It’s overwhelming to walk into a shop like the 88 Donut Bakery Cafe.
The smell of fresh donuts floats like a gorgeous golden lifeholder in the sparkling fat of stir-fry, and will hit you in the car park. And by the time you enter, the aroma will be stronger and the students will expand within the diverse colours of fresh rings and pillows, cakes and yeast.
But the owner Kimui Kea is there to guide you.
“You can’t make a complete donut wrong,” she says, with cool and confident.
There are options here. Creamy products to fruity things like blueberries, apples, lemons and more – vanilla, chocolate, Bavaria, etc.
Kea’s favorite is The Trida and True Classic: Raspberry Jelly.
“And the problem is that you can combine them. You can have jelly and Boston cream together… you can get blueberries and lemon.”
And even if you need one filling, you will make it fresh as each swollen, round, sweet donut is filled to order. Fully customizable.
The 88 Donuts may only be soft open in Orlando’s Curryford area at the end of last month, but we can see that this is not the first fried food in care. She started out in college and when she began working at her family’s donut shop in Lubbock, Texas, she had been involved in the doughnut game for quite some time.
Best Donuts: 2025 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Award
Her brother, Dararithy Kea, owns two shops, King’s Donut & Deli, in Mount Dora, which opened four years ago, and a new one in Daytona Beach, which just opened in February.
They are the donut dynasty.
And care loves this job.
“I worked part-time at a nail salon when I was in high school,” says Kei, who moved from Phnom Penh, Cambodia to the Palm Coast, along with her family, along with her teenagers, but fell in love with donut biz when she took over her uncle’s shop in Texas.
“There are a lot of people who smile at the donut shop,” she says.
When the same came back in May, the first day of their business saw those happy faces lined up for the taste of their neighborhood’s latest culinary offerings.
“I love the environment, especially in the mornings. We make people smile and that’s great.”
Being a morning person is a requirement for a job in the donut business. Kea and her husband, Visal Touch, stock at 2am and open at 6 to start work.
Currently, the menu is full of traditional American classics, but the croissant sandwich for breakfast and lunch is a harbinger of what should come when 88 doughnuts wake up and roll. Touch is a trained pastry chef specializing in providing French. They met while Kea was on vacation in Cambodia. Touch owned a bakery.
Once the shop’s rhythm is established, croissants, fruits, flan tarts and more will be added to the purchase, box and carry-on menu.
For your first National Donut Day celebration, 88 donuts offer one free ring donut per customer, no purchase required On Friday (June 6), some have shown appreciation for the way the Curryford community emerged.
“People were following us on social media, waiting for us, everyone was very supportive,” Kea said. “We made eight or nine batches on that first day, and we were just criticized.”
So far, her favorites include Boston Cream, along with specialisations such as Apple Fritters, Cinnamon Rolls, Cristy, “Blooming” cousins and cinnamon flowers, she says. On donut day, you might consider bringing a “bouquet” into the house for your loved one.
And what if you live alone?
I love what you’re with.
88 Donuts: 3334 Curryford Road, Orlando, Instagram.com/88 Donutsbakery
Find me on Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram @Amydroo, or Osfoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com, For more food fun, join Let’s Eat and Orlando Facebook Group.
Sweet special
DONUTSTE: Giant Vegan Donuts you don’t believe in believe in believe in vegans being jam in this popular pop-up. They celebrate donuts and doughs from across the country with all creative donuts and dough flavors, from guava cream cheese glaze to key lime pop tarts. This week’s pickup will be held at the IMT Lake Mary Apartment Complex Clubhouse. Walk-ins are welcome here, but ordering first is always the best bet. Information: donutste.com
Glass Knife: Leave it to one of the town’s most beloved and unmistakably Baller Bakeries and turn it into a fandom that worships the Donut Day Contract. The four donuts are pitched as a possibility of Glass Knife’s annual holiday only offering, and there are results. Topped with tropical and tangy mango donuts (24 hours of buttermilk brioche filled with mango cheesecake, vanilla whipped cream, Balsamic Drizzle and Cinnamon Streusel.
“We obviously love donuts,” says Lance Koenig, Glass Knife Branch Manager. “We’re like a warm little cuddle for your mouth in the kitchen. The variety in donuts in that you can play with different flavors and toppings is an liberating way to be creative. Our team dreams of new combinations and designs.”
Order online in advance (June 5th deadline is 10pm) and make sure you are waiting for June 6th.
Information: 276 S. Orlando Ave. in Winter Park; 407-500-2253, theglassknife.com
Jeff’s Bagel Run: But are you waiting? This is not bagel day. No, but since every day is bagel day at Jeff’s bagel run (and everyone loves donuts), this homespan bagel ladies are turning the script over in a week of Donuts Week, which runs until June 8th at Jeff’s location. Because the creator says, “Donuts can never be bagels, but bagels can be doughnuts.” Find fun flavours in the week where Blueberry Pancakes (June 4th), Salted Caramel (June 5th), Glazed Bagel (June 6th), Lemon Blueberry (June 7th), and Chocolate Sprinkles (June 8th).
Information: Multiple locations. jeffsbagelrun.com
Salty: This born Florida Donut Shop offers free delivery of orders placed through salty apps and websites, $250 social media gifts leading up to National Donut Day, a holiday flavor special for the day: Maple French Toast Donut (packed with 24 hours of brioche donuts and decorated with maple glaze, finished with Mascarpone Whip and maple drizzle).
Information: 3025 Corrine Drive in Orlando; order.saltydonut.com/004/audubon-park
Where else can I celebrate?
Bakery Plus: 915 E. Michigan St. in Orlando, 407-849-1888
DG Donuts: 29 W. McKey St. In Ocoee, 407-614-8609; dgdoughnuts.com
Dochi: Japanese Mochi Donuts: 1222 Colonial Drive, E. Orlando, 407-674-6115, dochicompany.com
Donuts Central & Fuelpresso: 495 N. Semoran Blvd. Winter Park, 407-821-3000. donutcentral.com
Donutking: 708 S. 1st St. in Leesburg, 352-805-4888; 208 S. Highway 27 Minneola, 352-243-4046; 3716 Winter Park, Howell Branch Road, 321-316-4817; thedonutking.com
Donut to Go: 1414 W. 1st St. in Sanford, 407-878-2856; DONUTS-to-go.restaurants-world.com
Everglazed Donuts: (located in Disney Springs) 1504 E. Buena Vista Drive Lake Buena Vista, 888-354-5293; everglazed.com
King’s Donuts & Deli: 3301 N.Highway 19A Mount Dora, 352-720-9048 or 2452 S. Nova Road, 386-236-7874
Parlor Donuts: 2912 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, 407-286-0117: Parlordoughnuts.com
Sir Benji’s Donuts: (located inside Plant Street Market) 426 W. Plant St. Winter Garden, Sirbenjisdonuts.com
Smoke & Donuts BBQ: 601 N. Primrose Drive in Orlando, 321-352-7070; Smokeanddonuts.com (We offer $1 per day hot glass donuts on June 6th. Choose from chocolate, vanilla, and bourbon maple.)
TK Coffee & Donuts: 1155 W. State Road 434 in Longwood, 321-972-1239; instagram.com/tkcoffeedonuts_fl
Voodoo Donut: (located at Universal City Walk): 6000 Universal Blvd. Orlando, 407-224-3663; universalorlando.com/web/en/us/things-todo/dining/voodoo-doughnut
