America’s best donut shops? This Kansas City favorite is at the top
LaMar’s Donuts in Kansas City is consistently voted among America’s best donut shops, and for good reason: These may be the best donuts on the planet.
It’s annually among the top donut shops in KC, for sure, notably at Kansas City Magazine, and by FeastMagazine.com.
But the local chain, started by Ray Lamar in 1960, has received the highest praise from national publications such as The New Yorker and Gourmet magazine, “and was the first donut to be reviewed and acclaimed by Zagat,” a company spokesperson told Feast Magazine.
“LaMar’s was also listed in New York Magazine’s ‘101 Amazing American Doughnut Shops With Serious Street Cred,’ rivaling the top mom-and-pop shops from across the country. LaMar’s also placed number two on The Daily Meal’s ranking of the ‘The 9 Best Doughnut Chains in America.’”
Moreover all-things-food website TheDailyMeal.com ranked LaMar’s No. 2 among America’s best donut shops, and in the top eight at mashed.com.
A donut shop should be the happiest place on Earth, and I’ve never seen a happier one than LaMar’s. When things got tough all over during the COVID-19 pandemic – and lines outside LaMar’s in Overland Park stretched far down the sidewalk – the company made right by employees with generous raises, bonuses and other benefits.
They’re made fresh daily in the wee hours of the morning, by elves or fairies or some other creature that doesn’t sleep. Get there early.
Everything at LaMar’s is fabulous. My wife’s favorite is the Ray’s Double Chocolate, which eats like a well-iced mini chocolate cake. She also swears by the old-fashioned with powered sugar.
I was hooked for the longest time on the old fashioned without the powdered sugar – I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted anything sweeter in my life. Lately, though I’ve been getting the glazed cake – which I suppose is old fashioned in its own way, but which is a secret weapon at LaMar’s.
All that said, I just tried the strawberry-filled bismarck. O.M.G. I’d always been a fan of jelly-filled donuts as a child, but this one is from a different galaxy: insanely fresh, generously filled with top-notch jelly, and topped with icing.
Glad I cut it in two (it’s that big) so I could enjoy the other half the next day.
LaMar’s is hands-down one of America’s best donut shops. I feel infinitely blessed to live near one.
Take heart! There are some two-dozen locations in five states, including nine or so in the Kansas City area alone.
Otherwise the line would be out the two-state!
