Tuesday, 6 September, 2011 10:34
by Chris Jay
A cheeseburger, a picnic table, and a sunny, 76-degree day. What more can you ask for?
Every Tuesday this month, I'll be writing about some of Shreveport-Bossier's more off-the-beaten-path eateries. With the arrival of cooler temperatures making outdoor dining much more appealing than it was even a week ago, I thought I'd kick off this series with a visit to one of my favorite outdoor lunch spots in Shreveport: Gullo's Produce and Bake Shop. Located at 724 E. Flournoy Lucas Rd., Gullo's is a fresh produce stand that also sells hot plate lunches, burgers, and salads, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Friday.
One factor that makes Gullo's especially interesting to me is the lack of a dining room and servers. Patrons pick up their lunches inside and have the option of eating at picnic tables beneath some huge, old oak trees in the back yard. Calling ahead is recommended, as the food here is definitely hand-made to order. A cheeseburger and fries will run you about $7.50, and is well worth it. Everything I've eaten here has been decadent, especially these burgers - the buns are buttered and toasted on both sides and dressed with tons of pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. They're big, messy, down-home burgers - grab some paper towels on your way to the picnic tables.
The plate lunches can be pretty special here because many of the vegetables are grown on the premises. Plate lunches are $8.60 and offerings change daily. To order or find out what's cooking, call (318) 797-0361. For first-time visitors, Gullo's can be easy to pass up, as it resembles a house. Just watch for the sign near the road. If you go, take a few moments and look around the produce shop, where you'll find everything from blueberry wine jam to old-fashioned chow-chow relish.