Origins of
Dong Phuong

Dong Phuong began in the early 1980s by catering
to the Vietnamese community that settled in New
Orleans after the Vietnam War. Founders De and
Huong Tran immigrated to the United States to
provide a better life for their three children. Huong
learned to bake pastries in her father’s bakery in
Vietnam and De joined in the effort to recreate his
favorite childhood foods.
Dong Phuong began in the early 1980s by catering to the Vietnamese community that settled in New Orleans after the Vietnam War. Founders De and Huong Tran immigrated to the United States to provide a better life for their three children. Huong learned to bake pastries in her father’s bakery in Vietnam and De joined in the effort to recreate his favorite childhood foods.

Birth of DP Bakery

In 1982, after a short run of cooking and selling classical
Vietnamese baked goods out of their home, De and Huong
began operating out of the professional kitchen of De’s
mother, owner of Dong Phuong Restaurant, one of the first
Vietnamese eateries in the Greater New Orleans area. That’s
when Dong Phuong Bakery was born.
In 1982, after a short run of cooking and selling classical Vietnamese baked goods out of their home, De and Huong began operating out of the professional kitchen of De’s mother, owner of Dong Phuong Restaurant, one of the first Vietnamese eateries in the Greater New Orleans area. That’s when Dong Phuong Bakery was born.
image of Mrs. Tran, owner of Dong Phuong Bakery holding a king cake against a backdrop of trays of French bread

Rebuilding & Expanding
Post-Katrina

Rebuilding &
Expanding
Post-Katrina

Hurricane Katrina brought tragedy to the New Orleans area. After
rebuilding, DP Bakery expanded its customer base and started
delivering its famous baked goods and french bread to local
restaurants and grocery stores in the Greater New Orleans area—
supplying over 100 eateries with fresh bread every day. In 2008,
DP Bakery started baking their now nationally acclaimed king
cakes, which set the pace for even further growth.
Hurricane Katrina brought tragedy to the New Orleans area. After rebuilding, DP Bakery expanded its customer base and started delivering its famous baked goods and french bread to local restaurants and grocery stores in the Greater New Orleans area—supplying over 100 eateries with fresh bread every day. In 2008, DP Bakery started baking their now nationally acclaimed king cakes, which set the pace for even further growth.

DP Bakery Gains
National Notoriety

DP Bakery
Gains National
Notoriety

In 2018, Dong Phuong Bakery gained national notoriety when it was
awarded the James Beard American Classic Award. This prestigious
award is given to long-standing, locally owned restaurants with timeless
appeal and quality food that reflects the character of their community.
In 2018, Dong Phuong Bakery gained national notoriety when it was awarded the James Beard American Classic Award. This prestigious award is given to long-standing, locally owned restaurants with timeless appeal and quality food that reflects the character of their community.
image of Dong Phuong Bakery moon cakes

Dong Phuong Delivered

After receiving the James Beard American Classic Award
and to meet increased customer demand, DP Bakery began
shipping seasonal products such as king cakes and moon
cakes directly to consumers. When Covid-19 struck in early
2020, DP Bakery shut down, reopening two months later
with a new online ordering system and curbside pickup,
continuing to bring Vietnamese eats and treats to the
Greater New Orleans area.
After receiving the James Beard American Classic Award and to meet increased customer demand, DP Bakery began shipping seasonal products such as king cakes and moon cakes directly to consumers. When Covid-19 struck in early 2020, DP Bakery shut down, reopening two months later with a new online ordering system and curbside pickup, continuing to bring Vietnamese eats and treats to the Greater New Orleans area.
image of Dong Phuong Bakery moon cakes

Where We Are Now

Where We
Are Now

Today, Dong Phuong Bakery is part of New Orleans’ rich
culinary fabric. Its miniature loaves of French bread, first
intended for banh mi sandwiches, are used for po’boys all over
the city—and their king cakes have become renowned both
locally and nationwide as one of the best king cakes in America.

Today, Dong Phuong Bakery is part of New Orleans’ rich culinary fabric. Its miniature loaves of French bread, first intended for banh mi sandwiches, are used for po’boys all over the city—and their king cakes have become renowned both locally and nationwide as one of the best king cakes in America.

Everything that’s savory has to have a pinch
of sweet and everything that’s sweet has
to have a pinch of savory.

Everything
that’s savory
has to have a
pinch of sweet
and everything
that’s sweet has
to have a pinch
of savory.

– Huong Tran