Paradise Donuts

Officially Out of Business per their facebook page as of 2÷15÷15 it should have been a sign of bad things when this place was listed for sale on Craigslist months ago, but when I showed up on the morning of 2÷14÷15 to find only ONE type of donut available because the «baker didn’t show up» I’m pretty sure that furthered suspicions that would only be confirmed on 2÷15÷15 when Paradise officially announced by Facebook that it was closed.
Too bad for the owners, I guess, but with Dough Joe’s on Virginia Beach as good as they are locals should find some solace… provided they can deal with the drive, parking, and summertime crowds of the later.

I love donuts… Yep. All kinds. Even bad donuts are good donuts!
This place has a nice selection and seems to change daily, yay and boo. On my first trip they had a peanut butter jelly donut. So good!!! The other donuts were yummy but this was my favorite. My second time here wAs with my mom. I got a jelly filled and a smores donut. The jelly was fantastic, but I wasn’t as fond of the smores, they taste just seemed fake to me for some reason. I guess if you’re going to try to recreate a childhood favorite in donut form it’s going to be difficult but this just completely missed the mark for me.
I really like this place and we will be back for sure.

You must try the maple bacon yeast donuts. Game. Over.
Love how passionate the owner is about his donuts. When we told him it was our first time at Paradise he let us sample some donut holes and gave us recommendations and thorough explanations of the various flavors and types of dough (yeast vs. cake etc).
Especially love how the flavors constantly change!
Great coffee, too!

Maybe it was my ravenous hunger, maybe it was the time of day, but these are some mighty tasty doughnuts. A little bit on the sweet side, but still quite tasty. If you’re diabetic, stay away, but everybody else should come in and get a doughnut or twelve.
The people working here are super nice and are definitely enablers. Those of weak constitution and easily swayed, come with a large wallet.

The staff was awesome and the donuts were so fun!!! I was so excited and surprised to have found kolaches since it’s a Texas thing apparently!

Came here on Monday afternoon near closing. We were the only ones there at the time. The owner there is really sweet. I told him it was our first time and he explained each donut to us. Got a dozen. Maple bacon, cinnamon twist, cinnamon toast crunch, Oreo, peanuts on maple, orange, Reese’s, and glazed. He offered us free donut holes on the house :)
Asked him what he does with the leftovers and he gives it back to the community. He makes his donuts every morning. So the best time to come is when he first opens. Donuts were pretty good, the Oreo and cinnamon twist were my fave. My boyfriend really likes the maple bacon and Reese’s. I killed the donut holes.
Will definitely have to come back earlier next time I’m around the area. Looking forward to it!

The best donuts I have ever had in my life. Period. The end.
But really…
I have been both times, both with family from out of town, the first time I was just going to give my regular dunkin donuts style order and wait BUT I am so glad I went inside. You have to check out what the have. The options are insane.
The ones that stuck out in my mind (I feel like I have eaten a lot lol) Oreo, key lime, vanilla Kreme (my normal), Apple fritter, and red velvet. Some are much richer than others so I have them more for after dinner deserts than breakfast. But I do not see me going back to any other donut place ever.
The owner has been very nice too. And his wife! They ran out of a certain donut and she went in the back and made it. I love supporting local businesses and I have a feeling they will be getting plenty of my support!

I make it a point to try and make it to every donut shop in the area, even if it’s a good 30 – 45 minute drive. For a good donut, I don’t mind at all. I’ve found that the shops that are further away aren’t worth the drive… Until today, that is. I only had to drive for 25 – 30 minutes to get to Paradise Donuts and I am so glad I did! There were so many donuts to choose from, ranging from simple glazed, chocolate or vanilla donuts to fancy maple bacon, creamsicle, or cinnamon toast crunch donuts. I got a dozen for my family of four so we got a nice variety. I get the maple bacon donut at every shop that has it and this was only the second place to have nailed it! I’ve only tried the maple bacon, glazed and creamsicle donuts at Paradise so far but they were all amazing! Oh, let’s not forget that you can choose whether you want cake or yeast donuts. I went with cake for everything because my husband and I quite fancy cake donuts, but I have no doubt the yeast donuts are fabulous as well! As I was paying, the sweet gentleman working the counter (I didn’t catch his name) gave my daughter and her friend a handful of donut holes! Such a sweet thing to do! We ate in the nice sized dining area and he even put Nick Jr on for the little ones. I have nothing bad to say about my experience! Great customer service and delicious donuts… Oh and they have other stuff too, if you don’t want donuts. But let’s be real, who doesn’t want donuts?!
I do want to mention that it is metered parking so when you go, make sure to have some change handy. My friend’s meter had JUST expired and she was about to get ticketed but we were leaving anyway so the lady was nice enough to let her go. :)

Came back a 4^th time… still loving it. The mad donut genius behind it all remembers me and is super friendly.
Give this spot a shot, call ahead to order if there is a specific donut you want to make sure they aren’t sold out!

«When I walked through the doors it smelled like paradise!!» said my 9-​year-​old daughter…
These are the kind of places that are worth getting your kids to school late! Sorry to those parents that run a tight ship but, for these donuts… sometimes one has to just «let go…» and build priceless memories once in a blue moon.
There were several customers that we allowed to order before us since we couldn’t decide. I waited until I heard someone inspiring enough to follow her lead with ordering wisely. Lol
My daughter chose Fruity Pebbles (yeast) and Cookies & Cream (cake). I chose the Maple Bacon (yeast). I loved how both, cake and yeast options are offered. We cut up pieces of our donuts to share and my daughter learned the difference of yeast vs cake. She preferred yeast. I prefer yeast but, both tasted equally good and depends on ones mood. The Maple Bacon yeast was OUT OF THIS WORLD. Def an orgasmic experience and found my eyes rolling in the back of my head. Lol
The guy behind the counter came around to ask how we enjoyed the donuts. I LOVED his energy and how he interacted with all customers giving everyone the same respect… and yes, it was one of those mornings I looked like a vagabond. I mentioned I wanted to try a Kolache. He was great with educating me about kolaches. I went ahead and tried the jalapeño cheddar. WOW! Melt in your mouth sausage with a little kick. Not overly spicy but, my sinuses were cleared. The breading truly makes this a «pocket full of sunshine.»
I was sick with a cold on this visit and still enjoyed all the favors of the donuts, coffee, and Kolache!
Ohhh. the coffee… I had my choice of about 4 different kinds! Reg, decaf, Jamaican Me crazy, and I believe a Kona?
Cleanliness, organization of products and establishment were on-​point. I liked the creamer station versus individual creamer servings.
Gotta make it back here soon… def need to hit the gym until then.

I popped into Paradise Donuts after having lunch at The 219. They offer a variety of donuts and I tried the fruity pebble one on a cake donut with vanilla frosting. My friend tried a standard sprinkle donut on a cake donut with vanilla frosting. We both thought the donuts were good, but they were very sugary and kind of heavy as far as the sweetness with the toppings.
I liked the variety of donuts that were offered and I’ll be back to try different kinds.

The donuts were tasty but I think they would have been better had I shown up at 7am versus 2pm. lol I like all the different choices they had and will definitely bring my sweet tooth next time.
They are open at 6am for early folks to stop by before work. And they have coffee, double score.

Oh Paradise Donuts. I’ve finally found you.
I missed out on the UYE because of a nasty fall down some stairs whilst wearing the slippers of death (innocent looking lamby slippers why have you thwarted me?).
I spotted the brightly lit neon sign while eating lunch across the way and suggested to my dining compadre that dessert should be had at Paradise Donuts. She agreed. Or she saw the crazy look in my eye when I started talking about my need for fried dough dipped in icing.
We walked in and the space is pretty big. I was told that they had been super busy that morning and they were running low on stock. They come In every night to make the donuts fresh! Well, they had what I was looking for. Upon spotting my go to donut (maple bar) I placed my order.
Look. I have no qualms about admitting to my donut addiction. I also know, going into a donut shop, that I will order more than one donut. On a good day (where I actually restrain myself) I’ll order a half dozen and may actually share them with my husband.
My order consisted of: the last 2 maple bars, the last maple bacon bar, chocolate peanut bar, strawberry fritter and one for my lunch companion. My one suggestion would be to amp up the maple flavor a tad bit. But outside of that, these were spectacular.
I am so happy to have found Paradise Donuts! Even day olds (consumed the next morning) were fantastic. This will be my go to spot for sure. Raised yeast donuts for the win!

A couple weeks ago, some friends and I stopped by the shop to check out what they had. I was initially impressed, not only by the selection of donuts, but also by the helpfulness and kindness of the staff. I had never seen cereal on a donut before, so I had to try their Capt’n Crunch donut, and oh my gooooodness, it was so delightful. Now, I enjoy Capt’n Crunch cereal, and I enjoy donuts, so when you fuse them together: MMMMMMMMMM!!!
Now today, I was on my way home when I was craving one of their Capt’n Crunch donuts, so I decided to swing by Paradise Donuts. Driving in downtown Norfolk while it’s raining is no fun. Driving in downtown Norfolk in rain while searching for parking is even worse. But these donuts definitely make it worth the trouble! Luckily, I was able to find a parking spot right in front, so I didn’t have to walk too far in the rain.
After doing a quick scan of what the had left in the glass, I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t have the Capt’n Crunch donut, so I was just going to get an Oreo donut. Before I told the employee what I wanted, I mentioned how I was craving the Capt’n Crunch donut and how I was a bit bummed that they didn’t have any left. He mentioned how their cereal donuts are popular, so they sell pretty quick, but that he could make some for me. I didn’t want him to go through the trouble of making it, but he was happy to do so, and said it would only take a minute. He even gave me a «rainy day» discount for coming to the store in the rain. AWESOME!
Paradise Donuts is by far the BEST donut shop I’ve ever been to.
The only down side to this place is the parking since it is located in downtown Norfolk. But their donuts are totally worth it!

‘Twas the day before Thanksgiving and all through the office, not a creature was stirring, except all of us watching the clock, waiting for the day to end. To kick off this terrible work day I went with a comrade to pick up a dozen donuts for my pals.
When I think donuts, I normally don’t think «Beachy» but it was a neat motif for certain!
We picked up a dozen donuts, I really love that they have a mix of cake and dough options and that they’re all VERY clearly labeled.
The staff was extremely enthusiastic and geniunely helpful, offering us suggestions, and even samples.
My favorite of the dozen (I didn’t eat all 12, but I sampled a few!) was the apple fritter, it was a-​mazing. Least favorite was the Maple Bacon (which I seriously wanted to love) I think it was the big chunks of cold bacon on the top. I think I woulda been happier with the bacon shredded and put into the batter.
Price was reasonable and it feels good to support a local shop. We got to sample their Brie and Mushroom soup (which was available for lunch) and it was wonderful, would love to come back and give it a try.

Ditto to what all the Unilocal Elites have said. Seriously… The best freaking donut place on the planet. Big ups to Lance F for putting together an Unofficial Unilocal Event (UYE) yesterday morning. There’s no better way to start your Sunday.
The inner fat kid in me will go want to go back. The healthy me will resist. What will the real me say? F it. I’m going back and I’m not rolling solo.
Go try the place out. You won’t be disappointed. I would even say this is a great place for a first date. Call me crazy… It just has one of those good feelings to it.

When you take a bite of the delicious selections offered by this three week doughnut shop you will quickly understand the name «Paradise» On my three visits over the last week I have been delighted, even thrilled by their products. But the products only go so far, it’s the personal attention and detail to customers that is setting this little shop apart from others. But believe me when I say, you will love the taste too!
The shop is easy to find, just follow the bright new «Paradise» sign on Granby Ave. in downtown Norfolk directly across from the Norfolk Federal Building. Parking is off street, or a parking garage is available behind. On a Sunday morning I found plenty of metered street parking and it was FREE. I was also impressed with the cleanliness of the area considering the Norfolk Christmas Parade just came through here a few hours ago… GREAT job city of Norfolk.
Owners Kirk and Jackie were on hand this morning to greet me. With the temps dropping to low 30’s they were ready with several varieties of hot coffee on hand. They also have an automated machine that dispenses hot chocolate and cappuccino. I personally would stick with the fresh brew.
Bright neon green adorn the walls and after a really big night at this joint until after 10 PM the inside was tidy and welcoming. The shop has around a total of a dozen tables, so not a big dining room. However, the size should be adequate unless it is a peak time, or group gathering.
The best advice that I can give anyone that is a first timer is to purchase an assortment to enjoy. A dozen will not set you back much and then you can hone in on what your faves will be. The much heralded Bacon Maple is bound to be a favorite and is pure heaven. So include this as a must try in your order. They offer this doughnut in a Long John and a yeast variety… both will knock your socks off! The chocolate Long John is bound to be a favorite too. But don’t be afraid of just a plain olé yeast.
Paradise also has another case with more healthy offerings such as yogurt, cereal, boiled eggs and bagels. I tried very hard this morning to avoid what may be healthy and moved past this case to the larger second case of sweet offerings. On another visit I may work it Xerxes style and mix it up with a yogurt and a few doughnuts. I actually had no chance whatsoever of going healthy with my daughter in toe this morning. What I did get from the «healthy» side was a Kolache, or aka Rory J special. I had the cheddar variety, but a Jalapeño variety is an option for those that was to spice it up. I loved it and should have included one to take home.
As a small business that has just opened owner Kirk is doing things right. Maybe he is just being himself with a bright smile an understanding that the customer comes first. This morning he and his wife Jackie who is a Pre-​K teacher by week was working behind the counter and checking on customers in the dining room. At one point even providing samples of a new lunch soup… it was scrumptious. This dynamic duo are an incredible pair. The long hours they are investing in their new business is paying off in spades. It’s not a rumor that some nights Kirk sleeps in the back so inventory is ready for his customers the next morning.
I urge you to give this new little Downtown Norfolk shop a try and relish some Paradise of your own.

One word: Kolaches.
Kolache:/co-LA-chay/
noun 1. a slightly sweet roll/​pastry hybrid filled with sausage (or a hot dog imposter), jalapeños and orange cheddar cheese.
I literally can’t find these things anywhere on the East Coast, they’re a Czech/​German import that are primarily found in Texas now. When I saw them at Paradise (thanks Lance) I was tempted to buy them all, hoard them like water bottles before the apocalypse. Alas, I played it cool. I ordered one.
The really polite and friendly young ladies behind the counter heated it up for me and I nonchalantly paid for it. I think it was like $ 2, but if they had said it was $ 102, I wouldn’t have blinked.
This kolache did not disappoint, in fact, it was better than some of the ones I have had in Texas. The dough was soft and the sausage was super spicy, perfect dough to sausage ratio, as well. I had a yeast glazed donut, as well and it was very good.
I can’t wait to go back. I can almost see this place from my office, which does not bode well for my waistline, but they can already count me as a loyal customer.

Well dammit, I don’t know how to follow up Lance’s review. He basically said it all and I can’t believe I’m giving a franchise (albeit a smaller one) a 5-​star.
The kiddos and I headed downtown to check out this new place that Lance hyped up. I’m glad we did. Lance is also my Doughnut Brother from Another Mother (DBFAM)…so how could I not?
We got the variety dozen which included a mix of regular and specialty doughnuts. The maple bacon ones (yeast) were winners… but just about every one that we picked were solid (Cookies & Cream, Maple Bacon Long John, Blueberry cake, Cinnamon Sugar Cake, Sugar Cake, Glazed Yeast, & Chocolate Frosted yeast). Plus, they have YEAST doughnuts!!! Yessssssssss.
The owner Kirk is super nice as was his wife who was chatting with some new customers for a while. The staff was very nice and happy. The lay helping me out told me that she was actually happy to be at work at 0500 and that the owner is there everyday and working hard too. That’s awesome. Plus, Kirk came out with some doughnuts he as playing with to ask the ladies his wife was chatting to if those were kind of like the doughnuts they had been describing. Thy each walked away with one… and he even gave us one too. Ummmm, yup, definitely going back.
Anyway, we are definitely returning. Lots of seating too if you want to stay and enjoy your fresh yummy circles. I mentioned that Kirk had met my DBFAM yesterday and he remembered their conversation.
Only MINOR strike would be the lack of labels on the doughnuts. Label those bad boys and you’re gold! The doughnuts may not be as unique as O’Doodle Doos… but they are very good, FRESH, and good for you. Ok, I’m stretching it on the last statement, but if they make you happy and happiness improves health… then I’m not really stretching it, am I?
Good doughnuts and nice owners. Go now. We’ll be sitting next to my DBFAM and his family.

THIS is the doughnut shop I have been looking for since moving to the area. I have found my doughnut home! Warning: I am about to «hype» the place, so those of you who think that glowing reviews are merely hype can stop reading. You’ll have to make your own decision based on your own experience. But, for me personally, this is as good as it gets for doughnuts.
I was excited to hear about the new doughnut revolution happening in Norfolk and had set sail this morning to hit a couple of the new spots on a doughnut pilgrimage. This one was the first that is on my route to work so I stopped in today to check it out. The minute I walked in, it smelled like a doughnut shop should smell. I can’t explain but it just did. I was warmly greeted by Kirk, the owner of the establishment. I learned more about him, the store, and found out that this franchise (Paradise) is a subsidiary of Daylight donuts and both are based out of Tulsa, OK. Daylight doughnuts were the ones I grew up eating. So, I had high hopes for the actual product and they delivered! Needless to say, I didn’t make it to the other location. This one filled my needs.
The case was filled with a wide variety of doughnuts but I was drawn to the selection that I have been missing here: glazed YEAST (yes yeast!) donuts, chocolate long johns, maple bars, bear claws and cinnamon rolls. I also ordered a couple of maple bacon donuts that were on the yeast doughnut. I can happily report that the glazed doughnut tasted exactly like the ones I grew up eating from Daylight. Excellent. The maple bar, chocolate long john, and maple bacon were also fresh and so good. Yes, I ate four doughnuts, stop judging me!
Kirk and his wife have also created a very nice coffee bar with a number of brewed varieties from which to choose. They have sausage rolls (kolaches) that I didn’t try but look forward to trying when I take the family in this weekend. The location has a much larger area in which to sit and enjoy your doughnuts than you might expect from the road.
Overall, I am so excited to frequent this place and to spread the word. For those of that turn your nose up at such things, yes this is a franchise. But, it’s the first in the area and the owners are local. This is truly a locally owned and operated business that is filling a niche that needed to be filled badly. I highly recommend that you get downtown and check it out. They are open at 6 am on weekdays and 8 am on weekends. I have found my new doughnut home and hope that you will love them as much as I do. I’ll save you a table.