BY EMILY CLANCE, A&E EDITOR
On the outside, the new Donut Palace, Bagel and Cafe on Highway 441 looks like somewhere you definitely wouldn’t want to go.
But if you decide to go in and see what it’s all about, you’ll find a small café with a friendly staff and arguably the best doughnuts in Habersham County.
Donut Palace opened on Jan. 3, in the old Sonic building on the way to Clarkesville.
The interior matches its exterior, and you can tell it’s under construction.
The aesthetics, however, have no bearing on the food.
When I went, I bought a cream-filled doughnut, a coffee and a bag of doughnut holes for breakfast the next morning.
My friends each got pastries of their own, including an éclair with delicious custard filling.
My doughnut was light and fluffy, bursting with cream, and still tasted fresh even though it was the end of the day.
The doughnut holes I purchased kept extremely well overnight and still tasted mostly fresh the next morning.
The shop brews coffee, and you serve yourself out of a large pot by the seating area.
It’s brewed to perfection and doesn’t taste burnt like other coffees I’ve had.
Cream and sugar are close at hand.
If you so desire, or you can drink it black.
By far, one of the best things about Donut Palace is the price.
My three items – a doughnut, a cup of coffee and a bag of doughnut holes – cost a total of $3.89. The rest of the menu, ranging from various types of doughnuts to bear claws to breakfast sandwiches, is similarly priced.
Don’t be scared off by Donut Palace’s sparse décor and unfinished look.
Their food is excellent and affordable, and the café would make a great spot for students looking for a place to study without distractions.