A popular restaurant that was a driving force in the revitalization of Slidell’s Olde Towne entertainment district after Hurricane Katrina is closing.
Sunday will mark the final meal service as Restaurant Coté, owner Jeremy Reilly said.
It’s been a great run, Reilly said, but: “I feel like my business has hit its peak.”
The restaurant would have marked its 11th year on Carey Street on Monday and Reilly said business has remained strong.
“Going out on top is a beautiful thing,” he said.
But, he added, it’s time for him to step back to devote more time to his family.
“I miss coaching baseball,” he said, noting his young children.
Children with new backpacks take in the sights during Burgers, Blues and BBQ, a back-to-school celebration at Antique Umbrella Alley in Olde Towne Slidell, Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Staff photo by Scott Threlkeld, The Times-Picayune)
Reilly owns the building and said there has been some interest from people who might want to purchase it, but that at this stage he doesn’t have plans to sell.
Reilly, 37, and his wife, Alyssa Reilly, lived in Mandeville and operated the Abita Springs Café in 2013 when they decided to open an Olde Towne restaurant.
Olde Towne, the historic center of Slidell, had been battered by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 – like much of the rest of Slidell and Gulf Coast. It was struggling at the time, Reilly said.
“It wasn’t like it is today,” he said. “We were really broke that first year we opened.”
But Restaurant Coté was a generator of traffic to Olde Towne, and the Reillys and other business people worked to create events that brought people and filled storefronts.
Today, Slidell City Council member Bill Borchert says, Olde Towne is thriving.
“He’s really been a pioneer,” Borchert said of Reilly.
The restaurant’s expansive menu has dishes ranging from filets and ravioli to Gulf fish to Wagyu burgers.
People in white check out the scene during White Linen and Lagniappe in Olde Towne Slidell, which featured art showings, crafts, food and live music.
Reilly said much of the restaurant’s success was due to its dedicated employees, many who had been there for years, and to his wife. “She’s the backbone of this thing,” he added.
But while the restaurant has had a successful run, the work has been a grind. Skyrocketing costs continue to be a drain as well, he said.
“It gets exhausting,” he said.
Reilly will remain active in the Slidell food scene. He co-owns a pizza restaurant, PREAM Pizza & Sandwiches, off Robert Boulevard, and plans to continue being a presence there.