Eric wrote:Rene G - Calumet Bakery is at 2510 EAST 106th Street, not west. Big difference there.

Thanks for catching that. I edited my original post.

Weber's on Archer at Harlem has great donuts. If you can be there early enough (4:30am) the "french" donuts - what I used to call a Cruller - is one of the most transcendant pastry experiences I've ever had. Also the chocolate dipped brownie on a stick is something else.

mrefjl wrote:Weber's on Archer at Harlem has great donuts. If you can be there early enough (4:30am) the "french" donuts - what I used to call a Cruller - is one of the most transcendant pastry experiences I've ever had. Also the chocolate dipped brownie on a stick is something else.

Are they usually sold out by 5AM?

There was an article in the paper some time ago about some place in St. Charles or maybe Geneva that was suppose to be really good...but I lost it. Any one have any ideas! Seems like Donut waste land here in Bartlett.

Cogito wrote:

mrefjl wrote:Weber's on Archer at Harlem has great donuts. If you can be there early enough (4:30am) the "french" donuts - what I used to call a Cruller - is one of the most transcendant pastry experiences I've ever had. Also the chocolate dipped brownie on a stick is something else.

Are they usually sold out by 5AM?

lol
I'll race you there on Sat am.

Chicago (the city, since I live in it) is lacking in the donut scene, yeah Old Fashioned donuts is awesome, but I've only been once and the drive and atmosphere alone is enough for a young girl to now want to go by herself. Personally, the next time anyone is in NY and you want what I think is the best donut, you should go to the LES and have Doughnut Plant. Yes, this guy has been on TV, against Flay, but I will say, hands down, the raspberry donut is the best thing I think I've ever eaten, at least top 5.

http://www.doughnutplant.com/

lnasreen wrote:Agree with the comments on Dat Donut and others (I, too, have had good luck recently at Dominick's). But the best chocolate cake donuts I've ever eaten (and I've eaten my way through many bakeries trying to find the ideal) are at these four spots. All in the suburbs, unfortunately, but worth the drive. Interestingly, these places don't do some other things as well, but they've got the donut just right and they're consistently fresh. First two are the best out of the bunch.

Tag's Bakery in Evanston (I think better, fresher than Bennison's in EVanston)
Continental Bakery in Mt. Prospect
Country Donuts in Crystal Lake
Cake Box in Arlington Heights

I work in the office plaza behind Cake Box in Arlington Heights, and have found myself sampling their donuts and sweet rolls all too often lately when overwhelmed by delicious smells while walking from my car to the building I work in. That said, while I enjoy their donuts quite a bit, I don't think the chocolate cake donuts there are as good as those made by either the Oak Park Bakery, or particularly those made by Dunk Donuts in Melrose Park.

My personal favorites at Cake Box would be the applesauce donuts. Then again, I am on a constant quest to find something that compares to the apple cider donuts that I buy every year at the front of apple/fruit pavilion at the Wisconsin State Fair. Alas, I continue to dream the impossible dream. Thus far the only apple donuts I've found that I felt were truly as good were up in Door County

Riffhard wrote:There was an article in the paper some time ago about some place in St. Charles or maybe Geneva that was suppose to be really good...but I lost it. Any one have any ideas! Seems like Donut waste land here in Bartlett

I live in the area but am not aware of any new or outstanding donut places nearby. Dimples donuts in Batavia used to be pretty good but I have not been there in a few years. More in your neck of the woods is Country Donuts, a nice independent place with one other location in, maybe Crystal Lake. Very good no frills place with fresh, hand made donuts and a respectable apple fritter, with the gold standard being Old Fashioned. It has sort of a 50's diner type feel to it with lots of white tile and a large counter with stools. After eating the ubiquitous stuff from DD, the donuts from Country Donuts are remarkable in that they don't leave a funky day long film and taste of tired grease coating your mouth.

Country Donuts
(847) 895-0200
1218 S Roselle Rd
Schaumburg, IL

ucjames wrote:Then again, I am on a constant quest to find something that compares to the apple cider donuts that I buy every year at the front of apple/fruit pavilion at the Wisconsin State Fair. Alas, I continue to dream the impossible dream. Thus far the only apple donuts I've found that I felt were truly as good were up in Door County

Just wondering if you've had the ones at the OP Farmer's Mkt. I bet you have, but just in case you have not, they might be able to tide you over. granted, I've never had them at the Wis St Fair, but the OP Farmer's Mkt ones are decent in my limited samplings. FWIW, I think Chicago Mad voted them among top donuts - not that it means anything. Just might be something to try if you never have.

seebee wrote:

ucjames wrote:Then again, I am on a constant quest to find something that compares to the apple cider donuts that I buy every year at the front of apple/fruit pavilion at the Wisconsin State Fair. Alas, I continue to dream the impossible dream. Thus far the only apple donuts I've found that I felt were truly as good were up in Door County

Just wondering if you've had the ones at the OP Farmer's Mkt. I bet you have, but just in case you have not, they might be able to tide you over. granted, I've never had them at the Wis St Fair, but the OP Farmer's Mkt ones are decent in my limited samplings. FWIW, I think Chicago Mad voted them among top donuts - not that it means anything. Just might be something to try if you never have.

Oh, those are indeed excellent donuts seebee. I find myself sitting here with a chocolate donut from the Oak Park Bakery after posting about them earlier today, but I must admit that for as much as I love these, I'd rather have a donut from the Farmer's Market right now.

Something to keep in mind though is that they can be a little bit inconsistent at times since it isn't always the same people making the donuts at the Farmer's Market. Still pretty much always excellent, but occasionally to varying degrees.

Cogito wrote:

mrefjl wrote:Are they usually sold out by 5AM?

No, they just have a special magical quality that doesn't last after about half an hour/fourty five minutes.

Any good donut places in the city, outside of the national chain?? Looking for a fresh donut to start the day to go with a good cup of coffee, any ideas would be great.

what part of town?

Lou Mitchell's comes to mind as the best place nearish the loop.

565 W Jackson Blvd · Chicago
(312) 939-3111

I think the St Charles confusion may be that there used to be a wonderfull donut shop on St Charles Ave in Maywood. It was a few blocks East of 25th. Bought donuts there many times, have no idea of the name or if it is still there. ANyone remember?

Dunk Donuts is a few blocks East of 25th on Lake St. in Melrose Park.

Their donuts rule! The chocolate cake donuts are great, but I usually go for maple cake or sour cream.

Dunk Donuts
1912 West Lake Street
Melrose Park, IL 60160-3753
(708) 343-0047

That's the place! Sorry for the misinformation. Their donuts were always gleefully accepted by clients.

I can completely recommend the cake donuts at Dinkel's on Lincoln.

They have coffee and some seating too -- but there's also a starbucks across the street from them if you want to take your pastries and go there to start your day.

Cake with chocolate frosting are DELICIOUS. Wish I was closer to them.

I also love the donuts at the Swedish Bakery in Andersonville. They have a caramel topping on their cake donuts which is really different and very good.

Dinkel's
3329 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 281-7300

Swedish Bakery
5348 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 561-8919

We are huge fans of Dat, but it is so far away that it is quite the occasion to go there. (But my son saw the pictures upthread and said, "That's Dat! Yum!" (and in a lovely nod to urban innocence saw the bullet-proof plexiglass and said it was the "Fun way to put your money in and get the doughnuts back!" (Perspective is a magical thing.)

But when we want a doughnut within walking distance, we walk to the Swedish Bakery. I think their cake doughnuts are by far the most magical thing in the bakery ( know, approaching hyperbole but it's true) and I am totally with earthlydesire, the cake with caramel topping is really a treat. I just wanted readers to note that the Swedish Bakery does not have fresh doughnuts on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That's because the doughnut maker (who I think is named Rafael) doesn't work on those mornings . . . or is it the late night before? Either way, it's an odd detail that used to frustrate us (coz when you want a doughnut, you really want a doughnut) but now we know the gig and know when to go.

We also like Dinkel's doughnuts very much (and echo the cake love Big Time) but I have had issues with consistency. A couple of times we bought sour cream doughnuts and they were a bit raw inside. (Their cake doughnuts are fine, a bit dry . . . it seems they struggle with the weight and wetness that the inside of a sour cream doughnut entails.)

I also want to praise the Pazcki up at Bennison's -- I had my first ever last week, it was cream filled and it was heavenly. To me, in my naive non-Polish approach, it was a lovely raised doughnut filled with light cream and dusted with sugar. I don't like jelly or custard filled doughnuts/Bismarks . . . but this amazing. So good. Worth exploring for doughnut lovers for sure!

bjt

I think their cake doughnuts are by far the most magical thing in the bakery ( know, approaching hyperbole but it's true)

No, you're quite right. I always check to see if they're in the samples basket. Not sure I've ever actually bought one, but I've had them many times.

Beauner wrote:Dunk Donuts is a few blocks East of 25th on Lake St. in Melrose Park.

Their donuts rule! The chocolate cake donuts are great, but I usually go for maple cake or sour cream.

Dunk Donuts
1912 West Lake Street
Melrose Park, IL 60160-3753
(708) 343-0047

+1! Chocolate coconut are great too.

jpschust wrote:
I drive by it all the time when visiting family, but I've never been in, how's Spunky Dunkers in Palatine?


I do not consider myself a donut maven, but I do avoid Dunkin Donuts whenever possible, prefering to feed my occasional donut jones at locally owned bakeries. Last Saturday the kids arrived home with a dozen donuts from Spunky Dunkers in Palatine. None of us had heard of them or eaten their donuts before - the kids just happenbed to pass the place and decided to try some. The Bavarian Creams were awesome with an exceptionally creamy and flavorful filling. We also enjoyed their chocolate cake donut - yellow cake with chocolate frosting and another of my favorite flavors - old fashioned - that were tasty and not too sweet. The cake donuts had that nice crispy outside and moist inside.

After checking their website I found out they are a fairly easy off and on from Route 53 - my daily to and from work route. So, I stopped by yesterday and picked up another dozen to take home. While I was there, I discovered their Pazkis. While they offer 22 flavors of Paczkis, they only had a few in the case, so I tried one - a combination black raspberry and cheese. One bite and I had what I guess can only be described as a Homer Simpson/Donut moment. Yeesh! What a delight! I have had many Paczkis, Bismarks and Sufganiyot, but this was different. The donut itself had been cut in half - bagel style - with the bottom half covered with the cheese and the raspberry filling spread over that. Kind of like a Paczki sandwich.

Go there. Try one.

Spunky Dunkers Donuts
20 S. Northwest Hwy.
Palatine, IL, 60067
847-358-7935

I have to put a word in for the chocolate frosted cake donuts at Wagner's on Cermak in West Pilsen. I am lucky enough to live a few blocks away, and they have become my regular go-to donut. While I traditionally prefer raised donuts, Wagner's cake donuts have made me a convert (their raised donuts, in my experience, are fine but nothing special...). They are on the sweeter side, and I often save them for dessert. I work in Evanston, but I prefer Wagner's to Bennison's (and Dinkel's). For bread, they also have the best bolillos that I have found in Pilsen.

Shaggywillis wrote:Chicago (the city, since I live in it) is lacking in the donut scene, yeah Old Fashioned donuts is awesome, but I've only been once and the drive and atmosphere alone is enough for a young girl to now want to go by herself. Personally, the next time anyone is in NY and you want what I think is the best donut, you should go to the LES and have Doughnut Plant. Yes, this guy has been on TV, against Flay, but I will say, hands down, the raspberry donut is the best thing I think I've ever eaten, at least top 5.

http://www.doughnutplant.com/

My wife's cousin just blogged about the Doughnut Plant:
http://thesilverspork.wordpress.com/201 ... nut-plant/

He loved it.

bjt wrote:We also like Dinkel's doughnuts very much (and echo the cake love Big Time) but I have had issues with consistency. A couple of times we bought sour cream doughnuts and they were a bit raw inside. (Their cake doughnuts are fine, a bit dry . . . it seems they struggle with the weight and wetness that the inside of a sour cream doughnut entails.)

If you find yourself in Northwest Indiana, try the sour cream donuts at Munster Donut. It's a pretty good (and cheap) little shop and the sour creams were the best of the varieties I tried.

Munster Donut
8314 Calumet Av
Munster IN
219-836-1709
Open 24 hours

This thread sent me to Dunkin Donuts in desperation, seeking the only thing I liked from there, the buttermilk. But alas - discontinued! So I bought three of the worst donuts I have ever eaten, ever, I've had donuts from 7-11 that were moister and tastier. Lesson (re)learned.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:This thread sent me to Dunkin Donuts in desperation, seeking the only thing I liked from there, the buttermilk. But alas - discontinued!

I thought I was the only one who like the buttermilk donuts.

Buttermilk was the ONLY edible donut at Dunkin D's - I miss them as well.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:This thread sent me to Dunkin Donuts in desperation, seeking the only thing I liked from there, the buttermilk. But alas - discontinued! So I bought three of the worst donuts I have ever eaten, ever, I've had donuts from 7-11 that were moister and tastier. Lesson (re)learned.

I like DD coffee, but the donuts leave my mouth with a greasy slick of cheap shorting that lasts for hours.

DD coffee is surprisingly good. I prefer it to Starbucks, actually. Which makes me wonder why they can get one half of the equation so right, and the other half so wrong.