BATON ROUGE - This week on One Tank Trips, we take a trip to Leola's, a trendy and tasty spot off Government Street that's well worth the trip.
Owner Whitney Rutledge says her restaurant has "a chill, hip, everybody-welcome type vibe."
At first glance, Leola's looks like you've taken a trip into an antique shop, and in a way, you have. The café is connected to an antique store.
"Nothing matches, and that’s kind of the whole point of it all," Rutledge said. "It all actually matches nothing."
Art lines the walls, and hidden trinkets are tucked away in every corner.
Customer Itzel Ruiz says Leola's is "very unique, very different, very quirky, very out-of-the-box," adding that you can feel a sense of history as soon as you walk in.
Rutledge took over the café from her friends Corey and Leann Ridge in 2025.
"I couldn’t have imagined anything better than working here and having this place," she said.
Rutledge explains that the sunflowers hanging across the restaurant are specifically a tribute to Corey and Leann’s daughter, Allie, who passed away in 2023, who Rutledge called beautiful and bright.
Rutledge decided to embrace the sunflowers and keep the delicious recipes that Leola's is known for. The menu offers something for everyone, like the pancake flight, which lets you sample three different flavors, or the “dad bod” platter, which has a little bit of everything.
You can pair your meal with a Bloody Mary or their boozy iced coffee.
"You can just feel the presence here of fulfillment, enjoyment, just being yourself here," she said.
Rutledge hopes everyone feels welcomed by Leola's southern hospitality.
