Mardi Gras, the pre-Lent celebration of extravagance and excess, is next Tuesday, February 16. Though boisterous parties and jubilant crowds of people parading through the streets certainly aren't feasible right now, there are plenty of safe alternatives. We've rounded up a list of places to get king cake, beignets, crawfish boils, Hurricane cocktails, and other food and drink specials from local businesses like Delta Cafe
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and NOLA Doughnuts
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below. Laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll)! For more ideas, check out our food and drink guide.
Chelsea Cakes
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Louisiana-born baker Chelsea Speir, who lived in New Orleans for several years, is paying tribute to her native state with king cakes festooned with glittery colored sugar. Flavors include cinnamon sugar or praline and cream. Cakes can be picked up at Gumba
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or delivered for no additional charge within the Portland metro area. Orders must be placed by February 14 to be received in time for Mardi Gras.
Northeast
Pickup or delivery
Delta Cafe
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The iconic soul food destination is rising to the occasion with their "Mardi Gras Mambo Combo," which comes with jambalaya, one large side dish, two cocktails, and two slices of king cake. Hurricane cocktails (a New Orleans classic with rum, lemon juice, and passionfruit syrup) are available through Mardi Gras, and gumbo and étouffée are available as daily specials.
Southeast
Pickup or delivery
Doe Donuts
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Just for Fat Tuesday, Portland's only vegan donut shop is frying up beignets. Grab one with a cup of coffee and pretend you're at Cafe Du Monde.
Southeast
Pickup
EaT: An Oyster Bar
The Cajun-themed oyster bar is flying some crawfish in fresh from New Orleans for a special Mardi Gras seafood boil, available by pre-order. They'll also have king cake available whole or by the slice.
North
Pickup, delivery, or in-person dining
Gris Gris Kitchen
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This small-batch kitchen serving Southern and Cajun favorites for pickup and delivery only is offering traditional king cake with a cinnamon sugar ribbon, a boozy chocolate king cake with silky chocolate filling and cognac, and even a savory version with Laurelhurst Market boudin sausage and pepper jack cheese rolled into puff pastry. If you want a smaller treat, try the "galette des reines," or queen's cake, a pastry filled with almond paste. Other Mardi Gras dishes include shrimp Creole, gumbo ya-ya (a take on chef Paul Prudhomme's version of the classic dish), and red beans and rice. Pickup locations are disclosed upon ordering. Orders for Mardi Gras are due by February 13.
Online
Pickup or delivery
La Provence
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and Petite Provence
The local French bistro chain is baking rich brioche king cakes with raisins, orange sugar icing, and colorful pearl sugar. Pre-order at least four days in advance.
Various locations
Pickup, delivery, or in-person dining
Miss Delta
The beloved down-home Southern joint's "Fat Tuesday Party To-Go" menu includes crawfish boudin pistolettes (stuffed and fried bread rolls), muffuletta sandwiches, crawfish boils, shrimp boils, shrimp creole, and custard-filled king cakes. If that's not enough of a party for you, add on a 32-ounce Hurricane cocktail in a Mason jar.
North and Northeast
Pickup or delivery
NOLA Doughnuts
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This doughnut shop run by siblings and New Orleans natives Robert Herkes and Connie Demerell is going all out for the holiday with classic brioche king cakes as well as king cake versions of the shop's signature "l'assants" ("Louisiana croissant" doughnuts made with laminated dough). King cakes are available for pre-order through February 16 and must be ordered 72 hours in advance.
Downtown
Pickup or delivery