A guide to the bakeries across the Bayou State that produce some of the best king cakes during Mardi Gras.
King cakes have existed in Louisiana since at least the 19th century. Jonathan Olivier/Télé-Louisiane
By Jonathan Olivier
It’s that coveted time of year when bakeries across Louisiana begin churning out king cakes for just a few short weeks during carnival season. While these colorful pastries are ubiquitous, they vary in quality or taste by bakery and by city. This guide rounds up the bakeries that make the best king cakes across the Bayou State—from the Crescent City to Acadiana to the hills of north Louisiana.
New Orleans Metro Area
New Orleans offers a dizzying array of options for those looking for a king cake during Mardi Gras. Lilah’s Bakery
Caluda’s King Cakes
Harahan
Caluda’s King Cakes has been producing some of the best king cakes in the New Orleans metro area for 35 years. Started by John Caluda and now run by his son, Josh, this bakery has taken home numerous awards, most recently the 2022 King of Cake award that tallied more than 42,000 total votes. Caluda’s uses a moist Danish dough topped with cinnamon sugar and melted butter. Vanilla icing is made fresh in house. A local favorite is their praline, made even richer with the option of a cream cheese filling.
Manny Randazzo’s King Cakes
Metairie
Due to the popularity of their king cakes, in 1995 Manny Randazzo devoted the business to making the seasonal treats each year starting in December. Options include traditional cinnamon versions with the trademark Randazzo white icing, as well as the pecan praline, apple, strawberry, and lemon-filled varieties. Lines can often stretch outside the doors during the peak of Mardi Gras season, but it’s well worth the wait.
Antoine’s Famous Cakes & Pastries
Gretna
Antoine’s king cakes don’t feature granulated sugar, but thick, white icing along with green, purple, and gold icing drizzled on top. Antoine’s is home to the original queen cake, which features five different fillings like blueberry and strawberry. While the Gretna location is the original, another location in Metairie opened several years ago.
Haydel’s Bakery
New Orleans
A Crescent City institution for decades, Haydel’s Bakery features all of the traditional options plus creations like German chocolate and brownie chocolate chip. If you find yourself in another state this season, Haydel’s can quell homesickness with shipping options. Their “Da Parish” package features a traditional king cake, a history of carnival season pamphlet, a pack of French Market coffee, and a pack of beads.
Berry Town Produce
Hammond
Hundreds of king cakes sell each day at this favorite on the North Shore, along with another location in nearbyPonchatoula. Cindy Henderson is Berry Town’s owner, and her family owns a sizable strawberry farm in a region dubbed the strawberry capital of Louisiana. This is the inspiration for Berry Town’s signature and amazingly fresh strawberry cream cheese king cake.
South Louisiana
The home of numerous courir de mardi gras celebrations, south Louisiana has its own unique carnival season traditions—and a wide selection of king cakes. Jonathan Olivier/Télé-Louisiane
Ambrosia Bakery
Baton Rouge
Founded by New Orleans natives Cheryl and Felix Sherman in 1993, Ambrosia Bakery has grown to be a favorite of the Capital City, selling more than 20,000 king cakes each year. While traditional options abound, Ambrosia’s Zulu king cake is a sensation all its own. It features a coconut spread on the inside with chocolate chips and cream cheese, topped with chocolate icing and toasted coconut.
Keller’s Bakery
Lafayette
For people in Acadiana, Keller’s and king cake are synonymous. The Keller’s secret lies in a Danish pastry recipe that’s more than 120 years old—the Keller family were bakers in France before coming to south Louisiana. Their king cakes are stuffed with fresh filling and topped with light frosting and sprinkles. Ordering ahead is recommended during the height of Mardi Gras season.
Cannata’s Market
Houma
Cannata’s has long been a favorite for communities down the bayou in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, but the rest of the state is catching on. This Houma bakery was a “people’s choice” winner at the 2017 and 2019 King Cake Festival. Part of the secret to success has been the bakery’s “gooey butter,” featured in options like the rougagooey king cake and the gooey butter snikerdoodle.
Misse’s Grocery
Sulphur
The bakery of this small-town grocery store in the Lake Charles area churns out some of the best king cakes in southwest Louisiana. Local favorites include the peanut butter cup, featuring a peanut butter cream filling and chocolate icing, as well as the cookies ‘n’ cream, topped with cookies and filled with cream cheese.
North Louisiana
Although miles from the heart of Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, north Louisiana bakeries have proven their king cakes can compete with the best of them. Jonathan Olivier/Télé-Louisiane
Atwood’s Bakery
Alexandria
Atwood’s has been serving up quality baked goods for central Louisiana since 1977. Owner Mark Atwood stuffs his king cakes so full that there isn’t a hole in the middle. The cream cheese option, for example, is packed with more than a pound of filling.
Lilah’s Bakery
Shreveport
Lilah’s Bakery makes some of the best king cakes in all of north Louisiana. The most popular option is the cinnamon ‘n’ cream cheese, featured alongside those like red velvet, cookie butter, and banana split. Another must-try is the tiramisu king cake, made with brioche dough, stuffed with cream cheese, cocoa and espresso powder, and topped with more cocoa powder and an espresso buttercream.
Daily Harvest Deli & Bakery
Monroe
Freshness sets apart this bakery from the rest. Their king cakes are made with flour that has been freshly ground in-house. Find options like praline, lemon curd, banana cream, blueberry and more.