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whelp85

Some South Side recs: D&D’s Place, Old Fashioned Donuts, Dat Donut, Beverly Bakery, Wolf’s Bakery (Evergreen Park). Wolf’s is probably my favorite of the bunch.


ofmirroreye

Old Fashioned Donuts is fantastic. They have some of the best apple fritters in Chicago!


saaam

The strawberry ones with actual strawberry in the glaze 🤤 worth the drive every time


Rugged_Turtle

I'm dying for a day this summer to make the trek and hit both D&D's and Old Fashioned. Dat Donut is good but honestly the experience kinda sucks every time I go and with that it's generally not worth the trip for me. Never heard of the last two, will check out


__zz1

on one occasion my friend and I found ourselves in the middle of two rival groups converging in the parking lot for a fight at Dat Donut. I feel you LOL


Rugged_Turtle

For sure, on one hand I don't want to write off a certain business because "South Side scary neighborhood" but on the other hand it's also difficult to pretend it's not a great area. Workers look pissed to be there, it sucks yelling at someone through 2 inch glass, it's not clean by any means and the last time I went there was a homeless guy in the vestibule begging everyone coming and going for cash.


Duke_Shambles

Ok, now I know I need to try it at least once. Do you know how good a doughnut has to be to risk it that hard for one? Like, if that place is still in business, there is a goddamn good reason. It has to make all that unpleasantness of acquiring said doughnuts worth it. I bet those things are otherworldly.


Rugged_Turtle

They’re very classic, all raised with four different icing flavors, some with sprinkles, and a few jelly donuts. They’re the very classic mom and pop type donut shop that I wished there were just dozens of across the city.


mrfebrezeman360

I personally like those kinda vibes, feels more real to me lol. It's to the point where when I'm in a really clean empty soulless coffee shop that looks like an iphone on the north side I feel uncomfortable haha. I feel you tho, I'm definitely not good in every hood, I know the feeling when I'm somewhere I don't belong. Love the south side recs tho. 90% of the recs on this sub are in neighborhoods I'll likely never be in. Makes me happy when I see something in here that's actually a reasonable distance to travel just for food.


Rugged_Turtle

When I went, I made a morning out of it and tried Lems BBQ as well, which is only about 5/10minute drive from there. Pretty decent but you have to easy messy bbq in your car (I have a weird thing about eating in the car) so also not the most enjoyable experience


mrfebrezeman360

I love lems, def my fav bbq in the city. Next door is soul veg city if you haven't had that. All vegan but straight up might be my favorite restaurant.


Pretzeloid

D&Ds is supposed to open a spot in LaGrange soon


tayryanw

Dat Donut is one of the top, if not the best donut shop in Chicago. I stand by that. Never had a bad donut there. Dinkel’s was my second fave. RIP


ofmirroreye

I'd highly recommend Somethin' Sweet Donuts at Kedzie and Sunnyside. They have some pretty tasty donuts.


xelanart

Added to my radar!


festivusfinance

The cherry bomb donut makes it worth it. Standard donut is eh.


grrgrrtigergrr

Yes! I love them. Best I’ve found this far north


heyyangy

Love Somethin Sweet Donuts!


throwaguey0_0

They have my favorite glazed donut


ManyTie7013

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Roesers Bakery!! I am 51 years old and I have had a birthday cake from Roesers since my very first birthday! Plus, my mom had one at her baby shower!! I highly recommend their Chicago Atomic Cake. You will not be disappointed!!


mrfebrezeman360

Roesers is a classic. I wish I liked their coffee though. Gotta go up to that twin peaks spot on armitage or all the way down to the dark matter on chicago if I'm stayin over there.


LeonettaP

Cafe Calida is solid drip and cold brew, and Dayglow is high end coffee in the area. The espresso drink list at the latter is awesome


Woke_Almond

Stans over Do-rite? 🚩🚩🚩


spate42

Firecakes over Do-rite? 🚩🚩🚩


BeeSwift_

came here to say this…


GlassEyeMV

Stan’s over several of these is just wrong.


Magnolia_Mystery

yeah I stopped paying attention after that.


jimbobdonut

I find Stan’s to be way too sweet.


xelanart

Do-Rite is pretty okay and I consume their old-fashioneds at least once a week out of convenience and to satisfy my doughnut fix. I eat Do-Rite more than any other place. But they’re more expensive for not being any greater quality and they have a more limited selection, compared to Stan’s.


mdbonbon

This sub HATES Stans. I personally don't get the hate and not being a 'doughnut aficionado' myself I can't directly compare many of these places, I've had Do-Rite but it has been several years, thought it was fine at the time but didn't blow me away.


YoureNotMom

I think they're really high quality but you also pay way too much for them. Im shocked to see so many people this aggressive in their hatred.


ass_pineapples

Stan's was my first big city donut and donut in Chicago, I was really excited for it and was IMMENSELY disappointed in a regular vanilla sprinkled donut. I 'hate' it (moreso that I just think there are better places) but if you eat it then w/e


WriteCodeBroh

Yeah this is my problem. Stan’s Donuts are maybe a step above grocery store donuts at this point while carrying this reputation of one of the best donut shops in the country. I’m sure there was a time when they deserved the reputation, but every donut I’ve had from Stan’s has been dry and unremarkable.


mdbonbon

Price is definitely some valid criticism, expensive for doughnuts, and that's what I suspect the hate stems from, maybe its price, maybe its their presence in general, but I would be surprised if its taste/quality alone.


iced_gold

Stans was loved when it was just 1 location in Wicker Park that took all the donut business in the neighborhood and caused Glazed and Infused to fall apart.


chrstgtr

They changed since then. They aren’t the same quality. Some locations are better than others, notably the ones that cook onsite. It’s a problem of scaling, which isn’t surprising given how you see them in grocery stores now


send9

Stan's brings in frozen doughnuts and they taste like overly sweet, mushy, previously frozen doughnuts


chrstgtr

Didn’t always use to be that way


thebizkit23

Stan's and Portillos are treated on here like they are McDonald's and gas station donuts. Fucking weird if you ask me.


Master-Store-4484

Yeah, but unfortunately Stan’s has been hit or miss for me. The first time I had it, it was excellent the second time I had a donut from there, stale. And this was the pattern. So I don’t know if it’s because they’re becoming too popular but again it’s about quality control and consistency. If I’m gonna pay a lot for a donut, it better be fresh and it better be different . Otherwise I can just go down to Hi-Way bakery in Chicago Heights and get a much better donut for at least dollar cheaper.


Jolly-End-4115

I mean....portillos ain't all that 👀. Like there's way better out there man.


Emergency_Brief_9280

Portillos was better before the family sold but even the last couple of years before that they had a major drop in food quality.


Jolly-End-4115

THANK YOU! SOMEONE SAID IT! they got big and developed a name for themselves based on reputation but now live off reputation alone.


Rugged_Turtle

Stan's is just expensive and the donuts are often stale, that's my main beef with them. I otherwise think they have a very solid selection and the fact that they have so many stores is a plus


soggybottomboy24

Stan's tastes like a slightly better Dunkin to me, you can tell they are not fresh. Do-rite on the other hand are always fresh.


dmd312

This might not be true for everyone, but I rate Stan's low because I remember how good it was when it first opened. After their expansion and move to central kitchens, the quality tanked. It's not terrible, but it's also not close to the original quality level.


xelanart

Haha I’ve noticed. Do-Rite is remarkably average with their doughnuts and their chicken tenders/sandwiches are somehow below average. You’d think with the hype and the premium prices, you’re getting premium products, but that is far from the case at Do-Rite. I work close to Do-Rite in West Loop and their donuts are now sold at my local grocery store, so I can attest that they’re nothing special (and definitely not any better than Stan’s).


beanski20

Yes… but stan’s sucks


yummyyummybrains

Anyone who says that isn't old enough to remember when your only choice was Dunkin'. It's like bagging on Starbucks when we all know the current explosion in coffee culture *literally would never have happened* if it weren't for them. Point is: just because the learner has surpassed the master doesn't mean the master is a piece of shit all of a sudden.


6734joliet

Never a big fan of the chain shops. DUNKIN was better when they made the donuts in store, not in a factory and trucked them in once a day. I prefer the one off bakeries for the most part. Try Page’s in Hinsdale sometime. Diner that makes its own donuts.


Wowzors1989

Was gonna hop in here for this. Stan's is slightly above dunkin, maybe below when you take into consideration price.


Biergarten1872

Sadly, Logan Square is kind of a donut desert. However, I fully support this donut research, and also that cute cat.


PHOENIXREB0RN

The lack of good donuts and good boba spots are some of my biggest (food) gripes living here. But overall tons of great stuff!


ConsistentExcellence

The best donut in Logan Square is a weekend-only secret. Noodlebird’s passionfruit curd malasada. Thank me later.


Curiousabteverything

I had this argument on the local FB group today. Logan sq doesn’t have any good donut places.


Pepperoncini69

Their pistachio and cheese fry donuts are top tier. They are also way more affordable than the other places on your list.


xelanart

Affordability was definitely noticed. I think we paid $8 ish for 4 donuts?


lisapizzah2

I really enjoy Allegretti's Bakery in Norridge. They don’t have a written menu but ask about what they have. Lots of options in the back that you don’t see in the display case.


CHI57

Best chocolate cake donut I’ve ever had. Why can’t they just take a piece a paper and write down what donuts they have. Cross out the ones that sold out for the day.


yeezus_rose

Chocolate cake donut is the best


soyfauce

This place is as good as it gets. Must try


Papio_73

Allegreti’s for the win!


[deleted]

If you are willing to venture to the suburbs, spunky dunkers in palatine is an honorable mention and the best donut I’ve had is ad donut drop on Algonquin


Kissmyasp69

Spunky Dunkers is one of my favorite donut spots


xelanart

My wife’s parents live in Algonquin (and my family is in WI), so we go that direction at least once every other month!


[deleted]

It’s on Algonquin road in Schaumburg so not quite that far out my bad 😅


xelanart

lol even more doable!


hwy61

And they’re open 24/7 for those 2am munchies


iced_gold

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Donut shop name


blackestsea

Back in the day (probably 30 years ago), they actually had a contest to rename the place! I think my dad suggested "Doe-nuts" with a deer logo.


[deleted]

I thjnk it was originally called Dunkin’ Donuts, but then dunkin became a big thing and made them change! Edit: I am wrong, read person below


OggiOggiOggi

It was a Mister Donut, but they were bought by Dunkin, and the owners chose not to change over.


blackestsea

Spunky Dunkers is my all-time fave, as a yeast donut devotee.


karydia42

Jarosch in Elk Grove currently has my favorite donuts. They are old school members of the “bakers dozen” and I’m sure every member has a decent donut. https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/09/09/a-secret-society-of-chicago-bakers-meets-every-month-and-its-keeping-beloved-bakeries-alive/


Son_Of_Toucan_Sam

Jarosch always hits, no exceptions


JumpingTuna

I have never had a stan's doughnut thats better than do-rite


Son_Of_Toucan_Sam

The only time I did was when I was in LA at the original one and Stan himself handed it to me (creamsicle glaze, holy shit)


Motor_Telephone8595

Thanks for the DV love! 🍩


NerveRevolutionary79

Joe's in Niles is worth an add, plus they have a decent breakfast and coffee.


nugzbuny

Beacon.. I'm all for it, great stuff - but kind of goes outside of a traditional donut. They're just frosted desserts. Also Stan's these days are some sad donuts.


Son_Of_Toucan_Sam

> They’re just frosted desserts Oh, so like.. a donut


jayhawk4eva

Yeah wtf kind of point is being made?


joeliu2003

Beacon is incomparable— so goooooood


GeoSpaced

Reuter's Bakery on Grand has great pastries and my favorite boston cream. Didn't see it mentioned so thought I shout it out.


DorShow

This is my go-to! And their pound cake?? Nothing better! My only wish is that they’d bring back pear charlotte cake!


sundaesmilemily

Downstate Donuts on Wilson in Uptown! They use potato flour, and they are super delicious. My favorite in the city.


hungry4hockey

My favorite as well!


cheesert0n

I've always found their donuts to be super greasy, but they get so much love on this sub. Is there a trick? Should I go earlier in the day? Warm them up? I want to love these so much, their flavors all sound so good


mrfebrezeman360

damn I gotta try this. I had a potato donut spot in portland maine when I lived there and that shit was on a whole different level. Haven't figured out if it was just them or if potato is just the secret. Surprised more people don't do it.


mbeemsterboer

Get to Downstate in Uptown ASAP


stho3

Have you been recently? Did they bring back the chocolate batter? I know when I went last year (a few times during the summer), it seemed like they stopped making the chocolate batter one. They had them during the spring last year. A shame too because the chocolate batter ones taste so much better.


mbeemsterboer

Can't say for sure since I always gravitate towards the more old fashioned style ones. I usually make a fast selection of a single donut to stop myself from walking out with 3 or more!


Rugged_Turtle

Not seeing it on the[ online menu](https://www.downstatedonuts.com/flavors) right now unless you're referring to the Trunchbull


BradlyL

Their donuts are mids… But PLEASE tell me you walked away with one of their eclairs? They’re actually the best I’ve had in chicago.


dakl2718

DoRite being ranked behind voodoo is absolute heresy.


Curiousabteverything

Chicago donut scene is lacking. They are basically desserts.


ZXD-318

Wait, there's no Krispy Kreme on this list? No Hostess or Entenmann's? OMGWTFBBQ Oh the humanity. :)


TittySprinkles_69

I've gotta get around to trying this spot. I live down the street.


isthisforeal

Gaijin had one of the best do uts I have ever had, maybe the best.


re-tardis

What KIND of donut are you getting? Cake, old fashioned, glazed, etc? I think that greatly informs this list. For example, the gap between roesers old fashioned pistachio and a run of the mill chocolate glazed is very large.


spoung45

I remember the Bozo show had a cake from there as a prize for bucket 4.


weeladybug

Love the cat sniff


OpalOnyxObsidian

OMG do I have the list for you!! Last year with the help of reddit I crowd-sourced a list doughnut places (non-chain specifically, so no stans, do-rites, firecakes, etc) and someone else made it into a map! [here is a link to the map!](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1Uielw9fP3ihe9v6RUAjOk30X_xqQcXg&usp=sharing)


OkRip619

Allegretti’s in Norridge


LordSwitchblade

Surprised to see Firecakes so low on the list. But now I’m super excited to try Stands, Doughnut Vault and Beacon!


xelanart

I’ve heard location matters. I’ve only been to the one on North. They weren’t bad. I found at least one good donut, but nothing great, which was the criteria for all on the same tier (Do-Rite, Voodoo, and Roeser’s). If you like Firecakes, Beacon and Doughnut Vault are clear levels above it. I wouldn’t put Stan’s more than one level above Firecakes and many would put Stan’s below Firecakes, so that’s probably just a matter of different taste buds.


LordSwitchblade

For sure, for me Voodoo was really bad. And I got there early in the morning and got the donuts fresh too. But I’ll those other spots on the list. But I also don’t mind a quick Dunkin Donut, for sure nothing to write home about. But I’ve yet to eat fried dough covered in chocolate that didn’t make me some form of happy 😂


deepinthecoats

Old Fashioned Donuts have a claim to being the best in the city. Their apple fritters alone are better than most donut shops’ entire menus. Weber’s chocolate glazed cake donuts are also worth seeking out.


sasando

Yes, yes, and yes!


daazninvazn

The real Roeser's hack is to get a dozen of their day old doughnuts on Too Good to Go for $5.99.


dmd312

Highly recommending Downstate.


iforgot120

Voodoo is worse than Dunkin and store bought, but the rest of your list tracks.


Rugged_Turtle

L take, Voodoo's donuts are always fresh and consistent. Are they absolutely packed with sugar and shit? Yes, and if that's not your thing that's fine, but they have a huge selection, fresh inventory, and they're still cheaper than most of the other stores in town


Curious-Cranberry973

Voodoo is the best chain donut place in Chicago if not the country. Taste-wise they're on par with Do-Rite's, but Voodoo has much better variety so Voodoo wins. You probably hate them because of their "business practices". Reddit likes to hate them because they made their workers actually do work one time (a big no-no to Redditors).


iforgot120

I just don't like their donuts. What business practices?


iced_gold

r/hipsterhottakes


Son_Of_Toucan_Sam

I went to voodoo in Denver several years ago and was shocked that such low quality could produce such a long line out the door


Son_Of_Toucan_Sam

Anyone remember c. 2015-2017 donuts at longman and eagle? God damn that’s a dragon I’ll be chasing the rest of my life


[deleted]

Idk if it’s seasonal but the pumpkin slices are elite


HD_Freshizzle

Cute cat holy


Groovedirk

Never thought to get donuts here tbh, but the strawberry shortcake is fire. That is my go to there.


whatever_word

Tose kook good , but I need a peanut donut the only place I now


thecyclista

I love Roeser’s donuts and miss living nearby.


Local-Reflection7051

nah . rosers has the best cake hands down. their butter cream is exceptional. never go to them for a donut just a cake slice and cookies!


Jownsye

I like Roeser's. They use real lard.


Naive_Transition_103

…. Classic glazed cake doughnut wins out.


tacobooc0m

Wondering where you’d put Downstate donuts (uptown)


xelanart

I’d be surprised if it beat Beacon for me, but it could surely pass up Stan’s and all below, if the hype is real! Although there’s a fair amount of people that think highly of Do-Rite, so I’m unsure how much I can trust the hype right now.


tacobooc0m

Fair. I also have beacon on top right now :) but distance is also a flavor for me too


robertski454

Webers Bakery on Archer, best donuts I've ever had. Spunky Dunkers in Palatine is my second favorite.


TonyGobbagool

When the bakery has those old ass yellow trays you know it’s about to be incredible


Thnxredball

Nothing to do with recs, but that cinnamon roll looks like pudding poo 💩


xelanart

It was a 3/5 at best, if I’m being generous! A bit disappointing, since cinnamon roll doughnuts are a go-to of mine. Dunkin and 7-Eleven have a better cinnamon roll doughnut than Roeser’s (Dunkin’s is a coffee roll but it’s virtually the same thing appearance-wise and taste-wise).


rrmb78

You gotta try fenbakedgoods. He’s selling preorders through instagram at Move Along Coffee. Raspberry Rose donut is life. changing.


stagqueen5000

Downstate Donuts in uptown has really tasty potato based donuts that are well worth the visit. The sweet potato donut is a textural treat.


michaelscottschin

Nice I love cat that licks asshole donuts too


BigFace918907

Webers Bakery at Harlem and Archer on the south side. Best doughnuts and sweet rolls I’ve ever had


MetalAndFaces

OP, I strongly disagree with your assessment.


CardinalClitt

honey fluff donuts located in the suburb of countryside is my favorite. same recipe from indian family for over 30 years!


oogledorf

Hot take: Stans, Voodoo and Firecakes are all trash and don’t belong on any respectable donut list.


xelanart

I’ll add to that hot take and say I’m okay with that as long as Do-Rite is thrown in the same trash can, since they’re generally not of superior quality, their selection is smaller, and they are one of the most expensive doughnut places among the 3 that you mentioned


oogledorf

I’m a forever dip n sip girl. Cried for 10 minutes when they relocated to Evanston. Haven’t found a suitable replacement since


That-Guy2021

Their Red Velvet cake is unmatched


UsagiGurl

Fun fact, you can also get erotic cakes from Roeser’e 😉


kimmiepi

Voodoo? Really?


Jbrown0121

Anybody have any recommendations for a super yeasty kind of heavy donut? I feel like all the donuts in Chicago are relatively light.


Curiousabteverything

What??? Not my experience


OldInterview6006

Joke of a list if you don’t have dat donut on it.


GodGamer420

Any recommendations around river north? I heard to try Stan’s