Raid to Restaurant – The Little Village

Clue: “Find the restaurant that all began with a police raid.” Believe it or not, one of the most iconic restaurants in Baton Rouge all started because of a police raid. The Little Village restaurant was first owned and run by husband and wife, Vince and Stephanie Distefano. Before opening the restaurant, Vince and Stephanie were running card games out of a leased building. One day the building was raided by the sheriff, and everyone in the building was hauled off to jail, including Vince and Stephanie. Prior to being released, the sheriff advised them to get out of town, so they did. They bought a 7-acre plot of land where people could come to play cards and eventually enjoy a meal when the restaurant opened in 1945. The Village Restaurants now has two locations and serves some of the best food in Baton Rouge.