming a local institution.
Like Fat Tuesday Sandwich Shop on Facebook.
If you enjoy this kind of writing, check out the third edition of Eat Here: A Food Lover’s Guide to Shreveport-Bossier.
