written by Jen Stevenson
NOLA DOUGHNUTS
Mardi Gras is just a king-cake-splattered March memory, but National Doughnut Day is June 7, and brother-sister duo Rob Herkes and Connie DeMerell’s Portland doughnut shops blend the best of both worlds with their New Orleans-inspired “la’ssants,” uniquely flaky square doughnuts made with a croissant-like dough, French technique, and European grass-fed butter. Sip your chicory coffee with hot, made-to-order beignets dipped in housemade raspberry mocha sauce.
365 N STATE ST.
LAKE OSWEGO
110 NW 10TH AVE.
PORTLAND
www.noladoughnuts.com
SISTERS BAKERY
Sure, Sisters is known for its stunning natural beauty, abundance of outdoorsy to-dos, charming Old West storefronts and celebrated late summer folk festival. But fried-dough devotees come for the good old-fashioned doughnuts—soft, squishy, raised, glazed, iced, spiced, sugared and/or sprinkled. Try the epic “pinecone,” a yeast doughnut as delicately ribbed as its namesake, with a sweet stripe of maple or chocolate icing.
251 E CASCADE AVE.
SISTERS
www.sistersbakery.com
JOE’S DONUT SHOP
Driving through Sandy en route to Mount Hood, you can’t miss the landmark red-and-white concrete block doughnut hole-in-the-wall. Inside, find a packed case with more than twenty varieties of fresh homemade doughnuts and pastries, from blueberry fritters and marionberry jelly-filled, to maple peanut Pershings and strawberry cream cheese strudel, with a jumble of classic cake doughnuts, old-fashioneds, and bear claws in between.
39230 PIONEER BLVD
SANDY
www.joes-donuts.com
VALI’S ALPINE RESTAURANT
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, this sweet little Alpine supper house turns out some of the most mouthwatering and inventive doughnuts around. From pistachio almond and chocolate earl grey to passion fruit curd and coconut cream-filled versions inspired by chef-owners Michael and Dionne Vali’s winter travels to Hawaii, these doughnuts are dished on weekend mornings only.
59811 WALLOWA LAKE HWY
JOSEPH
www.valisrestaurant.com