Garden District Specialty

The macaron craze sweeping the nation is undeniably best represented in New Orleans by Sucre, a burgeoning local chainlet that turns them out in every conceivable shade and color. They haven't abandoned their local heritage, though, because they also do a mean King Cake, made from Creole cream cheese and Danish pastry. If you need more of an incentive to stop by, little ones go nuts for their gelato, and they make great coffee. There's also a location in the French Quarter.

Add this cool little spot to the lengthy list of reasons to spend an afternoon traversing Magazine Street. While the rotating roster of from-scratch donuts (everything from classic glazed to slightly out-there savory, bacon-topped versions) is the obvious draw, it’s the small-batch coffee (cold brews are available on tap—yes, really—or in giant glass jugs to take home) that has folks flocking here in droves. And it’s not all carbs and caffeine either: The seasonal slider selection (pulled pork, fried chicken, shrimp Rangoon), which goes into effect at 11 am daily, is pretty impressive.