It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Mardi Gras : The Best King Cakes & Where To Get ‘Em

Not only does this time of year mean parades, Popeye’s, and finding a place to pee, it also means king cake. Like any good New Orleanian, I have sacrificed my blood sugar levels in search of my favorite.  This is one of my favorite parts Carnival season, and there always seems to be king cake every where I go (gosh, darn it). We decided to poll friends and readers to see which ones takes the crown (pun intended). New Orleanians are nothing if not passionate and opinionated about food, and this was no exception. King cake is like gumbo: everyone has a favorite, every family has a tradition, and many people won’t veer from the familiar.

The Best King Cakes in New Orleans

I will forever be a Vietnamese bakery fan and my top two for quite some time have been Hi-Do Bakery and Dong Phuong. These two are not really comparable, as the king cakes are very different styles. These were the top suggestions when I polled people for their favorite king cakes. Hi-Do is more of a bread dough with colored sugar. You can order these in any color and filling you like (I love the Bavarian cream). While you’re there, pick up a few croissants- you won’t be disappointed. Now for Dong Phuong: scoring one of these is like the Hunger Games. A guaranteed way to secure one is to order on their website for pickup at their location in the East. If you’d rather not make the drive, I find Zuppardo’s in Metairie to be a solid bet. Just arrive early, as they always go quickly. This king cake is a solid round, with no hole in the middle. The icing is a cream cheese buttercream and frankly, I could bathe in it. Channel your inner Katniss and volunteer as tribute to get this one.

Fan Favorites

While I couldn’t possibly name all the places people love, the other bakeries most often mentioned were Haydel’s, Antoine’s (grab some of their glazed beignets while you’re at it), and Randazzo’sFor all the flavored king cake fans, look no further than Brennan’s Bananas Foster king cake. I don’t know what voodoo they used to make it taste exactly like their famous dessert, but this one is perfection. A newcomer to Chalmette is Rebouche’s Cafe, who offers a wide variety including king cake bread pudding.

Lending itself to a true King’s Day tradition, the ‘La Galette De Rois from La Boulangerie will change your life. This is baked throughout France in January and considered the origin of king cake.

If you’re on the hunt for vegan, gluten free or sugar free, check out Maya’s post, A Cake for Every Queen. And if you just can’t pick one, visit King Cake Hub on S. Broad and please everyone’s palate.

Which one is your favorite king cake? Do I need to keep tasting more?

Relevant Reads ::

Guide to New Orleans Mardi Gras Events and Camps

Ultimate Guide to Mardi Gras With Kids

22 COMMENTS

  1. Breads on Oak has really good king cakes and la boulangerie makes the gallette, the French king cake which is awesome too, but la boulangerie isn’t the same as it used to be so I don’t know if it’s still any good.

  2. You’ve got to try Caluda’s in Harahan. Tops Randazzo’s for me. Also Gracious Bakery does a nice satsuma filled king cake, although I always wish it had more filling.

  3. Can anyone tell me where I can find a king cake like the “plain” sugar ones from McKenzie’s that will ship out of state, one that I can order on-line if its not in the Baton Rouge or Hammond area?

  4. FOM Bakery in Slidell does a puff pastry style one that is so delish, and SugarLove Sweets (also Slidell) is the best traditional in town! Better than the much-lauded Randazzos, in my opinion!!

  5. Caluda’s King Cake! John used to have that sweet “Cottage” on Metairie Rd pre-Katrina. Now he does amazing catering out of his new place in Harahan. You can get a Christmas King Cake from him this weekend if you get up early. You won’t be disappointed. They are FABULOUS!!

  6. Party Palace king cakes (a wholesale bakery out of Kenner) sells their king cakes at Langensteins on Metairie Rd. Even the plain ones are SUPER-MOIST. They are our family’s absolute favorite. They also ship!

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