It’s always nice to find people who share my love of breakfast. And, really, that’s everyone.
This is especially true when it comes to donuts. Everyone loves donuts! And with the weather turning autumnal, it’s time to celebrate them every way possible. For a quick snack, for a full breakfast, or… on a date?
I’d like to welcome a guest poster, Jess from the blog $20Dates. Jess and her husband Rob have proven to be a great resource for inexpensive date ideas in and around Columbus. And they’ve turned their attention to donuts…
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Hi, I’m Jess from $20Dates! $20Dates is a guide to affordable & creative dating ideas in the Central Ohio area. Rob (my husband) and I are constantly looking for activities and hidden gems throughout Columbus, all while not breaking the bank and keeping our dates under $20. I think Nick is awesome, and Rob & I (being breakfast people) are constantly checking in to see the latest breakfast joint Nick is posting about. When we came up with the idea to do a donut crawl (aka fit as many local donut shops into one morning as possible), we immediately thought of Breakfast with Nick. Thank you Nick to letting us guest blog! Happy Dating!
This week’s cheap & creative date idea is…
Donut Crawl!
What: A tour of the delicious donuts Columbus has to offer – 7 different stops
When: We did our tour on a Saturday morning (Sundays are possible too, with the exception of Schneider’s which is closed on Sunday)
Rob & I love donuts. A lot. So we decided to embrace our sweet tooth(s) and spend a Saturday morning at several local donut shops!
Stop #1: Westerville – Schneider’s Bakery ($.80). In high school, Schneider’s was a popular late night destination, being that they start baking around midnight and open their doors at 1am. We had to include this iconic Westerville bakery as our first stop. We got the Davey Crockett per one of their employee’s suggestions and were satisfied – cinnamon bun-type donut with maple glaze. YUM. First stop down, 6 more to go!
Stop #2: Upper Arlington – HoneyDip Donuts & Diner ($.90). We decided to stick with the traditional for this second stop, and we ordered an Old Fashioned Cake Donut at this old-style diner. Not my favorite (I loooove icing) but Rob enjoyed the simplicity of this one.
Stop #3: OSU Campus – Buckeye Donuts ($.99). Buckeye Donuts is a popular hot spot on OSU’s campus and is open 24/7. Definitely holds some fun memories for Rob & I and their quality of product is the same as it was ten years ago – wonderful! We ordered a cappuccino donut and sat at their window seats, people watching and reminiscing on our college days. J
Stop #4: Hilliard – Auddino’s Bakery & Cafe ($1.50). Famous for the Doughssant (a croissant + donut hybrid), we of course picked that and fell in love! Oh. My. Goodness. We ordered the smaller version (which is still quite large!) and savored the flaky sweetness that is the Doughssant. Rob is from New York, so when his dad called him earlier this year to tell him about this new Cronut sensation spreading through NYC, we laughed because Columbus had it first! The Doughssant at Auddino’s can kick the New York Cronut’s butt any day! 😉
Stop #5: Hilliard – Lil Donut Factory ($.85 + $.95). The first new stop for us on our Donut Crawl, and we were extremely satisfied with this stop. On their front door is a sign that apologizes in advanced if they’re sold out on the weekend – we knew we were in for a treat! Definitely a hidden Hilliard treasure – sandwiched between a gas station and a bar, you could completely ignore that there is a delicious donut factory right in front of you. We have already spread the word about the Lil Donut Factory, we love it that much! We ordered the Old Fashioned Glazed & the Double Chocolate and couldn’t stop making “yum” noises! Hilliard, you have made us happy. On to Grandview!
Stop #6: Grandview – DK Diner ($1.75). We love DK Diner for breakfast but we, believe it or not, have never had a donut there! Shame on us, since the “DK” stands for “Donut Kitchen!” This stop I got to pick the donut out (in exchange for Rob’s pick at Honey Dip) and I ordered a large cream donut for us to split. The donut is actually two separate pieces held together with cream, which was delicious. Rob didn’t enjoy this one as much, as he doesn’t like “unnecessary filling” in his donuts, so I got this donut all to myself!
Stop #7: Grandview – Luck Bros’ Coffee House($7 for 2 cups of coffee + $1 tip). We started experiencing the start of a sugar coma so we knew coffee was a must-have. We had also heard that Destination Donuts sometimes has donuts at Luck Bros’, so we drove from DK Diner to the tucked away Luck Bros’ Coffee House. I love Luck Bros’ so this was a special treat for both of us. Not only do we love their coffee, but the atmosphere is relaxing and inviting. Iced coffee for me, hot for Rob, we enjoyed our coffee break and conversation together. The super nice barista told me that they typically sell out of Destination Donuts early in the morning, but to check Destination’s Facebook page to see where else they were today. That led us to our last and final stop, The Hills Market Downtown!
Stop #8: Downtown – The Hills Market, Destination Donuts ($3 + $1.76 bottle of water). We had never been to The Hills Market Downtown, so this was an exciting last stop. Full of delicious smells, local goods and friendly employees, we definitely enjoyed this stop. They have an entire sweets section when you first walk in, with so many local bakers to choose from. We found Destination Donuts quickly, but had a hard time deciding between the decadent flavors: apricot pistachio, red raspberry hibiscus, butterscotch sea salt & mocha. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! By far our most expensive donut on the crawl, but the apricot pistachio (with crumbled pistachio on top) melted in our mouths and was well worth it. With beautiful weather, we sat outside on their patio.
We found a calendar of events going on at The Hills Market, and this place alone is a great $20Date! Mondays = Charity Happy Hour, 5p-8p. $7.99 Pizza, $3 Beer, $4 Wine. Thursdays = Beer Tasting 4p-6p. Saturdays = Pancake Breakfast 9a-1p & Sip While You Shop 12p-4p. Sundays = Crepes a la Carte 9a-2p. With local candy, cheese, beer, meat, produce, dessert, hot sauce & more, The Hills Market Downtown has got it going on!
We had made it! Seven donut stops, one coffee stop, a lot of fun conversation and a morning spent together, Rob & I had successfully completed our first ever Donut Crawl. We were happy, full & ready to share our love of donuts with the world. Or at least with Columbus. J
TOTAL = $19.60!
(+ free parking at all stops, excluding Buckeye Donuts. $.50 for the meter not included. Tip: bring cash, as some stops do not take credit cards & when you pay under $1, it’s just easier with cashJ)
Happy Breakfast Dating,
Jess & Rob
[…] to finally try out the Donut Crawl we had read about in this guest post by 20DollarDates on a Breakfast with Nick post awhile […]