The Salty Donut Orlando

The Salty Donut is a Miami-born artisan donut shop that has become one of Orlando's most beloved local food destinations since opening its Audubon Park location. Located in a charming standalone building on a tree-lined street in Orlando's Garden District, it serves handcrafted brioche donuts that elevate the humble donut into something approaching edible art.

The donuts are made using a 24-hour brioche dough process -- the dough is mixed, proofed, shaped, proofed again, fried, and finished with glazes, fillings, and toppings. The result is a donut with a texture completely unlike commercial donuts: golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside, impossibly soft and buttery on the inside, with a rich, almost croissant-like flavor.

The menu features a core lineup of signature flavors plus rotating seasonal specials. The guava and cheese combines tropical guava jam with cream cheese in a combination that tastes like a Cuban pastry reimagined as a donut. The maple bacon tops a maple-glazed brioche with thick strips of candied bacon.

The traditional glazed showcases the quality of the brioche dough itself. Seasonal specials have included birthday cake, tres leches, and brown butter cookie dough.

For families, the experience goes beyond the donuts themselves. The shop is located in the Audubon Park Garden District, one of Orlando's most walkable and charming neighborhoods. Mature oak trees line the streets, local boutiques and cafes occupy converted bungalows, and the pace feels worlds apart from International Drive.

Pricing is boutique bakery level: $5-7 per donut, $5-6 for espresso drinks. A family of four can have an excellent breakfast for $30-40. It is not cheap for donuts, but one bite explains why people wait in line -- these are legitimately some of the best donuts in the southeastern United States.