Spectacular Spudnuts

Yes. That's right. I said: "Spudnuts."

You can laugh, but it's a real word connected to a really tasty confection.

Apparently, spudnuts are doughnuts made with potato flour, an old-timey concoction that nowadays is nearly extinct. But Charlottesville, being the foodie enclave that it is, has a tiny Spudnut Shop that's still alive and kickin'.

My friend Himanshu and I ended up there last weekend, after buckets of rain washed out our market plans. One abrupt U-turn later, we were standing in line in a tiny diner straight out of the 1970s. Or maybe 50s. It's hard to say.

Himanshu's keen eye caught the chocolate doughnuts, but by the time we made it to the register, only blueberry were left. (That was around 10:30, which is waaaaay late in doughnut time. The restaurant closes up with that day's batch is gone, so don't sleep in too late.)


I'm no doughtnut connoisseur, but this was spectacular. Light, airy, sweet, baked-this-a.m.-fresh, with the slightest tang of berry. The tissue-paper-thin glaze gave it a little crisp, before you reached the soft cake middle.

And, quite honestly, I'm doubtful this is even an Official Spudnut. This diner sells both cake and spudnuts, and in a variety of flavors. I should have asked. I should have specified. So, obviously: I must go back.

Spudnut Shop
309 Avon St
Charlottesville, VA