New Orleans Donut Tour FAQ

In New Orleans, the beignet comes first. Our Garden District Beignet & Donut Walking Tour is a relaxed food tour along Magazine Street, with made-to-order beignets at three stops, creative donuts in between and stories of the neighborhood's historic homes and the immigrants who settled here.

Both! Beignets are the star in New Orleans, and you'll taste them at three of our four stops, from classic powdered-sugar beignets to creative specialty versions. In between, you'll dig into handcrafted donuts at District Donuts.

Yes! Our New Orleans donut and beignet tour has been awarded Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best. The Underground Donut Tour has been named a Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best winner for eight years in a row, an honor reserved for the top 1% of experiences on Tripadvisor.

Our New Orleans: Garden District Beignet & Donut Walking Tour visits four local favorites along Magazine Street: PJ's Coffee, District Donuts, Ruby Slipper and The Vintage. Along the way you'll stroll past colorful murals, the historic homes of the Garden District and the charming streets of the Irish Channel, with plenty of New Orleans history and food culture between bites.

Every stop has its fans, and every tour brings out new favorites. Guests love the classic beignets and coffee at PJ's, the creative donuts at District Donuts like brown butter pistachio and peanut butter cup, the specialty beignets at Ruby Slipper like peaches and cream, and beignets at The Vintage like pecan pie and s'mores, enjoyed in its relaxed, cozy setting.

Our partners love to get creative, so the lineup changes throughout the year. Flavors vary by day and season, but here are a few guest favorites. Fall favorites include pumpkin cheesecake, root beer float and festive Halloween donuts, plus pecan pie beignets. Winter favorites include king cake donuts and King Cake Beignets for Carnival season, plus holiday flavors like eggnog and Christmas cookie. Spring favorites include limoncello poppy seed, strawberry shortcake, blueberry cheesecake and Vietnamese iced coffee. Summer favorites include peaches and cream, pineapple upside down and banana pudding beignets. All year long, guests enjoy classic New Orleans beignets dusted with powdered sugar.

See our guide, Best Donut Shops in New Orleans, for local shops worth a visit beyond the tour. Some of New Orleans's most-loved beignet and donut spots are on our tour: PJ's Coffee for classic beignets, District Donuts, Ruby Slipper for a seasonal specialty beignet and The Vintage, where you pick your own beignet. Lineup may vary by day and season.

At most stops, your guide arranges a lineup that shows off what each partner does well, including seasonal flavors you might not have ordered on your own. At The Vintage, you'll get to pick your own beignet from the menu.

Plenty! You'll start with coffee and beignets at PJ's, share an assortment of donut flavors at District Donuts, and enjoy specialty beignets at Ruby Slipper and The Vintage. Come hungry. Many guests leave with a full stomach (and sometimes a few extras to go).

The tour starts at PJ's Coffee, 2140 Magazine Street, in the Lower Garden District. PJ's has several locations around the city, so be sure to head to the Magazine Street address. The tour ends at The Vintage, also on Magazine Street, a great spot to keep exploring the shops and cafes of the neighborhood.

The tour starts at PJ's Coffee on Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District, then follows Magazine Street along the edge of the Garden District and the Irish Channel, past colorful murals, raised cottages and shotgun houses, ending at The Vintage.

About two hours of walking, tasting and New Orleans history. Since our partners make beignets fresh to order, timing can vary a little, so we recommend leaving some flexibility in your schedule.

Free street parking is usually available on the side streets off Magazine Street, such as Constance Street. Metered parking on Magazine Street is closest to PJ's (the ParkMobile app makes it easy). If you're taking the Magazine bus, search for "PJ's Coffee" in your transit app rather than the street address to get dropped off at the right stop.

Our summer tours start in the morning, before the heat of the day, and we take breaks at our stops along the way, including a shaded patio with fans at District Donuts. We recommend bringing water, sunscreen and comfortable shoes.

Yes, we run rain or shine. Bring an umbrella on rainy days and dress for the weather. If severe weather is in the forecast, we'll reach out to you about your options.

Please let us know about any dietary needs when you book so we can plan ahead. This route has limited gluten-free availability, and vegan options are limited too. For gluten-free guests, we can offer a gluten-friendly donut made with rice and tapioca flour, though it's prepared in a shared fryer. For vegan guests, our guides arrange swaps at each stop, such as fruit or sorbet. Vegetarian guests can enjoy the full tour.

Please tell us about any allergies when you book, and we'll check with our partners ahead of time and arrange substitutions where we can. Many treats include nuts (especially pecans) or dairy, and our partners prepare everything in shared kitchens, so we can't guarantee against cross-contact.

Absolutely. Families join us all the time, and kids love the beignets, the colorful donuts and the stories along the way.

The tour covers about three quarters of a mile of walking, with the longest stretch about half a mile, on city sidewalks that can be uneven in places. Our guides are happy to adjust the pace for your group. The route is not fully wheelchair accessible, so please contact us with any questions before you book.

Definitely! Local guests tell us they enjoy the history of the neighborhood and discovering new treats from shops they hadn't tried before. It's also a great way to show visiting friends and family a sweet side of the city.

Beignet and donut lovers from all over the world join us in New Orleans, from across the US to the UK, Canada, Europe and Australia, along with visitors in town for conventions and cruises and plenty of locals. Many guests have taken our tours in other cities and add New Orleans to their list.

Yes! Birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoons, bachelorette parties, graduations and girls' trips are some of our favorite tours to lead. Let us know you're celebrating when you book, and your guide will help make it extra special.

Yes! We host private tours for families, friends, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and corporate and group outings. Contact us to plan yours.