End of an Era: Baton Rouge Piccadilly closes after 65 years on Plank Road

BATON ROUGE, La. — For 65 years, the Piccadilly Cafeteria on Plank Road wasn’t just a restaurant. It was a gathering place — where families shared Sunday dinners, college students earned their first paychecks, and neighbors broke bread together in the heart of Delmont Village.

On Tuesday, the doors closed for the final time.

Piccadilly Holdings LLC confirmed the Delmont Village location would permanently shut down after Aug. 26, citing the challenges of today’s restaurant industry.

“This decision was not made lightly,” the company said in a statement. “We always consider a store closure our very last option, but it is sometimes necessary as we navigate the ever-changing environment of the restaurant industry.”

For many Baton Rouge residents, the closure is deeply personal. Baton Rouge Weekly Press CEO and Publisher Ivory D. Payne remembers the cafeteria as both a workplace and a hub for connection.
“I worked at this location in the dish room when I was a freshman in college,” Payne said. “I worked with and met some of the nicest people at this Piccadilly location and ate many Sunday dinners here with my family, friends, and church members. It was one of my favorite places to meet clients.”

The loss extends beyond those who worked there. Shoppers at Delmont Village have long counted the Piccadilly as a convenient and welcoming stop while running errands. “It was always nice to grab a meal after shopping, and the staff treated you like family,” said longtime resident Bishop Thelma Pearl. “You didn’t just eat there — you felt a part of the community.”

Generations of Baton Rouge families grew up on fried fish, macaroni and cheese, and homemade desserts, creating memories that now live on even as the cafeteria closes. Church groups, students, and neighbors alike recall lingering over meals, celebrating milestones, and sharing stories in its warm, bustling dining room.

Four Piccadilly locations remain in the region — three in Baton Rouge and one in Denham Springs — keeping the tradition alive. Each is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following addresses:

• 6406 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge
• 5474 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge
• 3332 Sherwood Forest Blvd., Baton Rouge
• 27156 Crossing Circle, Denham Springs

For North Baton Rouge and the shoppers of Delmont Village, the closing of the Plank Road cafeteria marks the end of an era — a reminder of how neighborhoods, businesses, and cherished community spaces evolve with time.