Von Doughnuts

The best donuts I’ve had in the city, hands down!
Came here on a Saturday afternoon around 5pm before my winterlicious dinner this past weekend since I’ve been having some SERIOUS donut cravings — not just plain, timmies donuts — but like SERIOUS DONUTS. The best donuts I’ve had — EVER — were from California Donuts last year (
) but these were a close second (and #1 right now since, well, I’m not located in Los Angeles.)
Ordered a half dozen with my girlfriend («The Sappy Pig» x2, «Chocolate Malteser», «Greektown», Crème Brûlée and «Pucker up Sucker») and we had half of one «The Sappy Pig» each right then as a snack. The donut itself was a great balance of fluffy and dense but a smidge on the greasy side (maybe it was the dip slowly melting? maybe…) but it brought back a bit of that LA donut feeling for sure! I thought it could’ve used a smidge more bacon though as I only had maybe 3 bites with bacon on it…
The other donuts were great as well though — again balanced between fluffy and dense. Had my last donut today («greektown») and of course it was a bit on the harder side after sitting in my kitchen in the box for 3 days. Still good though!
In terms of size however, these easily dwarf any other fast food chain donut (timmies/​krispy kreme) so be prepared to have a heavy dose of carbs and possibly a serious sugar rush. A smidge on the pricier side too for donuts however at $ 16 – 17 for a half dozen, but I thought they were pretty worth it.

This place was very yummy. We came at closing time so there weren’t many flavors to choose from. I can’t wait till I’m back in Toronto to try it again. I wish they had more locations throughout the city. I was very surprised to lean it wasn’t a chain.

Their donuts are soft, pillowy, chewy, not overly sweet. Peanut butter jelly time and the sappy pig were a wee bit underwhelming, but the chocolate malteser, raspberry rush, and kahlua hot chocolate were amazing. Can’t wait to go back again to try more! Only mini downside is that these are really expensive donuts — good way to control how often I eat them.
Best eaten when fresh. So grab a box of half dozen and share with friends!

I love sweets (and know my sweets well). Unilocal had a lot of great reviews so expectations were crazy high.
It’s best to access Von Doughnuts with transit; however, you can find a lot of free street parking within the area. They have an extensive list of donuts on their menu and each day features only a fraction of their list. The donuts here all have unique names with original mixtures of ingredients. My friend was visiting so I picked up two donuts for us to share (Peanut Butter & Jam and Crème Brulee). Both of which I’ve had at other doughnut shops so I had something to compare to. For the price, both donuts were smaller than expected. Taste wise, I wasn’t blown away. My experience was just ‘meh.‘
Good for: doughnuts

When it comes to donuts, there are donuts and there are donuts! Von’s Donuts!
Sure, they got featured on You Gotta Eat Here (thankfully, or I wouldn’t have found out), but they really are different. I used to love Krispy Kremes just because a day old KK tastes fresher than today’s Tim Horton’s. It was that freshness that comes from a donut not cooked from frozen or reheated from frozen.
While being the priciest donuts you’ll ever have, I say they are worth it. The creativity in the toppings, and quality make these «artisan» products. But they are downright dangerous to your waistline.
Whenever I get in from the burbs, I stop in and grab a half dozen. While they have a long list of flavours, it’s Russian Roulette as to which ones are in production today. Or if there are any left when you get there late!

I am rating this a 4 because the donuts are good. Today I had the Pucker Up (read lemon meringue) which was very tasty. The doughnut was fresh, cooked perfectly and had a really nice constancy. The lemon curd could have had a little more pucker power for my taste but that is just me… it still tasted like lemon from the first bite to the last. The little meringue dollop on the top was cooked perfectly with a crispy exterior but soft (while not being stick to your teeth glue) interior and was not overly sweet.
Are they $ 3 worth of good??? That is the question. But with the demise of TH actually baking their doughnuts in-​store (if I don’t walk in the door and smell that hot yeasty smell they are not baked in-​store) and actually having … well doughnuts we all have been forced to the «gourmet» doughnut world which means the price point raises significantly to get something that you would not play Ringette with. These doughnuts are fresh, larger than usual and tasty so I am willing to pay the price but only as an über special treat that I usually think twice about getting.
The store… meh. it was dark inside when i was there around noon and as others have mentioned … no washroom so if you have kids or actually want to wash up before touching your food or after your food. well you are out of luck. I also lament the bag issue. if i buy one slice of cake at the grocery bakery they put it in a little cello clam-​shell container. why are you putting something with frosting, drizzles, meringue, or whatever topping into a tiny envelope bag?
But, for all that… the doughnuts. they are DANG GOOD!

Pros: Friendly staff. Decent prices for «gourmet» donuts.
Cons: It didn’t really seem «gourmet». The selection was lacking as only half the display even had food showcased. The lighting was terrible, we had to get right up on the glass to even read the descriptions or see the donuts. Our to-​go donut lost half its frosting stuck to the bag. Finally, it was undercooked.
Things to consider though– we went later in the day (4−5pm) so maybe their supply was dwindling. We did to-​go so maybe the frosting wouldn’t have separated so easily if eaten right away or on a plate.

I’m going to start off by saying that their hot chocolates and coffee drinks are the worst. Avoid at all costs. Also there are no bathrooms here… so REALLY avoid the bad coffee.
So…why the 4 star review? Their donuts are pretty phenomenal and since it’s a donut shop, it only makes sense that I rate them for their prime business.

This is a small shop. There are two tables and a counter with chairs. They did not have lights inside and it was dark. The floor was not clean. They have excellent doughnuts, but I prefer more charming atmosphere.
They have unique flavours. The sizes of doughnuts are big, which is nice. Though I wish there are more varieties of sizes. I had a crème brûlée and a cup of coffee. The coffee was good, but not excellent. The taste of doughnut was very good.

Went in without having any expectations as it was my first time trying speciality doughnuts. Bought ½ a dozen for approx. $ 18. They were extremely moist and delicious. Staff were also very attentive and helpful.

PB&J and the Sappy Pig were delicious! Definitely a really good place for donuts in Toronto. The atmosphere and the people working there were amazing so definitely stop by if you’re in the area!

Decent doughnut, bad customer service.
I’ll talk about the doughnuts first. I like Von Doughnuts, I actually do. I say that with some trepidation, because it took me some time to realize that I like them. I’m not just a doughnut snob, a connoisseur, a patron… I’m also a bit of a doughnut purist. I’m not real big on gimmicks and a bunch of crap on a doughnut, and at first, I thought that was all Von does. They have a lot of doughnuts with a lot of crap on them — gummy bears and the like. If you are into that — cool, but I just want a really damn good solid doughnut that is just good on it’s own, no gimmicks needed. So even a doughnut fiend like myself took some time to warm up and try Von’s simpler offerings — in my mind, crap on top equals CRAP.
But Von Doughnuts dough is GOOD. It’s a nice raised dough, very springy, with a nice moist bite and a little bit of spice to it. The doughnut itself tastes good, and it’s not too doughy or oily or just plain bad like many other TO doughnuts. Their quality control seems very good, I’ve never had a greasy or tough or soggy doughnut at Von.
If you are a purist like me, try the Von «kabobs» — doughnut holes on a stick. Always with the crap — they will try to sell you on «dipping sauces» for the kabobs — that crap is not necessary. The kabobs come in glazed or chai spice or cinnamon sugar I think, depending on the day of the week, and they are purely tasty — no gimmicks necessary. They are also great because you can give one doughnut hole to your kid, and that kid will think that’s the whole doughnut and then you will have the rest of the holes for later. Score.
The Pucker Up Sucker lemon meringue is quite good, it’s reminiscent of Glory Hole’s no longer available lemon meringue. I also like the Black Forest (which might be a special? I don’t see it on their website…), and the Baileys Hot Chocolate is nice too. I like the idea of the One Night Stand, but the sea salt doesn’t work for me. Mangia cake? Too sweet, too ridiculous. I’ll stick with the purist doughnuts instead.
I might give the doughnuts 4 stars, but I’ve removed a star as Von also suffers from customer service issues. Despite being the only customer in the store, I’ve been made to wait every time I’ve been here. On my last visit, I waited a solid ten minutes while the counter person «finished something up» before ringing my order. Are you kidding me? Too long a wait, I should have just walked out. Counter help will always push you to order a coffee here — it sucks, don’t do it. Von also doesn’t have a washroom — as a mom, I can’t really make your place a destination if you don’t have a washroom available for kiddos. Finally, they give you your doughnuts in bags — I HATE THIS. Doughnuts in bags is for fine for cake doughnuts — but If I’m buying a raised doughnut, especially one with icing, meringue, or toppings, I want it in a box. Period. Charge me for the box, or tell me how many I need to buy to get a box, but do not just give me 3 doughnuts in 3 different small bags that are difficult to carry no matter what but near impossible while also managing a toddler down the Danforth. The doughnuts get all squished and smashed and stuck to the bag and when I just paid $ 10 for 3 doughnuts, I think you can give me a box. Doughnuts in bags are just plain unacceptable. At that price, I expect you to guarantee doughnut integrity, my doughnut should look perfect and unscathed when I go to eat it, and I should be able to transport it home without damage. It’s a matter of principle.

Delicious Doughnuts all the way! I’ve been dying to check out Von Doughnuts forever after I saw them featured on YOU GOTTA EAT HERE! Took some time but finally made it and I was not disappointed. I had half a dozen variety of Caramel Salt n Pepa, Peanutbutter Jelly, Crème Brulle, Pucker up Sucker, Sappy Pig and Glazed Von Kabobs, and all were delicious!!! Definitely will be back!

Came here for Taste of the Danforth and tried the Cookie Dough and the Crème Brulee donuts and they were freaking amazing. Can’t wait to try some more of their unique flavours.

By far, the best doughnuts I have ever had!
Took home a dozen consisting of the Peanut Butter & Jelly, Mangiackes, Black Forest, Bailey’s Irish Crème and Sappy Pig. Also tried the Crème Brulée.
Brought then home as a gift for my buds, who love doughnuts and they totally enjoyed them.
The service was great too. The server had the Beatles playing and we started talking and I was telling her about the fictional confession of George Harrison, that talks about how Paul McCartney died a long time ago.
Going back real soon!

I was craving doughnuts and it led me to Von Doughnuts.
I really enjoyed them! Probably one of the best doughnuts I had, trust me, I’ve been to quite a few and lined up for hours for some of them.
VON KABOBS: They were like timbits but way better. The consistency of the dough is so good. Its soft and its what you want. It was glazed and had a cinnamon flavour to it! I would get this again!
CARAMEL SALT ‘N’ PEPPER: I’m a big fan of sweet and salty food! This one hits the spot!
HONEY BOURBON CRULLER: I expected more out of this but it was ok. This was my least favourite out of the three.
I also had one of their specials. It had Miss Vicki’s Salt and Vinegar Chips on top and that was really good!
Overall, I enjoyed it. There is no lineup which is a plus! I am already planning my next visit to try their other flavours!

Von Doughnuts celebrated National Doughnut Day by giving away a free Von Kabob (think doughnut holes on a stick) with the purchase of a dozen doughnuts. It was technically our first stop on our doughnut tour but we decided to consume them after our tour was over. Unfortunately, Von Doughnuts didn’t have the Kabobs ready that early in the morning (it was 8am-​ish) but we bought a dozen anyway! :D
Our Favourites
Crème Brûlée
A familiar concept that is reinvented over and over again.
It comes with a nice vanilla bean filling. They actually take a torch to the top of the doughnut and create an irresistible crispy top layer!
Caramel Salt ‘N’ Pepa
See Jelly Modern Doughnuts… you can’t go wrong with a sweet and salty flavour profile… and this one’s got a bite of pepper!
Peanut Butter Jelly Time
This doughnut was true to form… it was comforting in that it made you nostalgic and recall all those childhood memories! This doughnut showcases what you can achieve with in-​house homemade fillings!
Most Creative
Pucker Up Sucker
This doughnut is a clear winner!
An awesome slice of baked meringue sandwiched in between a doughnut base that gives it that extra texture component. The tart lemon custard and drizzle makes you crave more!
One Night Stand
You can really pick out all the flavours on this boozy doughnut containing triple sec and tequila with salt and lime as the chasers! It’s a clean and refreshing doughnut.
Rhubarb
Who would have thought acidic rhubarb would work in a doughnut?
Sappy Pig
This doughnut has a delicious savoury component in the form of crispy bacon! The dark chocolate prevents this doughnut from becoming a super salty experience though. Throw in some sweet maple and you have a match made in heaven.
Final Thoughts
Creative doughnuts with whimsical names!
They execute classics nicely. The flavour combinations were well balanced. One of the better doughnut shops in the city. Although, I personally would prefer denser doughnuts… denser but also richer… not denser like a Dutchie.

this is the first time I’ve had gourmet donuts and they were delicious!
Von Doughnuts is a small modern day donut shop on the Danforth. They have an insanely delicious selection of donuts I would have never imagined. For ½ dozen donuts its $ 17.10 and no charge is taxed (yes I agree it is expensive but hey its once in a while.) So if you go get 5, might as well get 6 for $ 1 more. I would say if you’re going to brunch and haven’t made anything, this is a good substitute to bring.
I had the Lemon Meringue, Pink Grapefruit, Triple chocolate, Salt and Pepper, Chocolate blueberry and Pink Lemonade. All of them were delicious but The favorite of the day was definitely the chocolate blueberry. The filling was like eating Brookfield’s chocolate covered blueberries but in a donut filling form. Amazing! If you’re in the neighborhood, this is a must try.

I’ve been passing by this place for something close to two years and never went inside! A week ago I decided enough was enough and I went in to try these gourmet doughnuts. The woman who served me was friendly and helpful in suggesting flavors to try. I ended up getting a box of six, but even then, it was difficult to pick which ones I wanted to try because they selection is pretty vast and they all sound good. I ended up trying Caramel Salt ‘n Pepa, Crème Brulee, Lavender Lust, Pink Lady, Poached Pear and The Sappy Pig. They were all amazing, fresh and not too heavy on the frosting. My top three are definitely The Sappy Pig, Crème Brulee and Lavender Lust in that order, but honestly, they were all amazing. I am in the area every three weeks, so I forsee myself gaining a lot of weight in the future.

The doughnut had evolved quite a bit since the days where I used to sit in a local Tim Horton’s staring at an apple fritter that looked like the waitress behind the counter.
I hit this place before I went to dinner down the road and got six ($ 18) for the go.
Although I missed out on the dill-​dough and one night stand, I was still able to indulge in the spicy bourbon cracker jack, peanut butter and jelly time and the pucker up sucker lemon creations.
I wasn’t as big of a fan of the butter tart and crème brûlée but I would be curious enough to go back and try some of the flavours I missed.
I also met the owner quickly who was passionate and pleasant, just like her doughnuts.
All in all, a good experience and I didn’t even try the coffee.