What coffee drink is traditionally served with beignets at Café du Monde?

The coffee drink traditionally served with beignets at Café du Monde is café au lait.

The French name means “coffee with milk,” and the New Orleans version combines strong brewed coffee with hot, scalded milk. At Café du Monde, the coffee is characteristically blended with roasted chicory, giving the drink a distinctive, slightly bitter and earthy profile. It is served alongside beignets, square pieces of fried dough covered in powdered sugar.

Café du Monde began as a coffee stand at New Orleans’ French Market in 1862. Its enduring menu helped make the coffee-and-beignets pairing an emblem of the city. The café’s original French Quarter location is an open-air landmark on Decatur Street and is known for operating around the clock.

Café au lait is commonly confused with a latte, but the drinks use different bases: a latte is made with espresso and steamed milk, while American café au lait generally uses brewed coffee and hot milk. New Orleans café au lait also differs from the French breakfast style, which is often served in a large bowl.