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Houston is definitely up there. Shipley Donuts obviously is king in Houston but the mom and pop scene here is incredible. The trend of serving kolaches at donut shops started in Houston and now even Dunkin and Krispy Kreme have began serving kolaches in their Texas locations just to compete. In reference to Shipley, a mammoth 2 story location and “donuts/coffee innovation center” is set to open next year with their new owners.
It's been my general impression that New England and the big metros on the West Coast have the best donut scenes, but I would need to eat my way through those places to be sure.
I enjoyed donuts as a kid in California. When I moved to the Great Lakes/Rust Belt region later in life, I thought I was going to be in all-America donut heaven, but I was wrong. It was mostly chains and supermarkets in Columbus/Cleveland and Buffalo, though the latter did have a couple of good independent donuteers.
The best donut city in the Rust Belt has been Chicago, with a wide range of options, including many places to get paczki and other ethnic donut variants.
Milwaukee, where I live now, is not a great donut city. Aside from the usual chains and supermarkets, there's a local chain (Honeydip) which is pretty much like a DD. Nothing special. There are several bakeries that make donuts (National, Grebe's, Lakeside, Cranky Al's, etc.), and they can be good depending on what kind you get.
I haven't found an amazing bear claw or apple fritter here, but Grebe's does a good cruller, old fashioned, and boston cream. National does a great raised glazed and has quality paczkis all year round
There are a couple of inventive artisanal donutmakers (Monster Donuts, Donut Squad). They have some tasty items, but I really hate the trend of putting Fruity Pebbles, Snickers, Smores, and other such things on donuts. The add-ons mask the flavor of the donut itself (sometimes not a bad thing) and are gimmicky.
For artisanal-leaning donuts, I like more subtle approaches, such as orange cardamom or ginger, but I still think the ideal donut is a traditional type bursting with flavor. Hard to find around here, so I load up when I head to Chicago.
It's been my general impression that New England and the big metros on the West Coast have the best donut scenes, but I would need to eat my way through those places to be sure.
I enjoyed donuts as a kid in California. When I moved to the Great Lakes/Rust Belt region later in life, I thought I was going to be in all-America donut heaven, but I was wrong. It was mostly chains and supermarkets in Columbus/Cleveland and Buffalo, though the latter did have a couple of good independent donuteers.
The best donut city in the Rust Belt has been Chicago, with a wide range of options, including many places to get paczki and other ethnic donut variants.
Milwaukee, where I live now, is not a great donut city. Aside from the usual chains and supermarkets, there's a local chain (Honeydip) which is pretty much like a DD. Nothing special. There are several bakeries that make donuts (National, Grebe's, Lakeside, Cranky Al's, etc.), and they can be good depending on what kind you get.
I haven't found an amazing bear claw or apple fritter here, but Grebe's does a good cruller, old fashioned, and boston cream. National does a great raised glazed and has quality paczkis all year round
There are a couple of inventive artisanal donutmakers (Monster Donuts, Donut Squad). They have some tasty items, but I really hate the trend of putting Fruity Pebbles, Snickers, Smores, and other such things on donuts. The add-ons mask the flavor of the donut itself (sometimes not a bad thing) and are gimmicky.
For artisanal-leaning donuts, I like more subtle approaches, such as orange cardamom or ginger, but I still think the ideal donut is a traditional type bursting with flavor. Hard to find around here, so I load up when I head to Chicago.
Thanks for all that info about Chicago & Milwaukee.... and I agree about gimmicky approaches to donuts...
better to keep it simple, IMHO.
I disagree with you on most of this. Growing up in LA and a self admitted donut fiend with a good friend of mine, I can say the the mom and pops in California are good, but Chicago has outstanding donuts as well. Donut Vault, Do Rite, Stans, Firecakes, are collectively, depending on the individual donut, outstanding. (Do-Rites old fashioned buttermilk is almost addicting, so is Firecakes chocolate frosted). Stan's was imported from LA, but is now closed RIP in LA and only survives in Chicago. Add the southside donut staples like Dat Donut and Old Fashioned, both with the best glazed I have ever had, and you have a donut party in your mouth. If I wasn't so health and fitness conscious, I would weigh alot with this donut line up.
As for some of the mom and pops, I don't care for Kirschbaum's ( too dry and caky ) but will stand by the ones above. But I totally agree with you on Dunkin, which taste tastless compared to the above donuts, with the exception of the apple fritter at specific locations, which I really like.
To each their own, about Chicago's donut scene. I have no doubt the donut scene is better in other cities, vs. in Chicago. I'm sorry to hear Stan's closed their location in LA, since they were a long time landmark there. It's just after trying their donuts numerous times after they opened in Chicago(didn't make it to the LA Stan's before it closed, so don't know how that one compares to the Stan's locations here), that I've started to realize that while they aren't bad, to me I think they're a little overrated and overpriced. I will say kudos to them offering an egg nog donut, since I don't see many donut places offering such a donut other than Stan's.
I did weirdly forget Dat Donut and Old Fashioned Donuts in my earlier comment, so not sure how I forgot those 2. I LOVE the apple fritter at Old Fashioned, myself. Dat Donut also is good, but I prefer Old Fashioned. That said when you look back to the 90s and 2000s(before the rise of Donut Vault, Stan's, Do Rite, etc), our donut scene ABSOLUTELY was lacking as heck. It is a little better now, but don't kid yourself that we're ahead of a lot of other cities. Since to me, I still think Chicago is a little behind vs. other cities, as to how decent the local donut scene is. I think it'd help Chicago a lot, if(theoretical here, I know) Dunkin Donuts were to totally go away. I know they won't, so nothing I can do on that. I just HATE their dominance and percentage share in the Chicago area for donut sales, since their donuts started to become garbage years ago.
It's like to me, I really like the mom and pop donut places I've found in other cities. And just my honest opinion(and okay if you disagree), Chicago doesn't have as many home grown mom and pop donut places as do other cities. I guess to me for example, I wish Chicago had as many homegrown donut places(devoted to primarily donuts) as I see in St. Louis. But to each their own.
Some of the local donut chains I've vaguely heard a little about(i.e. Duck Donuts, Voodoo Donuts), I'd like to try one day when I travel to an area with one of their locations. I just hope they aren't only relying on gimmicky toppings, for their interesting donuts. I sometimes wonder if Voodoo relies a lot on gimmicky toppings for their donuts, but who knows. I am DEFINITELY NOT going to write any of these places off(including Voodoo), until the day I have a chance to try these places for myself.
My professional opinion is that LA has the best donuts. To be fair, I'm a simple donut guy - glazed or maple bar, so any of these crazy things that resemble cakes? Not donuts.
LOL, my tiny, small town doesn't need or have Dunkin' Donuts. It does just fine with not just one but two Daylight Donuts places. I don't need to put on more weight, so seldom go to them.
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