After 10 years in online retail, Holey Donuts has opened its very first shop in New York City. Cronut/Pastry enthusiasts take note: we might have the next donut craze on our hands. And with good reason. These donuts are not only low in fat (each donut contains around 3 to 5 grams of fat compared to an average donut of 20 grams of fat), but they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. (Fun fact: seven of these pillowy pastries are the fat equivalent to one Crumbs vanilla cupcake.)
Holey Donuts is the brainchild of owner Frank DiLullo, who followed in his father’s footsteps selling donuts (his father was one of the very first to open a Dunkin’ Donuts franchise in 1958). After tinkering around with a new donut recipe, Frank decided to abandon the deep fat fryer altogether in favor of a lighter, fluffier, and all around healthier donut. The donuts have been selling online for 8 years and must be kept frozen until eaten. DiLullo’s online following is willing to shell out $85.00 for 18 donuts (including shipping cost) and based on my own assessment of the product, I predict that the donuts will fare equally well in New York City.
The shop itself is a sleek, white-walled donut emporium accented with hot pink borders and a brightly colored leather bench (94% of DiLullo’s customers are women, although DiLullo did mention that wives hide donuts from their husbands in frozen broccoli boxes). Walk further into the shop and you will not only be confronted with the decadent smell of chocolate and vanilla frostings, but also the buttery aroma of baked donuts, ready to be engulfed in pools of rich frosting. In other words, Holey Donuts are made-to-order, and flavors include the most basic of donuts, like Classic Vanilla and Chocolate Frosted, to Oreo Cookie Boston Cream and Cinnamon Strudel. Since the donuts are made-to-order, Holey Donuts is also one of the first green donut shops, thus avoiding discarding thousands of uneaten donuts.
I was lucky enough to sample DiLullo’s creations before opening day and I can tell you that they are: A) melt in your mouth delicious, B) do not at all sit in your stomach in a why-did-I-just-eat-that kind of way, and C) is for cinnamon bun. Did I mention that Holey Donuts also sells Cinnamon Buns and Cinnamon Bun Middles? If it all sounds too good to be true, I would urge you to go and see for yourself. The store is also completely cashless, so you can avoid handling your change and then your donut, or your donut and then your change.
Holey Donuts
101 Seventh Avenue South (Between Grove & Barrow Streets)
(212) 252-3365
To order online: www.holeydonuts.net
Photos by Caroline Solomon