Coastal Cajun Cuisine owner Kain Vinet is closing his Cajun sit-down restaurant at 8961 Pensacola Blvd. just months after opening, with plans to relocate his business back home to Louisiana.
Vinet has been serving homemade Cajun cuisine to Pensacola for the past decade, starting small with a little food stand, then moving up to a food truck and eventually to a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
“What started with nothing more than a grill in a parking lot flipping burgers grew into something we could have only dreamed of—a restaurant that became home to so many incredible people. None of this would have been possible without the love and support of the Pensacola community,” Coastal Cajun Cuisine shared in a social media statement on July 13. “Every meal shared, every recommendation, every kind word, and every person who walked through our doors helped make Coastal Cajun what it became.”
Much of the menu was inspired by Vinet’s roots in Delcambre, Louisiana, where his family owned a shrimp processing plant and cooked with generational recipes he incorporated into the restaurant, including his traditional shrimp boulettes infused with different spices and fresh vegetables.
He surely has not forgotten his roots, as evidenced by the mementos that double as decor, ranging from his grandfather’s prized deer heads hung on the wall to the Delcambre Shrimp Festival poster on display.
Now, he will be relocating his business back home.
“Kain is bringing Coastal Cajun home to Delcambre, Louisiana, where he’ll continue chasing the dream, growing the business, and honoring the Cajun culture that inspired it all,” Coastal Cajun’s statement continued. “From a young man with a grill in a parking lot to owning a brick-and-mortar restaurant, this has been an incredible journey. There have been highs, lows, long nights, and unforgettable memories—but every second has been worth it because of the people we’ve met along the way.”
At his Pensacola restaurant, Vinet nodded to his hometown in the best way he knew how—by preparing dishes for Pensacolians with the same quality and care you would get in Louisiana.
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Vinet credited his family—his father, mother and brother—and friends who feel like family, such as his general manager, Courtney Carroll, for getting the restaurant off the ground.
“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Pensacola, for embracing us, supporting us, and becoming part of our story. While this chapter is coming to an end, the Coastal Cajun story isn’t over—it’s simply headed back to where it all began,” Coastal Cajun wrote.
For real-time updates and information, follow Coastal Cajun Cuisine on social media.
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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Coastal Cajun Cuisine closing Pensacola restaurant
