Café Du Monde

Went on a Friday afternoon and there were plenty of empty tables inside. We’re able to sit and be served. Had beignets to share an iced cafe au lait and a cafe au lait praline. All were amazing. Would definitely recommend. Might be back for some of the merch

Fresh, hot beignets covered in mountains of powdered sugar. Famous chicory coffee and café au lait that have become part of New Orleans culture. Historic atmosphere in the French Quarter dating back to 1862. Fast-moving service despite often having long lines. What some people don't like: Heavy crowds and tourist traffic. Limited menu (mostly beignets, coffee, and a few drinks). Seating can be hectic during peak times. Some visitors feel the experience is overhyped compared to local alternatives. My take: The beignets are light, crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, and best enjoyed immediately with a café au lait. The atmosphere—street musicians, the French Quarter, and the history—is as much a part of the experience as the food itself. If it's your first trip to New Orleans, it's hard to skip. Many locals and visitors on Reddit still consider it the benchmark for New Orleans beignets, though some prefer alternatives such as Loretta's Authentic Pralines for filled or praline beignets. Recommended order: 1 order of beignets (3 pieces) Café au lait Bring cash just in case, as payment policies can vary by location. Overall: If you're in New Orleans, Cafe Du Monde is one of those iconic experiences that lives up to the hype for most visitors. The beignets are simple, but they're among the best you'll find in the city.

​Best thing: Fresh, hot beignets piled high with powdered sugar. ​Type of Food: Traditional New Orleans Coffee Shop / Bakery (Famous for chicory coffee and French-style beignets). ​Review: If you want the classic Cafe Du Monde experience without the massive open-air crowds of the French Quarter location, this spot in the Riverwalk mall is a great alternative. The coffee is consistently good—both the classic Cafe Au Lait and the Mocha hit the spot. The stars of the show, though, are the beignets. They come out hot, fresh, and absolutely covered in a generous mountain of powdered sugar. ​Cons: It is a relatively small location tucked into the bottom floor of the mall, which means seating can be limited. Because of its popularity, you should be prepared to stand in a line, though thankfully the staff keeps it moving pretty fast. ​Thumbs up / Thumbs down: Thumbs up! I would definitely go back for a quick, delicious fix when shopping or walking along the riverfront.

Coming from someone who doesn’t usually eat beignets: I really enjoyed them. I see they make them fresh so every order is hot and crispy. This location is out of the way unless going to that mall/riverfront area is your intended destination. We are not local and made this mistake. We ended up walking through a cruise terminal and a sea of people boarding a ship! Then we had to walk through a mall and take escalator down.

Beignets came in orders of 3 and were tasty and fresh, thicker and doughier than I'd imagined. Don't wear dark clothes if you're messy with powdered sugar like me. 🤣 The frozen cafe au lait was strong and tasted exactly like what I expect of their famous chicory coffee. However, the hot mocha coffee was incredibly watered down and undrinkable. Worth a visit but stick to the coffee basics. It's inside a mall so not super atmospheric but there is a view of the Mississippi river and you can take your coffee and shop in an air conditioned environment. If staying at the Hilton you can get there without every having to go outside and roast in the sun. 🥵🤣