“The question we ask ourselves before we make every decision is: ‘Will this create joy for ourselves and others?’ This applies to everything, including the environment we create with our employees and customers, the relationships we create with farmers and distributors, and how we choose to grow (or not grow) our business.”

Seasonal donuts made with freshly picked flowers, fruit, or herbs, such as honeysuckle, juneberries, and tulsi; drip coffee; local grass-fed milk

Not only do their donuts deliver on flavor and provenance of ingredients, but Hole Doughnuts pays attention to all steps in the food chain, including paying a living wage, giving their non-GMO rice bran oil to a biofuel company in their area, and composting all of their coffee grounds. They’ve chosen not to offer straws or plastic utensils, and they pay special attention to produce that wouldn’t otherwise sell.

Step into Hole Doughnuts for pure and modest joy. They are the donut shop of your southern whistle stop imaginings. The donuts are made with organic, stoneground, local flour, and they only offer four flavors at any given time. Don’t miss their sesame, almond, cinnamon version, which looks savory, but delivers the goods to any well-worn sweet tooth.

“A doughnut is a doughnut is a doughnut, unless that doughnut happens to be ... from Hole in Asheville, NC. In that case, you’re dealing with something else entirely.” –Alex Delany, bon appétit