Legendary | Worth driving from anywhere
Cafe du Monde
Review by: Jennifer Gaylord
When someone says “New Orleans” what is the first thing that you think of? Music? The rich history of the city? Vampires? Hurricanes? Maybe food? One of the first things that comes to my mind when I think of this great city is beignets. Those delectable squares of fried dough with a crisp outside covered in powdered sugar and a chewy inside. And when I think of beignets, there is one place at the forefront…Cafe du Monde.
What to eat at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans, LA
The beignet is a New Orleans staple and Cafe du Monde has been serving them since 1862. Located across from Jackson Square in The French Quarter, Cafe du Monde is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week (closed only on Christmas Day). With these hours, there is absolutely no wrong time to get a beignet.
Cafe du Monde is a coffee shop so you can get a number of various beverages to wash your beignets down (or to clear your throat after mistakenly inhaling far too much powdered sugar). You can find the typical fresh squeezed orange juice, white milk, chocolate milk, hot chocolate, and soft drinks along with the expected coffee. However, this isn’t your regular roast, it’s coffee and chicory. The addition of the chicory gives the coffee a nutty, almost chocolatey flavor. When it’s served Au Lait where it’s half and half mixed with hot milk, you have an immensely satisfying beverage that’s a perfect accompaniment to your beignets.
Now that you have your beverage and beignets, how do you eat them without choking on all that powdered sugar? First things first, gather all the napkins you can. Next, lay them on every available surface. The table, your lap, leave no area uncovered. The powdered sugar is everywhere. As you carefully extract the beignet from the bag, lean over the table and position yourself above your napkin field. Inhale before you bring the beignet to your mouth, and exhale as you take a bite. Voila! No choking on powdered sugar! On your second bite, I’d suggest dunking it in your cafe au lait. The dunking process will also lessen the powdered sugar and transferring it to the beverage will automatically sweeten your coffee. It’s a win-win.
So the next time you’re in the area stop by for this New Orleans experience. Place your order at the takeout window or sit at one of the tables and wait for table service. It’s usually very busy in the early evening but worth it for the street musicians performing right outside.
Directions & Hours
Information
| Price | $ |
| Seasons | All |
| Meals Served | Breakfast, Lunch, Dessert, Late Night |
| Credit Cards Accepted | No |
| Alcohol Served | No |
| Outdoor Seating | Yes |
What To Eat
Cafe du Monde Recipes
Discuss
What do you think of Cafe du Monde?
One Response to “Cafe du Monde”
Sean Fluharty
November 8th, 2004
You would think that there’s nothing spectacular about fried wedges of dough dusted heavily with powedered sugar, and I thought the same thing 15 years ago when I moved to Louisiana from Pittsburgh. Yet every time I’m in the Crescent City, I feel compelled to make a trip to Cafe du Monde. There’s nothing better on a Saturday or Sunday morning than a plate of beignets and a cup of cafe’ au lait. The bustling crew of waiters and waitresses, the long line of customers, the spilled sprinkles of sugar on the ground, and the pigeons fighting for any morsels which might reach the ground. It’s a unique dining experience, not one to be missed.