Ice Cream Near the French Market

The French Market is one of the oldest public markets in the country. It's been running in some form since the early 1800s, and today it's one of the busiest spots in the French Quarter. Vendors sell everything from hot sauce collections and handmade jewelry to local art and Cajun spice blends. It's the kind of place where you go in planning to browse for ten minutes and end up spending an hour walking up and down the aisles. And after an hour of walking through the market in the New Orleans heat, surrounded by the smell of spices and fresh produce, you're going to want something cold. That's where we come in.

Walking Directions from the French Market

The French Market runs along Decatur Street from Cafe Du Monde all the way to Barracks Street. We're at 1129 Decatur Street, which puts us right at the downriver end of the market. If you're starting from the main market building near the produce stands and the flea market section, just continue walking down Decatur Street toward Esplanade Avenue. We're on the left side of the street, and you'll spot our sign before you even cross Governor Nicholls. The walk takes about two minutes from the market's far end. If you're coming from the Cafe Du Monde side of the market, it's a slightly longer walk, maybe five or six minutes, but it's a straight shot down Decatur the whole way. No turns, no guessing. You literally cannot miss us if you're walking in the right direction. We're between Governor Nicholls and Ursulines, on the riverside of the street.

What to Try

After walking around the market in the heat, frozen coffee is the move. Ours is made with premium coffee blended with Quintin's all-natural coffee ice cream, and it will cool you down fast. It's thick, creamy, and has real coffee flavor because it's made with actual coffee ice cream, not some syrup-and-ice situation. If you're more of an iced latte person, this is the upgrade you didn't know you needed.

If you want something more substantial, grab a Screamer. That's our ice cream sandwich, built to order with your choice of flavor between fresh-baked cookies, brownies, or cake. It's basically a meal and dessert combined into one thing you can eat with your hands while walking down the street. People come in after the market thinking they'll get a single scoop and end up walking out with a Screamer in each hand. It happens more than you'd think.

For a classic scoop, Banana Foster and Polly Praline are popular picks, especially with visitors who want something distinctly New Orleans. Both flavors are made by Quintin's using all-natural ingredients, no artificial flavors or colors in anything we serve. We rotate our flavors regularly, so there's almost always something new to try alongside the staples. Check our current flavor list to see what's in the case today.

A Perfect French Market Day

If you're planning a day around the French Market area, here's how we'd do it. Start the morning at Cafe Du Monde for beignets and chicory coffee. It's right at the upriver end of the market, so you can fuel up before you start shopping. From there, walk through the French Market at a leisurely pace. Pick up some hot sauce for the kitchen back home, grab a bag of pralines from one of the local vendors, and browse the art and handmade goods in the flea market section at the far end.

Once you've worked up an appetite from all that walking, head to O.K. Ice Cream for a Screamer or a frozen coffee. We're right there at the end of the market on Decatur, so you don't have to go out of your way. After you've got your ice cream, walk two blocks toward the river to the Mississippi Riverfront. There's a paved walkway along the water with benches where you can sit and eat your ice cream while watching the barges and steamboats pass by. It's one of the most relaxing things you can do in the Quarter, and it costs nothing.

If you still have energy after that, the rest of the French Quarter is right there waiting for you. Jackson Square is a short walk upriver, Royal Street's antique shops are one block over, and there's live music on almost every corner once the afternoon gets going. The French Market area is one of the best starting points for exploring the whole neighborhood.

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