Top Pot Donuts

When Top Pot Donuts started in 2002, out of a tiny storefront in the trendy Capitol Hill neighborhood, no one would have predicted that the cafe and its "hand-forged" donuts and locally-roasted coffee beans would branch into a virtual donut empire.

These days, Top Pot boasts six bustling locations and over 40 varieties of fried goodness, as well as a stand inside Qwest Field and the title of "Official Donut of the Seattle Sounders."

One bite and you'll see why we should have known: there's a Top Pot donut for every palate, including puffy rings, tender cake (including a coconut encrusted "feather boa") and apple fritters the size of a preschool tether ball.

While Top Pot promises zero-trans fat, don't fool yourself about their health benefits. These donuts are made the old-fashioned way and worth every extra sit-up. The coffee does the Seattle proud and even goes an extra creative mile, including caffeinated curiosities such as a latte made with espresso, milk and Ovaltine.

The downtown cafe location is my personal favorite. Located in Belltown, a short walk from Seattle Center, the cafe hosts a steady stream of locals and visitors.

HelloSeattle Tip: Two floors of seating guarantees you'll be able to find a comfy spot to indulge and enjoy the free wi-fi or read one of the hundreds of vintage books that fill the floor to ceiling shelves. The baristas are unfailingly friendly, chatty and always willing to make a suggestion if you find yourself dumbstruck in the face of so many fresh, glistening possibilities.

- by Caren Gussoff Sumption, Seattle Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Caren Gussoff Sumption

Caren Gussoff Sumption is a freelance writer and editor from Seattle, WA. She's written for USA Today, the Seattle Times/NW Source, MSN and AOL, and her fiction has been published worldwide. She received her MFA in writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.