Ask anyone who grew up in New Orleans about coffee and chicory will come up fast. That earthy, slightly sweet depth is part of the city's morning ritual. It's also why chicory is at the heart of Nola Baby, the Fete 'Til Dawn signature blend that brings the Caribbean and New Orleans together in one cup.
Here's what chicory coffee actually is, how it became a New Orleans staple, and how to brew it at home.
What is chicory coffee?
Chicory is a flowering plant whose root is dried, roasted and ground. On its own it brews into a dark, earthy drink with no caffeine. Blended with coffee, it adds body, a slightly woody bitterness and a deep, almost chocolatey finish. The result tastes fuller and rounder than many straight roasts.
Because chicory root has no caffeine, a chicory blend has a little less caffeine per scoop than the same amount of 100% coffee.
Why New Orleans drinks coffee with chicory
Roasted chicory was used to stretch coffee supplies in Europe long before it reached Louisiana. French-influenced New Orleans picked up the habit, and it took hold during times when coffee was scarce or expensive, most famously the Civil War, when blockades cut off shipments into the port.
Even after coffee was easy to get again, New Orleanians kept the chicory. They had come to love the taste. Today, coffee and chicory, often served as café au lait with hot milk, is one of the city's signature flavors.
Nola Baby: Trinidad soul, New Orleans tradition
Fete 'Til Dawn was born from a love of Trinidad & Tobago and made at home in New Orleans. Nola Baby is our love letter to both. It carries the city's chicory tradition forward with the warmth and celebration of the islands: rich, warm and impossible to drink just once.
- Style: signature blend with chicory
- Grind: ground for home brewers
- Sizes: 2oz sampler ($5), 12oz bag and 2lb bag
- Freshness: small-batch roasted fresh for every order
How to brew chicory coffee at home
Chicory blends are forgiving and taste great in most brewers. A few tips:
- Drip or pour-over: start with about 2 tablespoons of Nola Baby per 6 ounces of water and adjust to taste. Chicory extracts quickly, so you may like it with slightly less than you'd use for straight coffee.
- French press: use a coarser setting if you grind your own, steep about 4 minutes, then press slowly.
- Café au lait, New Orleans style: brew it strong, then mix it half and half with hot, steamed or scalded milk. Sweeten to taste.
- Iced: brew double strength over ice, or make a cold brew and finish with milk. The chicory keeps it bold even as the ice melts.
Chicory coffee FAQ
Does chicory coffee have caffeine?
Chicory root itself is caffeine-free. A coffee and chicory blend like Nola Baby still contains caffeine from the coffee, just a bit less per scoop than 100% coffee.
What does chicory coffee taste like?
Earthy, full-bodied and slightly bitter, with a deep, chocolatey finish. Many people find it smoother with milk.
Is chicory coffee a New Orleans thing?
Yes. Chicory has been part of New Orleans coffee culture for generations, and coffee with chicory is one of the city's best-known flavors.
Not a chicory person yet?
Start small with a $5 2oz bag of Nola Baby, or try the Fete Flight sampler to explore our roasts. Prefer a classic medium roast? Bess is the blend people ask for by name. Browse every roast in our coffee collection, with free U.S. shipping on orders over $40.
