Top Pot Doughnuts is originally from Seattle, but Dallas’ 2014 debut marked the brand’s first venture outside of Washington. With four locations in the DFW area and a lot of rave reviews, we felt compelled to sample Top Pot’s “hand-forged doughnuts” and coffee. We visited two out of the four shops for a fair sample of research.
— Spoiler alert: Top Pot is hands-down one of our top picks in the metroplex! —
CONTACT INFO
Hillcrest Ave. Hours:
Monday through Saturday, 6:30 am – 6:00 pm | Sunday, 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
*Similar hours in the State Street Ave. location; limited hours on Greenville Ave.
Hillcrest Ave. Location:
Web & Social:
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HIGHLIGHTS
- Cake Donuts:
- Yeast Donuts:
- Gluten-Free Donuts:
- Vegan Donuts:
- Non-Donut Food Options:
- Coffee:
- Credit Card Accepted:
- Wifi:
- Indoor Seating:
- Outdoor Seating:
- Merchandise:
- Order Ahead:
- Nearby Attraction(s): The Victory Park location is within walking distance to the American Airlines Center, Perot Museum, and Klyde Warren Park
THE REVIEW
Top Pot Doughnuts actually started as a Seattle coffee shop in 2002. Founders and brothers Michael and Mark Klebeck took a heavy interest in design, and the shops evoke the 1930s-1940s era with a library or wine bar vibe. We’re thankful Top Pot got into the donut busines and that they opened up shop in Texas. Mark, who has family in the Dallas area, says they’re committed to the area too.
Feast your eyes on this vid for some more of the Top Pot story:
PROS:
Top Pot’s donut mix is custom-made and proprietary, so you won’t find it at any other donut shop. According to their website, “We call our doughnuts ‘hand-forged’ because they’re made the old-fashioned way. As a result, the unique characteristics of each doughnut are preserved by our skilled bakers. What’s more, all of our doughnuts contain zero grams trans fat.” Translation: Top Pot’s donuts are artisan-made, fresh and TASTY.
We’ve had the pleasure of sampling:
- Vanilla old fashioned, glazed
- Chocolate old fashioned, glazed
- Vanilla old fashioned with chocolate sea salt caramel frosting
- Pink vanilla frosted cake, with and without sprinkles
- Spiced chai iced cake
- Chocolate sandcastle (chocolate cake dusted with cinnamon-sugar)
- Blueberry cake donut, glazed
- Blueberry fritter
- Raspberry raised yeast
- Chocolate raised yeast
- Cinnamon roll
- Pumpkin spice latte and regular latte
The glazed old fashioned is just so damn good. Fresh-tasting, buttery, and the perfect amount of crunch. The iced chai cake is another favorite, and we can’t wait to get our hands on the pumpkin old fashioned this fall.
Check out the rest of the pics we managed to capture (some donuts missing due to fast consumption):
Of all the donut shops we’ve tried so far, these ones stay moist the longest. We enjoyed them just as much on day 2…and almost as much on day 3!
The coffee is way better than Starbucks and even many local DFW java shops. We also love the retro branding and store design. You can own a piece of Top Pot with their t-shirts, hats, mugs, and even dishware.
CONS:
Our last visit not-so-coincidentally coincided with the launch of pumpkin old fashioneds, but they ran out by the time we got to the Houston Ave. shop. Until next time!
**Update: We went back for a pumpkin old fashioned and our tastebuds were singing! Find out why it made our list of Top Pumpkin-Flavored Donuts in DFW.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Top Pot is top-notch in our books for several reasons: yummy/unique donuts, great coffee, and really convenient hours. On our list for next time:
- Maple old fashioned
- Ovaltine latte
Fun fact: The Klebecks initially planned to call the brand “Top Spot” based on a vintage Chinese restaurant sign purchase. On the way to the repair shop, the “S” fell off the sign and the brothers decided to keep the new name. We’ll leave you with this video for more on the Top Pot story:
P.S. The featured image from this review is lovingly borrowed from Top Pot Doughnut’s blog.
