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Lunaverse Restaurant Group Brings Home Big Wins at the Louisiana Food & Wine Festival

The team at Lunaverse Restaurant Group has a lot to celebrate after an exciting weekend at the Louisiana Food & Wine Festival. With multiple top honors across several categories, both Luna and Augustine stood out among some of the best culinary talents from across the Gulf South.

The festival was a chance for Lunaverse, led by Chef Dave Evans, to do what it does best, and that was to share “Lake Charles Cool Cuisine.” This cooking style can be described as a mix of Cajun, Creole, bayou and prairie country kitchen influences that are melded with Chef Evan’s artistic, and funky approach to creating delicious dishes. And the judges took notice.

McWay Falls

Highlights from the Festival:

Augustine – Best Beef
Augustine took home Best Beef for its classic Beef Bourguignon, a rich and comforting dish made with tender braised beef, red wine beef stock, carrots, mushrooms, and pearl onions, all served over the restaurant’s signature duckfat rice.
Luna – Best Fusion
Luna was recognized for its creative approach to blending global flavors with Louisiana roots—something the restaurant has become known for…Lake Charles Cool Cusine!
Luna – Best Fish (Grand Tasting & Best Taste Awards)
Luna’s popular “Bruce Lee” Tuna was a double winner. The dish features yellowfin tuna seasoned with citrus herb and Cajun spices, topped with fresh avocado and Luna’s signature spicy mayo.
Luna – Best BBQ (Fire on the Lake)
Rounding out the wins, the Luna team also claimed the top BBQ spot at the festival’s Fire on the Lake competition, proving they can shine just as bright outside the restaurant as they do inside.

“Our team had such a great time at the Louisiana Food & Wine Festival,” said Evans. “We’re incredibly thankful to be part of such an amazing food community. Seeing the Bruce Lee tuna—something we created about two years ago to refresh our seafood offerings—earn so much love alongside our Beef Bourguignon really speaks to the dedication our kitchen teams bring every day.”

Both the Bruce Lee Tuna and Beef Bourguignon remain staples on Lunaverse menus, giving guests the chance to experience the dishes that impressed festival judges firsthand.

Americas Best Restaurant

Luna was recently featured on America's Best Restaurants Roadshow. Check it out!

On this episode of America’s Best Restaurants, Luis is stopping by Luna Bar & Grill in Lake Charles, Louisiana to try their Dragon Tuna!

Would you try a tuna dish with a kick or stick with something more classic? Let us know your go-to flavor! Eclectic, artistic, and full of flavor — Luna Bar & Grill is where music meets mouthwatering. Luis heads to this downtown Lake Charles favorite to explore the soulful mashup of California and Louisiana cuisine that’s put Luna on the map. From a menu where entrees are as bold as the band posters on the walls, to signature cocktails like the Led Zeppelin and Jerry Garcia, everything at Luna hums with creative energy.

The Food