I had heard about Nashville’s beloved Soup Lady, also known as Lafayette Soup Company, for several years before I finally tracked her down and ordered my first bowl.
It was a spicy Thai vegetable soup that turned me into a lifelong fan.
I had been spending a lot of time in the hospital with a family member during that time and had eaten from nearby restaurants so much that I had memorized their menus. I recalled reading an article about a local woman known as The Soup Lady who makes healthy, gourmet soups so I decided to call her and see how easy it would be to order some. It would be a nice change from burgers and tacos.
I explained to her where I was and she drove all the way across Nashville to meet me at the doors of the hospital. She greeted me like a long lost best friend, not like someone who had just driven an hour to bring me a pint of soup. That’s just the kind of person Aundra Lafayette is — passionate about making soups that nourish the body and soul and so full of love for her friends and customers alike.
video courtesy of Tennessee Crossroads (2017)
Aundra uses fresh and nutrient-dense ingredients, often times supporting other vendors at the farmer’s markets where she sells her soup. Some of her recent offerings have included Chicken Tortellini Soup, Kale and White Bean Soup, Shrimp Bisque, Cranberry Bean & Rice Soup, Corn and Okra Soup, and her popular Kale and Lentil Soup.
Lafayette Soup Co. can be found most Saturdays at the Richland Park Farmer’s Market. The market is open every Saturday year-round from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 4701 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37209.
She also recently joined Citizen Kitchens, a kitchen incubator facility that will enable her to produce more and reach more stores and restaurants with her soups. One of those stores is Demeter’s Common, a lifestyle grocery store in Wilson County, where Aundra is doing pop-ups until her soups are ready for mass production. After years of following her soups around Nashville, I’m so excited that it will be available right down the road from me!
