Donut Delight:The drive-through opens at 4 a.m. Remember to bring cash (the only acceptable form of payment here) for a couple of chocolate-covered long johns fresh from the fryer. Then drive east to North Riverfront Park and enjoy breakfast while watching the sun rise over the Mississippi.3605 Dunn.
Donut Drive-In:Want a cinnamon roll from the ’50s? OK, not literally—that’d be gross—but at this tiny South City institution, those sweets are made from the same time-tested recipes. The shop’s open till midnight on weekends, when you can expect long but fast-moving lines. Consider going on a weekday night and savoring your prize outside.6525 Chippewa.
Donut-King:New owners Paul and Alissa Thoenen saved the decades-old St. Charles shop from closure earlier this year. They’ve kept things much the same, including that famous Chop Suey doughnut, a generously glazed gargantuan cinnamon bun.658 First Capitol.
Donut Man Stan:Since 1979, the late Stan Smith's tasty treats have been a hit at Soulard Farmer's Market, where hebegan making doughnuts as a way to spend time with his family on the weekends. His three sons—Adam, Mark, and Phil—essentially grew up behind the counter in the stall. Today,the business lives on, with 5,000 mini doughnuts sold there every Saturday. The reasons behind Stan’s success are many, but Mark Smith says his father’s ability to build relationships with people—three generations deep, in some cases—contributed to the business’longevity: “He enjoyed seeing people enjoying the doughnuts.” 730 Carroll.
The Donut Stop:This joint, with locations in South County and St. Charles, has been around for 65 years. Exclusive to its menu: delectable two-bite-able Cinnamon Globs—basically mini cinnamon buns, or the buns’ “unrefined cousin,” as the shop describes them.1101 Lemay Ferry; 3120 W. Clay.
Duck Donuts: Part of a nationwide chain, the Chesterfield location serves up customizable doughnuts. Customers build from a basic cake doughnut, with a choice ofcoating (powdered,cinnamon sugar, glaze),toppings (sprinkles, bacon, Oreo crumbles, etc.), andfinishing touches (for instance, drizzles). Can't decide?Consider the pre-set combos, such as the popularmaple icing with chopped bacon orkey lime with Graham cracker crumbs. 1651 Clarkson.
Eddie’s Southtown Donuts:At 3 a.m., it’s time for owner Eddie Strickland to make the doughnuts. Strickland started in the business decades ago at Dunkin’ Donuts, and as he moved from shop to shop, he learned that each neighborhood has distinct tastes. Eddie’s caters to a South City neighborhood that prefers glazed blueberry doughnuts. Toffee-caramel chocolate rounds (a happy accident, born when the wrong topping was sent) and a chocolate mousse–filled doughnut (given a scatological nickname by the local kids) are also popular. Strickland hand-cuts all of the yeast doughnuts and has just two employees, who handle deliveries for the wholesale side of the business and the busy counter on weekends. The owner’s gift for gab keeps customers coming back; Strickland jokes that the shop should be called “Eddie’s Donuts/Psychiatry.” Talking through problems—whether with his customers, employees, or children—is part of his system for accomplishing all that needs to be done in a day. Then he starts over at 3 a.m. the next day. 4701 S. Kingshighway.
Glazy Squares:The Collinsville favorite recently relocated to a larger space and soon thereafter debuted a drive-thru window. That means more glazed squares, biscuits and gravy, and blueberry twists.410 Beltline.
John’s Donuts:Doughnuts and Superman go together like…well, Batman and sushi? Nonetheless, there’s a Metropolis’ worth of Man of Steel memorabilia here, making for an offbeat atmosphere. The Soulard staple is open from 11 p.m. until the doughnuts are gone, typically before noon. Expect lots of fun banter from staff and clientele.1618 S. Broadway.
Mario’s Donuts & Café:The falafel sandwich is superb. For dessert? Try a doughnut and some baklava.2786 Muegge.
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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
A variety of doughnuts from Mochi Donut Factory in Ellisville, MO
A variety of doughnuts from Mochi Donut Factory
Mochi Donut Factory:This spot in West County delivers fun and flavor. The shop'sdoughnut style—a fusion of an American doughnut and a Japanese rice cake (mochi)—became popular in Hawaii 30 years ago but is relatively new to our area. Thefluffy, pleasantly chewy, uniquely shaped doughnutsspan a dozen flavors, plus two rotating options, all made fresh.Popular varieties include chocolate, cinnamon-sugared churro, and cookies and cream.“People love mochi because they pull apart, so they’re less messy and more sharable,”co-ownerJaen Henson told SLM. “When they find out they have fewer calories than regular doughnuts, they love them even more.”16023 Manchester.
Old Town Donuts:That “Donut Man” logo can be a little creepy at 2 a.m., but hey, it’s the middle of the night and you have to expect a little weirdness. Old Town’s the place for excellent doughnuts and pastries around the clock. It’s gloriously friendly, with daily specials.508 New Florissant.
O’Fashion Donuts:It’s cramped and a little dive-y—but what beloved St. Louis doughnut shop isn’t? The cheesecake doughnut—no hole, with white icing, a cheesecake filling, and a bit of cinnamon—is a standout.5120 Southwest.
Pharaoh’s Donuts:Unlike many doughnut shops, Pharaoh’s isn’t in a residential neighborhood, but its downtown location is deliberate, says owner Amon Aziz, who was looking to target travelers and area workers. Today the shop averages 200 dozen glazed doughnuts a day alone. Aziz attributes the pastries’ popularity to high-quality flour, getting as much water into the dough as possible, and maintaining stable dough temperatures. As for the name? While in college in the late ’80s, Aziz saw one of Anheuser-Busch’s Great Kings of Africa art series displayed during Black History Month. Once he learned about Amon, the Egyptian sun deity,he decided then and there on the name. Today, he runs Pharaoh’s Donuts alongside his daughter, Syeeda Aziz-Morris.200 N. Seventh, 8 Maryland Plaza.
Shamrock Donuts:In Shamrock’s genius crossover of classic pastry and iconic St. Louis dessert, the gooey butter cake is made from scratch and fresh fruit is used each morning for the apple and banana fritters.1901 Richardson, Arnold.
St. Louis Hills Donut Shop:The tiny green building stands alone on Hampton. Inside, you can bet that someone’s ordering one of the shop’s unique cheese flips. The doughnut–Danish hybrid has a layer of gooey cheese in the middle.6917 Hampton.
Strange Donuts: The popular shop lives up to its name, with some creative collaborations. Consider some of the previous options:a burger doughnutcreated with Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions, a“Bad 2 the Done” pulled rib meat doughnut devised with Bogart’s Smokehouse,a slinger doughnut topped with Billy Goat chips, a Beef “Wellingdone”collaboration with Herbie’s, and a“Mai Pho King Done” made with Mai Lee. Multiple locations.
The Sweet Spot Café:Burgers, gyros, omelets… If this convivial hangout doesn’t have it, you don’t want it. The Sweet Spot offers one of the largest doughnut and pastry selections in town.3586 Adie;9951 Winghaven, O'Fallon, Missouri.
Tony’s Donuts:Not to be confused with the Tony’s in Clayton, the shop serves “more than just donuts,” as its tagline notes. That includes a gyro, egg, and cheese on a bagel, as well as breakfast sandwich combos (complete with drink and doughnut, of course).Multiple locations.
Vincent Van Doughnut:After seeing a plethora of high-end pastry shops during a 2010 trip to Berlin, Brian Marsden came back to St. Louis inspired to create an elevated doughnut experience. Though Marsden had worked in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years, he’d never baked. But he couldn’t get the idea out of his head. Knowing that he had to get into this market before anyone else, he meticulously and obsessively tested recipes before launching his Vincent Van Doughnut food truck in 2013, winning the Cooking Channel’s Donut Showdown competition the next year, buying a fryer with the prize money, and opening two brick-and-mortar shops within two years. Now, with wholesale contracts at groceries and universities around the area, Marsden is bringing truth to his father’s motto: “Grow or die.” 1072 Tower Grove.
Waterloo Donuts:America invented the doughnut, and its wonders spread all the way to Cambodia, where Kosal In learned just how to proof the dough, how to let the moisture rise before sinking the circles into the deep fryer. Now he and his father, Vichet Keo, are here, making amazing apple fritters and Old Fashioneds and devil’s food cake and strawberry long johns at Waterloo Donuts (and Donut House in South City), proving just how small the world is.654 N. Market, Waterloo, Illinois.
Wood River Donut & More: The “& More” in the name includes lottery tickets and the best biscuits and gravy in Wood River.102 W. Edwardsville, Wood River.
World’s Fair Donuts:The Shaw shop might not be as old as its name suggests, but it’s been in St. Louis awhile. Owner Jason Bockman (co-founder and owner of Strange Donuts) serves some of the best doughnuts in town.1904 S. Vandeventer.
