Jacksonville's Hole in the Wall Restaurants, Part IV

The Donut Shoppe

One of two things happen when you walk into a Jacksonville restaurant that's been around for several decades. Either you walk away with a sense disillusionment: "How are they still in business? This place is terrible!" or it all makes sense: "Man, I wish I could have tried this place in the 1950s when Grandmother Jones was still around"-- and usually it's the former.

The Donut Shoppe "has been open since 1962 and is currently owned by David Unkelbach. We have 17 varietys of donuts [misspelling theirs]." It's institutional feeling but clean. Kind of like Unkelback bought a clinic in the 1960s and turned it into a donut "shoppe." But that feel is exactly what makes this place kind of awesome. That and their donuts.

They won me over after I tried one of their old fashioned cake donuts. It was fresh out of the fryer, not too sugary and had that "Oh my God, this is incredible. I need to leave immediately so I don't buy six more and eat them one after the other" kind of euphoria that happens when you eat a successfully deep fried doughy amalgamation with the right amount of sweetness.

For those who love sugar bomb donuts, they have plenty of those to try. Of course, they have coffee and they have "cappuccino" and "hot chocolate." That's a little joke because, you know, it's one of those gas station machines that serves the cappuccino.

This place is worth trying and everything about it gives it that "I'm happy to be here" feel.

Couple of pointers: The coconut donut = Yes, you should do this. Don't go with out cash. Although there is an ATM in the shoppe.

Address:
1535 University Blvd N
Jacksonville, FL 32211
(904) 743-1844

Hours:
Tue-Sun 5 am - 1 pm

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