Hidden Minnesota Bakery Has the Best Donuts in the Entire State, According to Food Experts

Could the very best donuts in Minnesota be the simplest ones?

Minnesota’s donut scene is famous for over-the-top creations loaded with crazy toppings and wild flavors, but according to a top food site, the best donut in the North Star State is not a flashy, stuffed, or sprinkled masterpiece, but a humble classic from a local shop with two somewhat hidden locations.

Where Do Donuts Come From, Anyway?

Before we dive into what some are calling Minnesota’s best, let’s give a nod to the rich (and fried) history of the donut. These sweet treats have been around for centuries, first appearing in Europe before crossing the pond to America.

Most food historians trace the American donut’s roots back to Dutch settlers in the 1600s, who made “olykoeks” (literally “oily cakes”), deep-fried dough balls often filled with nuts or fruit.

The classic ring shape we know today is credited to a clever New England ship captain named Hanson Gregory, who reportedly poked a hole in the middle so his dough would fry evenly. Genius move.

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From those humble beginnings, donuts have gone from simple to show-stopping, but apparently, according to LoveFood, the best donut in Minnesota is a no-frills classic from a shop with two locations that many may not know about.

Cardigan Donuts Has the Best Donut in Minnesota, According to LoveFood

Open for about eight years and with two locations now, Cardigan Donuts in Minneapolis has been crowned the place with the very best donuts in Minnesota. They're not covered in cereal or bacon, but rather straightforward classics, the Old Fashioned and French Cruller, that earn the title.

Here's what LoveFood has to say about them:

Cardigan Donuts regularly adds new and innovative flavors, glazes, and fillings to its menu, decorating its treats with berries, sprinkles, and even edible flowers, so they look as wonderful as they taste. The classic rings, such as the Old Fashioned and the light and flaky French cruller – made by twisting rectangles of dough into a braid – are the best, though.

Cardigan offers several variations of its Old Fashioned and French Cruller donuts. Old-fashioned flavors have included Lemon Poppyseed, Carrot Cake, Mimosa, Strawberry, and Blueberry Lemon. Cruller options have included Funnel Cake, Pumpkin Pie, and more, with a different cruller flavor featured each week.

Looking around online, Cardigan Donuts consistently earns rave reviews across the board, with the Old Fashioned popping up again and again.

One Redditor raves, “Their old fashioned donut straight melts in your mouth. So. Good.” On Google, reviewers call Cardigan’s Old Fashioneds “perfect,” “the best we’ve ever tasted,” and one even admits they never liked Old Fashioned donuts until trying Cardigan’s.

Where are Cardigan Donuts Located?

You won’t find Cardigan Donuts in a flashy storefront on a busy street corner, instead, both of their locations are tucked inside downtown Minneapolis buildings.

One shop is nestled within the IDS Center on South 8th Street, while the other is located just a block away, inside the City Center on South 7th Street.