Portland, Maine, has been called “America’s foodies small town” by Bon Appétit,” and one of the best places to eat in the Northeast” by the New York Times.
There is also local talk about whether it could compete with San Francisco for the most restaurants per capita.
One stop that we always make in Portland is to pick up donuts for my grandson.
He deals with food allergies, and it is challenging, if not impossible, to find a donut store or bakery that is peanut/tree nut free.
But, Portland has one, the Holy Donut, and this door leads to donut heaven for him.
The Holy Donut started in 2012 with three employees 
making 40 dozen donuts a week. Today, they employ 35 in two locations and produce 1 Million donuts per year.
What’s special about these donuts besides the fact that they are nut free? They include fresh Maine mashed potatoes for one thing, and the flavors they offer are amazing.
Photo credit: Trip Adviser
What sounds good – Sweet Potato, Chocolate Coconut, Maple Bacon, Pomegranate, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, Chai Glazed, or Maine Blueberry?
There are twenty different flavors offered each day. Arrive early for the best choices, and when they sell out, they close for the day.
I forgot to take a photo before we ate them all so I had to borrow one from Trip Adviser.
But, bring your wallet. These nut free beauties are not cheap. A dozen donuts is right at $24 plus tax.
Why would anyone spend $2 per donut? Simple – when my grandson sees a box with the Holy Donut printed on it, his smile lights up a room because it is such a special treat for him. 🙂
Linked to Norm Frampton’s Thursday Doors, February 25, 2016.
NewEnglandGardenAndThread 
Always like to hear about nut-free options since my daughter is allergic (to eggs, too!); thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is also a wonderful chocolate shop, Dean’s Sweets, in Portland that is nut free. (They sell on line too.) Portland is a good stop for our family. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the door, love the name, would love the doughnuts. Good doughnuts aren’t cheap but many non-cheap doughnuts aren’t that great. If I’m ever in Portland, I’ll definitely look for this place.
janet
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, Judy I may be driving to Portland today to drop off some ad material and now thanks to you, I’ll more than likely be stopping off for a donut ( or two). Our daughter Zoe lives in Portland and we do love all the great ‘eats’ around this town. My favorite place to go however is not actually an eatery but is the Urban Fermentory where I get the best ginger blueberry kombucha.This is what I’ll be sipping…to wash down that chocolate sea salt donut you mentioned.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooh, another Portland stop to check out. Travel safely and enjoy your donut. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the idea that your grandson can count on you to bring him back his special treats – and that price doesn’t matter when it’s grandma doing the buying! 🙂
I also love how one person in America can have a great idea – or recipe – open a shop, and a few years later employ 35 more of us! God bless America!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Amen.
LikeLike
I love the Holy Donut! Their donuts are so dense and so moist. They are amazing! Definitely worth the $2 price tag in my book. Great review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
See, you picked a good place to move to. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
They look tasty. I don’t eat donuts much but I always enjoy good locally made ones. Yum.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Okay another place to add to the list 😀
It’s so cool that places like this exist to help people with food allergies.
And if the donuts taste as good as they look, it’s probably a good thing that this place isn’t too close to me.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I think specialty stores are worth their prices, I mean, special is right in the title! I imagine these donuts must be real labors of love, turning the density of potato into fluffy pastry. (Not unlike perfect gnocchi!) I will try the blueberry and the chocolate coconut, but they all sound good to me!
Super cute storefront 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely old door. $2 a donut really isn’t that bad, especially if they are as good as you say. I’ve heard about Portland being a great place to eat, and I’ve actually heard of this donut shop 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not a big donut eater, but this place looks amazing. I love the idea of potatoes and sweet potatoes in donuts. I may have to look up some recipes and try them at home! On the other hand, a trip to Portland may be in order. We haven’t even begun to explore its wonders.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Portland is a fun place and you could have a new list of places to see every time you go. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m a donut lover from way back, but $24 for a dozen is enough to make this donut lover choke. Holy donuts, indeed! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
The prize is ghastly. In this case, there is not another bakery or donut store that we have found in the NH/ME/MA area where he can eat their donuts. So, it is a special treat for him when anyone goes to Portland. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, if that is the case, then those donuts are worth the price. We all need special treats from time to time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really like good store signs, and I love the hanging donut for this one!!
These look sooo good. I can understand why your grandson gets excited – he knows a special treat is coming 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
That donut is pretty cool. It certainly catches your attention. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You know that you’ve just managed to make me crave donuts all day.
If it wasn’t for the fact today is rather nasty outside, I probably would have considered a donut run 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Portland sounds like a yummy place to visit, Judy! All of the flavors sound so tempting. I would be so curious to try a sweet potato donut. Perhaps we could share one?? (Half the calories!) ♡
LikeLiked by 1 person
Size wise, we could certainly share one. 🙂 And, I love sweet potato.
LikeLike
HOLY MOLY I can only imagine his smile!
The moistest bread or buns seems to be the kind with potato water in them so I am not surprised too much at the potato ingredient but you had me craving donuts so much now I think I totally forgot about the door, ha ha !
LikeLiked by 1 person
He gives me his order before we go and then I hope they have them. He loves the lemon. 🙂
LikeLike
Love the post, I can smell the donuts from here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is one door I’d want to go through! Thanks for posting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Warning: this post contains calorie cravings! Yum!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
🙂 I didn’t think of that, but it sure is correct when you see the size and feel the weight of those things.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Even I don’t like donuts, they look tempting 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Combining potatoes into the donuts is an interesting recipe. I liked the sound of the maple bacon donut. I like vanilla coconut donuts and sour cream glazed cake donuts. Your grandson is a lucky boy and you are such a nice grandma. ♡ I think going the extra mile is special, Judy. Supporting a local donut shop is always nice. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Now, I’m thinking donuts. LOL 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Donuts must be making a comeback. We’ve had several new stores open here recently, but none with that advantage of nut-free. Glad your grandson can enjoy treats like this.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Most of us can’t eat them often, but a good one now and then sure is a delicious treat. Hope your new stores offer some interesting choices for you to try. 🙂
LikeLike
What a great idea, I wonder if they do gluten free donuts. It’s lovely that you can get them for your grandson, I can imagine his smile at the sight/smell of them.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Another reader wondered the same thing so I looked on their website. It looks like they have three varieties that are gluten free. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’ve been there – the added potato flour makes them fluffy!
LikeLiked by 2 people
They are quite different and a real treat. 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, Wondering if they could be Gluten free as well. Our Grandson was diagnosed with Celiac disease at age 2 and really enjoys treats like this when they can be found …
LikeLiked by 1 person
According to their site they do have some. It is under the Flavors link: Gluten Free – Cinnamon Sugar, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, and Glazed. 🙂 Exciting when you find a place that they can enjoy too. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it’s certainly does !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Portland in Maine has the reputation for being a foodie town even in Australia…good news travels fast!
LikeLiked by 2 people
🙂
LikeLike
Wait a minute…what about Portland Oregon?? We pride ourselves on being a foodie town too. Guess I will have to check out Portland, ME on a road trip soon. Cheers, Lori
LikeLike
We have family in Seattle and on all our trips we were going to check out ‘your’ Portland, but we haven’t gotten there ‘yet.’ So, keep us posted on good places to eat. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would be my pleasure. Come in the summer when the Pacific Northwest is glorious, as you probably know from your family in Seattle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My apologies, I meant Portland Oregon…so I will keep my map beside me next time I make a comment! (but I’m sure Portland ME is also wonderful!)
LikeLiked by 2 people
OK, now I feel better. Actually I met a woman from Portland Maine recently who told me about the great food scene there. I was teasing you a bit as we locals make jokes about the Porlandia scene and the Keep Portland weird mentality. Still, it is a wonderful place to live! Have you ever watched Portlandia? it’s on Netflix. Cheers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll check it out. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s okay – you had the left side of the map instead of the right. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can see paying that for something for my grandaughter…even if she didn’t have an allergy. If it was something she loved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
YO—-ROBIN…SOMETHING YOU MIGHT REBLOG NEXT THURSDAY???
LikeLike
I’m so glad I don’t live close enough to buy a dozen a week. I’d be too big to get into my car.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, there is definitely that to consider. 🙂
LikeLike
It’s always good to find special treats for Grandchildren! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
To see his smile… PRICELESS! Worth every penny!
I would love to try one… This place may have to be on my bucket list!
Oh and what a cool door!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh that’s so sweet! The perfect gift from Grandma – so thoughtful. I would be partial to the Chocolate Sea Salt myself. And I love the name!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And here I thought it was in the nature of all donuts to be holy! A space surrounded by confection …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the chuckle. And, when I have a donut it usually is a pretty heavenly experience. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m drooling just reading about these donuts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is that sweet potato donut glazed? I’ll take one, and one of the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt! Oh they sound wonderful! I don’t eat donuts often, but I might make an exception for these! The door is wonderful with those large glass panes on top and the glass side panel too. It feels like a small town shop.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are delicious, but I don’t eat them that often either. It is a handsome little shop. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
A special place, for sure! I like the way you use the photo challenge as only a starting point and always have something interesting to say about your doors, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the way your doors so often lead to foodie delights Judy ! 😀 I’ll have a dozen Dark Chocolate Sea Salt to go please! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just added a new weekend destination to my list. I showed it to my nut allergic daughter and her face lit up! Portland here we come!
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you go, don’t forget slabs at Micucci’s and Dean’s Sweets for nut-free candy. If you can call those delicacies ‘candy.’
LikeLike
Donuts seem to be making a comeback. Portland has lots of donut shops to include our famous “Voodoo” donuts. Great post!!
LikeLike
I just had to google and read about Voodoo donuts. 🙂
LikeLike
How could I’ve not known about this place in all my trips to Portland. Oh well, it probably saved me a few pounds over the years that I missed the donut shop. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
These look and sound delicious….what a treat for your grandson😆
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so wonderful to get those for him and I bet there were some great hugs when you arrived home!
LikeLiked by 1 person