New Orleans, Louisiana · Founded 1862 · Building: 1813
The original 1862 French Market coffee stand, serving café au lait and beignets from an 1813 market building.
Café du Monde began in 1862 as a coffee stand in New Orleans’ French Market. Its flagship location at 800 Decatur Street occupies the surviving 1813 Meat Market building and has been owned by the Fernandez family since Hubert Fernandez bought the business from founder Fred Koeniger in May 1942.
A new French Market Meat Market building, later known as Butcher’s Hall, was built after earlier market structures were destroyed by hurricanes. The surviving building now houses Café du Monde.
Source: French Market District, "History"; Café du Monde, "About Cafe Du Monde"
Fred Koeniger established the original Café du Monde Coffee Stand in the New Orleans French Market.
Source: Café du Monde, "About Cafe Du Monde"
Hubert Fernandez purchased Café du Monde from Fred Koeniger, beginning Fernandez family ownership.
Source: Café du Monde, "About Cafe Du Monde"; Via Nola Vie, "Café du Monde"
Café du Monde says the Fernandez family closed the Fernandez Wine Cellar to focus its efforts on the coffee stand.
Source: Café du Monde, "About Cafe Du Monde"
An independent New Orleans history profile reports that Café du Monde began expanding beyond its original French Market location in this year.
Source: Via Nola Vie, "Café du Monde"
The original French Market stand continues operating at 800 Decatur Street. Official current hours are 7:15 a.m.–11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7:15 a.m.–midnight Friday and Saturday.
Source: Café du Monde, "Find a Location"
Every claim gets rated. A business's own website can never earn "documented."
Official history identifies the French Market stand as established in 1862, and independent local history repeats the long-running location. The stronger word "continuous" should be qualified: the business identifies closures on Christmas Day and during severe hurricanes, and this review did not examine a complete lease or license chain.
The French Market District identifies the surviving 1813 Meat Market building as the structure that remains today, and Café du Monde states that the 1813 replacement building now houses the stand.
Café du Monde states that Hubert Fernandez bought the coffee stand from Fred Koeniger in May 1942 and that it remains Fernandez family-owned. An independent local history profile gives the same ownership chronology.
The current official location page lists limited daily hours, not 24-hour operation. Earlier descriptions of round-the-clock service also included exceptions for Christmas Day and severe hurricanes.
Café du Monde's building was constructed in 1813 for the coffee stand.
The 1813 date belongs to the French Market Meat Market building, which predated Café du Monde's 1862 founding by 49 years.
Source: French Market District, "History"; Café du Monde, "About Cafe Du Monde"
Café du Monde is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The current official location page lists 7:15 a.m.–11 p.m. hours Sunday through Thursday and 7:15 a.m.–midnight hours Friday and Saturday.
Source: Café du Monde, "Find a Location"
The Fernandez family has owned Café du Monde since 1862.
Fred Koeniger established the stand in 1862. Hubert Fernandez purchased it in May 1942, beginning Fernandez family ownership.
Source: Café du Monde, "About Cafe Du Monde"
Café du Monde has literally never closed since 1862.
Its French Market tenure is long-running, but the business identifies routine exceptions for Christmas Day and severe hurricanes. A full uninterrupted lease and operating-record chain was not reviewed.
Source: Café du Monde, "About Cafe Du Monde"
Café du Monde has combined a durable French Market location with a focused menu centered on café au lait and beignets. Since 1942, the Fernandez family has maintained the original stand while expanding the broader Café du Monde business beyond the French Quarter.
The original Café du Monde Coffee Stand was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market by Fred Koeniger.
The coffee stand dates to 1862, but the French Market building it occupies is older. The surviving structure was built in 1813 as the Meat Market, later known as Butcher’s Hall.
Café du Monde says the Fernandez family has owned the coffee stand since Hubert Fernandez purchased it from founder Fred Koeniger in May 1942.
No. Current official hours for the French Market location are 7:15 a.m.–11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7:15 a.m.–midnight Friday and Saturday. Check directly before visiting for holiday or weather-related changes.
Café du Monde is known for café au lait made with its dark-roast coffee and chicory blend. The broader historical explanation often linking chicory use to wartime coffee shortages was not independently verified in this review.
800 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 587-0833
The original stand is at the French Market beside Jackson Square. Current official hours are 7:15 a.m.–11 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and 7:15 a.m.–midnight Friday–Saturday. The business’s Louisiana tourism listing also gives a general-contact number, `(504) 525-4544`; verify the most suitable number and current weather-related hours before visiting.