19 Best Bakeries In New Orleans

Think about the cities typically called the best bakery towns in America. San Francisco and New York are definitely in there. Chicago, probably, and maybe Portland, too. One city that's often left out of that conversation is New Orleans. Obviously, with French, Creole, and regional cuisines from Africa and Asia making such big waves constantly — not to mention the cocktail culture — the Crescent City's baking cred plays second fiddle (or, in this case, trombone).

But sleeping on NOLA's bakery scene is a big, bready mistake. As someone who has lived here for nearly a decade, I have been on the scene to witness the (relatively) recent resurgence of an industry that has a historic place in the city's food culture. After all, po'boy fixings have never been served on a platter; they require French bread. And what's Mardi Gras without king cake?

New Orleans' baking traditions go back centuries. At one point, there were over a hundred independent bakers around town in just about every neighborhood. Most of those ovens went cold around the middle of the last century, though some historic bakeries still exist today as proof against time and attrition. Today, the industry is rising again. Some of the best bakeries in New Orleans are local neighborhood haunts slinging pastries that could make a Parisian's mouth water. Others aren't shy about stepping into the luxurious reputation of patisserie. All of them are a welcome reason to put NOLA on the baking city map. 

Bellegarde is styled after Old World bakeries of yore, but its fresh goods feel very of the moment when put in relation to the way NOLA's food scene is moving. Everything is done by hand, slowly fermented, and leavened with sourdough. The bakery is employee-owned and operates as a values-based co-op. Even the milling is done at Bellegarde with an antique stone set that grinds full heirloom wheat berries. 

French breads are the biggest draw at Bellegarde; grab an epi baguette to snack on throughout the day. The shop has also shifted into pastries, pizza dough, and pasta over the past few years as well. Its dedicated approach has even won the shop a 2025 James Beard nomination. 

bellegardebakery.com

(504) 827-0008

8300 Apple St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Before opening at its current Magazine Street location, Christina Balzebre's Levee Baking Co. started as a creative outlet. Balzebre previously worked as a bread manager for the local titan, Link Restaurant Group. The shop opened little more than a half-year before the Covid-19 pandemic and stayed afloat with massive amounts of community support and by slinging exceptional pastry. Now, it's a neighborhood mainstay.

Many types of country-style bread are available, but the true draws are menu options like spiced buttermilk muffins, rye brownies, and vegan salted chocolate olive oil cookies. The breakfast sandwiches are wonderful, too, and good luck leaving without a slice of cake. 

leveebakingco.com

(504) 354-8708

3138 Magazine St D, New Orleans, LA 70115

The Station does a lot of things right. It's an inclusive space with hospitable service, but most of all, there are the biscuits. Admittedly, they are more a personal favorite than anything else, but with more layers than a tree ring, they are also (objectively) really dang good. Order as a sandwich or plain — you'll enjoy them either way. 

If savory goods get you going, continue onto the Cajun smoked sausage roll, a local twist on a British classic. For something sweet, order The Station's kouign amann from the pastry case. Its crisp edges are a textural delight, with just enough saccharineness.

thestation.coffee

(504) 309-4548

4400 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Angelo Brocato, an Italian pasticceria and gelato shop, has been around for over 100 years, starting in the French Quarter before moving to its Mid-City location a handful of decades ago. The ice-cold gelato is good any time of day, but the bakery offers pleasures you won't find anywhere else in the city, like anise toast, almond toast, and biscotti regina, a sesame-coated snack that snaps with tradition.

There are several places that serve cannolis in New Orleans, but you should skip them all in order to save room for Angelo Brocato's. Chocolate-dipped, pistachio-coated, or filled with tiramisu-inspired mascarpone — the best part is you won't have to choose in most cases because you can get an order of mini-cannolis and sample the bunch. There's a reason the shop was part of the inaugural class of James Beard's Outstanding Bakeries in 2023.

angelobrocatoicecream.com

(504) 486-1465

214 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

A step inside Ayu Bakehouse is a unique sensory experience. The smells are richly intoxicating, the sights are pleasantly chic, and the tastes are some of the best around town. Pastries and breads are a key focus, but also a place of play; there are roasted corn sourdough, goods "booming" with mushrooms, and jalapeño cornbread cookies to amp up the baking creativity. 

For those wanting to satisfy their hunger with something a bit more straightforward, egg salad or chicken salad sandwiches are a safe bet. Then there's the Frenchmen — prosciutto, tomato, mozzarella, radish, snap beans, and special sauce — sandwiched between a mini baguette. The most crave-worthy offering, however, might be the Boudin Boy, which you should not skip under any circumstances.

ayubakehouse.com

(504) 302-7985

801 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Although Dong Phuong's ovens stay cooking year-round, the bakery is never as hot as when Mardi Gras season rolls around. For most, this is the best king cake in the city because it's balanced: Baked with superior technique, just sweet enough, spiced, and with an almost imperceptibly salty finish. Getting your hands on one can be quite the battle, and timing matters, which is one part of the reason the James Beard Foundation awarded Dong Phuong as an American Classic in 2018.

Besides dessert, it's widely agreed upon that the best po'boys in New Orleans are served on Dong Phuong French bread. So, too, is the restaurant's bahn mi, an undisputed must-try when visiting this traditional Vietnamese bakery. Hold down a mooncake as well for dessert. 

dpbakery.com

(504) 254-0214

14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, Ste 1A, New Orleans, LA 70129

Hi-Do Bakery is one of the farther choices from the city proper, but it remains one of the best bakeries in New Orleans' metro area. It's a family-owned and operated establishment that serves Vietnamese baked goods as well as fresh breads and sweet treats. 

During festive times of the year, like the Carnival season, Hi-Do sells king cakes in all kinds of shapes and colors to match the season — think crawfish, fleur de lis, and red-green Christmas styles — so you can taste the traditional dessert year-round. Its style of king cake is sans-icing, the preference being a pure sugar coating that makes the cakes a little less cloying and a better highlight of pastry quality. Various pastries, pies, and even "shoe sole" pastries are also a common calling card at Hi-Do.

facebook.com/hidobakery

(504) 366-6555

439 Terry Pkwy, Terrytown, LA 70056

For those wanting variety, a stroll into Bywater Bakery could be the move. Since opening in 2017, the establishment has sought to embody the vital spirit of one of New Orleans' most artistic and eclectic neighborhoods. The goal is happiness, and it's displayed in a pastry case stacked five high, filled with a wide array of biscuits, bars, muffins, croissants, twists, and plaits — and that's only the start.

Although Friday's bagel drop often results in a queue, Bywater's most notorious item is its Chantilly cake. It would be soft enough to rest your head on if you chose, but chances are it'll never reach beyond your mouth, and then it's down into your belly with an impossibly smooth, sweet, whipped cream. The kitchen is only open until 2 p.m., so get it while it's hot.

bywaterbakery.com

(504) 336-3336

3624 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Although you no longer have to travel all the way to the Crescent City for a taste of Gambino's (the bakery ships nationally), it doesn't mean you should skip a trip to one of the most historic bakeries around town. To put it plainly, the bakery isn't as exciting as some other bakery/café combos in NOLA, but it is a 75-year-old operation that cooks up a prized version of doberge cake.

Gambino's does a lot of things well, but it does doberge the best. Six layers of buttermilk cake, split by custard and buttercream, and coated in poured icing? What could be better? The same cake but served in a medley of colors and flavors, as done at Gambino's.

gambinos.com

(504) 885-7500

4821 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie, LA 70006

Like so many bakeries around New Orleans, Leo's Bread started on a smaller scale than its current brick-and-mortar digs suggest. In the past, Kate Heller was known for slinging bread out of the back of her car outside of the local Pagoda Cafe. She eventually moved on to a Crescent City farmers market booth and then to her current Bell Street shop. 

These days, the storefront is a great place to pick up million-layer croissants, loaves of semolina bread, or polenta cookies. However, if you're in the mood to experience Heller's baking as the grassroots operation it's always been, you can catch Leo's Bread staying true to its roots at farmers' markets on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

leosbread.com

2438 Bell St, New Orleans, LA 70119

There are many French bakeries in New Orleans, but there are very few bakeries led by genuine French folks. Celtica, the brainchild of pastry chef Dominique Rizzo and Sirlei Guidry, is one of them. For those unfamiliar, Rizzo is the founder of Uptown's La Boulangerie, another of the city's cherished baking institutions. Rizzo opened Celtica in 2022, and since then, his shop has become the premier bakery and café in the Lakeview neighborhood. 

Whether you're rolling up for a croissant aux amandes et chocolat, financier cookies, galette des rois, tarte citron of lemon cream and meringue, or quiche (both Florentine and Lorraine), the quality you'll find at Celtica is very high. 

celticabakery.com

(504) 354-8548

218 Allen Toussaint Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124

To put it mildly, La Boulangerie evokes strong opinions in New Orleanians, at least those with long memories. First opened by Dominique Rizzo, the Uptown bakery was a neighborhood favorite for years before it was purchased by Donald Link's restaurant group in 2016, closed, remodeled, and then reopened. Change rattles a lot of people, and for some, the baked goods will never be the same. For the rest of us, they still slap, as the kids say.

There are exciting options up and down the pastry case, from curried meat pies to cinnamon walnut churros, though most people come for an actual meal. Freshly baked breads accentuate rotating sandwich selections, and on any given day, you can have smoked salmon on toasted olive bread, roasted lamb on focaccia, or a mix of cheddar cheeses melted and grilled on toasted sourdough.

laboulangerienola.com

(504) 269-3777

4600 Magazine St, #1518, New Orleans, LA 70115

Buttermilk Drop Bakery might not technically be a historic bakery in New Orleans, given that it opened this side of the century in 2008, but it's a business that developed in the tender years following Hurricane Katrina. Hence, it holds a special place in the heart of residents in the local Tremé neighborhood and the city at large. 

You won't find many bready offerings at Buttermilk Drop Bakery, but that's because you're coming for the sweets. The signature dishes are the buttermilk drops, a donut-hole-like bite that is so soft and sugary it dissolves on the tongue. When they're warm, they remind you what is so good about living in New Orleans. Of course, there are also fresh donuts and delectable homemade honey buns, among other treats.

buttermilkdrop.com

(504) 784-3931

1781 N Dorgenois St, New Orleans, LA 70119

You'll find Le Café Éblouir tucked away across the river in Gretna Marketplace, which may seem like a far way to go for one of New Orleans' best bakeries, but it is absolutely worth the trip. In particular, the freshly baked sandwich bread makes for a reveling panini, and who hasn't ever gone out of their way for a piping hot sandwich?

In addition to brunch items like this, the menu features a mix of French and Asian sweets — macarons, mochi ice cream, and bingsu can all be had — and the coffee is also top-notch. Plus, 6-to-8-inch chiffon cakes are also around if you're lucky enough to pull up before they sell out. 

lecafeeblouir.com

(504) 354-8058

2112 Belle Chasse Hwy, Ste 1, Gretna, LA 70056

Determined to ensure that Uptown New Orleans is not left out of the bakery conversation, Nancy Nguyen operates O'Delice Bakery as a community-driven shop specializing particularly in buttercream cakes that tower high, croquembouche iced the color of the New Orleans Saint or Tulane Green Wave, and a suite of other French pastry options. 

The chocolate eclairs are heavenly light, the choux pastry perfected, and the chicken salad served on a croissant is one of the most picnic-able around town. Another specialty is the creative tarts that sometimes fill the case at O'Delice, such as a keylime version that is particularly popular (at least with this writer).

instagram.com/odelicebakery_nola

(504) 895-2144

6033 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70118

With two locations around New Orleans, you're never too far from a Gracious Bakery, which means good bread and other baked goods are within reach at a moment's notice. Pastry chef Megan Forman and her husband Jay Forman worked to create a menu full of choices, whether you're coming for some brunch or need a quick grab-and-go sandwich to sustain you through the day. 

In addition to the country-style bread loaves of sourdough, multigrain, and more, Gracious Bakery is known for delicious bagels with a lush, dense interior as well. Among other things, the bakeries are also a great place to hang out while appreciating the coffee and food, and booze can be purchased to enjoy off the property.

graciousbakery.com

Multiple locations in New Orleans

One of New Orleans' favorite stops for plant-based foods, Breads on Oak, covers two locations across the city — its original and eponymous Oak Street shop and a bakery on Carondelet Street between the Warehouse District and French Quarter. The menu doesn't vary massively between the two, but there are small caveats, including the ambiance.

For veggie lovers, Breads on Oak is a must-visit — where else can you get plant-based meatballs served on a freshly made brioche roll? How about a tofu scramble and vegan bacon breakfast sandwich or chickpea sausage served on a buttermilk biscuit? There are even snacks and meal options for gluten-free diners, like a wicked good brownie that doesn't miss out on the flour at all. 

breadsonoak.com

Multiple locations in New Orleans

In the language of New Orleans, lagniappe means "a little extra." It doesn't feel totally accurate for chef Kaitlin Guerin's Lagniappe Bakehouse, which gives much more than just a little bit. The pastries aren't just artisanal — they're art. They're highly technical. They're so delicious you will find yourself making any excuse to steer the car, bike, or taxi driver toward Euterpe Street in Central City. Lagniappe Bakehouse is only open from Thursday to Sunday, and you need to get there before the goods sell out.

What awaits you are pastries with lots of inventiveness. That's what happens when you intern at a Copenhagen restaurant and start your company by collaborating with some of New Orleans' best restaurants (Guerin previously worked with Dakar chef Serigne Mbaye). Swedish rolls, corn muffins, and collard green quiche are just a few. Gluten-free options appear sometimes, too. Did we mention that you need to get there before things sell out? That means fast.

lagniappebaking.com

1825 Euterpe St, New Orleans, LA 70113

A lot of pop-ups have success, but making the jump to a brick-and-mortar shop does not guarantee continued prosperity in business. What does, however, are world-class bagels. Lucky for all of us, these are what gets sold at Breanne Kostyk's Flour Moon Bagels. What makes them so special? An 18-hour cold fermentation and intimate care with ingredients. 

Kettle-boiled and baked at 500 degrees Fahrenheit, it's clear that Kostyk takes a scientific approach. Bagels make up the base of mouth-watering tartines, but you can also, naturally, have them on a sandwich as well. The whitefish salad on sea salt bagel could compete in Brooklyn if it had to, though you'll be glad to have the relative peace of eating just off the Lafitte Greenway. 

flourmoonbagels.com

(504) 354-1617

457 N Dorgenois St, New Orleans, LA 70119

A pastry hates to see me coming. What does that mean in practical terms of collecting the bakeries for this article? I've spent more than my fair share of time in nearly every one of the bakeries on this list, or at least scarfing down their goods. As such, nearly all of the suggestions on this list come from personal experience. The spots that I didn't visit personally have been recommended to me by friends and former colleagues within the New Orleans food industry. 

Reviews did make up an important yet not overstated part of developing this list as well. Accolades, such as James Beard nominations and awards, and local recognition also played a part in helping to cultivate this list. Overall, defining the "best" will always be subjective, but with an eye toward the size of offerings, quality, and technique, I did my best to keep this collection as objective as possible.