On a beautiful sunny morning, I set out for a stroll, and ended up with donuts from super-trendy Union Square Donuts. They make artisanal, small-batch donuts in funky flavors and sell out fast. It was on the earlier side, so not too many people were out and about, but as I got closer to the shop, every single person I passed had a box or bag from this place. Good sign.
I stood in a long but quick-moving line and gazed hungrily at their donut display.
“They all look great, but I don’t want to eat any of them,” said the customer in front of me. “I guess I’m not a donut guy.”
What?! Why are you getting your breakfast here then? Donuts are literally the only food they sell! And just look at these donuts!
At $3-$3.50 each, these beauts are pricey, but they are very large. I have a huge sweet tooth and one donut satisfied me. They also sell donut holes for those just wanting a taste, but they’re all regular glaze; no special flavors.
Though my gaze lingered over sea-salted bourbon caramel, and I felt the pull of classics like vanilla bean or chocolate marble, eventually the choice came down to two.
Boston Cream: Phenomenal texture, yeasty and soft but not airy, with the perfect amount of chew. The custard is lovely, flecked with real vanilla beans. The glaze has a deep cocoa taste, much darker than I expected, so the overall flavor balance is less sweet than I’ve found in a standard Boston cream. It definitely grew on me as I continued eating my half.
Brown butter hazelnut: A real winner. The hazelnuts smell so warm and add nutty, crunchy richness. Each bite includes a sweet, melty glaze and that lovely chewy dough. There’s a hint of a warm spice; maybe cinnamon or cardamom? Fantastic with coffee. Get it get it get it.
There’s some sitting space inside, which I didn’t expect, but it feels less like a cafe and more like your awkward neighbors’ living room – mismatched seating and no tables. However, I hear the shop plans to move to new digs. Guess I’ll have to go back and try their donuts again.
Union Square Donuts
16 Bow St., Somerville, MA
617-209-2257
Writing by Numbers 
The brown butter hazelnut donut sounds incredible. The customer in front of you doesn’t know what he’s missing!
Oh, twomenchew, it was so good. The customer did ultimately order something, so I hope it changed his mind.
I see you two are eating up a storm in my hometown neck of the woods, so I will say my favorite LA doughnuts are the Okinawan dango available at Obon festivals every summer. Higashi Hongwanji in J-Town makes killer dango.
Thanks for stopping by!