Best of Columbus 2024: Our taste test ranks the top glazed doughnuts around the city
Despite what you might think, glazed doughnuts are not all the same. They can vary in size, shape, texture.
Glazes can be sweet, sticky, thick or translucent. Some even have a touch of citrus. The Columbus Monthly team — along with some friends from the Columbus Dispatch and longtime contributor Nicholas Dekker (aka Breakfast with Nick) — made this realization when we set out to determine the best glazed yeast doughnut in the city — or to be more specific, within I-270.
The sheer number of local doughnut shops made it impossible to do a full central Ohio survey. Instead, we focused our blind taste test on 10 joints inside the outerbelt, leaving open the possibility of exploring outlying shops down the road. Here are our three top choices, based on such criteria as appearance, glaze, overall flavor and originality.
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First Place: Golden Donuts & Diner
1928 Lockbourne Road, South Side
Comments: This old-school shop was the surprise winner, besting better-known bakeries and diners and earning raves for its originality and distinctive glaze. “If a doughnut can be pretty, this one is,” one judge said.
Second Place: Auddino’s Italian Bakery
1490 Clara Ave., University District
Comments: The beloved bakery near the Ohio Expo Center brought back doughnut production earlier this year, much to the joy of our judges, many of whom praised the lemony taste of its glazed variety.
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Third Place: Amy’s Donuts
650 Georgesville Road, Far West Side
Comments: The small chain with one central Ohio location received high marks for its doughnut’s appearance, flavor, texture and “balance.” One judge said it “Melts in your mouth … so good.”
Other participants
Buckeye Donuts (Campus)
Buckeye Donuts (South Side)
Destination Donuts
DK Diner
Honey Dip Donuts & Diner
The Original Goodie Shop
Resch's Bakery
This story is from the Best of Columbus package in the July 2024 issue of Columbus Monthly.
This article originally appeared on Columbus Monthly: Ranking the best glazed doughnuts in Columbus
