If you’ve ever made your way East of Texas and into the culture-rich state of Louisiana, you know there’s one thing they do better than almost any other state: Cajun food! But did you know you can have a taste of the zesty Cajun classics right here in Waco?
Po’ Boy Place is a one-of-a-kind sandwich shop in Downtown Waco’s Union Hall that brings the spirit of New Orleans to Central Texas. Started by a Waco-born, but New Orleans-raised man, Leo Spann, Po’ Boy Place is dedicated to providing the most authentic Cajun experience possible.
Spann was born in Waco but with a mom in the military, only spent the first year of his life here before moving to Louisiana, where he would spend his adolescent and young adult years. For 22 years, Spann grew up in the heart of the lively Creole culture of New Orleans. Growing up, he spent countless hours making original creole and Cajun dishes with his mom in the kitchen. When Hurricane Katrina tragically hit New Orleans, Spann and his family moved back to Waco where they had close family and friends.
“When Katrina hit, my mom came here with nothing. You just pack a few clothes and hope for the best, but within two weeks of moving here, she had a house and everything she needed,” Spann said. “The Waco community totally blessed her with everything she needed. Waco did a really good job of embracing us and making us feel like we were at home.”
After returning to Waco, it wasn’t long before Spann met his wife. In 2013, the two moved to Dallas where Spann really started to miss the culture and cuisine of his Louisiana upbringing. He couldn’t shut off the desire to bring his love for Cajun classics to Texas. But his love for the food industry didn’t start there. With his first job as a dishwasher at Applebee’s, Spann has been in the restaurant business since he was 15 years old.
“I’ve always loved restaurants and working in fast-paced environments,” Spann said. “After Katrina is when I really started to get serious about it and envision a career out of it.”
After living in Dallas and working at another restaurant for five years, Spann found out his wife was pregnant and was inspired to take his creative energy and pour it into something special for his family. He and his wife opened and operated a food truck for about a year before they decided to return to their roots, launch Po’ Boy Place and bring that missing culture and cuisine of Louisiana to Waco. Spann and his family have never forgotten how the Waco community embraced them after Katrina. Moreover, when it came time to launch their own business, Waco was the only place they had in mind.
“I thought it was really important to plant roots in Waco and be a part of what’s happening here so I could give back to the very community that helped my family,” Spann said. Po’ Boy Place opened in May of 2020 with a commitment to creating a po’boy sandwich experience unlike anywhere else in the state.
“The coolest thing about our menu is that it happened organically. I try to remain as a student in this industry. I’m always learning and listening to the community. So really, Waco created this menu,” Spann said.
Spann cooks with high-quality, local ingredients, and special products sourced directly from Louisiana. Additionally, Po’ Boy Place marinates their meats in-house with sauces made from scratch and their own unique blend of spices to ensure the best Cajun-inspired dishes possible.
“Our calling is to educate this community and other communities on what a great po’boy is, to cultivate community through great cuisine, and ultimately create primo sandwiches,” Spann said.
While you may be able to find other Louisiana-inspired restaurants in Texas, there’s next to nowhere else in the state that offers po’boys like these. Next time you get a craving for Cajun cuisine, venture on over to Union Hall to try the primo creole-inspired sandwiches in Central Texas.
