Located at 1412 S. College Rd., Hub City Diner is a retro diner-esque restaurant in the heart of Lafayette. They are known for their good food and laid-back atmosphere. They specialize in casual dishes such as burgers, salads, deluxe platters, sandwiches and desserts.
The menu features a diverse selection of breakfast options, including several types of omelets and classic diner favorites such as pancakes, BLTs, sausages, beignets and hash browns. For lunch and dinner, they offer dishes like Grilled Catfish, Mom’s Famous Meatloaf, the Diner Burger and the Diner Club Sandwich, along with a variety of other meals.
This location was established initially as Stansbury’s Café in 1965 by Charles Goodson, Pat Mould and George Graham. It was situated in Lafayette’s Oil Center area and was later transformed into Hub City Diner in 1990.
Jimmy Guidry acquired the restaurant in 1998. The diner featured a clear 1950s theme, blending elements of Louisiana culture with local flavors and themed dishes. In 2022, longtime manager James Redmon assumed ownership of the establishment.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was warm and welcoming. The decor was full diner nostalgia with framed pictures of local history, records and even a ceramic pelican dressed as Elvis Presley named Pelvis. My favorite part of the atmosphere was the classic rock music playing the whole time we dined there.
My colleague and I had the pleasure of visiting this restaurant on Monday, Oct. 6. As we walked in, several employees greeted us at the door, and the hostess told us to sit anywhere we’d like since it wasn’t too busy. After we sat down, our waitress greeted us and handed us our menus. Looking at the menu, I was impressed as always. This place is the perfect classic diner hangout spot for any generation.
The appetizer section of the menu featured a couple of casual classics, including Onion Rings, Sweet Potato Fries, Fried Mushrooms, Atomic Q’s and Fried Dill Pickles. For our appetizer, we decided on the Fried Dill Pickles, which, according to the menu, are a diner favorite.
Our entrees, since we went during lunch, came from the lunch and dinner menu. The entrees included some of the items I mentioned earlier, as well as Grilled Cheese & Soup, Chicken Caesar Salad, Red Beans and Rice, Heart Happy Grilled Chicken, Grilled Turkey Burger, The Original Reuben and Chicken & Sausage Gumbo.
I decided to go with the 3-Way Hamburger Steak with mashed potatoes and broccoli, while my colleague chose the Deluxe Chicken Sandwich with curly Q’s (fries).
The 3-Way Hamburger Steak consisted of nearly a pound of ground beef with cheese, onions and brown gravy. The Deluxe Chicken Sandwich contained a grilled marinated chicken breast, fully dressed on toasted rye with mayo, lettuce, tomato, Swiss cheese and bacon.
Our appetizer arrived soon after we ordered. There were so many fried pickles that they were falling off the plate. The pickles were hot and fresh out of the fryer. They tasted even yummier than other fried pickles I have tried. I am proud to say that I order these consistently every time I go here.
The entrees arrived after we finished our appetizer. My food came on a blue plate since it was the Blue Plate Special of the day. They were not kidding when they said it was half a pound of ground meat. It smelled just like my grandmother’s and tasted scarily similar. The seasoning on the meat and the gravy was just perfect. The broccoli and potatoes were both well-seasoned and tender.
My colleague’s sandwich was equally as impressive. The top of the bread was beautifully swirled, as rye bread is, and it was dressed with fresh ingredients and Cajun-seasoned curly fries.
After we finished all of our lunch, I interviewed Coty Latiolais, a senior majoring in computer science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a shift leader. “I’ve been here for 12 years now. I started this as my first job. I started as a host and like three months later the boss asked me to be a shift leader. They asked me to serve so I started having more responsibilities… picking up a clipboard and just telling people what to do.”
“The money I make here just goes pretty much towards my education. I’m in charge of the front of house…I count the money, I lock the doors, and I make sure everyone is happy and fed… It’s really like we’re a family here… It’s a good place to be.”
“We’re in the heart of Lafayette and honestly, the longer I’ve been here, the easier it’s gotten…they work with my college schedule…people don’t really leave here… It’s such a good job, we don’t really have a high turnover rate.”
The culture of this restaurant was apparent during my entire stay here. In the countless times I have been here, they have never failed to serve me with a smile on their face. The staff always genuinely enjoy what they do, and that positive energy makes all the difference.
If you would like to visit this restaurant, they are open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
