Grounds Donut House — Restaurant in Danbury

The only reason this wasn't a perfect experience is because I foolishly came here in the afternoon, when pickings were slim and the donuts weren't quite as fresh. And let me be clear - this place is a vibe for sure. I'm definitely returning at some point, though much earlier in the day.

My mom and I stopped by here for dessert after a Mother's Day lunch nearby (we bypassed a pretty legit looking dessert menu at an Italian restaurant featuring mini cannolis; sometimes sacrifices must be made). Grounds had been SLIGHTLY on my radar, and we'd passed it a few times before on the way to other places when I've come up to visit. From the outside (and inside, I've confirmed), it seems out of place - this is absolutely an establishment I'd expect to see on the boardwalk of hipster paradise Asbury Park, not right off a highway in a generic business strip mall.

I was immediately at ease when I walked in and heard the opening chords of Brain Stew from Green Day (from the slightly but not egregiously underrated Insomniac album). I am an unapologetic pop punker child of the late 90s who spent a significant portion of high school in mosh pits staring at nipple piercings and mohawks, so little touches like that do the world for me. We came in around 1PM, which is definitely too late to really get a legit sample size of donuts to work with. There were maybe five flavors available, and I went with the Fruity Pebbles. It was tasty, but I'm sure tastier a few hours earlier. The frosting was starting to get a little cracked, falling off in larger chunks when the donut was bitten into. As a personal preference, I also tend to like donuts that aren't quite as cakey as this, but the fact that I still thought this was a solid pastry overall really speaks to the quality.

My stance on this kind of place? If you're going to primarily sell breakfast-y type food - and you're not going to replenish the inventory throughout the day in any meaningful way - I think they should be offering a $1 discount or something at a certain point, maybe 12PMish. My dad used to work at a bagel place that had the same issue; they'd have yowly customers upset that their 5PM bagel wasn't fresh. Well, yeah, it's 5PM, but there's no reason you should be paying full price for something that by definition isn't as good as it was earlier in the day.

The guy behind the counter was very pleasant and accommodating (he deftly/effortlessly handled my mother's order, which consisted of her silently pointing at donuts), so no service issues to be found. Bottom line - these are a little overpriced but a solid recommendation...

Grounds Donut House has a really cool vibe and it’s own unique style; it’s very WeWork but in dark mode, if you know what I mean. The staff are very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. It makes getting a coffee and a donut almost feel like a special experience. It’s definitely worth giving this place a shot - at least once - to see for yourselves what they’re all about. Read on if you want my in-depth opinion.

I had a Boston Cream donut and a large signature-roast coffee with milk. I enjoyed both but they weren’t anything to write home about.

Coffee: The signature roast is good but definitely on the darker size of the “medium-dark” scale described. This roast also seems to have a little bit of smokiness in the finish, so if you prefer a milder coffee maybe choose something else. I didn’t try the espresso but I would bet the signature roast is delicious in that form.

Donuts: As for the donuts, they are very large, and extremely fluffy, — almost to the point of being a little dry — and could use a smidge more filling for their size. They’re all very uniform and very beautiful. If you like your leavened donuts on the fluffier, less-doughy side, these are definitely for you. The cream in the Boston has good consistency and flavor but in my experience tastes like it came from a mix. Many donuts shops use a mix for their cream to ensure consistency, but made from scratch is better (I’ve made it myself before). To be clear, I’m not suggesting the donuts are bad by any means, because they’re not. I just had slightly higher expectations for a shop that holds the name “donut house”, and charges as much as they do.

Value and Rating: I really want to give this place 4 stars because the staff are awesome and it has such a cool atmosphere, but because of the price I just can’t. I can’t justify regularly frequenting a donut shop that charges $8 and change for one (pretty good) filled donut and a (pretty good) cup coffee. All that said, I stand by my point that it’s a cool spot. You should give it a try and form your own opinion!

P.S. sorry I can’t share any pictures. My iPhone 7+ is on its last legs and won’t take any 🙃 And for those now wondering, no my storage is not full, and yes I could’ve brought my...

As a donut connoisseur, I was pleasantly surprised to hear about Grounds Coffee House. Conveniently located in the heart of Danbury, I was intrigued by the eclectic decor and beautiful donuts.

The outside of the building leaves little to be desired. The parking lot is narrow and the shop can be easily missed. Once inside however, the shop is clean and spacious with great lighting, a few tables, and some awesome skull decor. The customer service is also lovely, but let’s talk donuts.

From what I gather, individual donuts are either $4 or $5, with the more elaborate donuts being more expensive. There was a great flavor variety to choose from including your classic powdered donut, to Boston Crème, jelly, and donuts with a little more pazzazz. Flavors are rotated on any given day so it’s nice to get an extra surprise and try flavors you normally wouldn’t.

I tried both the Fruity Pebble and the Samoa. The Fruity Pebble donut had vanilla icing and was coated with the colorful cereal—personally, a little too sweet for my liking. The Samoa donut is your classic Girl Scout cookie in donut form—toasted coconut with caramel and chocolate drizzle. It was AMAZING! Regardless of what flavors you choose, I think the donut base itself is really what helps this shop stand out. The donuts are moist and fluffy without being “cakey.” They taste fresh and are packaged with care.

Now, I will say this. Both times I visited Grounds’, I only got a small latte and an individual donut, spending about $11, which in my opinion is expensive. While the donuts are of excellent quality, I found the coffee to be underwhelming. My lattes weren’t particularly hot, nor did the crème brûlée or mocha latte have a lot of flavor. However, I am interested in going back and trying out a couple of different options that I...