Primo's Donuts on Sawtelle Boulevard in Los Angeles has the best donuts ever. Celia and Ralph Primo (that's Celia in the photo) have been running it since 1956. I wish I could go there right now....
Today is National Donut Day in the U.S. (I just read that it was inspired by women who served doughnuts to American soldiers in the First World War, like my grandmother who met her husband that way).
I speak for many, many Americans in Paris-- and even French people who used to live in the States-- when I say that Paris could use a good donut store. Yes, there are croissants and pains au chocolat in plenty, the pâtisseries are marvellous, and you can make your own pancakes at home without too much trouble if you really crave them. But doughnuts (the original, hardly ever used "correct" spelling) are another matter. In the States, they're so easy to find and delicious with your morning coffee. Even if I crave one only once in a while, it's nice to know they're there.
But in Paris, while they have things that look like donuts, to this day I have never had a real donut. It's one of those lacks that someone needs to step up and fill, the way Starbucks saw the need for iced drinks and free wifi, or Haägen-Dazs saw the need for decent ice cream in Europe. There are 40 Starbucks in Paris now, including two at the Louvre; and 19 Haägen-Dazs. I assure you these are not making all their money from expats. And a world city like Paris does not suffer from having foreign food available. Have you ever been down the rue Sainte-Anne? So come on, dear Donut Provider! Step right up!
However, you cannot get a decent iced coffee at Starbucks in Paris...un cafe glace just is no where near a Starbucks iced coffee you get in the states...
Posted by: Annabelle | 01 June 2012 at 19:25
I wish I had known of this donut shop, although my weight would be much greater if I had! My daughter went to nearby Windward School and two or three days a week I car pooled some of her friends there.
We lived in LA for 35 plus years and I have to say that as a food city it is certainly as varied and as spectacular as Paris. Now wait, I didn't say as good or better, I said as varied!
And finally Paris has been blessed with the beginnings of a coffee revolution, post Starbucks, that was going on in the US cities long ago.
Posted by: Richard Ewen | 03 June 2012 at 20:22
How terribly sad that an American in Paris could be so myopic as to crave something as banal as donuts and celebrate the number of Starbucks. Surely you can search harder to find French alternatives and stop supporting the Americanization of the City of Lights.
Posted by: Sam | 13 June 2012 at 10:08
You apparently wish for large world cities to be provincial, with no foreign food. I suggest you reread that last paragraph.
I am not a tourist or a Gap Year student. After you live in Paris for as long as I have, I guarantee you will occasionally wish for non-French food.
Posted by: Sedulia | 13 June 2012 at 14:47
I agree with Sam. Sure I might crave a donut once in a while, but I satisfy that craving when I go back to the US. I have no desire to see a donut shop in paris, that would just contribute to the already very present Americanization.
Posted by: Monica | 13 June 2012 at 21:32
Again. How long have you been in Paris? How often do you go back to the U.S.? Are you saying donut shops are intrinsically wrong because they're not French? Because they're American? Should Japanese noodle shops be banned too?
To me it sounds as if you're saying that I, a long-term Parisian, shouldn't want donuts because they're American and you, who I am guessing are not long-term Parisians, don't want to see American things here because that spoils your image of Paris, which should stay picturesquely 100 % French.
Do I have that right?
Posted by: Sedulia | 13 June 2012 at 22:54
You sometimes can find very good donuts at bakeries. Ok you dont have as much diversity but thats better than nothing.. And theyre actually better than the ones at dunkin. Even though thats not hard to beat.
Posted by: Guilllaume | 29 April 2013 at 03:06
You can now find good homemade donuts in Paris. D4Donuts! A small shop 124 rue legendre 75017, "american recipe, french cooking" that's their slogan! They do new flavours every day, u should try!!!
Posted by: Yas | 06 November 2013 at 21:57