Craving Cajun cuisine? Popular Colleyville restaurant returning with 2 new locations
Fans of The Cajun Market & Cafe have something to look forward to in the new year — the popular Colleyville Cajun restaurant will open two new locations in Bedford and The Colony on Jan. 2, 2023.
After two years, rising costs fueled by inflation and a nearly 30% downturn in business forced restaurant owner Phil Tullis and his wife, Deborah McDaniel, to call it quits in October.
For now.
Not quite knowing how long it would take to get their beloved restaurant up and running again, they took comfort in the appeal their food had with their loyal patrons.
“I’ve always looked at the business as what other people are saying about you, not what you’re saying about yourself and if you read these comments, there’s genuine love there,” Tullis said of customers after they closed the Coleyville location. “That’s what warms my heart and Debbie’s heart the most.”
Serving a variety of Cajun food — from crawfish and po’boys, to gumbo and chargrilled oysters — it did not take long for Tullis and McDaniel to get nibbles from potential partners.
In came brothers Dirk and Mark Kelcher of Kelcher Entertainment.
The brothers knew of The Cajun Market & Cafe’ reputation and loyal following. It was exactly what they’d been looking for. They had plenty to offer in their Bourbon Street Bar & Grill locations in Bedford and The Colony — mostly it is the space to expand.
After some thought, Tullis and McDaniel shared the good news with their multitude of fans on social media.
“We knew we had a very loyal, very loving following and the outpouring of support we got when we closed was off the charts,” Tullis said. “It just made us feel very, very special.”
Room to grow
The Bedford location offers Tullis and his crew the space they didn’t quite have at the Colleyville location, he said. The 9,000-square-foot venue includes two outdoor decks with roll-up doors, a stage for entertainment and a large bar.
Tullis plans to add a fully chilled oyster bar for patrons to casually enjoy fresh shellfish like if they were at a restaurant in New Orleans.
Tullis recommends the entire menu because it’s all authentic Cajun food straight from the bayous of Louisiana. Even the bread is New Orleans-style baguettes that are served along with the seafood.
There is gumbo, sandwiches, chargrilled oysters, fried seafood, pastas and crawfish, among many other things. There is even a roast beef po’boy with gravy that “takes you about 10 napkins to eat one, but they’re delicious and they’re sloppy,” Tullis said
The opening date was chosen to coincide with Louisiana State University’s football game against Purdue University at the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. That is hardcore Cajun.
Eventually, expect the new locations to have freezers full of Cajun food for patrons to buy. Chicken, sausage and seafood gumbo, along with boudin balls and tasso ham, will be available.
Going from one restaurant to two locations in a few months has been quite the ride, Tullis said.
The Cajun Market & Cafe opens at 11 a.m. on Jan. 2, 2023 in Bedford at 1833 Airport Freeway and The Colony at 2851 Plano Pkwy Suite 270.
This story was originally published December 27, 2022 at 12:00 AM.
