By Rachel Morrison, MBA’24
I am a donut hunter. What does that mean? In every town I visit, I search for a local donut shop. Donuts are delicious and I believe it is an amazing way to get a feel for a place! When I first visited Bloomington, I was walking around the IU campus when I saw a donut shop. I was so excited to see a local shop that I immediately began researching to find reviews. Imagine my surprise when I searched “donut shops” in Google Maps and saw that Bloomington boasts four local donut shops plus a Dunkin Donuts! From my past experience hunting donuts, this is a very impressive feat for a smaller town.
This is a tale of many donuts and exploring an adorable town. I fell in love with Bloomington during my visit and committed to attending Kelley for my full-time MBA. I’ve spent this past year trying all the donut shops in Bloomington, and now I’m sharing the results of my meticulous research. Fair warning: my ranking is controversial, but I believe I discovered the most delicious and authentic donuts in town. Here are my findings:
Crescent Donut
My number one ranking goes to Crescent Donut. This is an old-school establishment with one-dollar donut holes. The classic yeast donut is amazing, but the star of the show is the Sour Cream Old Fashioned. This store is a favorite of locals; be sure to go early before they sell out.
What I learned about Crescent Donut: old school, simple, and a local favorite; obviously going to be dependable when in need of something sweet.
Parlor Doughnuts
This is the original donut shop that started my quest in Bloomington. I give it the number two spot on my list for its coffee selection and fancy croissant donuts. All of the donuts have a croissant base with different flavor combinations. I give a special shoutout to the Churro and the Coconut flavors.
What I learned about Parlor Doughnuts: fancy, Instagram-able, and easy to get to; all good signs for a foodie with a sweet tooth. This is a great place within walking distance of IU campus to share a donut and grab a coffee with friends.
Rainbow Bakery
Rainbow Bakery takes the number three spot on my list. It is a unique bakery with its offering of baked goods for dietary restrictions.
What I learned about Rainbow Bakery: colorful, considerate of others, and wide selection of baked goods that demonstrate how accommodating this small town is to its customers. Located within 10 minutes of downtown Bloomington, this is a great place for coffee and those with a sweet tooth.
Square Donuts
The fourth spot in rank goes to Square Donuts. While another local favorite, this was my least favorite. It has multiple locations and an avid fan base. I found it to be a little bland for my tastes, but that’s just me! It’s great because of the convenience of locations, though.
What I learned about Square Donuts: quirky donuts (square shaped), traditional flavors, and a local chain. This tells me I have found my fellow donut lovers in the people of Bloomington, even if it isn’t my favorite shop.
I don’t know about you, but I believe in the way of the donut. If a small town is able to boast four amazing local donut shops, then it must be a good place to live while I’m in the Full-Time MBA program at Kelley. What better memory than sharing a sweet pastry or two with some new friends!