Fresh Donuts — Restaurant in Columbia

With an impressive 4.77 rating across all user-driven platforms online (108 total votes and counting), you would imagine Fresh Donuts would live up to the hype. On paper - actually on an Excel spreadsheet I created - those scores rank them as the third best donuts in Middle Tennessee! Having now eaten at the entire top 25 donut spots, I can provide my impartial review.

I found this tiny, unassuming shop in a strip mall with no sign. Unlabeled with a lackluster, no-frills interior, you'll find the secret store adjacent to a Fantastic Sam's southwest of downtown Columbia. In the first few bites, I realized that the donuts at Fresh Donuts were shockingly mediocre for such lofty ratings. But you must consider that a Columbia 4.77 isn't a Nashville 4.77. In a smaller town with fewer bakery options, ratings are always going to be skewed higher. That's true throughout the country. To pull off a 4.77 in Nashville is nearly impossible unless you have a really special product that distinguishes itself among some serious competition! So you must temper your expectations in a town of fewer than 50,000.

The maple frosted donut here, my favorite donut flavor, wasn't bad. But it struck me as average and unremarkable. The cinnamon twist wasn't as light and airy as some of the exemplary versions you'll find in Nashville, and the cinnamon was nearly undetectable. While the donuts were fresh even in the late afternoon with a dwindling supply, which is impressive and lives up to the name Fresh Donuts, I wouldn't make this a destination for Nashvillians who are thinking of driving an hour down to Columbia. If you happen to be in Columbia, yes, this is a good stop for donuts. But don't make a road trip out of it just to sample what are allegedly the third-best donuts in the region. They simply aren't what the ratings imply, and I made the trip so you...

Five Stars are not enough! These are the BEST donuts in Columbia! They are hand-made, each day, and they are simply fabulous. They also offer koláče, (or kolache depending on your spelling). Each time I visit Columbia, I make sure to stop and support this hometown small business. Isabel is always friendly, funny, and has the freshest donuts in town! And those cinnamon rolls...delightfully decadent and delicious! Located near Hobby Lobby, Planet Fitness, it's worth the time it takes to find this little shop of...

Went there for the first time yesterday. Really wonderful place and the lady who owns it is so kind. They actually serve more than donuts (make sure to try the kolachies but they only make a limited number so go early for these like before 9am early), but the donuts here are by far my favorite and are hands-down. Totally check this out if you are in town and want something to snack on! It's right beside Jet's Pizza in the...