Home of the chicken on the roof: Visit Wichita’s delicious Donut Whole
It’s a donut shop. No, it’s a concert venue. Nope. It’s an art gallery. Coffee shop, maybe? Each answer is correct. The Donut Whole in Wichita is all of these things. And more!
We found the Donut Whole during our recent trip. Lisa was told to check it out. So, we did the right thing, as we arrived a little later in the night for a snack and a cup of Joe (Ok. A latte). It was good we arrived when we did. We had the opportunity to take in a viewing of an eclectic customer base. As we stood in line waiting to place our order, we saw a younger couple in a booth, a foursome of older (and older than us) people in the next booth, and then probably high school-aged boys in the last booth. All were enjoying donuts and a drink. Later, as we left, the twentysomethings had gathered in the back room.
The Donut Whole has quite the collection of “art.” Actual pencil drawings of people, including “Breaking Bad” actor Bryan Cranston, line the wall between the back and front rooms. A wood carving stands against the wall near the front of the store. Yet, a cartoonish lion, like you may see at an amusement park or kids’ restaurant, is in the front.
The place has a variety of donuts, some with TV or movie themes. Lisa had previously learned about a set of donuts based on the BBC show “Dr. Who.” They even had “Breaking Bad” donuts, which were blue with blue frosting and rock candy. The show, in case you’re not familiar with it, was a bout a science teacher with cancer who turns to manufacturing meth as a way of providing for his family after he dies. It ended up being one of the best TV shows of all time (in my opinion).
We enjoyed our visit and our donuts.
The exterior of the building, which has been home to the business since opening in 2009, has a rooster statue on the roof – Big Ed Buttermilk. The owners added Big Ed because they liked the association between morning and farm, because they make their donuts fresh daily from locally-provided flour, buttermilk and other products.
This place is worth checking out. It’s open 24 hours a day, so anytime may be a good time to check out the Donut Whole.
For more information, check out the website at www.thedonutwhole.com.