Megan Wyatt

mbwyatt@theadvertiser.com

A beloved downtown Lafayette restaurant and bar will get a second life under new ownership.

Mark Alleman, who owns Hook and Boil in Broussard, recently purchased The Filling Station in Lafayette, and he has big plans for the gas station-turned-restaurant.

"Our intention from the start is not to go in and change everything that The Filling Station has built and people have grown to love," Alleman said. "It's basically about going in there and enhancing the experience and adding to the location and property to showcase all the things we love about Acadiana with the food."

The biggest change will come in the form of a rooftop bar.

Alleman also plans to incorporate his own Cajun specialties into the restaurant's eclectic mix of Tex-Mex and American menu items.

"I almost selfishly bought the place just for that margarita recipe," Alleman said with a laugh.

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The restaurant closed last week and is expected to reopen in early November as Hook and Boil at The Filling Station.

Expect to see Hook and Boil staples — boiled crawfish and shrimp, raw and charbroiled oysters, boudin eggrolls and crawfish queso — alongside Filling Station favorites — margaritas, filet mignon, chile Colorado, seafood-stuffed avocado salad and cheesecake.

"I swear I'm going to gain 15 pounds in the next month," Alleman said.

Related: Alleman gave back through his restaurant when his own home flooded

Hook and Boil at The Filling Station will only undergo a minor renovation during the next few weeks. It will close again for the summer for major renovations, such as the addition of the rooftop bar.

"Right now, it's basically just getting it more in line with our brand," Alleman said. "But my goal for the property is to take it back to its heyday. We have pictures of when it first opened, and it was just such a beautiful building. We want to expose some of that original stuff and bring back the gas pumps and that stuff. It'll be fun seeing all of that come together."

Hook and Boil at The Filling Station will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with extended hours during special events in downtown Lafayette. The restaurant is located at 900 Jefferson St.

We'll have more information on the restaurant's renovations and reopening as it becomes available. Check back with theadvertiser.com soon.

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