Nov 12, 2024 - Food and Drink

11 best bakeries in New Orleans

Chelsea Brasted

A plate of rolls sits on a table as a pair of hands pulls one of the rolls apart. — The monkey bread from Willa Jean is an easily shareable dessert. Image: Chelsea Brasted/Axios

New Orleans bakeries have created sweet treats for centuries, from king cakes to the invention of wedding cake flavor.

Why it matters: But most of these neighborhood institutions are also baking up day-to-day standards, which we love just as much.

The big picture: From perfectly crispy croissants to elegant loaves of sandwich bread, you can find a New Orleans bakery to serve your needs.

These are some of our favorite New Orleans bakeries.

Leo's Bread

Leo's Bread started as a small-batch bakery with regular farmers market visits.

It grew into a space in Bayou St. John, where now you can always find perfect bagels, croissants and vegetarian sandwich options.
Our order: A sandwich with avocado, shaved carrots, cilantro, fresh dill and chili crunch ($9).
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Lagniappe Bakehouse

A woman sits behind a pastry case and smiles at the camera. — Kaitlin Guerin is the founder of Lagniappe Bakehouse. Photo: Chelsea Brasted/Axios

Lagniappe Bakehouse, from chef Kaitlin Guerin, has been delighting New Orleans since the pandemic, when a visit home turned into a permanent return and she started selling pastry boxes.

The New Orleans East-raised pastry chef formally trained as a dancer, but found her passion in baking. Now, she shares it from a permanent location just off O.C. Haley Boulevard.
Our order: A grains of paradise Swedish bun ($5.50).
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Ayu Bakehouse

Ayu Bakehouse on Frenchmen Street has achieved the near-impossible: Its out-of-town owners created a must-get king cake.

But the bakery's day-to-day offerings are just as good, and they include fresh bread loaves, a mix of sweet and savory pastries, breakfast and lunch sandwiches and a full coffee bar.
Our order: The Frenchmen sandwich ($13), with prosciutto, a mustardy caper sauce, thin slices of watermelon radish, green beans and mozzarella wrapped in a small baguette.
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Celtica

Image shows Carlie smiling with an almond croissant. — This almond croissant is filled with cream and topped with slivered almonds. Image: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios

Celtica is a Parisian-inspired cafe in New Orleans' Lakeview neighborhood, and you can't go wrong with anything you order here, writes Axios' Carlie Kollath Wells.

Co-owner Dominique Rizzo originally opened La Boulangerie on Magazine Street, earning a loyal following for his croissants, baguettes and pastries.
Now, at Celtica, the menu includes almond croissants, quiches, tarts, macarons, breads and sandwiches.
Our order: quiche Lorraine ($6.80).
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Willa Jean

Willa Jean is a perfect CBD spot regardless of what you're looking for, from a coffee bar to a boozy brunch or a loaf of bread for weekend sandwiches.

Our order: A chopped green salad topped with crispy chicken ($18) and a cinnamon and honey-topped monkey bread ($10).
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Levee Baking Co.

Levee Baking Co. started when Christina Balzebre hosted an Uptown pop-up even while she baked for the Link Restaurant Group, Willa Jean and Surrey's.

The Uptown bakery also happily announced an expansion this fall, so we're excited to see what's next.
Our order: A lemon cream cruffin ($5), with a crunchy, sugar-crusted outside.
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Other bakeries we love:

Dong Phuong in New Orleans East for banh mi sandwiches.
Bywater Bakery, whose owner created the original Chantilly cake. But savory options are just as good.
Angelo Brocato, which is known for its gelato and ices but you're missing out if you skip the bakery case.
La Boulangerie, an Uptown staple with lots of loaves, which they'll slice to make at-home sandwich building easy.
Bearcat Baked, a standalone extension of the popular breakfast and lunch with perfect sweet and savory pastries.

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