Looking for the best beignets in New Orleans? Pronounced ben-YAY, the term likely comes from the Old French ‘buigne’, or ‘lump’ to you and me—a nod to the way that the dough expands in the hot oil. The simplicity of the ingredients (butter, eggs, milk, sugar, flour, salt) means that many cultures have some kind of variant of a beignet. Here in New Orleans, as with most things, we have our own way: Louisiana-style beignets eschew (or, if you will, es-choux) the original French choux pastry method, and are made from leavened dough. Yeast puffs them up into hand-sized rectangles, keeping them crispy and airy. They’re best eaten as hot and freshly-made as possible. Most vendors dust them with generous mounds of powdered sugar, so be sure to wear dark clothing for the full experience.
In one of my favorite television quotes from the animated show King of the Hill, the gang’s capers takes them to New Orleans when truculent conspiracist Dale Gribble chirps up: “How ’bout I come with? I’ve always wanted to eat fried dough in the most corrupt city on Earth.” As a (long-time) New Orleans transplant, I know better than to stir up local politics. So I’m wary about diving into the thorny issue of ranking one of the city’s most recognizable delicacies. Beignets are serious business here—in league with the Boston Cream, it’s one of two State Donuts. (Look, prestige takes many forms, OK?)
If you know beignets, you’ll likely know Cafe du Monde, still operating since its humble beginnings as a coffee stand in 1862. A block from the Mississippi River in the historic French Quarter, its menu has barely changed in well over a century. By 1870, they had a rival: Morning Call Coffee Stand, which is also still going strong. In the intervening years, more cafes and innovative new restaurants mean that you now have more than two choices, and excitingly, much more than one type of beignet. I personally recommend them as breakfast with a cafe au lait (or a brandy milk punch, if that’s how you choose to live your life), or as a mid-afternoon sweet treat; to beat the lines at the best beignet spots in town, many visitors head to Café du Monde (which is open until 12:00 am on weekends) late into the night.
Purists may rail against new-fangled variations (the border between beignet and fritter can be blurred), but the simplicity of the base makes this creation ideal for chefs to experiment with. Glazed, savory, and stuffed versions can be found around the city, and whether you skew classic or innovative, there’s a spot to suit your tastes. For locals and visitors alike, these are—in no particular order—some of the very best beignets in New Orleans, for when fried dough is the only thing that’ll hit the spot.
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Dining and Cooking