Glazed and Infused, Chicago, IL - April, 2016

***NOTE: As of 12/31/17 all of their locations have closed! 😦😦😦😦
April 21, 2016 (Birthday Donuts!!!)
Web site: Glazed and Infused
Address: 939 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Rating: 

Glazed and Infused was featured as one of People’s 100 reasons to love America.  Rightly so.  In their words:  “Glazed & Infused presents a flavorful re-invention of the iconic American doughnut − handcrafted and uniquely imagined for your enjoyment. With a focus on artisan technique, local sourcing, and quality flavors, Glazed & Infused is a leader among the Chicago doughnut scene.” They have a wide variety (including several old-fashioned flavors—including a pumpkin spiced) and a great marketing strategy.  In fact, they recently began delivering doughnuts to our local grocery store chain every morning! They even have an oversized happy birthday doughnut sign you can use for selfies on your big day.

Looking forward to our next visit! 

St. Louis - August, 2015

The Donut Stop

Web Site: www.thedonutstopinc.net
Address: 1101 Lemay Ferry Road St Louis, MO
Rating: 

On a visit to St Louis for a dear friend’s daughter’s wedding, my friend Jim Mooney took me on my first “donut safari.” For the uninitiated, a donut safari is a road trip in which multiple donut shops are visited, multiple photos are taken (oftentimes with donut shop proprietors and/ or counter workers) and multiple donut tastings occur. You are, by no means, required to eat entire donuts for each taste—but you are “required” to do some sampling. And you are required to visit more than one donut shop. Our first stop was, luckily enough, “The Donut Stop”. The Donut Stop is a traditional, no frills donut establishment. In its own words, “founded in 1953, The Donut Stop has been a staple of south St. Louis for generations. The current owners are the fourth set of owners and the Donut Stop has been acknowledged in over four nationally recognized culinary publications in the past two years.” It’s a gem with many delicious flavors. I particularly enjoyed the chocolate glazed crullers.

Strange Donuts

Web Site: http://www.strangedonuts.com
Address: 2709 Sutton Blvd., St. Louis, MO 2709 Sutton Blvd, Saint Louis, MO 63143
     plus two locations in MEXCIO CITY!
Rating: 


One reviewer described Strange Donuts as “St Louis’s rip-off of Portland’s VooDoo Donuts.” I do not know if I would go that far. Strange Donuts is a non-traditional donut emporium — featuring funky flavors (including “strange” flavors). Specifically, they have been known to offer original Classics, like raspberry jelly-filled, cinnamon sugar and traditional glazed; New Creations, or nontraditional donut flavors such as gooey butter cake, s’mores and blueberry cheesecake; and Late Night Strangers, each a collaboration with a different local restaurant or food producer. Past St. Louis Strangers have included chicken-and-waffle donuts with Porter’s Fried Chicken, pho donuts made with Mai Lee Restaurant, pizza donuts made with Pi Pizzeria and barbecue-rib donuts made with Bogart’s Smokehouse. Many donut spots offer a wide array of options, but Strange goes wider and stranger. The donut I selected was good, but not particularly memorable. If strange is what you’re after, get over to Strange Donuts as soon as you can. Not my favorite. Click here for an interesting article. 

Safari companion Jim

Pharaohs Donuts

Web Site (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/Pharaohsbakery
Address: 200 N 7th St, St. Louis, MO 63102
Rating: 

Pharaohs is a great business-person’s donut shop—located in the heart of the St Louis central business district. What I thought was most distinctive here is that (unlike many other donut shops), preparation was in full view—almost like a live-action museum display. I don’t have a record of exactly which donut I ate from Pharaohs but I know it was tasty. Their apple fritters were particularly appealing.

New Orleans - Since 2014

District Donuts
We go every year!
Web site: District Donuts
Address: 2209 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
               1126 S Clearview Pkwy D, Elmwood, LA 70123
Rating: 

Normally, I am apprehensive about visiting donut spots that do not feature donuts.  And even donut spots that do feature donuts but generally do not serve cake and/or old fashioned donuts do not receive high ratings from this reviewer.  However, I am pleased and proud to be able to provide a very high rating to District Donuts (multiple locations) in New Orleans.  We have visited the original location on Magazine Street and also a location in Jefferson, Louisiana.  Their yeast donuts (which I have sampled) are delicious and come with many interesting and captivating glazes.  But, perhaps even more exciting to me surprisingly enough, are their other breakfast and lunch offerings.  Their biscuits are amazing.  I have begged for the miso praline bacon and sunny side up egg (on a biscuit) several times and it rivals most donuts I have eaten.  I also found their lunchtime sliders delicious.  Plus, they have been known to bring out cake donuts (they featured a cake donut on Eclipse day in August, 2017).

There is a lot of good eating to be done in New Orleans.  You should definitely include District Donuts on your list!

From 2015:

From 2016:

From 2017:

Café Du Monde
We go every year!
Web site: http://www.cafedumonde.com/
Address: Many locations, but the main is in the French Quarter: 800 Decatur Street
Rating: 

The world famous, Café Du Monde, located in the French Quarter of New Orleans is a huge tourist destination.  Their buttery, airy, powdered sugar, melt-in-your-mouth beignets and coffee, are the only items on the menu.  You may wait for hours to have some but the wait is well worth your while.  Do not go to Café Du Monde expecting a variety of different donuts—go for the beignets and stay for the beignets.  You won’t regret it!  Fashion tip:  do not wear black pants because the sugar will splatter all over them!

2015 (yes...besides the sugar, it was windy!):

2017: