If you're in New Orleans, make your way to Loretta's Authentic Pralines, located daily in the French Market--especially if you're on the hunt for authentic beignets. I recently went on a tour that pointed out how some of the more commercialized spots, like Café du Monde, have shifted over time, with large-scale production methods that can change the texture and flavor. Beignets aren't supposed to taste like funnel cake, and that really stuck with me--so finding something more authentic became a must. I completely understand the hype and the long lines at Loretta's. I've seen so many people recommend it, and after trying it myself, it absolutely lives up to it. The crab beignets were the standout--crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and packed with savory crab flavor. It's such a unique twist on a classic beignet, and honestly, I preferred them over the traditional sweet version. There is a sitting area that is covered to sit and enjoy a bite. If its raining you are safe from the elements. Or even the sun. Everything tasted fresh, authentic, and full of flavor. If you're serious about finding real New Orleans beignets, this spot is a must. read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I now know why this place is so hyped It's made so perfectly well! It's so soft and has texture of a croissant. Super flaky and good! On the priceier side at $8xx for 3 small beignets but so worth it Service was a 5/5 They were super busy but still had a smile and had awesome costumer service Great location! Shop eat and get your sweets! read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Praline beignets are the best in town. 15-20 min wait on Easter weekend, not too bad. Fiancee is not a sweets guy, but thoroughly enjoyed the savory crab beignet. A must visit for beignet fans! read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Praline beignets + double shot iced Irish coffee - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Don't make the mistake we did and come to Loretta's on a Tuesday cuz they're closed. So we came back the following day and got an order of praline filled beignets and a crab filled beignet. Their beignets are much smaller, more airy and less dense than other beignet places. Although I enjoyed these the most, they are a bit pricey. An order of Praline filled Beignets (comes with 3): $8.27+tax and a single Crab Beignet: $9.82+tax. There's plenty of places to sit and since it's located in the French Market you can peruse the vendors while waiting for your hot beignets. read more

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No prices. 1 crab is $9.82! Traditional is $8.27 and they are tiny compared to other places which are all much cheaper and honestly taste better. Praline was same price as traditional. Cookies $3, teas $4. Line had 4 ppl in front of me and took about 10 min to order. Took 37 minutes to get my order. By the time my order came out my traditional beignets were cold :( Guy taking orders was very nice. Praline beignets were the best tasting in my opinion. Tea was tasty too. They take a bunch of orders and then go in back and work for awhile and get caught up and then repeat. Long lines. Had passed by at 9 and they said they would start taking orders around 9:15. Last year it was around 9:30 before they opened up. So don't waste your time coming early or on time. read more

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Came specifically for the crab stuffed beignets and the praline stuffed ones. $9.50 for 1 crab filled and $8 for an order of 3 praline filled ones. The crab ones are VERY SALTY. They're good, but definitely over hyped. The praline ones were very sweet. Is it worth the money? I don't think so, but glad we tried. read more

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I grew up in New Orleans, and somehow... I had never been to Loretta's. Now, coming back as someone who doesn't live here anymore, I got to experience my own city like a tourist, and honestly, that changed how I saw everything. This is just one review of many places I visited. Check out my guide. This spot happened to be on my way out of the city, so I didn't get a chance to capture any photos of the food itself.... The line was long, the sun was beaming, and I waited a solid 40 minutes just to place my order. That alone plays a role in my rating. If memory serves me right, I tried a chocolate praline, a praline beignet, a crawfish beignet, and a praline chocolate chip cookie. That praline chocolate chip cookie should probably come off that menu. It was too hard and dry to enjoy. The beignets? They were okay... nothing that really stood out to me. Not something I'd come all the way to New Orleans for, but I understand the weight of what Loretta's represents. Personally my moms pralines are better! If gumbo is the state food, then pralines and beignets are easily the state desserts. And Loretta's has clearly earned its place in that conversation. What did stand out to me was the service. The cashier was friendly, attentive, and handled the long line like a pro, you would've thought he owned the place. Gotta love that Southern hospitality. Long story short: For me, the wait didn't match the payoff. 3/5 read more

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I don't know about the service, considering I wasn't the one who went up to order. The line was LONG af, and for good reason. Loretta has the best beignets in the entire state. It's a shame I had to wait this long to try them. I've been to NOLA so many times, and I'm SICK that I chose other places over Loretta. I wish they were in the Airport. I say all that to say...there's nothing better. Go to Loretta's. read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Carb beignet. - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Loretta's is home to the best beignets I've ever had. It's located in an unassuming stall in the French market, identifiable likely by being the only place to have a line. I came in the afternoon on the Sunday and there was a moderate line that moved fast. You must get the praline beignets! I'm not a huge fan of nuts in desserts, but I was blown away by the decadent and sweet praline topping. The beignets were soft with buttery layers and a crispy outside. The powdered sugar amount wasn't too excessive. The crab beignet was delicious and came with a tangy remoulade, but was definitely a smaller sized beignet. It also came with less crab than I would've hoped for the price. I would recommend just getting the iconic praline beignets, unless you're really craving crab. read more

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Worth the sweltering wait in the heat in my opinion. Wait was about 30 or so minutes, pro tip, grab a drink before hand so you can sip on that while you wait. Crab beignet was top notch, not too rich but just right. 100% could have had more but only had 1, I also had the traditional with the praline inside and LAWD. Gimme 47 of them right now. People working were so kind and patient with everyone as well. Recommend! read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Crab beniegt - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Long line, 45 minute wait on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm. We heard about it from a local and it's on a bunch of lists for beignets. We tried the original and the praline filled. They are more crunchy on the outside compared to others. They are good but our favorite is still cafe du monde. read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Tried the crabmeat beignet and praline beignet during french quarter fest and these were the BEST beignets I've had in NOLA. How can we get a Loretta's in Charlotte?! I need this on a regular! So tasty! read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Partially eat praline beignet - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Today was my first day trying this spot, they were already closed when i was here in December. There were about 10 people in line already, but it was worth the wait. Beignets are made fresh to order, the wait wasn't long. I had an issue with my order, another customer thought her name was called and she took my order. This was quickly resolved and i was given some pralines for my trouble. The pralines are super fresh and taste like pecan pie not super sweet but flavorful. Beignets were flaky and delicious the crab beignet was excellent! I will definitely be back and I'm grateful for good customer service. This location is in the French Market with some outdoor seating to wait or eat, very casual environment. read more

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A stall at the French Market. Just go here. Get the crab and the praline. They are small (the crab) and a bit pricey for the size. The praline came in three small beignets. It was worth the 30 min wait. read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Crab beignet - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Beignets are always good. I usually go to their flagship location but they were closed the day I went. This location tasted just as good. The wait is a bit longer here since it's in the French quarter so be patient. I love coming to the French market for food. read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Praline beignets - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

A top must visit spot for me whenever I'm in New Orleans. The BEST stuffed beignets. Quick turn around. ALWAYS hot and fresh. Decently priced. Located in the French market with the markets associated sounds and smells, but it's not too negatively impactful. I HIGHLY recommend the praline stuffed beignet. read more

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Worth the wait!!! The line was crazy long, but it moved fast. I was skeptical of the sweet potato cookie but it did not disappoint! Wish i purchased a few more. Chocolate chip cookie was ok. It was a little hard. My friend got the pralines and crab cakes and thoroughly enjoyed those. Next time I'll get a more diverse order. read more

The longer the line the better the food!!! Loretta's crabmeat beignets are an easy 10/10, it's small in size but packed with flavor!! The pralines, sweet potato cookie and praline beignet all delicious!! If you can't make it to the French Quarter fest this weekend, they are also located inside of the French Market! read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Beignets!! - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Waited 30 minutes in line. Loretta's is more than worth it. I've been thinking about these beignets since I've had them they are by far the best beignets I had while visiting New Orleans the layers the flavor they're fried to perfection. The praline was so delicious so decadent and the crab had so much flavor with lump fresh crab. I can't recommend Loretta enough!!! If you want to try a savory one get there early they sold out fast. Staff were so nice! read more

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I love me some Lorettas. I've had her praline stuffed beignets more times than I can count and repeatedly forget to take a photo because I inhale it! I have also lost track of the amount of people I have told about this place over the years. Best beignets and treats in New Orleans and I will stand on that business! read more

We came here daily and I still dream about the praline-filled beignets. I wish I could be transported back right now. Highly, highly recommend to anyone and everyone. 20000/10 in my book! read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Praline filled beignets - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I took a day trip to New Orleans for strictly food. The first stop of my list was Loretta's . I heard so many great things about their beignets and that's was my number one reason for visiting this establishment. Service was pretty good. This location specifically is strictly outdoors, but they did have seating near the area. What I ordered: Crab Beignets In my opinion, the beignet was overpriced. One crab beignet is about $10. I had very high expectations but never wowed. I'm not writing this place off completely, but I will visit again and try other types of beignets. read more

We got the crab beignet for $10 and it was 2 inches by 2 inches (maximum). No exaggeration. The Crab filling was not even good. Such a huge ripoff. Never again. read more

Amazing Benedict's. I've tried Cafe DuMonde and Cafe Beignet and I think this place tops them both. They have unique flavors including praline and seasonal crab which are not offered at other locations. In addition, it's located inside of a farmers market style vendor location which feels more authentically ingrained within the French Quarter. The only downside is there's very limited places to sit. Also if you're a solo traveler you won't be able to try all the flavors as there is no sampler plate or anything like that. Must stop by on your visit to NOLA! read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Super fast service when you arrive just as they open! Good: - The crab beignet was amazing - I feel like it was the best one we got this trip - it just comes with 1 but it's really savory and the sauce adds a lot - The praline one was good but it was way too sweet - I could not finish it but the bites I had were amazing - Fun hole in the wall experience here in the middle of a street market - The prices are decent - about $10 for 2 beignets including the fancy crab one Bad: - The line does get long if you don't go at open time, so make sure you get in the line at around 11 am on Sunday mornings! Overall a fun experience and there was some seating nearby so we had our entire 6 person group seated quickly read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Praline - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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We came here on our way out of NOLA. There was already people there when we arrived. Some already sitting down eating others waiting for orders. It's basically a beignet counter. You order and wait for your name to be called. I'm guessing they make each order as they go, it took a bit for the food to come out. Plus there was a good amount of people. Service- a little slow, not very welcoming. But maybe that's not the reason folks come here? Homemade, fresh out the fryer. Food- The crowd all looked like tourists though, no locals, hmm? But I ordered anyway. I got the crab cake beignet, yes it's $11 and I thought well worth the price. Lots of crab, great flavor the puff pastey and the sauce go well. I wish I had ordered 2 or 3 or 4. I notice alot of upset reviewers saying how dare they charge this much for a tiny bite. Well it's a pretty delicious tiny bite. The regular style beignets were ok. I tried a bite of my friends chocolate beignet, it wasn't too bad, but I wouldn't need a set of 3 of it (i think it comes as a set of 3), only just need 1 since it's so rich. read more

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Outstanding. Just outstanding. Find yourself thinking Cafe Du Monde isn't as good as it used to be now that they're pre bagged and soggy. Well Ms. Loretta's are better than Cafe Du Monde used to be, absolute perfection. Proper size, nice crisp, made to order. Recommend the regular and the crab filled, yeah that line is there for a reason. So much love for y'all. read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Traditional - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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When looking up new places to try in NOLA, this lovely little spot kept popping up on everyone's radar. I was determined to get here and give it a try before we left the city, and it we made it on our last day before heading out the city. We purchased the regular, the chocolate, and the crab beignets. Out of all of them, the crab was my favorite! It came with a little cajun sauce on the side that was not spicy at all, but gave it a little extra zazz. The crab was so good! These were on the smaller side, so next time I'm ordering at least 2!!! I also liked the regular and chocolate beignets. They were coated in powder sugar and were fresh and light and fluffy. Not overly sweet. The chocolate one was a bit rich, so I think an order of 3 was too many, would definitely split that with someone. Overall, great spot, cool place to try something different. Would recommend to get there early so you miss the crowds! read more

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I can only review the praline filled beignets because that's all we ordered but they were SO GOOD! if you want a southern spin on the traditional beignet, this is a good place to go! The French market is a great place to try multiple NOLA specialties. There was a decent sized line but I think that speaks to how good they are! read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Praline filled beignets - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Best beignets in New Orleans area, would highly recommend. Went to the location in French market as the other was closed. Get the crab beignet and praline, they ran out of crawfish but definitely will try when I come back! read more

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The food was absolutely delicious: hot, perfectly seasoned, flavorful and tasted homemade. The ambiance was like any outdoor food stand: fun, lively, and had good people-watching consistent with the French Market. Be prepared to stand in a LOOONNNGGG line! At last, my turn came and I requested praline beignets, savory, crab beignets, and a 1/2 dozen box of original/authentic pralines. Loretta gets zero stars for service because the cashier (and I mean cashier, not server) was not attentive, saw me verifying the order with others in my party, and failed to tell me that there was only ONE crab beignet in the order! Their loss because I would have ordered more. read more

I would recommend to come here early in the day since they can close early due to limited inventory (was a victim but came back). The praline filled beignets are to die for if you love sweets. They come as an order of 3 like Cafe Du Monde, so I would recommend to come with someone or others. It is not too much powder and is warm, made to order. I also recommend to try the crab beignets, which are ordered as 1 beignet per order. The crab beignet is understandably pricier, comes with a tasty sauce, and is a nice and unique savory snack. The pralines were also worth a try - not as chunky as the Southern Candymakers but were fresh. I normally do not like coconut flavor things like chocolate but I actually liked the coconut praline more than their authentic praline. read more

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What can I say besides it was amazingly good!!! The cashier was super friendly, long line but moves quickly, and it's made to order. Because of the praline filling, this is definitely my favorite compared with cafe du monde and cafe beignet. read more

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Loretta's is the most iconic place for beignets. This little spot inside the French Market serves authentic pralines and an assortment of fresh beignets. They even have crab beignets. The difference between this place and all the others is Loretta's makes yours fresh when you order them. There's a wait but it isn't a long one. Is it worth it? Absolutely! Piping hot, fresh, light airy authentic New Orleans Beignets. I guess you know why I don't have a picture, Traditional 3 pieces with loads of powdered sugar $10 roughly. The fancy ones are sold each. This location allows you to cruise, shop and take on the sights and sounds of the market. There was even a live band nearby. I would definitely recommend Loretta's for the service, food and of course the location in the Quarter read more

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The line gets long but I understand why. Their traditional beignets are better than Du Monde and do not get me started on the savory crab beignets. That crab one is the top 10 things I've ever eaten in my entire life!! That crab filling is something like a crab etoufee. It is worth every penny and every second of standing that line. The prices are high but again very worth it. They do sell out sometimes so try to go early as possible. read more

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I want to start off by saying, prepare to be in line for at least 20 minutes, but I swear it is so worth it. These were by far best beignets I've ever had, and I tried so many this past week. read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - 6ct pralines box - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I tried the crab stuff beignet. It was delicious. The line was moderately long but moved quickly. I'd definitely come back. read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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line went fast, biegnets were amazing the praline one was yummy too. food came out fast read more

Loretta Authentic Pralines - Candy Stores Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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The beignets were very good and tasty. The service was great and the pricing was reasonably decent. The line was extremely long, however the staff did a great job processing customers orders to decrease the wait times. read more

Located in the French market, this is well worth the 10 minute walk past Cafe Du Monde for these beignets. I have never tasted something more delicious in my entire life and will be dreaming about these until the day I die. The only downside is the size/price. It is a rather small beignet for $10 a piece. I could have eaten 5 more but the price stopped me haha! Every time I come back to New Orleans I will come here. The lump crab was juicy and the dough was fluffy and warm. Even the regular beignets were well worth it and better than the other beignets spots in the area. read more

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