Doughnut Vault

Opened in 2011 by chef-restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff (also behind Au Cheval and Gilt Bar) in Chicago's River North, Doughnut Vault is a tiny artisan doughnut shop that sells out its ~600 handcrafted doughnuts daily, often within two hours. Signature offerings include Old Fashioned cake donuts, glazed chocolate, pistachio, and rotating seasonal flavors like horchata and chai hazelnut. The shop's old-world recipes and cult following have made it a Chicago institution.