Doughnut Vault Chicago

If you have an out of control sweet tooth like us, you are always on the hunt for the best sugary snack around.  Doughnut Vault Chicago delivers without compromise.  They serve artisanal hand-crafted doughnuts in classic flavors, made in small batches to preserve quality. 

We have only ever been to their Franklin Street location and it can get busy.  During out last visit to Chicago, we headed to Doughnut Vault on a Saturday morning.  We were there about 15 minutes before open and the line was at least 20 people deep.  At this location, they open at 7 am on weekdays and at 9:30 am on weekends.  They are open until all doughnuts are sold.  Lesson: go early and be patient!   

What is your favorite donut shop? Leave it in the comments so we can check it out.

Once they opened, the line moved fairly quickly. Seeing everyone walk out with at least a box full, I was a little worried that there wouldn’t be any left by the time we got to the front of the line. The space is tiny so you will be waiting outside most of the time, so dress for that.  There are a few tables to sit and enjoy your treats. What goes with a great donut? Coffee. Yes, they have coffee and it is not your typical donut shop stuff.  There is no fixed menu so until you walk up to order, you won’t know everything they have available.  They do post their daily specials on their website, if you are curious before heading over. We kind of like the surprise of it all, like this special apricot jam filled beauty:

Their version of the classic buttermilk old-fashioned doughnut is delicious.  It’s crispy on the outside and moist on the inside and covered in a sugary glaze.  Their chocolate coconut is a twist on the old-fashioned, but instead it is covered with a chocolate glaze and topped with toasted coconut.  This one is a winner.  However, the best one was the jelly filled doughnut.  It was like a pillow-y pieces of heaven.  The soft doughnut was covered with a sugary glaze and filled with this delicious raspberry filling.  The filling was definitely made with real raspberries – nothing artificial there. 

If you do a quick search for the Doughnut Vault Chicago, you will find may articles declaring them one of the top doughnut shops in America. Though we haven’t hit them all, we are up to the challenge to find better. Check it out if you are ever in Chicago!