Some po boy articles come with a heavy freight. We’ve been eating at Betsy’s Pancake House since the 90s, and can’t help but think about Miss Betsy every time we walk through those doors.

Elizabeth “Betsy” McDaniel was killed in a home invasion in the New Orleans suburb of Marrero in the Spring of 2008. Bryant Boudoin was sentenced to life in prison for the crime.

Miss Betsy’s murder gripped New Orleans as she was not only the owner of the restaurant but a popular waitress who was always hustling short stacks and cups of coffee around her old school eatery’s dining room.

A portrait of McDaniel holds sway over the restaurant she founded in 1986.

It’s Sunday morning and 90 percent of the eaters at Betsy’s have short stacks, scrambled eggs and sides of bacon in front of them. But we’re only in it of the po boys so we ask after a BLT on a French loaf.

$5.25 is the tariff.

A once-fresh New Orleans French loaf swaddles a goodly handful of crispy bacon strips and shards. We suspect the grill cook reached down, grizzly bear-style and just sort of pawed through a lexan of bacon and gathered what he could. The bread is cold. Pickles, as they should, come on the side. Mayo, lettuce and tomato complete the picture.

Betsy’s is packed as we drift off to reverie. For over 20 years Miss Betsy got up at 4am to prepare for a hard day of waitressing and counting down cash tills. She loved feeding people and New Orleans loved her as is evidenced by the land office business her old joint is still doing nearly a decade after her passing.

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Betsy’s Pancake House

2542 Canal St

New Orleans, Louisiana

70119

telephone (504) 822-0214

Hours of operation

Sunday 7AM–2PM

Monday 5:30AM–2PM

Tuesday 5:30AM–2PM

Wednesday 5:30AM–2PM

Thursday 5:30AM–2PM

Friday 5:30AM–2PM

Saturday Closed