Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!
You’ll hear this shouted at every parade across Louisiana during the Mardi Gras season and translated from Cajun French it means “Let the good times roll!” Of course, we here in Los Angeles certainly know how to let a good time roll, and we love exploring new cultural traditions, especially if they involve delicious food. So this Fat Tuesday, Feb. 13th, 2024, embrace Mardi Gras as your new favorite holiday and go snack on a King Cake or a beignet.
What Is A King Cake?
King Cake is the celebratory food of Mardi Gras in Louisiana, and it’s taken seriously. The cake is a mix between a big cinnamon roll and a coffee cake and is often stuffed with delicious fillings like decadent cream cheese or sweet fruit jams. It’s covered in a delicious sweet glaze and topped with green, purple, and yellow sprinkles which are the colors of Mardi Gras.
Be careful when you bite into your slice because hidden within each King Cake is a tiny plastic baby. If you get the plastic baby in your piece of cake, tradition says you must buy the next King Cake. So the Mardi Gras fun is never ending.
What Is A Beignet?
Beignets are a favorite breakfast treat or snack for all Louisiana natives and are eaten all year long. A beignet is a type of deep fried pastry shaped like a pillowy square and smothered with powdered sugar. They usually come in an order of three, and they’re simply delicious at any time.
Top 2 Bakeries For King Cake In L.A.
This home-based small bakery business has been going strong since 2006 when it was started by two sisters who wanted to keep their Creole heritage going strong. Their King Cakes are in high demand every single year. So high in fact, that they’ve already stopped taking custom orders this year. However, they tease that they’ll have extra King Cakes this Tuesday, so keep a close eye on their Instagram stories for more updates.
Call: (323) 759-7188
Location: 1942 W 85th St Los Angeles, CA 90047
L.A.’s beloved family-owned bakery has another hit on their hands. They offer both regular size and mini King Cakes stuffed with a tangy vanilla cream cheese custard and topped with icing and purple, yellow, and green crystal sugar. You can find them at one of their many locations across Southern California, but they also ship their pastries nationwide.
Locations:
- 19467 Nordhoff St | Northridge, CA 91324
- 7640 Beach Blvd | Buena Park, CA 90620
- 3614 W. Magnolia Blvd | Burbank, CA 91505
- 8233 Firestone Blvd | Downey, CA 90241
- 315 N. Brand Blvd | Glendale, CA 91203
- 584 S. Sunset Ave | West Covina, CA 91790
Top 4 Spots For Beignets In L.A.
This grocery-deli specializes in Louisiana and Southern Regional cuisine, and they’re located right in the heart of Chinatown in Los Angeles. Ask for an order of beignets with a traditional Louisiana favorite – chicory cafe au lait. Plus, they have a traditional New Orleans style bread pudding with whiskey sauce to fully satisfy your sweet tooth.
Call: (213) 620-0461
Location: 207 Ord St Los Angeles, CA 90012
This New Orleans-inspired eatery is making waves with all of the delicious Cajun classic dishes they offer. But their beignets are the true star this Mardi Gras season. Order the traditional beignets, or try their spin on the classic treat – beignet sticks.
Call: (818) 208-9838
Location: 14543 Ventura Blvd Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
This legendary Creole cafe has been serving up delectable Creole dishes in some form or another since 1986, so they know what they’re doing. Grab an order of the classic beignets or their version with a special Southern twist – Peach Beignets dusted with cinnamon and sugar.
Call: (323) 413-2494
Location: 5545 W Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90019
This delicious Southern style bakery creates nostalgic Southern sweet treats that honor the cultural traditions of New Orleans. They offer traditional beignets, but they also offer special one-of-a-kind versions like King Cake beignets and Chocolate Covered Strawberry beignets. Their Bananas Foster Bread Pudding deliciously combines two New Orleans classics. Plus, grab a few authentic New Orleans style pralines as well to make your Mardi Gras complete.
Location:
- Every Sunday at Smorgasburg LA
- Catering info available here