Wed to Sun 06:30 to 14:30, closed Mon and TueWalk-in onlyFrench pastry and quiche
Croissant D'Or in New Orleans is the French Quarter patisserie on Ursulines Avenue, in a 1913 Brocato's ice cream shop space, with classic French pastry and an Old World courtyard.
Tip: The almond croissant and the apple turnover are the cult orders; the back courtyard is the prize seat.
Worth the queue: Almond croissant
Tue to Sun 07:00 to 15:00, closed MondayWalk-in onlyFrench breads and viennoiserie
La Boulangerie in New Orleans is the Donald Link bakery on Magazine Street near Cadiz, with French country breads, pain au chocolat and an Uptown morning queue at the counter.
Tip: The pain au chocolat sells out by 10:30 on weekends; pre-order loaves on Friday for Saturday pickup.
Worth the queue: Pain au chocolat
Wholesale only; no retail counterPo-boy bread
Leidenheimer in New Orleans is the 1896 Central City wholesale bakery on Simon Bolivar Avenue that bakes the airy French loaf used at almost every po-boy shop in the city.
Tip: No retail; the bread is at Domilise's, Parkway, Mahony's and most po-boy shops in the city.
Worth the queue: Po-boy French loaf
Tue to Sun 07:00 to 17:00, closed MondayWalk-in onlyFrench and Polish pastry
Maple Street Patisserie in New Orleans is the Carrollton Polish-French pastry counter on Maple Street near Adams, with almond croissants, kremowka and a long Tulane queue at lunchtime.
Tip: The kremowka (Polish vanilla custard square) is the cult order; arrive before 11:00 weekends.
Worth the queue: Almond croissant
Mon to Sat 06:30 to 17:30, Sun 06:30 to 14:00Walk-in onlyKing cake and Mardi Gras pastry
Haydel's Bakery just outside New Orleans on Jefferson Highway is the family-run king cake institution since 1959, with traditional cinnamon-braided king cakes shipped nationwide.
Tip: Order online for nationwide shipping in Carnival season; the original Jefferson store also stocks daily.
Worth the queue: Traditional king cake
Tue to Sun 06:00 to 17:00, closed MondayWalk-in onlyVietnamese pastry and king cake
Dong Phuong in New Orleans is the James Beard America's Classics Vietnamese bakery on Chef Menteur Highway in New Orleans East, with the city's most-demanded Mardi Gras king cake.
Tip: King cake sales run January 6 to Ash Wednesday only; lines form before opening on weekends.
Worth the queue: King cake (Mardi Gras season)