In Italian, La Spiga means "wheat." The inspiration for the Marigny bakery and cafe came from Italy, where owner Dana Logsdon studied for a year. At first La Spiga, which Logsdon ran with her cousin, Michael Manning, and her mother, Mary, sold mainly to restaurants. The public could only find La Spiga's pastries and Italian breads at the Crescent City Farmers Market.

Then, around 1999, La Spiga opened its doors to public and became a cafe where the neighborhood gathered for breakfast and lunch. After Hurricane Katrina, La Spiga let Angelo Brocato use its kitchen, so that Italian institution could keep making St. Joseph Day cookies while its Carrollton Avenue shop was repaired. In 2007, La Spiga closed after a decade in business. Cake Cafe and Bakery took its place, continuing the tradition of neighborhood Marigny bakeries.