You cannot go wrong with a good a doughnut.
This month, the Golden Fleece decided to review three of the most well-known doughnut shops in Asheville: Dunkin’ Donuts, Krispy Kreme, and Vortex.
Dunkin’ Donuts was established in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts. It was originated from Rosenberg’s first restaurant, the ‘Open Kettle,’ which opened in 1948. In 1950 the current name ‘Dunkin’ Donuts’ would lead to what is now one of the largest coffee and baked goods chains in the world. Dunkin’ offers way more than just doughnuts; their products include hot, cold, and frozen drinks, and they offer baked goods like bagels and more.
My experience at Dunkin’ was very pleasant as the atmosphere was quiet, making it a great place to go if you need to work or study and have a treat. I ordered a vanilla frosted doughnut with sprinkles that was very sweet. It is not my favorite, but if you are looking for something sweet, it will hit the spot.
Sophomore Sean Molli loves Dunkin’ Donuts.
“My favorite [doughnut shop] is Dunkin’ because they have the best blueberry doughnut,” he said.
Krispy Kreme is a classic doughnut shop first started by Vernon Rudolph in a building that he rented in Winston Salem, NC. Originally, he only sold to grocery stores until someone stopped and asked if they could buy the hot doughnuts directly from him. According to its website, the overall mission is to touch and enhance lives through the joy that is Krispy Kreme.
According to Krispy Kreme employee Rebecca Cantrell, they do this through setting high standards and making sure every donut they sell is up to the standard.
“We take a lot of pride in the quality and freshness of our doughnuts. For our chocolate covered doughnuts, you want a lot of chocolate, so we double dip them for you,” Cantrell said.
My experience at Krispy Kreme was delightful because as you walk in the door, the employees greet you, and you are surrounded by holiday decorations. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with decorating for the holidays. I ordered a dozen hot Krispy Kreme doughnuts right as they were coming off the conveyer belt. As soon as I bit into the doughnut, it was just perfect. The sweet glaze and the warm yeast doughnut that just melted in my outh.This was a classic doughnut and a great cozy environment and you can never go wrong with that.
Keep in mind; one of the biggest differences in the shops is that Krispy Kreme fries its doughnuts while Dunkin’ bakes theirs.
“Our doughnuts are made fresh every morning and every afternoon and we hold our doughnuts up to high standards,” Cantrell said
Vortex is a local doughnut shop in downtown Asheville where they handmake their doughnuts every day in the back of the store, according to Vortex employee Ronika McClain.
They offer the same flavored doughnuts in both cake and yeast options, except for their vortex and cinnamon sugar doughnuts which are only yeast doughnuts. They use all non-genetically modified organism (GMO) organic products. According to McClain, they try to use as many local, seasonal fruits and ingredients as possible. There are no artificial colors, sugars or flavorings used.
“They are pretty much the best doughnuts you can get. They are just made from the best ingredients and are made by people in the back that we all know. It is a pretty cool operation,” McClain said.
My experience at Vortex was one that you cannot get anywhere else. The vibe that hits you when you walk in. It is a great place to go if you need to get work done and you want a fun Asheville atmosphere. The doughnuts may be a little pricey, but they are definitely worth it. I ordered the yeast raspberry caramel doughnut and a cake blueberry chocolate doughnut. I love the fruit flavored frosting with the sweet doughnut, which is the perfect combination. Vortex is a place that everyone needs to visit.
Doughnuts are a food that you can eat at different times and for different reasons, which is one of the reasons why they are so loved.