Chicago's Viral Donut Shop Has Locals And Tourists Lining Up For Plate-Sized Pastries In Craveable Flavors

Gone are the days when your only option for a sweet, tasty donut was to head to your closest donut chain. Specialty donut shops have sprung up across the country, challenging donut lovers to pick a favorite. In Colorado, there's a visitor center with famed donuts that you eat at the summit of Pikes Peak. In Chicago, there's little doubt about where to get that special donut hit. Folks literally line up at Doughnut Vault, an old-fashioned donut bar that specializes in handcrafted, artisanal donuts. Food critics agree that the ridiculously munchable donuts at Doughnut Vault deserve to be raved about, a Time Out review deeming their glazed donuts "sticky, airy perfection."

That's not all you'll get at the sidewalk-accessible, brick storefront. Buttermilk, triple chocolate, and pistachio donuts grace the classic menu, while salted caramel, lemon pistachio, and Bavarian cream spice up the daily specials. However, chances to snag your favorite flavor at Doughnut Vault aren't endless. Doughnut Vault keeps donut-seekers on their toes with its short hours from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It's also not unusual for all the donuts to be gone within three hours of opening. Cementing the sense of urgency about the place, daily tweets keep people guessing as to what the donuts of the day will be. Doughnut Vault is in the River North neighborhood in Chicago, and it's also only a 20-minute drive from iconic, artsy Logan Square, which is filled with endless food. If you're taking the train, you can hop on the CTA Blue Line to Logan Square, and the journey takes about 10 minutes longer than driving.

Like Alimama Tea, one of the best NYC Chinatown spots to eat, Doughnut Vault keeps it coming with unique donut flavors. Doughnut Vault makes its creations fresh every day, and other flavors have included coconut and cream, red velvet, and apricot filled with powdered sugar. And who could resist titles like gingerbread stacks and birthday cake? The wildly varied options make for a very colorful Insta grid.

If waiting in a line of fellow eager patrons isn't your thing, you can preorder in advance for pickup or purchase catering for larger orders. Or, an order can be at your door in minutes by ordering with DoorDash during store hours. The store on Franklin is for takeout, fits only about 12 people inside, and remember there is usually a line. But you can swing by Sawada Coffee on North Green Street if you miss out at the main location. Sawada is under a 10-minute drive from Doughnut Vault in West Loop. According to its menu, you can order Doughnut Vault buttermilk old-fashioned, chocolate old-fashioned, camos, and daily specials. Ralph's Coffee on Michigan Avenue also offers donuts from Doughnut Vault at select times. In the past, a coffee cake donut popped up there, and another time they had brown sugar glaze and vanilla drizzle.

The closest stop on the subway to Doughnut Vault is Merchandise Mart on the Brown Line. Donuts at the vault will never break the bank, ranging from $1 each to just under $4. You can wash the delightful treats down with a choice of hot coffee, cold brew, or lemonade.