Every June, a certain stretch of Louisiana blacktop fills up with folks on a mission. They are chasing tomatoes so good that people plan their whole drive around them.
Down a two-lane highway that hugs the river, a family farm stand sells fruit picked steps from where you park, along with honey, pickled goods, and rows of young trees ready for your yard. The staff can talk plants all day and mean it.
The prices stay friendly, the produce comes straight from the field, and the whole trip feels like a small reward for going off the usual path. Keep reading to find out where this roadside stop hides, why the tomatoes have a cult following, and how to plan your own drive down to grab a basket before it sells out.
A Roadside Stand On The River Road
Head south out of New Orleans and follow the river, and you land at Ben & Ben Becnel, Inc., parked right along the highway at 14977 LA-23 in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. The stand sits in Plaquemines Parish, a slice of the state known for citrus and rich growing soil.
The setup is refreshingly simple. It is a working farm stand, not a fancy grocery, and that is exactly the point.
People come here on purpose, not by accident. Regulars talk about taking the ride as part of the fun, treating the drive down as half the reason to go.
What sets it apart is how close the food is to where it grew. The building has fields and trees right behind it, so the produce out front has not traveled far at all.
With a 4.8-star average across dozens of write-ups, the place has earned a loyal following. That kind of consistency is hard to fake at a small roadside shop.
The Creole Tomato Cult Following
Some foods get people marking their calendars, and the Creole tomato is one of them. Folks talk about counting down to June just to make the drive down Highway 23 for their yearly haul.
These tomatoes are the headliner here, mentioned again and again by people who make the trip. The fondness runs deep enough that some wish they had grabbed two baskets instead of one.
Creole tomatoes are a Louisiana specialty, grown in the region’s rich soil and tied closely to the local growing season. When they come back each spring, word travels fast.
The tomatoes here are grown and sold by the farmer, which keeps things about as direct as produce can get. That short trip from field to basket is a big part of the appeal.
Timing matters if the tomatoes are your main goal. Plan around late spring and early summer, and you will hit the window when they shine.
Fruit Picked Steps From The Building
Freshness gets thrown around a lot, but here it is literal. Much of what fills the stand is grown within walking distance of the front door, on the land right behind the building.
Fruit comes straight off the trees out back, which is about as short a supply chain as you can find. That closeness shows up in how the produce holds up when you get it home.
Satsumas, cucumbers, okra, and tomatoes have all turned up fresh from the garden, depending on the season. The lineup shifts with what the fields are giving.
Citrus gets special mention around here, a natural fit given Plaquemines Parish and its citrus reputation. Folks have called out the quality of the fruit more than once.
Buying fruit this close to where it grew is the whole reason people say the drive is worth it. The distance melts away once you are loading up the car.
Rows Of Fruit Trees To Take Home
Beyond baskets to carry out, there is a whole other reason gardeners stop here. The stand sells a range of seasonal fruit trees, so you can bring the farm back to your own yard.
People have walked away with saplings for container gardens, adding to collections they clearly take seriously. Repeat trips to grow those collections come up often.
The variety of trees draws its own crowd, separate from the produce fans. It is a two-in-one stop: snacks for now, plants for later.
One honest note worth sharing: the tree selection depends on the season, and someone once arrived hoping for specific ones that were not in stock. Calling ahead about a particular tree is a smart move.
Even then, the store stayed well organized and the help stayed friendly. That says something about how the place is run day to day.
Staff Who Know Their Plants
Ask a question here and you will actually get an answer. The people working the stand come up repeatedly for how much they know about produce and plant care.
Tree care advice is a common takeaway, with folks leaving armed with good information and a new sapling or two. That kind of guidance turns a quick stop into a small lesson.
The help is described as courteous and genuinely friendly, not just polite for show. A younger staffer earned praise for being both knowledgeable and easygoing.
Knowing your stuff matters at a place selling living plants and seasonal fruit. The right tip can be the difference between a thriving tree and a struggling one.
People plan to return partly because of these conversations. Good produce brings you in, but good advice brings you back.
More Than Just Produce
Produce may be the star, but the shelves hold plenty of extras worth a look. Honey, pickled items, sodas, and other snacks round out the trip so you leave with more than a bag of fruit.
Canned and jarred goods show up here too, giving you something to stock the pantry with. It turns a quick produce run into a proper little shopping haul.
These local goods pair naturally with the fresh stuff. Grab tomatoes for tonight and honey for the weeks after.
The mix keeps the stand interesting even when a favorite crop is between seasons. There is usually something to fill your basket.
For anyone who likes bringing home a taste of where they visited, the extras are a nice bonus. They make good gifts and even better souvenirs.
Prices That Keep People Coming Back
Fresh does not always mean expensive, and that surprises people here in the best way. The stand gets steady praise for affordable prices on produce straight from the farm.
Good value and good taste rarely travel together, yet folks call out both in the same breath. The produce cooks and eats well without stretching the wallet.
Buying direct from the farmer helps keep costs sensible. Fewer middle stops usually mean a fairer price on the tag.
Value is part of why the drive earns its keep. Even after the gas to get there, people feel like they came out ahead.
Some folks buy a lot of fruit on each trip, and the pricing clearly encourages that. It is hard to leave with just one thing.
Off The Beaten Path By Design
Part of the charm is that you have to want to get here. The stand sits off the main flow of traffic, the kind of place people describe as off their usual path.
The drive itself becomes part of the outing. Highway 23 rolls through Plaquemines Parish scenery, giving the trip a laid-back road-trip feel.
Adventurous types who like poking around new corners tend to love finding it. Discovery is half the reward.
Because it is a bit out of the way, the stand keeps its unhurried character. You are not fighting a crowd or a parking lot maze.
The distance filters for people who genuinely care about fresh, farm-direct food. Those who make the effort rarely regret it.
Who This Stop Suits Best
Home cooks chasing real, in-season flavor will feel right at home here. The farm-direct produce rewards anyone who plans meals around what is fresh.
Gardeners get their own reason to visit thanks to the fruit trees and the plant advice. You can leave with both dinner and a project for the backyard.
Road-trippers who like a scenic detour will enjoy the run down Highway 23. The stop fits neatly into a lazy day of exploring south of the city.
Weekend wanderers and pantry-stockers alike find something to grab. Between produce, honey, and canned goods, the basket fills fast.
It is a friendly stop for families out for a drive too. Simple, unfussy, and genuinely welcoming, it suits just about anyone who values the real thing.
Planning Your Visit
Getting the timing right makes the trip smooth. The stand is open seven days a week, from 8:30 AM to 5 PM, so weekdays and weekends both work.
You will find it at 14977 LA-23 in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, right along the highway. The riverside route makes it easy to spot once you are on the road.
If a specific fruit tree is your target, a quick call ahead helps, since selection shifts with the season. That saves a wasted trip for a plant that is out of stock.
For the famous Creole tomatoes, aim for late spring into summer when they hit their stride. June is the sweet spot folks look forward to.
Morning visits give you first pick before popular items sell down. Some days the good stuff moves fast, so earlier is safer.
Why The Drive Is Worth It
Some places earn their reputation one basket at a time, and this roadside stand is one of them. The steady stream of loyal fans and that high overall standing tell the story better than any pitch.
What you get is produce grown and sold by the farmer, priced fairly, and picked close to where you stand. That combination is getting rarer, which makes finding it feel like a small win.
The tomatoes bring people back year after year, and the trees, honey, and friendly guidance give them extra reasons to linger. It is the kind of stop that turns a plain errand into a proper outing.
Point the car down Highway 23, roll into Belle Chasse, and let the fields do the rest. A basket of Creole tomatoes and just-picked fruit is waiting at the end of the road.
Enjoyed this story?
Add Fast Food Club as a preferred source to see more of our reporting on Google.