You may think that you know Louis’ Pub, but the University of Saskatchewan campus bar is worth a closer look at what’s behind the scenes. In addition to selling refreshing beverages, Louis’ also offers up a carefully planned range of delicious food items for hungry students.

Louis’ kitchen has recently extended its operating hours until closing time, allowing for more opportunities to sample its menu. James Haywood, the food and beverage manager at Louis’, described the goals that Louis’ has for its restaurant component, which include having options for people from different levels of the dining-out experience.

“We try to provide food at a reasonable cost that’s new and exciting for students. We realize that on campus there may be people that have never gone out before to eat and people that have gone out tons of times to eat. Also, people that travel, people that don’t travel, people from all over Canada, the U.S. and other nations as well,” Haywood said.

Students at the U of S know what they like, and they aren’t afraid to ask for it. Haywood pointed out two items that are by far the most popular at the iconic campus hangout.

“Our poutines and our burgers crush it. Our burgers are made in-house, so they’re fresh, they’re delicious [and] they’re well-priced,” Haywood said. “Our poutines — again, you get a mountain offood for a very good price.”

Although Louis’ is known for these classic items, this doesn’t stop them from updating their menu to keep it current. Regular changes are made with the addition of new menu items and re-evaluation of older items that may no longer be popular.

“We look at food trends, what’s up-and-coming, what’s popular and we also test [new items] through a blue plate special on a daily basis,” Haywood said.

Successful blue plate items sometimes find a place on the regular menu. The two newest options that passed this testing process are now available every day, and they demonstrate the variety of cuisine students can find at Louis’.

“We added a new item that we’d tried in November, and it’s more of a vegan item with Saskatchewan lentils and sweet potatoes, in kind of a burrito,” Haywood said.

They have also added a steak sandwich special, previously only discounted on Tuesdays, that received high demand.

“We’ve decided it was just so popular that we’re going to put it back on the menu and have it as an everyday feature.”

Additionally, Louis’ is expanding its culinary expertise to include recipes from all over the globe.

“On Tuesdays, we’re having [something called] ‘Tour the World.’ We have a lot of international students working for us in our kitchen — we’re able to engage with them and some food that they like to create and eat, and introduce some of their flair to our customers,” Haywood said.

With such a diverse population at the U of S, Louis’ knows it needs to cater to a wide variety of dietary needs.

“Our kitchen has a policy that we just don’t say no to anyone. We try the best that we can to accommodate people. We have gluten-free pizza crust. We have lots of vegan items and lots of vegetarian items,” Haywood said. “We have things in house that we can give to people and make sure that they’re happy.”

Even as the food and beverage manager — who tries everything on the menu — Haywood has his own favourite meal to eat at Louis’.

“Our burgers. I try to eat healthy as much as I can but when I have a weak moment, I go to our Smokin’ Louis’ Burger. It’s just fantastic,” Haywood said.

Louis’ has something for everyone, and they are always changing it up. Even if you think you’ve seen everything they have to offer, there is probably something new to discover. Visit to chow down on a classic or to find a whole new favorite meal!

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Photo: Caitlin Taylor / Photo Editor