Royal Donut — Restaurant in Champaign

We looked forward to the opening of Royal Donut with a lot of anticipation for months, and I was so very excited to stop by today. The treats looks amazing. However, please note that they are all fried in lard. Yes, this is indicated in some way on the menu board, but it is very easy to miss. I, myself, didn’t notice it until after I bought my donuts, and I only realized it when I heard someone behind the counter talking about it. It really would not have occurred to me otherwise. So, if you are vegetarian or don’t eat pork for other reasons, you should be aware that this donut shop is not for you. I’m pretty sad about it because of how much we loved Pandamonium and were looking forward to the new shop. I guess we will have to look elsewhere for our fried...

I was excited to try the new location since the original has such a long reputation in the area. The staff here were friendly and the shop looks great. Unfortunately, I didn’t end up ordering because I later learned their donuts are fried in lard. As a vegetarian, that’s something I avoid. I wanted to mention it in case other vegetarians or people with dietary restrictions weren’t aware. Hoping they consider adding a vegetable oil option...

Didn't try the doughnuts since they use lard, but they sure did look good. My significant other said they were good, particularly because they weren't too fancy. They serve Mad Goat coffee, so that was a nice surprise. 😊 The shop is organized and smells very good....