Emily Robillard and Murphy Ryan

A Sunday morning can be enjoyed by sipping a warm cup of coffee on the porch or watching a funny sitcom. Or, it can be spent driving around for hours trying the best local donut shops. We decided to take this approach.

Donuts can be a predictable treat. We wanted to change this expectation by driving around with an open mind and ranking local donut shops. Things we considered while tasting donuts from each place were: presentation, location of shop, flavor, and cost.

The first place explored was Dunkin Donuts. Dunkin was used as a safe baseline. Not only are their donuts cheap, but the majority of people know exactly what to expect in terms of flavor and consistency. We ordered a classic Halloween treat, the spider donut. The munchkin that rests on top of the frosted glazed donut is a chocolate donut, making it easier to experience a variety of the options offered. Each donut was 99 cents, could not do much better than that. Based on the considerations, presentation, location of shop, flavor, and cost, Dunkin was ranked 5/10. 

Next was Flanders donuts in East Lyme. Flanders is pretty well known locally and liked by many families. Here, we decided to just go with a classic glazed donut. Similar to Dunkin, the cost was low, priced at $1.03 each. The location of Flanders was very convenient as it was right next to Niantic, and across the street from East Lyme High school. Flanders was ranked 8/10. 

As partners, we thought it would be best to venture out to Mystic, where shops and places to eat are typically highly praised. In Downtown Mystic, a shop called Young Buns just recently opened. The outside of it was pastel yellow and it was centered in the middle of downtown. Though there was a line, it was certainly worth the wait. What stood out most was the array of options it had when compared to Dunkin and Flanders. There was more decor on the donuts and fun flavors that we hadn’t seen yet. We again ordered two flavors, a regular glazed and a maple glaze. Each donut cost $3.50. The setting of Mystic on a chilly Sunday morning was a wonderful environment while walking and eating pastries. Based on the experience and taste, Young Buns received a 7.3/10. Definitely worth the experience. 

Lastly, located in Mystic Village was pink and purple Deviant Donuts. This hands down had the longest line and the most appealing outside appearance. The environment as a whole included more families and children. The displays of donuts were impressive. Fall donuts were everywhere and even classic flavors were done up with decoration. The two flavors ordered were pumpkin spice and another glaze. Each costs $3.25, less than Young Buns, and had a far better taste. The consistency was moist and gooey. Walking around in Mystic Village on a Sunday morning surrounded by fall leaves and autumn shops was a great experience, as well. Deviant Donuts won the prize with an overall score of 8.5/10.