Eight ways to get your beignet fix on Fat Tuesday
Can’t make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras? Get a taste of the Crescent City in the River City at these eight spots around town that are whipping up beignets, a classic French doughnut typically topped with powdered sugar. From traditional takes to uncommon concoctions (beignet burger anyone?), here's the skinny on how to eat your way through Fat Tuesday.
Beignyay!
On March 5 (aka Fat Tuesday), Beignyay! owner Sammy Schnetz will roll into midtown's Jungle Bird in festive Mardi Gras fashion with her yellow mobile cart and made-to-order king cake beignets, filled with cinnamon cream cheese and topped with multicolored sprinkles. Bite gently—as is king cake tradition, one customer will find a plastic figurine of baby Jesus inside their puffy treat. 4-6 p.m. Jungle Bird. 2516 J St. 916-934-6106. Check Beignyay!’s Facebook for updates on pop-up dates
Ettore’s
Fat Tuesday marks the only day of the year you can snag the Southern snack at this popular Arden-Arcade-based bakery and restaurant. If you're trying to be good, you can order just one doughnut—made with traditional choux pastry and topped with powdered sugar—or better yet, make Tuesday your cheat day and get 'em by the dozen. 2736 Fair Oaks Blvd. 916-482-0708. ettores.com
Iron Horse Tavern
Executive chef Christian Palmos adds a hint of Southern comfort to his globally inspired menu at this R Street mainstay with his light, airy take on beignets (they're so good, they've made our Best of the City list) that are served every day year-round. You can dip the scratch-made fresh-fried doughnuts in one of the trio of accompanying dipping sauces—vanilla bean créme anglaise, chocolate ganache and berry compote—or eat them the way New Orleanians intended, plain topped with powered sugar. 1800 15th St. 916-448-4488. ironhorsetavern.net
Save room for our Beignets 😋 #ironhorsetavern . . . . . @raquelmezhlumyan
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La Crosta Pizza Bar
This new West Sacramento Naples-style pizzeria makes a French connection with its plate of beignets. Made with the restaurant’s house-made fermented pizza dough, the fried-to-order fritters are dusted with cocoa and chili powder, and served daily with different dipping sauces depending on the time of day: apple and pear compote for brunch, and bourbon caramel for lunch or dinner dessert. 330 3rd St. West Sacramento. 916-389-0372. lacrostapizzabar.com
#latergram Remembering the yummy Beignets we had for brunch on Saturday @lacrostapizzabar
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Milk Money
This R Street doughnuterie started offering a brioche version of the New Orleans treat in November with its #BeignetWednesdays, dishing out three versions weekly, including vegan and filled options (for the latter, think vanilla brioche oozing with huckleberry jam or chocolate brioche stuffed with coffee pastry cream). In honor of Mardi Gras, the shop will also serve up beignets on Tuesday (along with its regular doughnut lineup), in addition to its weekly Wednesday trio. 1715 R St. 916-469-2436. milkmoneymidtown.com
New Roma Bakery
Looking for something beyond the cloud of powdered sugar? Always on the menu at Boulevard Park's New Roma Bakery (which is open every day except Monday) are its amazing 40-cent beignets, which in addition to glazed and powdered, the shop offers in rotating flavors like lemon, peach, raspberry and coconut. 1800 E St. 916-443-2346. Check New Roma's Facebook page for updates.
The Porch
Plated with a house-made jam and seasonal fruit, the beignets at The Porch in midtown ditch the traditional square look in favor of a pig shape. And in celebration of Fat Tuesday, the Lowcountry Southern-meets-California restaurant—which serves the dessert as appetizers every day—will serve up a bananas Foster version of the treats from March 2-5. 1815 K St. 916-444-2423. theporchrestaurantandbar.com
Willie's Burgers
Move over doughnut burgers, here come beignet burgers. This sweet-and-savory creation, which features two burger patties, American cheese and crispy bacon sandwiched between two beignets, will be available at Willie’s Old Sacramento location for one day only on Saturday, March 2. If you missed it, don't fret: The burger shack’s more traditional version of the New Orleanian dessert is available all year long, including Fat Tuesday, and comes with a choice of toppings, including strawberry ice cream and Nutella. 110 K St. 916-573-3897. williesburgers.com
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