Donut Friar

The Donut Friar, which is tucked away in The Village Shops in downtown Gatlinburg, is an affordable treat worthy of your visit. This small donut shop has been faithfully serving tourists and locals since 1969 and has a loyal following. While your body may not thank you for these delectable fat pills, your mouth definitely will. Since the staff starts making donuts from scratch long before the 5:00 AM daily opening, don’t be surprised if a strong aroma supernaturally pulls you into this tiny shop. Once you see bakery cases filled with homemade goodness, you will be rendered helpless. The wide variety of donuts, which range from $0.97 to $1.14 each, are made on-site each morning. Some of my favorite baked goods include the traditional glazed donuts, crullers, eclairs, cinnamon rolls, and of course their world-famous cinnamon bread.