Café du Monde
That chicory-spiked New Orleans cold brew that you’re buying by the gallon back home? You have Café du Monde to thank for that. This is an OG coffee shop that almost needs no introduction: It’s a crowded open-air café that’s inextricable from French Quarter tourist culture, but it also serves a strong, rich café au lait that’s launched a thousand barista careers. (Do you need to try the frozen one? Yes, get one of those, too.) There are now eight stalls throughout the city, so check the website to see if there’s one near you. The original—and the most charming—is totally worth the wait.
PRO TIP: Beignets. Did we mention the hot, pillowy, buried-under-powdered-sugar beignets? Just don’t buy that box of mix to take home. You know you’ll never make them. You should, however, grab a few cans of the coffee for cold-brewing.
THE DETAILS: French Market location open 24 hours a day; closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
