Greenbush Bakery

In a word:  Donuts... sweet, sweet donuts.

The specs: #0205
Address, hours & details via Isthmus; gorgeous photos by ABMann and Taylor Takes a Taste; reviews at Yelp and Maillard Reaction, the Culinary Adventures of Jahboh and Tossy;

Latest Greenbush Bakery news and reviews

JM and Nichole got 6 donuts, a coffee and an apple juice.
The bill was $3.40, or $1.70/person, with a coupon (thanks, Bucky Book!)
JM and Nichole both gave Greenbush Bakery an A- (see our grading rubric).

There's nothing like a paper sack of donuts to see you through a long day. JM would love to ramble on about the bagel/donut paradigm in Madison, but that would detract from the elegance of Greenbush Bakery.  We may have overdone it this time, but it's all in the name of science.

While picking out her favorite varieties from the fully stocked* glass case, Nichole was thrilled that when she asked if there was a maple donut, the reply was a choice: "frosted or filled?" Mmm, maple.

Though we weren't dawdling, the ever-growing line behind us caused us (and the clerk) to get a little flustered, so JM felt like he didn't find his favorite kind of donut (chocolate filled ones with the white frosting) and settled for one with Badger-red-and-white jimmies/sprinkles.

Even so, once we got settled and had a donut each, we felt the sweet reward of getting out of the house a little earlier than usual. Highly recommended.

*and spotless - we're not surprised to learn that Greenbush makes the city's "cleanest restaurants" list often.

Comments

[Chris Norris]

I love Greenbush's donuts. I think they're the best in town. The Maple Custard Filled Donut is my favorite, although I'm a big fan of their key lime donut, their old fashioned donut, and their pumpkin spice donuts.

And they're open late, so if you crave a donut at 1am on Saturday morning, you can get the best!

[Smith]

one of the best food places to visit in madison!

[Kathy]

Just stopped for a dozen for my co-workers. Only the second or third time I've had them, but holy cow -- they are out of this world.

[Timmy]

Three words: Cake donuts

[MOM]

Apple Fritter is to die for. We went late and the fritter was warm. Loved the cream filled donut.

[Kathy]

Stopped in a couple weeks ago for some later-night carbs and was very pleased to find that the little buggers were tasting very fresh. I also learned that my favorite type of doughnut is called an "old fashioned" at Greenbush.
Old fashioneds kick the ### of yeast doughnuts by a country mile, and I will fight anyone who disagrees.

[Kyle]

Cake doughnuts, when done well, are much better than most raised donuts. But a quality raised donut, like those at Greenbush, are no slouches either.

And no self-respecting donutmaker would call what you now know as an "old fashioned" anything but an old fashioned.

[Kathy]

I've always called them, somewhat awkwardly, buttermilk doughnuts -- though I'll be darned if I know when or from whence I picked THAT up. I doubt that every old fashioned contains buttermilk, too.

I used to make doughnuts -- both cake and raised -- now and then when I was younger. You've convinced me, Kyle, to seek out those old recipes to discover the old fashioned nomenclature. Maybe it's a Wisconsin thing? ;)

[Kyle]

Very possible.

[Timmy]

I have to say, Greenbush is the one consistent bakery in town. If this place is an "A-" compared to other bakeries, which one is an "A"?

[Rachel]

When do you have to go to this place to get the amazing selection I always here about? I've gone in several times and always been dissapointed as only 1/4 - 1/2 of the case space is filled and usually all with yeasted donuts. I've never seen a cake donut except for the boring cinnamon and sugar covered kind. I'd really love a glazed blueberry old-fashioned....

[Timmy]

You can call and order in advance. They're pretty accommodating. Also, I've noticed that there are always cake donuts and blueberry fritters (which are huge) at Willy St. Coop. Hard to resist stopping here when I drive by and still the best bakery in town.

[Amanda]

Best time to go there for selection is about 10 pm on a Friday night.

[Marsha K]

My daughter and I stopped in on a Tuesday afternoon around 3:30. The cases and bakery stands behind them were FULL, so there's another good time to go. I wanted two doughnuts and chose them quickly. When I commented that the blueberry old fashioned looked delicious but not worth my giving up one of the donuts I really wanted, the warm, well-trained young man behind the counter gave me the blueberry beauty gratis. In an ironic twist, the blueberry was the best of the three. He knew.