I am truly at home @ District Doughnut - 97/100

Having a favorite local doughnut shop is the ultimate security blanket for me.  When they day goes south and you haven't had a good doughnut in a long time (sometimes a week feels like an eternity) it's nice to know there's that special place where you can go and get a perfect doughnut every time.

I can't get to District Doughnut every time I need a doughnut, and that's not the key for me.  I realize that I just feel better that it exists in the world and there's some lucky people getting fed those wonderful doughnut creations.  And whether I duck out of work and ride the Metro over for a quick doughnut, or I just let the anticipation build for the next time I can get there, I feel content.

A rainy day brought sunshine by District Doughnut

District has a home in Barracks Row, DC with a great location near the Eastern Market Metro stop and right across from the Marine Barracks (I've seen Marines there!).  Lots of restaurants line 8th Street and District fits right in.  And soon, they will be popping up a Georgetown location for a while!

The view from inside the space
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It's doughnuts and Compass coffee here until they sell out, which definitely happens, and you do need to get there before you miss out, especially on a weekend.  These really are the most decadent doughnuts in DC.  I think they are also the most expensive, along with Astro Doughnuts, but you have to splurge from time to time, and indulge in these finely crafted gourmet doughnuts.

The selection process, so difficult to choose!

The District counter displays your choices for the day.  The "Brown Butter" is a constant there, a yeast doughnut with cinnamon coating and brown butter icing.  I have enjoyed this doughnut and it's a pretty solid regular and something different than the standard plain glazed yeast doughnut.  Many of the other flavors rotate on the season or just for a weekly change of pace.

The District Doughnuts are a huge hit at work

The greatest doughnut of them all is the "Cannoli".  This creation is so perfect I find it difficult to communicate my true feelings.  The best way to describe it are "ecstasy", "pure bliss", "dessert paradise", "the greatest", and "I eat this doughnut, therefore I am". It's the fluffy yeast lightness, fried to perfection, hit with cocoa powder, and filled with a glorious cannoli filling that is perfect for a doughnut.  Creamy, sweet, ricotta-goodness, chocolate chip-ness filling that just makes you want to curl up inside the doughnut with the filling.  I'm not exaggerating here, I would be buried inside one of these doughnuts if possible.

They have boxes that hold 24 doughnuts for large orders!

The "Salted Dulce de Leche" is my second favorite at District and if I can eat one of these alongside a "Cannoli", I can pretty much consider my day a success with no further effort.  It's a caramel delight in both the filling and the topping that really puts me over the edge.  Salted caramel is a personal favorite so this is fitting right into my pleasure zone.

A special District Doughnut spread including the cake bite holes

Some of the other recent featured flavors include Baklava, Chocolate Creme Brulee (with an on-the-spot torching!), Mocha Crunch, and the Fluffernutter (combining peanut butter and marshmallow).

Their cake donut holes are even big and decadent!  They often have vanilla bean glazed and I've been able to pre-order chocolate and snickerdoodle ones for a special occasion.  Delivery can be made through Postmates, so keep that in mind!

Make sure you show them your #Doughface!

District Doughnut
749 8th St SE
Washington, DC 20003

Quick Score - 10 out of 10 - This is pure gourmet goodness at its finest.
Donut Quality - 9 out of 10 - They are always well crafted with the finest ingredients.  There was an occasion where some filled doughnuts were light on the filling, but it was a one-time thing.
Donut Selection - 10 out of 10 - It's just that any more choices and I either would not be able to decide on a couple and I'd have to eat a dozen.
Donut Freshness - 10 out of 10 - These are always daily fresh doughnuts that just do not taste the same too late in the day or the next morning so gobble them down!
Service - 10 out of 10- People are always friendly and good with questions about the doughnuts and what they have going on with the different flavor combinations.
Extras - 9 out of 10 - Coffee is very good and the new Georgetown popup will do espresso drinks.  Maybe they will adopt that at the Barracks Row location for more coffee options.
Appeal - 10 out of 10 - It's just a fun doughnut haven.
Emotion - 10 out of 10 - I just got such strong emotions at the thought of District and this Cannoli doughnut does things to my brain that many other doughnuts don't do.
Other's Rating - 10 out of 10 - There's great ratings out there and then you got some national media attention such as Thrillist's "Top 33 Doughnut Shops in America"
Price - 4 out of 5 - This is DC and we pay high prices.  These are gourmet and they are way worth it, but there are times where a dozen for the office are just a little too much.  I would have to note, I have seen people want to bring doughnuts to the office and realize these are just a little too much.
Doughnut Dunkability - 5 out of 5 - You want to dunk a yeast, you're set.  You want to dunk a cake, you're set.  You want to dunk a cake bite, you're set.  They all taste great in the coffee.