Day & Night at the Cafe (Images courtesy of Original Cafe Du Monde)

Established in the Old French Market of New Orleans in 1862, world renowned Cafe Du Monde has survived the American Civil War, the Great Depression, and Hurricane Katrina as a splendid place to relax, watch the world go by, and savor the rich blend of dark roasted coffee & chicory served with freshly made beignets. It’s a pleasure shared by both visitors and natives alike.

Coffee first came to North America by way of New Orleans back in the mid-1700's. It was successfully cultivated in Martinique about 1720, and the French brought coffee with them as they began to settle new colonies along the Mississippi. The taste for coffee & chicory was developed by the French during their civil war. Coffee was scarce and they found that chicory, the root of the endive plant, added body and flavor to the brew. The Acadians from Nova Scotia brought this taste and many other French customs to Louisiana. Chicory adds an almost chocolate flavor to the Cafe Au Lait served at Cafe Du Monde.

The location of the New Orleans French Market dates back to the Choctaw Indians, before the Europeans settlers arrived. The Choctaw used this natural Mississippi river levee location to trade their wares to the river traffic. The early European settlers came by boat to sell produce and dairy products. New Orleans was established on this location in 1718 by Jean Baptiste LeMoyne. This old New Orleans is called the "Vieux Carre" or French Quarter. The Quarter has a collection of buildings exhibiting the architectural styles of the countries that once held power in Louisiana. At one time or another, Louisiana has been under the influence of the French, Spanish and British governments. The building which now houses the Cafe Du Monde dates to 1813.

Cafe Du Monde is now owned by the Fernandez family. Hubert Fernandez bought the Coffee Stand in 1942. The Cafe is a traditional coffee shop. Its menu consists of dark roasted Coffee & Chicory, Beignets, White & Chocolate Milk, & fresh squeezed Orange Juice. The coffee is served Black or Au Lait. Au Lait means that it is mixed half & half with hot milk. Beignets are square French-style doughnuts, lavishly covered with powdered sugar.

Cafe Du Monde is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and closes only on Christmas Day or when the occasional hurricane gets too close for comfort. When you’re visiting New Orleans the Cafe Du Monde provides a great place to take in the local scene and savor some of the Big Easy’s truly unique treats.

If you can’t make it to New Orleans but would like a taste of the coffee & chicory that helped make the Cafe Du Monde world famous, go to: Cafe Du Monde Coffee & Chicory