This is the Thursday, Apr. 24 edition of Food Crawl, the Star鈥檚 weekly food newsletter.听Sign up to get it in your inbox every week.
Among the more questionable choices us older millennials made in the 2000s, one that really sticks out is the arms race for the most outrageous doughnut听鈥 those over-the-top creations stuffed with chocolate-filled pipettes, topped with candy bars, and of course, crowned with bacon, because back then听everything听needed bacon.听In recent years I’ve noticed a yearning for the classic coffee shop doughnut (see: Harry and Heels California Donuts). Think cinnamon sugar, chocolate and vanilla dips, crullers, and the most colourful touch being the rainbow sprinkles on a vanilla-glazed yeast doughnut (a.k.a. a Hawaiian doughnut). Perhaps it’s a revolt against the wacky doughnut trend, a need for a non-chain alternative,听or just good old-fashioned millennial nostalgia. Whatever the reason, here are four places to get your classic doughnut fix.
’ Cherry Stick
Better Day’s Coffee and Donuts’ Cherry Stick.
Karon Liu/海角社区官网StarOpened just a year ago, this takeout spot in Dovercourt Village specializes in the kind of classic Canadian doughnuts Dave Fish remembers eating in the parking lot of a long-gone bakery during his youth. The space is small, with just three bar stools by the window, and is reminiscent of a mid-century bakery with its seafoam green walls, dark amber, chocolate and white tiled floors and counter. Keeping with the theme of simplicity, there are no lattes or Ameri-, uh, Canadianos. Rather, it’s simple drip coffee ($3.50 for 12 oz, $4 for 16 oz.) perfect for dunking a sour cream or French cruller.
On the doughnut side,听 consists of both cake and yeast doughnuts听鈥斕$3 for a ring doughnut, $3.50 for a filled doughnut and cruller and $5 for an apple fritter. Half a dozen doughnuts are $15 and a dozen is $35. Cake doughnuts include a chocolate ring with chocolate icing, a chocolate ring covered in toasted coconut, and my favourite: the cherry stick. It’s an elongated, pink doughnut with a browned crust and studded with little bits of maraschino cherry (Tim Hortons used to make them, and the chain ).听Better Day’s version is generously sized, with an excellent browned exterior concealing the moist, not-too-sweet cherry-coloured cake centre with little pops of sugary cherry bits. The shape also makes it easier for dunking.听
Where to get it: is at 963 Dovercourt Rd. at Hallam Street. It is open Tuesday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is on Uber Eats.听
‘s Dutchie
Port Union Bakery’s Dutchie.
Karon Liu/海角社区官网StarTucked into a plaza just off Hwy 401 on the far eastern edge of Scarborough, is this decades-old, takeout-only bakery. Doughnuts are a budget friendly $1.50 ($1.75 for filled doughnuts, $2 for eclairs, and $2 for a dozen doughnut holes) and come in chocolate or vanilla dips (without sprinkles), jelly-filled, maple dip, sugar-glazed, sugar-coated, sugar-cinnamon and the classic Dutchie. The Dutchie, a square, yeasted doughnut studded with raisins and coated in a light sugar glaze 鈥 was once a Tim Hortons staple before it was discontinued听(it was ). Port Union’s version is extra fluffy with a delicate sugar glaze, and the little bits of raisins add a pop of fruity tartness without being distractingly chewy; they pretty much melt in your mouth. Beyond doughnuts, the bakery also specializes breads and Filipino baked goods, such as ensaymada, $6, and empanadas, $1.75.
Where to get it: Port Union Bakery is at 278 Port Union Rd. at Fanfare Avenue. It is open Monday to Saturday 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is not on food apps, but pickup can be ordered .
Donut Factory’s Strawberry Jam Doughnut
Donut Factory’s Strawberry Jam Doughnut.
Karon Liu/海角社区官网StarWhen I think of an old-school, classically Canadian doughnut shop, I think of Leslieville’s Donut Factory. Tucked away, lived-in, loveably听鈥 the kind of spot where a bit of spare change still goes a long way. The trick is to get there before noon, while the doughnuts are still fresh and fully stocked.听The selection covers all the classics: maple, vanilla, honey, and chocolate dips; apple fritters, sugar twists, Dutchies, rainbow-sprinkled rings, and a variety of filled doughnuts like Boston cr猫me, eclairs, and strawberry jam. Prices are delightfully old-school, too 鈥 $1.50 per doughnut, $7.50 for half a dozen, $10 for a full dozen. Doughnut holes go for $2 for 14, $1 for six, or 20 cents each.听I particularly like the strawberry filled doughnuts because the Factory’s version has an ample amount of strawberry candy-flavoured jam in the centre that just spills out with each bite. The yeasted doughnut is otherwise sufficiently fluffy.
Where to get it: Donut Factory is at 101 Pape Ave. at Queen Street East. It is open 24 hours. It is not on delivery apps and there is no website.
Benna’s Bakery and Deli’s Paczki
Benna’s Bakery and Deli’s Paczki.
Karon Liu/海角社区官网StarWhile it鈥檚 not your typical doughnut shop, this Polish bakery deserves a spot on the list for its classic plum jam鈥揻illed doughnuts 鈥 a beloved 海角社区官网staple that鈥檚 simple and satisfying. Head to the back counter and look to the bottom rows of the pastry display case to see these plump traditional polish doughnuts, $1.25 each. The stewed plum jam has hints of rose, making it taste less one-note than the typical jelly doughnut and the higher ratio of bread to glaze and jam makes it less of a sugar overload.听
Where to get it:听Benna’s is at 135 Roncesvalles Ave. at Galley Avenue. It is open Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is not on delivery apps and there is no website.
Before you go, I have a few more听recommendations
鈥⑻齏hy line-up for 鈥淣ew York-style鈥 pizza when you can听grab a massive slice of this homegrown classic for just $5?
鈥⑻鼿ere are the best places to eat and drink in Toronto听according to chef Monika Wahba, owner of Maha鈥檚.
鈥⑻鼼et fresh canoli and loaves of bread听at this beloved Italian bakery on the Danforth.
鈥⑻This 海角社区官网restaurant听is keeping the 鈥渄ying art鈥 of Chinese barbecue alive.
鈥⑻鼴ack on campus?听Here are four places to grab a bite between study breaks.
鈥⑻鼼et a warm bowl of ajiaco at this听charming Colombian spot to cure to the winter blues.
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