Best French Bakery in New Orleans

"One of the best things to do in New Orleans with kids is take them to Cafe Du Monde for beignets – they will love you even more!. But even if you don’t have kids, this place is an institution in the French Quarter of New Orleans, right across the street from beautiful Jackson Square. Cafe Du Monde was established in 1862 and is on every best places to eat in New Orleans list there is, for good reason."

"Beignet’s are the official state donut of Louisiana so the best place to start your New Orleans foodie bucket list would be with a taste of this French-style pastry. A beignet is a French donut that is traditionally fried and topped with powdered sugar. And yes, they are essentially the same as a regular donut but with a more doughy texture."

"Beignets are the donut style of choice in New Orleans, and nowhere is more iconic to get them than Cafe du Monde. The original Cafe du Monde Coffee Stand was established in the New Orleans French Market back in 1862. This tourist destination is open 24/7 and only closes on Christmas Day or during particularly nasty hurricanes."

"Only available on Wednesdays and Thursdays, the fresh oysters in Parkway Tavern’s Po Boys are seasoned with garlic and cayenne pepper and then served in classic style on Leidenheimer’s bread. Like many of the best New Orleans Po Boy shops, Parkway Bakery & Tavern is located slightly off the beaten track. However, it’s worth the extra effort to travel to this Mid-City institution by cab/uber or streetcar (Canal St #48)."

"Parkway is known as a contender for most-loved po’boys in town — especially the always-overflowing shrimp. Pre-pandemic, the line to order wrapped around the entirety of the dining room, but with the addition of a huge outdoor dining area, parking lot pickup, and strict social distancing guidelines, Parkway has worked to establish a comfortable and safe setting for its loyal fans."

"This Mid-City po'boy purveyor has been a favorite for decades, featuring affordable drinks and some of the best po'boys around town. Proudly local and full of characters, the eatery was made extra-famous by a visit from then President Obama, and has been featured on a variety of TV shows. While waiting for your sandwich, peruse the memorabilia and pictures that adorn the walls."

"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."

"With an elegant approach to classic Southern food, Willa Jean takes that same “elegant fusion” approach to their breakfast food, which includes a griddled banana bread, an artichok..."

"Cafe Amelie is home to one of the most romantic courtyards in the Vieux Carre. The menu revolves around Louisiana fare with some international influences. If there is no time to linger over a meal in the lush courtyard, its sister restaurant Petite Amelie serves delightful sandwiches and salads and makes an ideal lunch spot."

"Settle down in this 150-year-old courtyard with lush landscaping for a relaxing bite and a glass of wine (or three). The historic space boasts a romantic ambiance that not even a child in tow can completely ruin. (If the weather isn’t cooperating, the Carriage House offers a rustic alternative.)."

"Café Amelia is one of the New Orleans food places famous for their food and the location they are in. The restaurant is located on the Royal Street of the French Quarter in the historic Princess of Monaco Courtyard and Carriage House. The Princess of Monaco Courtyard is more than 150 years old."

"In the land of hipsters, this vegan- and gluten-free-friendly bakery may sound gimmicky, but it is the real deal. Get badass pastries like the maple bacon sweet potato biscuit, fig rosemary scones, vegan orange sweet rolls, chai spice blondie, or gluten-free and vegan tart slice of the day, made with seasonal ingredients. If you can’t get enough, come by for breakfast and chow down on vegan biscuits & gravy."

"Those who seek chewy cookies and all-natural ingredients can try Shake Sugary on St. Claude Avenue. Vegan cookies in flavors like chunky peanut butter chocolate chip and lemon poppyseed almost feel healthy, while traditional cookies like cran-orange white chocolate oatmeal and mocha chocolate pecan are simply decadent. You’ll also find buttery shortbreads with herbs and spices baked right in."

"Pythian Market, 234 Loyola Ave.; St. Roch Market, 2381 St. Claude Ave.; (504) 475-7979; www.feteaufete.com. Crawfish poutine features crawfish-boil potatoes topped with crawfish etouffee and pepper Jack cheese."

"You’ll be spellbound by this small museum located in an old French Quarter enclave right off Bourbon Street. Boasting priestess portraits, wooden masks, and a few human skulls for good measure, the museum explores the lore, legends, mystery, and magic of voodoo, a spiritual folk tradition of the African diaspora that has shaped NoLa since the city first developed in the 1600s. It doesn’t have a website, but most other sites list it as being open from 10 to 6 every day of the week."

"It has been described as “one of the most unique and interesting small museums in the country.” The New Orleans Voodoo Museum explores the history and culture of voodoo religion and its connection to New Orleans. Museum and cemetery tours as well as readers and practitioners are available."

"Located in a French Quarter building where the nation’s first licensed pharmacist, Louis J. Dufilho, Jr., lived and practiced in the 1800s, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is a time-travel extravaganza. You can visit independently, but the insightful (and included with admission) 1 p.m. tour on weekdays is worthwhile to hear about medicine’s fascinating, unsterilized history and to eyeball some seriously iffy relics, like lead syringes, bottles once filled with opium-based teething formulas, strychnine-laced cosmetics, and over-the-counter heroin; plus, here’s your chance to view a pig’s-rib toothbrush and a calcified goat’s hairball."

"In 1804 the State of Louisiana passed a law requiring a licensing exam for would-be pharmacists. The first person to pass this exam was one Louis J. Dufilho Jr. , becoming the first licensed pharmacist in the United States. You can drop by his premises on Chartres Street in the French Quarter, where stacks of strange remedies line the walls in historic apothecary bottles."

"The team at Warehouse District food hall Auction House has an on-trend new cocktail menu for summer, offering a Kalimotxo that marries the traditional Basque punch and a Whiskey Sour; a Barcelona style G&T with gin, El Guapo tonic, thyme, clove, house tincture, and grapefruit; and the cloudy Pau Hana, made with rum, manzanilla sherry, lime, banana and pimento dram. The bright, plant-filled space makes for a nice setting to sip drinks, and there’s are new happy hour specials weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m."

"Warehouse DistrictThe various food halls springing up all over town bring small vendors to a receptive clientele with lower overhead costs than a regular restaurant, giving more niche ideas -- like vegan and vegetarian food -- the opportunity to set up shop. Stop in at the Auction House Market on the corner of Julia and Magazine to get a masala dosa at Tava Indian Streetfood, jackfruit BBQ toast from Happy Jaxx, and a vegan macaron or milkshake from Mac & Moon Macarons."

"Don’t order sushi for lunch at Conola, only because it isn’t on the menu. But come dinnertime, and the sushi bar is rolling. It’s a bit of a disconnect, since this place is mostly a Creole/American restaurant, but co-chef/owners/spouses Will and Kinsey Varas make it happen."

"It feels like being invited into a Japanese man’s home while he makes the best sushi his guests have ever tasted."

"This sprawling 1,300-acre masterpiece is one of the largest urban parks in the country, with a history reaching back over 170 years. Featuring an assortment of green spaces, massive oak trees, lagoons, and more, you’ll find a variety of atmospheres for your picnic. There are also numerous attractions within the park, including sculpture gardens, an amusement park, botanical gardens, bike trails, surrey and boat rentals, and the New Orleans Museum of Art, just to name a few."

"In City Park twirling amongst the Spanish Moss Though all of the above are fantastic options for your New Orleans itinerary, here are a few more:"

"Founded in 1854, this 1,300-acre expanse of moss-draped oaks and 11 miles of gentle lagoons is just 2 miles from the French Quarter,…"

"If you have younger children, a couple of hours at Storyland (also located in City Park) would be a worthy investment of your time. Storyland is a child’s dream come true and a fairytale come to life. The imaginative outdoor spot is filled with 20 larger-than-life colorful sculptures and playscapes in the shape of storybook characters."

"Storyland is a fun area in City Park full of statues and play areas from various stories. The biggest surprise to me was how big and impressive the area was. At 1300 acres, there are tons of statues you can pose with, all surrounded by majestic trees."

"One of the best inexpensive things to do in New Orleans with toddlers is Storyland. Tickets are less than $6.00/each and children under 36″ are free. Kids will love strolling through this vibrant and imaginative play area."

"You may very well hear this tree before you see it: a massive live oak in the middle of City Park. The Singing Oak is an art installation by artist Jim Hart that features wind chimes measuring as long as 14 feet. Part of the charm of The Singing Oak is just finding it."