Beignets (pronounced “ben-yay”) are French doughnuts and are made from fritter dough. They can be sweet or savory. However, most of the beignets you will find in New Orleans are sweet and covered with an overly generous coating of powdered sugar. Beignets are an icon of New Orleans and because of this, a must have food when you visit the Crescent City. Some are even stuffed with a sweet filling and drizzled with a sauce on top. So, you may be wondering where to find the best beignets in New Orleans. Luckily I can help you with your quest.
Café Du Monde
Café Du Monde
Café Du Monde is the most famous and quintessential place to sit back and relax and take in the French Quarter while sipping a café au lait and enjoying your hot, fresh beignets.
The line at times will look long and you may be discouraged by it. But have no fear! The line moves at a really good pace because the turnover in the café is constant. We were about 30th in line and our wait was around 10 minutes. If you don’t want to wait, plan to go around a time that has fewer crowds. In the evening, on a Sunday night or during the week is a great time to go with little to no crowds.
Café Du Monde
There was no wait on a Sunday evening in mid December
After your respite from sight seeing, be sure to walk to the back side, outside of the café, to peer in the window to get a view of the process of beignet making. You will see the dough being rolled out, cut, fried, and covered in powdered sugar.
However, if you don’t want to sit in the café, there is also the option of getting your order to-go. The line for that begins at the back side of the building.
800 Decatur St, New Orleans
Loretta’s Authentic Pralines
For a stuffed beignet experience, head to Loretta’s Authentic Pralines. There are two locations. We visited the location in the French Market.
Loretta’s has delectable praline stuffed beignets covered in powdered sugar with a drizzle of praline sauce on top.
They also have different flavors of pralines, besides the usual, like coconut, peanut butter, and chocolate.
13 French Market Pl, New Orleans
J’s Seafood Dock
Lastly, for a savory beignet, I suggest the crawfish beignets at J’s Seafood Dock in the French Market. It is more of a traditional fritter experience and less of a doughnut experience. These tasty ball shaped beignets come with sauce on top of them. For more information on the French Market area, click here.
1100 N Peters St # 25, New Orleans
What is your favorite place to enjoy a beignet? Share your thoughts in the comments below.