The beignets from Cafe du Monde are truly the prototype. This spot might not have invented them, but they definitely popularized them. They’re the beignets that make French Quarter field trips special, and the ones we show off to friends whenever they’re in town. You can always count on them having the perfect lightly golden color, chewy texture, scalding temperature, and powder sugar-drowned sweetness every time. And they taste even better dipped in a chicory cafe au lait or hot chocolate.

At first glance, these look like typical beignets—puffy, golden brown, and dusted with powdered sugar. But they're fried in butter, which makes them extra rich, especially when dipped in the toasted vanilla sauce. These are definitely the swankiest beignets you can find in town, but you're at the Four Seasons, after all. Keeping with the theme, they come plated on a cute little silver tray. Pair the beignets with the Brandy Crusta cocktail that's also tan and decorated with sugar.

Fun fact: There are two extraordinary beignets hiding inside the Four Seasons. Go get the ones at Chemin a la Mer for a bougie breakfast—they come stuffed with housemade boudin and have all the best qualities of Natchitoches meat pies. What makes these stand out is the sweet and savory combo: the crumbled, perfectly seasoned sausage blends quite nicely with the maple syrup and powdered sugar.

There are a lot of ways to do beignets at Loretta’s, but the best are the praline beignets they've been cranking out since 1983. Pecan candies are melted down into a sauce that's drizzled on top, followed by a heaping of powdered sugar. The savory ones are also good, and come split open and filled with seasoned lump crabmeat or homemade slider patties and fixins. Go to the Marigny location on Rampart and hang out in the space that’s bumping R&B.

Stuph’D in the 9th Ward is the spot for stuffed beignets. They've got an absolute laundry list of choices—we’re talking hot sausage, apple, grilled shrimp, brownie, and even walnut. Our top picks are the pecan pie and the Creole Queen, filled with crabmeat, crawfish, and shrimp. It's one of the few spots where you'll find both a perfect fry on the beignet and wildly delicious fillings. You should also get a glass of Dat Punch, which is like Kool-Aid but made with real fruit juices.

“Lagniappe” is a word in Louisiana that means “a little something extra,” and we can think of no better dish that fits this description than the Oreo beignets at Luca Eats. They’re basically fried Oreos, but instead of using the usual doughy coating, these are dipped in beignet batter instead. It’s somehow not overly sweet, even when it’s topped with an extra dusting of powdered sugar. Get whatever seasonal fresh squeezed lemonade they have.

Thai'd Up is where you'll find one of the best non-traditional beignets around. It comes in the form of roti, which they fry up, drizzle with condensed milk, sprinkle the tops with confectioner’s sugar, and garnish the whole thing with strawberry and mint. What we love most is that they're flaky and crispy in some spots and a little chewy in others. Also grab some spring rolls, something from the grill like the butter shrimp, and a Thai iced tea.

Monday's sweet potato beignets take us straight to the holidays. They're filled and practically oozing with mashed candied sweet potatoes bursting full of nutmeg and vanilla that reminds us of a Thanksgiving pie. The sweet glaze makes them a little softer than other beignets, but we don't really mind—we like to think of these as just a delicious dessert, rather than a traditional beignet. They only have outdoor seating, but it’s a lovely place to eat these sweet beignets.

Let us introduce you to the one-bite crawfish boil: the crustacean-infused beignets with crab fat aioli from King Brasserie in the Warehouse District. These are some of the top seafood-adjacent beignets you'll find in New Orleans—they’re cute and round, soft and small, and have a spicy kick. The menu here changes seasonally, but the crawfish beignets are always there. Look closely for some fun king references on the menu.

Despite New Orleans being a seafood city, the fried crab dishes are often more filler than actual lump or claw meat. That’s not the case at La Petite Grocery, where blue crab is thick and present throughout the entire beignet. Served with malt vinegar aioli, they’re excellent as a satisfying snack, especially when you’re cruising in and out of the stores on Magazine Street. Pair them with a LPG French 75, starring pear brandy instead of gin or cognac.