When a restaurant becomes an institution, it can be easy to forget that behind the food and the community, exists the restaurant owners living separate lives with goals and aspirations. It’s a harsh wake-up call when those restaurant owners retire and close their seemingly timeless spaces.
Lafayette residents faced this harsh reality in late January, when Patrick Dupuis, owner of popular lunch spot Pat’s Downtown, announced his retirement on Facebook and the closing of his restaurant of 30 years. “This journey wouldn’t have been possible without the steady commitment of my loyal employees, some of who have worked with me for 20+ years,” Dupuis writes. “Thank you for all your hard work, dedication and the countless years of memories we’ve created together.”
Fortunately, the space on 107 E. Main Street that Pat’s Downtown occupied will not be vacant for very long, being taken over by Liz and Andrew Payne, the owners of Pamplona Tapas Bar just around the corner from Pat’s. First reported by The Acadiana Advocate, the new restaurant, Gravy, will continue Pat’s legacy, serving mainly lunch.
“Pat worked hard for 30 years and built that thing up,” Gravy executive chef Kris Allen told the publication. “So, you know, we’re going to honor that.”
Developing Lafayette reports that the menu will include items like meatball stew and sticky chicken with traditional diner food like burgers, bowls, wraps and sandwiches. While Pat’s legacy will exist within Gravy’s menu, that isn’t to say that the new restaurant is just a reopening. The Paynes also plan on opening a cocktail lounge in the space.
Gravy is set to open on March 1.
