Sydney Market Favourite Donut Papi Opens Permanent Digs in Redfern

With all of the festive parties and end-of-year lunches happening at the moment, we hardly need another reason to say sayonara to the summer diet. But if you're a sugar fiend looking for an excuse, this one's for you. Family-run baking business Donut Papi has packed up its market stall and opened permanent digs in Redfern.

Owner Kenneth Rodrigueza started Donut Papi in 2015, enlisting the assistance of his siblings and placing his primary focus on wholesale. It quickly built up a cult following via food markets and social media — with a little help from none other than Nigella Lawson, who regrammed a photo of their product line-up on Instagram.

In the current food climate, you wouldn't be blamed for thinking "does Sydney really need another dedicated doughnut store?" If the lines of customers outside Donut Papi's new Redfern Street store across opening weekend proved anything, then the answer is a resounding yes. And, not just because it was handing out free treats to the first 100 customers. Boasting distinctive flavour combinations that have been inspired by Asian ingredients, Donut Papi has carved out a unique spot in the market. Its pandan and ube custard-filled doughnuts are among its most popular creations, with black sesame, matcha and strawberry sakura also popping up on the menu on occasion. The team have also created the Redfern Velvet to pay homage to their new home.

Having previously shared a commercial kitchen, which restricted the team's cooking time, Rodrigueza is hopeful that this new permanent space will provide the freedom for not only more products, but also greater creativity. "There's still a lot of ingredients I want to use for doughnut flavours... hopefully we can add more baked goods or maybe even a brunch menu."

Donut Papi is open from Wednesday to Sunday at 34a Redfern Street, Redfern. Visit their website and Facebook page for further details.