The Best Donuts In Boone, North Carolina
Are you looking for some incredible donuts (doughnuts for you spelling aficionados) in the North Carolina high country? Then search no further than this donut and coffee bar near the campus of Appalachian State University. While it may be a main stay for locals and early risers with a sweet tooth, this hidden gem was a completely lucky find for us out of towners. If you are in Boone and craving the best donut the area has to offer, or a delicious blended espresso beverage, definitely SEEK out the Local Lion!
We stopped by Local Lion on a whim - it was a cold rainy day and we needed some hot chocolate and coffee. We weren’t even aware there were incredible donuts waiting inside. When I strolled up to the counter, the first thing I noticed was this massive pile of donut holes. Well, who could say no to a donut hole?! Not me. I didn’t realize at the time they were served by the cup (Yes an entire 8oz cup of donut holes was only 2.49$). Next my eyes rolled left and came across the delicious pile of homemade donuts. I turned to wife and asked how many donuts we were getting, not if we should get any donuts. After a brief conversation about personal responsibility and being reminded that my eyes are bigger than my stomach, we settled on one chocolate frosted, one cinnamon sugar, and of course a cup of donut holes to accompany our hot chocolate.
To say these donuts were good would quite frankly be an understatement. They were honestly quite perfect. I love a big fluffy donut - and these satisfied both those requirements perfectly. The cinnamon sugar was light and fluffy - a great balance to the rich and warm hot chocolate and the velvety latte. The chocolate iced donut (consumed warm for breakfast the next day) had the perfect ratio of decedent chocolate to airy donut. The cup of donut holes sat in the cup holder of the car as we drove around exploring the mountains in between Boone and Banner Elk, available to inject a bite size rush of sugary goodness whenever I had a craving for the rest of the day. My mouth is watering just thinking about how good these donuts were and I can’t wait to try them again if we are in the area again.
According to their website, the owners of the Local Lion learned the art of donut making from a couple of other talented bakers - but definitely don’t miss out on the coffee. The latte I had was one of the best in the North Carolina mountains. You can tell the barista we encountered enjoyed her job and was passionate about the drinks she was serving. The aroma of the building alone may make you want to sit down an enjoy some of their fresh roasted coffee. It was roasted in house - but if you are in a rush, you can purchase it by the bag to take home!
All in all, the Local Lion definitely makes our list of places to SEEK out, especially if you are in the North Carolina high country. I can’t think of a better treat after spending the day skiing on Beech Mountain or snowboarding down Sugar Mountain than a warm latte and a big fluffy donut. The Local Lion is located at 791 Blowing Rock Rd, Boone, NC 28607 and they are open Monday through Saturday 7:00am to 8:30pm!
Do you know of any amazing donut places (or restaurants) we should check out? We would love to hear from you! Email us at seeseeksleep@gmail.com.
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