Do-Rite Donuts: Not Your Average Coffee and Donuts

BY SARAH AMUNDSEN

I used to think of myself as a cupcake fanatic but I think I’m becoming a donut fanatic as well. I have never been a donut fan in the past, because I am picky about them. Usually, they are too cake-y, too egg-y or too greasy for my liking. My donut at Do-Rite Donuts was the best ones I’ve ever tried, hands down.

It is easy to walk by this donut shop without realizing that it’s there, admist the other shops, restaurants and bakeries in the Loop. The shop is very small, especially compared to neighboring restaurants, theaters and shops, like Goodman Theater, Chicago Theater, Petterino’s and Macy’s. Small but might, it’s worth it to track this place down. 

One of the things that differentiates Do-Rite Donuts from other donut shops is that all donuts are made in batches of thirty-six to ensure that only the freshest donuts are available. This means you have to come early, because Do-Rite Donuts closes for the day once all of the donuts are sold.

As I was waiting in line, I couldn’t decide which donut to order. To save you a similar pain, I recommend the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting – the first donut that caught my eye.  The cream cheese frosting was creamy and just sweet enough that it wasn’t overbearing. The donuts will remind you again and again how fresh they are, with little bits of carrot baked into the cake, along with fresh spices like cinnamon and ginger. The donut itself was warm, gooey and tasted as though it had just come from the oven. The donut also met my criteria: it wasn’t too greasy and the cake of the donut wasn’t too heavy.

In addition to traditional favorites like classic jelly, chocolate old fashioned and Boston creme, Do-Rite Donuts bakes some seriously creative flavors, including s’mores, Valrhona chocolate and banoffee, a banana toffee donut. Because it’s 2012 and you can’t have a menu that doesn’t include bacon, there is a bacon and maple glazed option, which people were buying left and right when I was at the store. Gluten-free donuts and Dark Matter coffee are also on  the menu.

The next time you are in the Loop, it is worth it to take a quick detour to uncover this donut mecca. Even if you don’t consider yourself a “donut person,” you may start to after your visit.

Do-Rite Donuts, 50 West Randolph Street. For more information call 312-488-483 or visit doritedonuts.com.

Sarah Amundsen is a senior at Loyola University Chicago, where she is pursuing studiesin in public relations and marketing. In her spare time, she is interested in running, fashion and eating her way through Chicago’s many great restaurants. 

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