One of the questions we hear from visitors a lot is, “Where’s a good breakfast place in Owensboro?” And while our city has tons of restaurants we love to recommend, on thing is for certain: Our donut game is STRONG.
I mean, is there anything better than a warm, sugar-glazed, chocolate-drizzled, icing-topped donut that comes fresh out of the oven? You can smell the sweetness as soon as you open the doors. And there’s a certain thrill in seeing the variety of donuts in front of you and wondering which one you should try. Couple that with a cup of fresh, hot coffee and you’ve got yourself one heck of a good start to the day.
So when visitors ask us about breakfast, we never forget to mention our ever-growing donut scene. In no specific order, we’d like to highlight some of our favorite local donut shops to check out next time you visit.
Gramps Coffee & Donuts
Located just a few blocks away from our downtown riverfront area is Gramps Coffee & Donuts. This locally-owned bakery and coffee shop has some of the tastiest donuts we’ve ever tried. You’ll find a unique shape and style to these donuts along with so many awesome flavors to choose from. From their Goodness Gracious chocolate-glazed donut topped with chocolate cookie and cream crumbles to their Sap Tapper coated in a maple glaze, plus a variety of seasonal donuts they rotate throughout the year, you have to check this place out and try a donut from Gramps (or two, or three! We’re not judging).
Rolling Pin Pastry Shop
This place is legendary here in Owensboro, and there isn’t a local who’s never had a donut from Rolling Pin. And that’s for good reason. These bakers have been in the business since 1947 and they create more than 25 different kinds of donuts made from fresh dough every day. You can find a slew of other baked goods here as well, but we’d be remiss in not recommending their famous Chocolate Long John as your starting point.
Baker’s Dozen
This shop is brand new and makes a great addition to Owensboro’s donut scene! You can find everything from Iced Long Johns covered in M&Ms to freshly made Canolis to authentic beignets on weekends. They often have amazing deals that allow you to buy a dozen donuts and take a dozen home—for free! Located on one of our main roads, this shop isn’t hard to find, and they’ve got a ton of variety to choose from.
Niko’s Bakery & Café
The pastries at Niko’s are works of art, and here is where you’ll find some cultural diversity when it comes to your donuts. Niko’s is a whole vibe once you walk in the door, and the fun only continues from there. For breakfast, try their classic or chocolate croissants if you want a French twist, or an incredible coffee cake. Niko’s bakes fresh “Morning Buns” and Cinnamon Rolls daily and they are SO good. Grab a coffee, have a seat and hang out for a while!
Koehler’s Bakery
This is where you wanna go for that classic donut shop feel. Koehler’s has every donut you could ask for–everything from glazed to blueberry to sprinkle- and chocolate-covered is right here. This is a great local hotspot and the perfect place to grab a quick breakfast on the go.