WHERE TO EAT

Cake, pastry, ice cream or pie, New Orleans has enough classic desserts to ensure you’ll have a never-ending sugar rush — we pick some of the best in town

For a dessert to share: Mile High Pie JACK ROSE AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL

Don’t let its name fool you; the signature dish at Jack Rose isn’t actually a pie but a towering, three-layered ice cream — chocolate, vanilla and peppermint flavoured — with a black cookie dough base and topped off with scorched meringue marshmallow and a drizzle of rich chocolate sauce. jackroserestaurant.com

For a classic with a twist: Bread pudding po’boy YE OLDE COLLEGE INN

The decadent deep-fried bread pudding po’boy is an entirely unique dessert that’s twice earned the ‘Best of Show’ award at the annual Po-Boy Festival. Owner Johnny Blancher cuts French bread in half and saturates it in a custard and raisin mix, before it’s baked and deep-fried and served in a bed of rum sauce. yeoldecollegeinn.com

For date-night: Tarte a la Bouillie COQUETTE

On the corner of Magazine Street is the cosy, chandelier-laden Coquette, specialising in elevated Southern cuisine. Skip the mains and go straight for the tarte a la bouillie; this traditional Cajun custard pie is dressed up to the nines here with pumpkin, persimmon and shards of meringue all topped off with sage and pepper. coquettenola.com

For serious chocophiles: Doberge cake MISS RIVER, FOUR SEASONS

This uber rich, multi-layered doberge cake is New Orleans’ homage to the Hungarian dobos torte. It was initially created by pastry chef Beulah Levy Ledne, born in Louisiana to Hungarian-Jewish parents. At Miss River, expect layer after layer of chocolate filling and dark chocolate cake, wrapped in a chocolate glaze and topped off with edible gold leaf. missrivernola.com

For liquid dessert: Frozen bourbon milk punch BOURBON HOUSE

Dickie Brennan’s signature milk punch is made up of Benchmark Bourbon, homemade vanilla gelato, simple syrup and vanilla extract, all mixed in a daiquiri machine and topped off with ground nutmeg. bourbonhouse.com

For day-time relaxing: Pineapple upside down cake LA BOULANGERIE

This French-inspired bakery by Link Restaurant Group is a neighbourhood favourite and home to a plethora of cakes, pastries, breads and pies. Keep an eye out for pineapple upside down cake or banana tart — both favourites across Louisiana and the Southern states — whipped up by executive pastry chef Maggie Scales. laboulangerienola.com

Above: Cinnamon roll at La Boulangerie