In truth, there’s a strong argument to be made for the City Park destination of Cafe du Monde, only a year or two old, being a preferable stop over the original in the Quarter. Where else can you enjoy one of New Orleans’s most treasured, beautiful settings with piping hot beignets and a just-made cafe au lait in hand? Not to mention the line, if there is one at all, can’t rival the usual line at CDM downtown.

Morning Call beignet fans are legion, impressed by the fried to order tender beignets offered in a paper bag, letting a person choose how much sugar to shake over the treat. Now located at 5101 Canal Street, Morning Call offers more than just breakfast, with daily specials and even Irish coffee featured.

A family-friendly, quintessential neighborhood restaurant, Katie’s is known for straightforward Southern and Louisiana favorites, as well as brunch, a great Cuban, and the crawfish beignets: crawfish, shrimp, cheddar, mozzarella, jalapenos, and caramelized onion served with a bright dipping sauce. Winner of the 2018 Beignet Fest.

Stuph’D Beignets & Burgers, a delightful Gentilly-turned-St. Claude Avenue restaurant, specializes in fried-to-order beignets bursting with savory or sweet fillings, from Creole crawfish, shrimp, and crabmeat; Philly cheesesteak; and BBQ beef on the savory side; and sweets including traditional, cheesecake with strawberries, and a customer favorite, the sweet potato beignet. The cheese-stuffed burgers here are great.

The first Cafe Du Monde opened in 1862 in a stand in the French Market, and ever since, beignets have been the cafe’s calling card. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Cafe Du Monde’s menu is succinct: beignets, three to an order, doused in confectioners’ sugar; orange juice, and cafe au lait made with chicory.

This is where visitors frequent if they want their beignets along with a hot breakfast in the French Quarter. Cafe Beignet has three locations, including one on Bourbon Street, and a menu of eggs, grits, waffles, and New Orleans staples including red beans and rice and etouffee.

Chef Byron Halliburton turns all kinds of ingredients upside down at SoBou in the French Quarter. Whether he’s serving a cochon de lait and oyster surf and turf or making corndogs studded with shrimp and tasso, expect the unexpected. Like the foie fondue he serves with those addictive duck and sweet potato beignets, a winning combo.

Criolla is a sleeper in the Monteleone, a spirited Creole spot with an inventive menu and solid service. The blue crab and corn beignets are a super savory option, served with Cajun brown butter and remoulade. But there’s also a sweet breakfast option of French Market style beignets with praline sauce and strawberries.

Bakery Bar has maintained its hidden gem status over the years even as it's grown in popularity for happy hour, brunch, after-dinner cocktails, and of course, dessert (and now there’s an awesome new dinner menu to boot). In addition to the bar’s legendary slices of Doberge cake, Bakery Bar serves up a few versions of sweet beignets for dessert, a wildly popular version with housemade chocolate chip cookies, an apple pie filled beignet (get the optional scoop of gelato) and a more traditional order. All are top-notch.

Love this French cafe on Magazine, which asks the question, “A hot beignet is a pillow of goodness, and who doesn’t love their pillow?” on its website. The menu offers plain and cinnamon flavors, but the Vintage also offers beignet specials — like a king cake beignet during Carnival. Beignets and pastries are served all day, with savory bites like boudin balls and flavored flatbreads offered from 11 a.m. Good cocktails here as well.

Basin continues to be a great neighborhood hidden gem, reinventing and innovating in some ways but maintaining the elements that gained it a longtime base of regulars, particularly menu items. One of those is the blue crab beignet appetizer, good enough to rival any of the fine-dining versions, super light and fluffy. Don’t miss the soft shell crab when it’s on the menu.