Best Bakery and Cake Shops in Metairie

"Parkway Bakery & Tavern has been open since 1911 and serving up po’ boys since 1929. After more than 100 years, it remains a family-run business to this day. Founder Jay Nix and Head Chef Justin Kennedy have won several awards and have been featured on television for their exceptionally delicious po’ boy sandwiches, such as the Golden Fried Catfish and Parkway Surf and Turf."

"This family-owned, casual neighborhood joint is a top choice for classic, overstuffed po-boys. It has grown in popularity but the friendly staff still takes care of the locals, welcoming tourists like they’re family as well. Shrimps are fried to perfection, roast beef is sufficiently messy and the Barq's (and beer) is served icy cold."

"The beloved Parkway reopened in May with a limited takeout menu of its favorite po-boys, sides, and desserts. Call for parking lot pickup, Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m."

"If biscuits make your heart go pitter patter, then make your way to Willa Jean restaurant and bakery, where you'll find insanely fluffy ones. Head for the CBD near the Superdome to try the fried chicken and Tabasco-honey biscuits or get really deep into Southern tastes with the crispy boudin and collards version. There's cornbread, banana bread and a "hangover bowl” (short ribs, grits, poached egg), as well as avocado toast and summer hash (made with sweet and new potatoes). Something for everyone, in other words."

"The brainchild of Besh Restaurant Group pastry chef Kelly Fields and baker Lisa White, this bakery serves a variety of loaves of bread, sweet and savory pastries, and treats like salted chocolate chip cookies and Rice Krispie bars. Willa Jean also offers a full sit-down menu for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, but the front case of goodies is a sight to behold."

"Willa Jean, a charming bakery and café in the CBD, is the brainchild of award-winning pastry chef and proprietor Kelly Fields. Her celebrated baked goods feature on breakfast, lunc..."

"With three locations, Executive Pastry Chef Megan Forman has put together a wonderful holiday menu for us this year that satisfies the need for sweet and savory. Sweet options include cakes, chocolate bark, truffles, and more. The dessert that has everyone talking about Willa Jean, and yes, it’s okay to lick the beater: Cookies and Milk — ooey-gooey barely set and still warm chocolate chip cookies, cookie dough batter, and vanilla-infused milk."

"The fact that Gracious now has three locations plus a cafe in NOCHI, the fancy new culinary school, speaks for itself. Word of this upbeat, modern, and light-filled breakfast and lunch spot from pastry chef Megan Forman quickly spread and with good reason: Gracious serves up satisfying sandwiches on homemade bread that won’t leave one in a food coma. The chicken tarragon and meatloaf options are good bets."

"What you're getting: A Pretzel Croissant Pastries, pastries, and more pastries are what you’ll find at Gracious, as well as a load of sandwiches and elegant desserts. Bonus points for its creative approach to baking, which brings with it the Hazelnut “Kermit” Cruffin, as well as Pretzel Croissants."

"Dorgenois Street, Dwight Henry’s Buttermilk Drop Bakery and Cafe is a place where you can get warm, melt-in-your-mouth glazed donuts, golden brown apple fritters the size of baseball gloves, and his award-winning fried buttermilk drops with a delicious sugar glaze. Crunchy on the outside and cake-like in the center, buttermilk drops are a unique local favorite. Dwight’s bakery sells them every day beginning at 6 a.m."

"The eponymous buttermilk drop is a Southern staple and lacks the doughnut's usual hole in the middle. It's dense and delish. The Buttermilk Drop in the Seventh Ward makes a great one, of course, and also takes it a step further in creating the red velvet buttermilk drop (pictured)."

"Donuts, quick breads, and the eponymous buttermilk drop can be found at this local favorite. What is a buttermilk drop?. Well, it’s kind of like a donut hole, but more substantial, made with buttermilk, coated in cinnamon sugar, and (proudly) invented in New Orleans."

"A traditional French-style, family-run bakery, O’Delice offers breakfast pastries as well as cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. Try the baklava, rum balls, and Key lime tart in addition to the traditional selection of muffins, croissants, and scones. Stop by for lunch and grab a sandwich, or plan ahead and order a king cake for Mardi Gras (O’Delice ships worldwide, so your less-fortunate friends and family can still taste NOLA goodness)."

"(617 Ursulines St.) And please don’t miss this Parisian-style patisserie, tucked away between Royal and Chartres on Ursulines. Steeped in old-world charm, Croissant D’Or some of the best baked goods in the city. The sweet and savory croissants, and everything else you’ll find displayed in the gleaming glass case — the tarts and the tortes and the quiches — is delicious and served fresh daily from the bakery."

"At this Uptown neighborhood bakery, you can get a taste of king cake year-round. Their light, fluffy, and sweet cake is offered with a variety of fillings and doused with purple, green, and gold sugar."

"King Cake is a braided sweet bread shaped into a circle and covered with icing and colored sprinkles—typically green, representing faith, purple for justice, and gold for power. The treat is customarily enjoyed from Three Kings Day, also known as Epiphany on January 6, leading up to Mardi Gras and the start of the Lenten season, when people tend to abstain from such indulgences. Laurel Street Bakery"

"With 24-hour notice, Laurel Street Bakery can whip up a few chocolate cake options. All cakes are nine-inch round, two layer cakes. Choose from devil’s food, chocolate covered strawberry, chocolate raspberry, or chocolate mousse cake."

"Grilled salmon nicoise salad includes tomato, hard-boiled egg, roasted red potatoes, green beans, shaved red onion, olives and mixed greens in apple cider vinaigrette with ciabatta toast."

"Located on the corner of North Rampart Street, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is the oldest house of worship in New Orleans. Originally named the Mortuary Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua, the place of worship was built in 1826 to serve as a burial church for the victims of yellow fever. The current name of the church was received in 1918."

"A few blocks from the French Quarter, St. Augustine has been the gravity center of the Tremé neighborhood since the 1840s. New Orleans’ large and vibrant community of free people of color was involved in the church from its beginnings. Often called “Creoles of color,” these property owners, artisans, businesspeople and professionals were several generations removed from slavery and sometimes were slave owners themselves."

"Jackson Square is pretty famous in New Orleans, Louisiana, and tourists gravitate towards it like nobody’s business in their quest for what to do for fun while visiting. Once upon a time, Jackson Square was a ground for military parades back in the 1720s, somewhat similar to Paris’ Place des Vosges. In 1815, once the Battle of New Orleans drew to a close, the area was renamed to honor General Andrew Jackson."

"There are lots of places in New Orleans where you can partake in fun activities with your family, and one of them is Jackson Square. The area has got lots of residential and commercial properties, and is named after Andrew Jackson, whose statue was erected here in 1856. Jackson Square has also been featured numerous times in television shows and network broadcasts as well."

"On the block of Plum and Burdette Street in Uptown New Orleans sits Plum Street Snowballs, a colorful neighborhood stand first established in 1945. Serving over 50+ sno-balls from March through October, this vintage spot, which represents NOLA’s authentic culture, serves its house-made creations with real snow made from a generations-old patented ice machine, fruit-flavored syrups and delicious condensed milk. 1300 Burdette St, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, +1 (504) 866-7996"

"The shaved ice here is beloved for its smooth, soft texture (not an ice chunk in sight), and comes in a miles-long list of flavors, including options like plum (of course), strawberry, piña colada, mocha, and passionfruit. Remember to bring some bills, as this spot is cash-only. And put your phone away when you approach the counter (or else)."

"Visitors seeking the best malls in Greater New Orleans must only venture slightly north of the city to find Lakeside Shopping Center. This expansive retail hub is one of the area's most popular malls with more than 120 well-known stores including M.A.C., Dillard's, Lane Bryant, Gap, Old Navy and Eddie Bauer, as well as boutiques such as Ann Taylor Loft and Talbot's. Lakeside Shopping Center offers seemingly endless shopping opportunities for men and women (and enough distractions for kids)."