In my opinion, even just a glimpse of the beignets at Lucille’s restaurant leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy. However, a bite of one? You’ve tasted heaven.

Lucille’s is a New Orleans style restaurant offering a cozy atmosphere and wonderful experience with the service and culinary creations.  Lucille’s likes to be thought of as a community-focused restaurant—hence the small, home-like environment that Lucille’s is located in. Located on 400 S. Meldrum St. in Fort Collins, Lucille’s invites all locals for breakfasts, brunches and lunches unlike any other.

Let me expand on the beignets. Many of you have never tasted one or have no idea what they are. A beignet is a French-oriented, puffy, fried, powdered-sugar-covered, warm pastry. The beignet became popular in Louisiana in the 18th century, and quickly became a southern staple. Lucille’s replicates both the perfection of the Southern-styled beignets and the homestyle Creole cooking.

For breakfast, Lucille’s offers many egg dishes. Some contain creamed spinach and gulf shrimp, and others fresh Cajun salmon, hollandaise sauce, fried eggplant, or spicy sausage. The dishes are diverse enough that there is always something to suit anyone’s liking. The sides include fresh fruit, grits, potatoes, or a giant, homemade buttermilk biscuit with melted butter and honey.

In addition to egg dishes, there is a praline waffle made out of a pecan batter, then topped with pecans, fruit and fresh whipped cream. There is also a homemade granola, oven-roasted in Lucille’s kitchen and topped with fresh fruit. It can be served with milk or rich, creamy yogurt. More sides include English muffin or toast, steamed spinach, mashed potatoes, Creole sauce, or eggs.

In addition to offering a rich, flavorful breakfast menu, Lucille’s also offers homemade soups and salads that are rich and flavorful in all their own. The homemade soup of the day is served with a giant piece of warm corn bread and honey. The salads contain ingredients such as fresh herbs, tarragon, popcorn shrimp, red pepper salsa dressing, black beans, avocados and tomatoes, green chili blue cheese dressing, and other fresh, Southern-style ingredients.

Entrees at Lucille’s are never to be taken lightly, and I mean that literally. Lucille’s offers nothing but hearty meals for those coming to partake in the enjoyment of food and pleasure in the full flavors and textures. Entrees include hot French bread sandwiches with vegetables, melted cheeses, meats and paired with hot rice and red beans. Gumbo is a New Orleans stew that is homemade from ingredients selected daily and served with rice. Lucille’s offers salmon, shrimp, crawfish and red beans and rice as rich dishes as well.

Sometimes, if you are at a restaurant, you might be too full to give in to your dessert temptation, and you politely deny the dessert menu from your server. However, at Lucille’s, if you have even the slightest sweet tooth, it is mandatory that you experience the homemade ice cream with beignets, lemon rum sauced bread pudding, chocolate pudding or deep fried banana beignets.

Lucille’s is the perfect spot for a homestyle meal. It can be a sweet and romantic date spot, a cheerful Sunday brunch stop, or just a cozy weekday lunch hour. Lucille’s is able to satisfy every craving and leave you feeling even more cheerful than you were when first walking in.

Collegian Entertainment Writer Rae Ehly can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.