10 must-try king cakes in New Orleans for Mardi Gras
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King cake for breakfast? Yes, please. Photo: Chelsea Brasted/Axios
It's the most magnificent time of the year in New Orleans: king cake season.
What's happening: King cakes are sold seasonally between Jan. 6 and Mardi Gras, which is Feb. 13 this year.
Zoom in: While the traditional cinnamon pastry is common, more unusual options are popping up like bacon/marshmallow, Vietnamese coffee and crawfish.
💠Our thought bubble: Every New Orleanian has an opinion about the best king cake and whether it should be filled, unfilled, savory or traditional.
- Here are a few of our favorite king cakes at the moment.
📣 What are your favorites? Tell us at [email protected].
- Antoine's: Their traditional version is, to me, the standard when I think of sharing king cakes with elementary school classmates or, now that I'm older, pairing with coffee. — Chelsea
- Ayu Bakehouse: Caramelized cane sugar and cream cheese threaded throughout a braided croissant-like dough made this an instant favorite. — Chelsea
- Bywater Bakery: This bakery from the creator of the berry Chantilly cake combines those flavors with king cake to make a party favorite. — Carlie
- Dough Nguyener's: This Gretna bakery opened last year and shook up the king cake landscape by stuffing their version with Vietnamese coffee-flavored filling. — Carlie
- Dong Phuong: This Vietnamese bakery in New Orleans East makes one of the most popular king cakes in town. They quickly sell out at the bakery and the resellers. — Carlie
- Empanola: This Uptown bakery makes a guava cream cheese king cake that's just the right amount of fruit without being too sweet. — Carlie
- Haydel's: The praline pecan king cake hits the spot when you are looking for an over-the-top sugar fix. And, I love the mini sculptures that come with the cakes. — Carlie
- Hi-Do: A tasty version of the traditional king cake. — Carlie
- Levee Baking Co.: Rather than a king cake, Levee's take is a galette de reine (queen's cake), which is filled with a not-too-sweet citrus and pecan frangipane. — Chelsea
- Manny Randazzo: This is my go-to for a traditional king cake, but like the cream cheese too. Go early and expect to wait in line for this popular option. — Carlie
Worth noting: The apple and goat cheese king cake from Cake Cafe/NOCCA is a personal favorite for Carlie, but it's not available this year.
Why pick one?
Buy and try multiple cakes at one destination.
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