Overview
They're round, they're doughy and they're delicious — and the entirety of the city thinks so. We're talking about doughnuts, of course. There's a reason every second store in Brisbane seems to sell them, whether they prefer the English or American spelling.
In fact, fondness for the typically fried pastry treats has reached such a frenzied state that new shops dedicated to their lip-smacking, waistline-expanding ways are popping up almost every week. With so many to choose from, we run through the nine you owe it to yourself to try. Just remember: if you eat your way through this list, you'll also owe yourself some exercise, too.
DOUGHNUT TIME
Time flies when you're eating doughnuts. It wasn't that long ago that, Brisbanites were just beginning to hear rumours about Doughnut Time; now, no one who has tried their iced wonders can get enough of them. Perhaps that's why they've quickly branched beyond their flagship hole-in-the-wall store in Fortitude Valley, opening locations in Clayfield, East Brisbane, Everton Park, South Bank, Carindale, Boondall, Browns Plains, Chermside and multiple CBD spots; powering up a van for mobile pastry offerings; and branching out to the Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne. Perhaps their doughnut domination is just a testament to their ever-changing, delightfully named array of tasty creations, including perennial favourites such as the Nutella-filled Love at First Bite and the crispy-topped Ya Bacon Me Crazy. Yes, your mouth should be watering.
NODODONUTS
Who said doughnuts had to be bad for you? And who said you had to feel crushed by remorse every time you ate one — or a few, or a dozen? Not the folks behind NodoDonuts, who make theirs with gluten-free and organic ingredients, then bake them. So say goodbye to sugar, grease and guilt, and hello to the happiness-inducing likes of banana bread, blueberry cheesecake and passionfruit doughnuts. After gracing a smattering of Brisbane cafes on selected days, Nodo's take on Brisbane's beloved treat has proven so popular that they opened their own stores in Newstead and the CBD to sell more of them, more often.
THE DOUGHNUT BAR
Satisfy your doughnut cravings by the truckload at The Doughnut Bar, whether you're heading to their weekly Eat Street spot or their permanent CBD digs. Well, by the van-full to be accurate, but either way, after taking a glimpse at their circular slices of heaven, you just know you're going to want to eat a vehicle's worth of them. Condensed milk, Hershey half melt, Oreo, Mars Bar, Gaytime and Nutella cheesecake varieties will tempt your tastebuds, as will anything that comes with an injectable sauce. There's also a doughnut-topped milkshake range. When you're devouring something like the Paddle & Pop, which includes two banana Paddle Pops and a sprinkling of Cocoa Pops, you're getting a drink and your favourite snack.
DIVINE DOUGHNUTS
Take this place's name at face value and you won't be sorry for it. Handcrafted cinnamon doughnuts are their food of choice, and while the market stall seen weekly at Davies Park and Eagle Farm keeps things simple in their selection, the taste they serve up is anything but. Custard, cream, jams sourced from the Southern Highlands in NSW and Belgian chocolate adds flavour, as do strawberries, blackberries and blueberries, though lovers of the unadorned won't regret their decision. If you prefer your deliciousness in bite-sized form, opt for a plate of doughnut holes instead, but really, there are no bad choices on Divine Doughnuts' menu.
FLOUR & CHOCOLATE PATISSERIE
Love cronuts, that ingenious combination of croissant and doughnut that has taken the world by storm? In Brisbane, you probably love gonuts too. That's what the city's premier purveyor of such treats, Flour & Chocolate Patisserie, calls them — but whatever the name, we're branding them so good they should be their own food group. Thursday is gonut central at the Morningside bakery, with rocky road, white chocolate pistachio, cinnamon sugar and toffee among the flavours available. European doughnuts, including salted caramel, apple crumble and lemon curd, fill the racks on Wednesdays, should you visit earlier. And with the regular bakery lineup of cakes, tarts, brownies and savoury bites served up every other day of the week, you'll never go home disappointed.
LE BON CHOIX
Doughnuts might not be the first thing on your mind when you walk into a Parisian-style patisserie, but after chowing down on Le Bon Choix's filled delights, that might change. That's not a judgment on their range of other baked goods, including excellent cakes, croissants and danishes, plus the macaroons many flock through their doors for; it's merely a reflection of how delectable their doughy bites are. The good news: they're available in chocolate, custard, caramel and jam, which is just the right combination of flavours to try in one visit, should you feel so inclined. The better news: with stores in Ascot, Paddington, Garden City, Chermside, Carindale and two in the CBD, you're never far away from a mid-morning French doughnut indulgence session.
BREWBAKERS
Yes, you can find whatever bread and pastry-based item takes your fancy at Brewbakers. Yes, that includes things of both the sweet and savoury varieties. Yes, it all tastes great; however, we really don't think that heading to Albion just for their sourdough doughnuts is over the top. Whether you like your mini morsels simply cinnamon or bursting with jam (or chocolate or butterscotch), they won't last long in your mouth. Plus, sourdough is meant to be good for you — or so you can tell yourself.
CHESTER STREET BAKERY
The doughnut lovers of Brisbane owe Chester Street Bakery an enormous debt of gratitude. If it wasn't for their winning ways with such a scrumptious sweet, and the feverish following that developed as a result, restaurateur Damien Griffiths might not have branched out and opened Doughnut Time. And while that's now the place to head to for a super-sized serving of the real thing, Chester Street still carries the flame in the form of their milkshake menu. If you're in the Newstead, South Bank or CBD area, why not treat yourself to one of four doughnut-topped flavours, including the iconic Tim Tam Slam? You know you want to.