Ready to share this with the world. A gift. The knowledge that Poupart’s Bakery in Lafayette is officially the best bakery in the universe. All-around, that is.
There are some places that get first place in other areas.
Duchess Bakery in Cullman has the best hot doughnuts. When they’re room temperature, eh, they’re a great doughnut. But when you get there in the morning and get a bag of hot ones, they just *melt*. They melt! That’s just what they do. 
Cutest kid in a doughnut — Shug as a Krispy Kreme with sprinkles:
Tied for best apple fritter: Gibsons Doughnuts in Memphis 
and The Donut Shop in Natchez:
Gambino’s in Metairie makes the best doberge. In our family, birthday cake = doberge.
Unless you’re turning one, in which case we got Shug a private room at Antoine’s where his birthday cake was also the best baked Alaska on earth:
Best bagels in the universe are at St. Viateur in Montreal:
Paul’s Pastry in Picayune makes the best king cake (I know it’s wrong that they’re not in LA but still.)
Although best little baby king cake pastries goes to Sucre on Magazine:
Macaroon Boutique in Charleston makes the best macarons.
Ah, I could keep this going forever. But best all-around? Best everything you get there is amazing? It’s Poupart’s.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
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One of my highest-viewed pics on Flickr — this wedding cake (the bakery is no longer in business):
