Dong Phuong king cakes sell out fast in Biloxi. Here’s why folks love the Mardi Gras treat
King cake lovers darted through a chilly rain Friday morning into Lee’s International Market in Biloxi, where they joined a line of customers anxious to get their hands on the coveted Mardi Gras treat from Dong Phuong Bakery in New Orleans.
Simply the best, several of the 52 people in line said, including Mike Appe, who grew up in New Orleans and was first in line for the 9 a..m. sales.
“That’s why I’m a king cake junkie,” said Appe, who now lives in Biloxi. “This is, by far, the best.”
Lee’s employee Vivian Nguyen said the store pleaded for years with the bakery to stock the cakes, as did the other South Mississippi purveyor of the treat, Waveland Pharmacy.
Lee’s was selling the king cakes for $32 each. Flavors included cinnamon, cream cheese, pecan, coconut, strawberry and almond cream.
King cakes sold at South MS businesses
Lee’s will offer the king cakes on Fridays, while Waveland Pharmacy has them each weekday except Tuesdays, when the bakery is closed. The king cakes are gone within an hour at both locations.
Nguyen says Lee’s is trying to add a second day of the week to its order, but hasn’t gotten permission yet. She said the store was able to pick up only 50 king cakes on its first Friday to have them, so she limited purchases to one king cake each.
Still, a couple of people who stood in line left empty-handed.
Lisa Lyons of Biloxi was not one of them. She had actually hoped to buy two king cakes but was satisfied to leave with one, which she’ll split for staff at two schools. Her daughter is a teacher and asked Lyons, who is retired, to pick up the king cakes.
Patricia Lewis also nabbed one of the cakes.
“It’s a different kind of king cake,” she said.
Other customers agreed. The icing is whipped and lighter than the usual king cake icing with granular sugar. And the dough is moister, customers said.
“It’s definitely worth it,” said Dena Christensen. “That’s why we all got out in the storm to get in line.”
This story was originally published January 10, 2025 at 12:22 PM.
