The New Orleans Chronicles: Café Du Monde

I was staying in the outer 9^th ward in New Orleans, so when my group and I would meet in the city center, we usually decided on a central destination to meet at, and that was always Café Du Monde.  Café Du Monde is a 24-hour coffee shop known for its coffee with chicory and beignets.  You can also get regular coffee, café au lait, and hot chocolate.  Upon entering the café, I realized that there were a lot of waiters working.  I mean a lot!  There were probably as may waiters as customers, maybe more.  They were sitting at tables on the sides and chatting.  The room boasted a mirrored wall, green and white striped wallpaper and old pictures of New Orleans, assumedly from the 1860’s when they first opened.  The floors had powdered sugar all over them.

I tried the coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, the plate of 3 beignets (French donuts).  The coffee was pretty good.  It was strong, but not overly strong.  There was nothing special about it.  I didn’t have any of the chicory coffee as it is vile by nature.  I’ve had it before, and will not have it again unless forced.  The beignets were quite good, and the plates quickly explained the sugary mess on the floors.  Each trio was piled high with powdered sugar, and even if you’re careful, you (and the floor) will be covered by the white powdery sugar when you are finished.  That is not a bad thing, just one to take note of.  The beignets themselves are similar to fluffy fried dough pillows, and are a tasty treat that don’t fill you up.  The hot chocolate was an unexpected surprise.  It was rich and creamy and delicious and I just didn’t expect it to be so good.  The service was prompt and friendly, if not a little blasé, and earned themselves average tips.  The restaurant also scores extra points with their outdoor seating, which I’m sure is nice in warmer weather.

All told, the Café Du Monde was good.  Their hot chocolate with beignets combo could be craveable, but I don’t dream about it at night.  I would definitely go again, and if I lived in the area, I would probably be there a lot.  It is a bit touristy, but that tends to happen after 150 years of serving the same products.  If you are in New Orleans, you can’t miss Café Du Monde, if only to tell others that you were in one of the most recognized landmarks in the city.  Don’t forget to buy some beignet mix as a souvenir!