Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans

This is another of those places in New Orleans that you just have to visit. You can order some traditional New Orleans pastries and watch all of the other tourists and people on the streets. I highly recommend the muffalatta (spelling?)

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Cafe du Monde is open again after Hurricane Katrina (October 2005).
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We decided to do the French Market on Saturday. About the time my feet gave out it was noon. I spotted the Original Cafe Du Monde Coffee Stand (established in 1862) across the street - this is the famous place in New Orleans where Rachael Ray ate breakfast the TV program (Food Channel) $40/day. I knew from the program that they did beignets 24/7.

So we went in and had lunch including beignets.

Beignets are a kind of a dessert pastry that were brought to Louisiana by the Acadians - fried fritters, sometimes filled with fruit. Today, the beignet is a square piece of dough, fried and covered with powdered sugar. They reminded me in taste of square pieces of funnel cakes. I didn't think we could come to Cafe du Monde which is famous for coffe and beignets, and not have at least one of them..

The Cafe is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It closes only on Christmas Day and on the day an occasional Hurricane passes too close to New Orleans.

To get the whole Big Easy experience, you must stop by the Cafe Du Monde for beignets and coffee with chicory! Nothing gets you through your trip like a sugar high. There is usually a line here, but worth the wait. It was started as a coffee stand in 1862. It's open 24 hours a day....364 days a year. Closed only on Christmas!!

This is a can't-miss sight, just off of Jackson Square. Cafe du Monde is an open-air restaurant just off of Jackson Square, open 24 hours a day with free live music often playing nearby. The beignets are superb...don't let the cheap prices fool you.

Often there is a long wait to get in...don't let that discourage you.

AAAhhhh, late night at Cafe du Monde. Beignes, coffee, and 20 people with the same idea as you. And then another 30 REALLY strange people doing God knows what, dressed in penguin outfits. You laugh, but just you wait and see! All in all, if you go out on Bourbon, there is no better place to quench the late-night munchies than Cafe du Monde.

****Word of Caution****
Be careful when you are eating beignes! Do not breathe in when you eat them!!!!!! The powdered sugar will soon find itself all over your friend sitting across from you!!!!

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This is where EVERYONE must go to have cafe au lait and French donuts (beneigts)... Really fattening...sinfully delicious... And you never know who you might meet! What a surprise to see Jerry Springer there! What a treat for the visiting Canadian!

You haven't been to New Orleans if you haven't enjoyed a beignet and a cup of Cafe au Lait at the Cafe du Monde. It wasn't that impressive if you are used to Belgian bakers, but the location is great!

Have Breakfast at Cafe du Monde.
This is the original, a slice of New Orleans charm. Don't expect anything fancy, just coffee, hot chocolate and Beignets (french doughnuts) served 24 hours a day. A great place to people watch and enjoy some street music.