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A round king cake with yellow, purple and green icing and draped with mardi gras beads.
Whole king cakes are available at Dessert Gallery.
Dessert Gallery

Where to Find King Cakes in Houston

These vibrant, sugar-dusted oval cakes are reemerging in bakery cases all over town, and some restaurants are putting their own spin on the classic dessert

by Megha McSwain Updated
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Whole king cakes are available at Dessert Gallery.
| Dessert Gallery
by Megha McSwain Updated

From Three Kings Day on January 6 to carnival season’s conclusion on Fat Tuesday, it’s encouraged to commemorate Mardi Gras by indulging in a sugary, cinnamon-spiced king cake. Said to represent faith, justice, and power, the tradition of devouring the fluffy, green, purple, and gold ring of dough dates back to the 1800s and can have Houstonians itching to get their cake fix by traveling to New Orleans or Galveston where celebrations and parades abound. Luckily, there’s no need to go far.

Many tried and true local bakeries have long offered king cakes throughout the season, while newer contenders put their own distinct twists and refreshing spins on the traditional dessert.

Whether you’re planning to serve a king cake to 20 of your closest friends (don’t fight over the lucky plastic baby!), or you’re craving a slice all to yourself from your neighborhood bakery, here are 11 places offering top-notch choices.

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Montgomery Bakehouse

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It’s already worth the trek to Conroe to visit this decades-old bakery slinging scratch-made cornbread, eclairs, and fruit-filled pies, but during Mardi Gras season, it’s all about the freshly baked king cakes. Find whole cakes topped with colored sugar, beads, and a plastic baby with a variety of fillings ranging from cinna-butter to pecan praline.

240 Longmire Rd, Conroe, TX 77304
(936) 756-1745
(936) 756-1745

Rainbow Lodge

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During Mardi Gras season, Rainbow Lodge is putting a fun twist on its standard milk punch with a king cake version available for $10 through February 21. The seasonal libation is the brainchild of beverage director and Louisiana native, Marc Borel, and is crafted with the restaurant’s famed house-aged, pecan-infused bourbon. Garnished with vibrant purple, yellow, and green sugars, the cocktail serves as a spirited alternative to the classic pastry.

2011 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77008
(713) 861-8666
(713) 861-8666
A goblet garnished with purple, yellow, and green sprinkles on a table with Mardi Gras beads.
Rainbow Lodge offers a fun twist on milk punch with its Mardi Gras milk punch.
Rainbow Lodge

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Memorial Bakery

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Memorial Bakery celebrates Mardi Gras in grand fashion, with themed cupcakes, petit fours, cookies, and king cakes available for pre-order throughout the season. Score a plain, 9-inch round or 12-inch oval king cake starting at $17.95, or spring for more flavor with one filled with cream cheese or fruit starting at $27.95.

9415 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77024
(713) 467-7679
(713) 467-7679

Kolache Shoppe

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Let the good times roll, beginning with your breakfast kolache. All three locations of Kolache Shoppe are offering a Mardi Gras-inspired kolache for $2.75 each during the month of February. The specialty kolache is filled with sweetened cinnamon cream cheese and pecans, and finished with an almond-vanilla glaze and a generous dusting of purple, green, and yellow sugar.

1031 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77008
(281) 846-6499
(281) 846-6499
A kolache generously dusted in purple, green, and yellow sugar resting atop Mardi Gras beads.
All three locations of Kolache Shoppe are offering king cake-inspired kolaches during the month of February.
Carla Gomez

Also featured in:

Red Dessert Dive

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Year-round, this small-batch Heights bakery touts a cake for every occasion, and Mardi Gras is no exception. Mini king cakes, made with a cinnamon cream cheese swirl, serve up to 8 people and are available for pick-up at the bakery after 10 a.m. for $28, or for pre-order with 72 hours notice. Just want a taste? Individual slices are available for purchase, too.

1045 Studewood St, Houston, TX 77008
(832) 649-2977
(832) 649-2977

Also featured in:

Three Brothers Bakery

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Mardi Gras season is in full swing at this iconic Houston bakery with items like fleur de lis-decorated and dipped cookies, themed petit fours, and king cakes. Go traditional with a plain king cake for $20, or pay $10 more to get yours stuffed with cream cheese and praline, raspberry, or strawberry filling.

4606 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
(713) 522-2253
(713) 522-2253

Also featured in:

Étoile

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In lieu of the familiar New Orleans-style king cakes, chef Philippe Verpiand is making available handmade gallete de roise for pick-up at Etoile with 24-hours notice through January 31. The galette is a crown-shaped cake made of puff pastry and filled with a buttery, almond cream filling. Much plainer than New Orleans-style cakes, the galette lacks the colorful sugary topping most are used to. Cakes can feed up to eight people and cost $38 each.

1101-11 Uptown Park Blvd, Houston, TX 77056
(832) 668-5808
(832) 668-5808
A plain galette de roise topped with a festive crown.
Etoile is offering a traditional galette de roise through the end of the month.
Philippe Verpiand

Also featured in:

French Gourmet Bakery

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This River Oaks bakery offers both galette de rois and New Orleans-style king cakes, properly adorned with colored beads, coins, and an ornamental baby. Galettes are available by special order only, but the New Orleans-style varieties are available at the shop every weekend until Fat Tuesday. If you don’t want to commit to an entire cake, opt for a king cake roll, available every Thursday to Saturday through February 21.

2250 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 524-3744
(713) 524-3744

Also featured in:

Dessert Gallery Bakery & Cafe

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This Upper Kirby dessert bar is a haven for all things sweet, fluffy, and moist — Mardi Gras king cakes included. Whole cakes are available at the shop and for pre-order online for $24.95.

3600 Kirby Dr # D, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 522-9999
(713) 522-9999

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Moeller's Bakery

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This good ol’ Bellaire bakery is a go-to for king cakes each year, offering them plain or filled with raspberry, cream cheese, or a mixture of both. Choose between a small for $55 or the Texas-sized large for $64, available for pre-order and at the bakery until Tuesday, February 21.

4201 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77025
(713) 667-0983
(713) 667-0983

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Pier 6

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In addition to hosting its annual Mardi Gras celebration, Pier 6 is offering a king cake-inspired bread pudding topped with color-blocked sugar beginning Friday, February 10. The restaurant drew inspiration from chef Joe Cervantez’ years at Brennan’s to create a swoon-worthy combination of two beloved New Orleans pastries.

113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539
(281) 339-1515
(281) 339-1515

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Montgomery Bakehouse

240 Longmire Rd, Conroe, TX 77304

It’s already worth the trek to Conroe to visit this decades-old bakery slinging scratch-made cornbread, eclairs, and fruit-filled pies, but during Mardi Gras season, it’s all about the freshly baked king cakes. Find whole cakes topped with colored sugar, beads, and a plastic baby with a variety of fillings ranging from cinna-butter to pecan praline.

240 Longmire Rd, Conroe, TX 77304
(936) 756-1745
(936) 756-1745

Rainbow Lodge

2011 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77008

During Mardi Gras season, Rainbow Lodge is putting a fun twist on its standard milk punch with a king cake version available for $10 through February 21. The seasonal libation is the brainchild of beverage director and Louisiana native, Marc Borel, and is crafted with the restaurant’s famed house-aged, pecan-infused bourbon. Garnished with vibrant purple, yellow, and green sugars, the cocktail serves as a spirited alternative to the classic pastry.

2011 Ella Blvd, Houston, TX 77008
(713) 861-8666
(713) 861-8666
A goblet garnished with purple, yellow, and green sprinkles on a table with Mardi Gras beads.
Rainbow Lodge offers a fun twist on milk punch with its Mardi Gras milk punch.
Rainbow Lodge

Memorial Bakery

9415 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77024

Memorial Bakery celebrates Mardi Gras in grand fashion, with themed cupcakes, petit fours, cookies, and king cakes available for pre-order throughout the season. Score a plain, 9-inch round or 12-inch oval king cake starting at $17.95, or spring for more flavor with one filled with cream cheese or fruit starting at $27.95.

9415 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77024
(713) 467-7679
(713) 467-7679

Kolache Shoppe

1031 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77008

Let the good times roll, beginning with your breakfast kolache. All three locations of Kolache Shoppe are offering a Mardi Gras-inspired kolache for $2.75 each during the month of February. The specialty kolache is filled with sweetened cinnamon cream cheese and pecans, and finished with an almond-vanilla glaze and a generous dusting of purple, green, and yellow sugar.

1031 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77008
(281) 846-6499
(281) 846-6499
A kolache generously dusted in purple, green, and yellow sugar resting atop Mardi Gras beads.
All three locations of Kolache Shoppe are offering king cake-inspired kolaches during the month of February.
Carla Gomez

Red Dessert Dive

1045 Studewood St, Houston, TX 77008

Year-round, this small-batch Heights bakery touts a cake for every occasion, and Mardi Gras is no exception. Mini king cakes, made with a cinnamon cream cheese swirl, serve up to 8 people and are available for pick-up at the bakery after 10 a.m. for $28, or for pre-order with 72 hours notice. Just want a taste? Individual slices are available for purchase, too.

1045 Studewood St, Houston, TX 77008
(832) 649-2977
(832) 649-2977

Three Brothers Bakery

4606 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007

Mardi Gras season is in full swing at this iconic Houston bakery with items like fleur de lis-decorated and dipped cookies, themed petit fours, and king cakes. Go traditional with a plain king cake for $20, or pay $10 more to get yours stuffed with cream cheese and praline, raspberry, or strawberry filling.

4606 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
(713) 522-2253
(713) 522-2253

Étoile

1101-11 Uptown Park Blvd, Houston, TX 77056

In lieu of the familiar New Orleans-style king cakes, chef Philippe Verpiand is making available handmade gallete de roise for pick-up at Etoile with 24-hours notice through January 31. The galette is a crown-shaped cake made of puff pastry and filled with a buttery, almond cream filling. Much plainer than New Orleans-style cakes, the galette lacks the colorful sugary topping most are used to. Cakes can feed up to eight people and cost $38 each.

1101-11 Uptown Park Blvd, Houston, TX 77056
(832) 668-5808
(832) 668-5808
A plain galette de roise topped with a festive crown.
Etoile is offering a traditional galette de roise through the end of the month.
Philippe Verpiand

French Gourmet Bakery

2250 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098

This River Oaks bakery offers both galette de rois and New Orleans-style king cakes, properly adorned with colored beads, coins, and an ornamental baby. Galettes are available by special order only, but the New Orleans-style varieties are available at the shop every weekend until Fat Tuesday. If you don’t want to commit to an entire cake, opt for a king cake roll, available every Thursday to Saturday through February 21.

2250 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 524-3744
(713) 524-3744

Dessert Gallery Bakery & Cafe

3600 Kirby Dr # D, Houston, TX 77098

This Upper Kirby dessert bar is a haven for all things sweet, fluffy, and moist — Mardi Gras king cakes included. Whole cakes are available at the shop and for pre-order online for $24.95.

3600 Kirby Dr # D, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 522-9999
(713) 522-9999

Moeller's Bakery

4201 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77025

This good ol’ Bellaire bakery is a go-to for king cakes each year, offering them plain or filled with raspberry, cream cheese, or a mixture of both. Choose between a small for $55 or the Texas-sized large for $64, available for pre-order and at the bakery until Tuesday, February 21.

4201 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77025
(713) 667-0983
(713) 667-0983

Pier 6

113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539

In addition to hosting its annual Mardi Gras celebration, Pier 6 is offering a king cake-inspired bread pudding topped with color-blocked sugar beginning Friday, February 10. The restaurant drew inspiration from chef Joe Cervantez’ years at Brennan’s to create a swoon-worthy combination of two beloved New Orleans pastries.

113 6th St, San Leon, TX 77539
(281) 339-1515
(281) 339-1515

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