Middendorf’s celebrates 85 years of catfish

July marks the 85th anniversary of Middendorf’s, the restaurant best known as the home of thin-cut fried catfish. “Owning Middendorf’s, I call it like spreading the gospel of catfish,” says chef Horst Pfeifer, who has owned the Pass Manchac restaurant with his wife Karen since 2007.

Louis Middendorf and his wife Josie opened the restaurant on July 4, 1934. It remained in the hands of family for 70 years before the Pfeifers bought it. Besides enhancing its culinary reputation, they elevated the restaurant to protect it from flooding. They opened a second location in Slidell over July Fourth weekend.

– WWL-TV, Part of Louisiana Tegna Local