Calas Calas, Belle Calas, Calas tout chaud!
Calas Calas, Belle Calas, Calas tout chaud!
Welcome to Calas Café. Located in the heart of the Treme, Calas Café offers delicious Calas, a rice dish prepared with notes of nutmeg and vanilla, served with lemon curd, pistachio curd and dusted with a gentle coating of powdered sugar.
Join us to experience the flavors of the past, savor the stories woven into each bite, and ensure that the legacy of Calas continues to thrive for generations to come.
Calas Café at The Cabildo
We are thrilled to announce that Calas Café will commence a 3 month residency at The Cabildo in Jackson Square on Jan 1, 2026. Join us to experience the stories and flavors of calas in one of the state’s most iconic historic spaces.
Calas Café’s satellite pop-up continues at Le Bouchon Wine Bar, 1118 Decatur St, New Orleans, La 70116. Between Ursulines and Gov Nicholls opposite the French Market.
Rose Nicaud
Rose Nicaud is celebrated as New Orleans’ first famous coffee seller. In the early 1800s, she served hot, flavorful coffee from a small stand near the French Market, winning over locals and visitors with her skill and hospitality. She began this work while enslaved and used her earnings to gain her freedom, becoming a symbol of determination and entrepreneurship. Today, her story is part of the city’s rich food and cultural heritage, and many consider her the pioneer who helped make coffee a beloved New Orleans tradition.
In honor of Rose Nicaud, we are releasing a special edition Calas Café Rose Nicaud Coffee, created in tribute to her legacy and blended with the classic New Orleans flavor of chicory.
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Your donation helps support our mission of fostering community, preserving history, and celebrating cultural legacies in Tremé. Your contribution honors the rich heritage of this historic neighborhood.
Help us reach our goal of $50K on our Go Fund Me Page.
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About Calas
In the heart of the historic Treme neighborhood in New Orleans, a culinary tradition that once echoed through the streets is being revived. Calas, a dish with roots traced back to the rice-growing regions of Africa holds a unique place in the cultural tapestry of New Orleans.
Once sold by enslaved women and Creole street vendors, known as "Calas Women," these delicious treats were a familiar sight in the French Quarter. Carrying covered baskets and bowls on their heads, the vendors would chant, "Belle Calas, tout chaud!" (Beautiful calas, still hot!). It is believed that the earnings helped vendors to purchase their freedom from enslavement.
At Calas Café, we are celebrating Calas not just as a dish, but as a symbol of resilience, cultural significance, and a testament to the role it played in history.
Calas Cafe Satellite Pop-up
@ Le Bouchon Wine Bar on Decatur St
1118 Decatur St
Thursdays - Sundays
11:00am - 4:00pm
