Merline Herbert, Beloved Founder of Creole Lunch House, Has Died at 84

A Life of Legacy, Love, and Lunches

LAFAYETTE, LA – The Lafayette community is mourning the loss of Merline Herbert, the founder of Creole Lunch House and a beloved cultural icon, who passed away peacefully at the age of 84.

Her death comes just days after she was honored with a mayoral proclamation marking 42 years of her restaurant’s legacy and declaring June 24 “Merline Monday” in the City of Lafayette.

A Lifelong Educator Turned Culinary Legend

Before building one of Lafayette’s most cherished restaurants, Herbert was a teacher and principal, touching lives from classrooms to kitchen tables. With her late husband Raymond, she opened Creole Lunch House in 1983.

For over four decades, the little house on 12th Street became a soul food sanctuary for locals and visitors alike, best known for its legendary Creole stuffed breads, chicken fricassee, and warm hospitality.

Her son, Jason Herbert, shared a heartfelt message after her passing:

“She was a mother to many, whether by blood, by classroom, or by plate. Her greatest recipe was love. Everything else was seasoning.”

Recently Honored By the City

On June 24, Mayor-President Monique Blanco Boulet presented a proclamation celebrating Herbert’s contributions.

“Her legacy lives on in every dish and every memory made at her restaurant,” Lafayette Consolidated Government wrote in tribute.

Tributes Pour In

The news of her passing triggered a flood of condolences across Acadiana. Community voices like Herman Fuselier remembered the unmistakable flavors of her kitchen.

“Thank you for the meals, smiles, and encouraging words,” he wrote. Teurlings Catholic High School, where her stuffed breads became a fundraising favorite, called her a “local icon.”

The African American Heritage Foundation praised her “contributions and legacy,” and countless patrons have shared memories of meals that felt like home.

Even New Orleans food critic Ian McNulty once traveled to Lafayette to find her famous stuffed breads when they were no longer at Jazz Fest. He described them as “a grab-and-go manifestation of the festival spirit.”

Her Legacy Lives On

Though Herbert had stepped back from day-to-day operations, her presence was still felt at the restaurant. Her family continues to run Creole Lunch House, located at 713 12th Street, where her recipes, values, and vision remain at the heart of every plate served.

As her son Jason wrote:

“This isn’t the end of Miss Merline’s story. It’s the beginning of the next chapter.”

Funeral and memorial arrangements are forthcoming.