Grabbing a table at Cafe du Monde for an order of these fluffy, square doughnuts piled high with powdered sugar is a must for any visitor. (Locals are fans, too.) It’s easy to fit into any schedule as the flagship French Quarter location stays open 24/7 (the City Park location is another pleasant spot to enjoy, surrounded by beautiful oak trees). Don’t forget to try a cafe au lait, and remember to peek into the back kitchen window to see where the magic happens.
Stroll down the top of Decatur Street in the French Quarter and you will likely see trails of white powder dusting the sidewalk. Baby powder? Hmm. Snow? Definitely not. It's sweet, sweet powdered sugar. No visit to New Orleans is complete unless one of your outfits is covered in the stuff. The beignet — a puffy, square doughnut that’s deep fried and piled high with powdered sugar — is a beloved New Orleans treat. Locals are loyal to their favorite spots, but the best beignets in New Orleans all offer the same thing: hot, chewy, sugary beignets, perfectly paired with a cafe au lait.
As iconic as the beignet itself, the green and white awning of Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter is equally iconic. Most visitors make a beeline here (it’s open 24 hours!) for an order of three and a cafe au lait, and are greatly rewarded, but there are plenty of other notable beignet spots around the city. Most serve up the treat in its standard form, while some offer variations of both the sweet and savory variety. Blue crab beignets, anyone?
A beignet can be the perfect finish to an fabulous meal at a top New Orleans restaurant, a surprisingly good cocktail pairing at a bar, or a hearty dish that offers sustenance to fuel a day of tackling all the amazing things there are to do in New Orleans. Here’s where to find the best beignets in New Orleans, and we won't hold it against you if you manage to get out there and try them all.
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