Glam Doll Donuts

Donuts got trendy at the beginning of the 2000s and have yet to suffer the bear market that slammed once-fashionable muffins and cupcakes after muffins and cupcakes were everybody’s favorite little sweet things. Interesting donuts and colorful shops that make them continue to open and to thrive in cities with a vibrant food culture. Glam Doll of Minneapolis is among the best.

It’s a stylish place in a retro-urban way. Tables are vintage dinette sets, decor includes 1950s-moderne furniture and an old 4-for-a-Quarter photo booth. Donuts have recherche names to match: Femme Fatale, Calendar Girl, Flirty Frenchie, Bombshell, Peek-a-Boo. Some are as odd as they sound. The Chart Topper is a cake donut of peanut butter and sriracha; the Pinup Girl is an apple bourbon fritter, available with bacon. But there are “regular” donuts, too: Sugar Kane is classic glazed; Starlet is iced with multicolored sprinkles; Darling is a cake donut with chocolate or vanilla glaze.

They’re all quite beautiful, made from scratch by expert hands, and they taste great thanks to the use of top-quality ingredients and good recipes that range from co-owner Teresa Fox’s grandmother’s classic favorites to inventions of never-before-eaten combos. (How about a Bombshell? That’s a filled donut with spicy chocolate and cayenne pecans.)

The coffee served with Glam Doll Donuts is Intelligentsia brand out of Chicago. It is stout stuff with deep flavor. On my first visit, I liked my donuts all the more for the syrup-smooth espresso that went with them.