Out of a tiny space (seriously — it used to be a storage closet) in NoDa comes Reigning Donuts, the local twist on owners Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel’s favorite Jersey Shore sweets shop. If those names sound familiar, that’s because the duo also run Haberdish, Crepe Cellar, and Growlers Pourhouse.
But if you’re thinking “another doughnut place…?”, assuredly, this isn’t something you’ll want to just glaze over. They’ve created the neighborhood staple of years past with a hefty sprinkling of nostalgia: The walk-up-window-style proffers little cakes sized right and flavored even better. No frills, served hot, and made-to-order, the doughnuts themselves are memorably cakey, doughy bites served alongside local Counter Culture coffee.
The Reigning team uses only one base cake, so you can expect a lineup of classic flavors like chocolate, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and glazed. The team crafts a daily doughnut that’s “a lot more creative” (think lemon poppyseed, matcha, or peanut butter icing with banana), too. Either way, this is a welcome addition to the downtown district — and to Brown and Tonidandel’s foodie empire.
