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For as long as I lived in Denver and made the I-70 commute to the slopes, doughnuts figured heavily into the drive. Sunrise Doughnuts in Idaho Springs used to be the home of my weekend pilgrimage (maple bars!), until the bakery closed in 2007. From then on, I sulked each time I zipped by the town, every once in a while driving by the shop to see if it had reopened. It had not. Eventually, I found a replacement, Morning Gold Bakery, just up the road. With hot coffee and a heavenly apple fritter in hand, all felt right again—until the doors closed in 2014.
My hunt continued until recently. Thanks to a tip from Mary Allison Wright and McClain Hedges of RiNo Yacht Club, I’ve discovered the doughnut goldmine: Northside Kitchen in Avon. While the all-day spot (Northside serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner), isn’t convenient for drivers only going as far as A-Basin, or Copper, or even Vail, it’s worth a stop if you’re making the trek to Beaver Creek or Aspen.
That's only $1 per issue!
The four-year-old restaurant, which sits across from a gas station, buzzes with local and tourist business, much of it driven by the baked-fresh-each-morning doughnut cornucopia displayed just inside the door. The treats number in the hundreds: red velvet, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, chocolate with coconut, blueberry, sour cream, chocolate-chip, powdered sugar, Boston Cream Pie, filled, and more along with bars, twists, and Danishes. Order what you will (I’m a fan of the buttermilk) and take solace in the fact that Northside is nirvana worth driving for.
20 Nottingham Road, Avon, 970-949-1423
