June 12, 2026

Your Brain Says Doughnut. Your Tongue Says Pizza.

These pizza-inspired doughnuts look like pastries, taste like lunch, and completely fool your brain.

📆 Last Friday, June 5^th, was National Doughnut Day. Yes, we are a week tardy with this piece. But last week we had other things we thought were important and, more importantly, things that you’d find interesting. So, I figured, hey, a week won’t matter that much in the life of a doughnut. 🍩

🧠 A Mindbender. Food is just SO interesting. Right when you think you’ve got things a little bit figured out, wham! Yeah, I think you know the feeling. We will explain…

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for any length of time, we’re going to go ahead and consider you a foodie (I really hate that term, but haven’t come across anything better yet). If you’re new here, we’re going to lump you in the “Foodie in Training” category.

I’ll state the obvious: you don’t taste food just with your tongue. You also “taste” it with your eyes, your nose, and sometimes even your ears. Enjoying delicious food can sometimes require the use of nearly all of your senses. Seems on the surface like eating should be an exhausting experience. Thankfully, it’s a delight!

🍕+🍩= ❓When I think pizza, I think savory. When I think doughnut, I think sweet. That’s just how my brain has been wired after 60+ years. Yours may be connected differently, but I’ll bet not.

📝 Having spent my formative years munching on bags of Dunkin’ Munchkins (and fancier creations from Pearson’s Bakery) probably has something to do with that connection being made.

Sometimes the wires get crossed. This is absolutely one of those times. Get ready to have your doughnut universe turned upside down. 🙃

On Siesta Key, there is a fairly new entry into the Sarasota doughnut derby. Parlor Doughnuts ran the pastry flag up the pole back in May 2025, and they’ve been baking up a storm ever since.

It’s a nice “neighborhoody” little doughnut place.

It’s cute outside…

And inside…

They sell all kinds of “regular” doughnuts. (Think inside the box.)

Of course, you can get your drink of choice to go with your selection.

Doughnut shops have come a long way since the Dunkin’ days. The 2020s version takes the humble ring of sweet deliciousness to a whole new level. Anything imaginable can be made into a doughnut. Yes, including pizza! (Now think outside the box!)

When I show you what’s in this box, it’s going to turn your doughnut-lovin’ world on its head. You may want to sit if you’re not already. 😁

*Margherita, OG Pepperoni, and Buffalo Chicken Savory Doughnuts*

Yes, those are doughnuts. And I probably spoiled the surprise a few paragraphs up, but that’s OK.

Let’s read from left to right, shall we? On the far left is The Margherita (red sauce, sliced and shredded mozzarella, topped with a fresh basil pesto drizzle). Sandwiched in the middle is the OG Pepperoni (rolled in parmesan and herbs, topped with red sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni). And rounding things out over on the right is Buffalo Chicken (ranch, alfredo base with grilled chicken, mozzarella, buffalo sauce, and red onion).

What a trifecta of absolute doughnutty-ness! Those are some “unique” looking pastries. The Margherita is not much of a looker, but it packs some flavor. The same can be said of the Buffalo Chicken.

📝 All of the savory doughnuts use Parlor’s “Famous Layered Doughnut” as their base. The toppings change, but the bottom remains the same!

Let’s take a closer look. 👀

My favorite of the pictured trio was the OG Pepperoni. But here is where we get back to the beginning. It completely fools your brain when you eat it. Your brain says doughnut all the way. Your tongue (and nose) scream pepperoni pizza! This is wild! It took me multiple bites to tell my brain to be quiet! 😂

This is how I sorted it all out after sampling. I wanted to hate these because they seemed like a gimmick. But in all honesty, they were pretty damn good! Once you get over the whole senses thing, that is. The O.G. actually tastes like a pepperoni pizza. No sweetness from the doughnut base (for me at least).

Any of these would make a fantastic quick lunch on the go. Or they would be great tossed out on a table for a fun and different group tasting. I may not make this a regular part of my diet. But, on occasion, you may find me sneaking one. 😋

~ LH

📝 END NOTES –

(a) Parlor Doughnuts is located in Siesta Center in Siesta Key Village (5055 Ocean Blvd. | 941-554-4916). The store is open from 7am to 2pm daily. But they only serve their savory doughnuts from 11am to 2pm.

(b) There are dipping sauces for these doughnuts. Red Sauce, Ranch, Beer Cheese, and Alfredo. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any of these with my order. The Red Sauce would have been great with the OG.

(c) If you put in an order, they will make these special, just for you. I stopped by in the morning, placed my order for 12:30pm, and Alyssa had them all ready to go for me. Thanks!

(d) The other flavors of savory doughnuts that we DID NOT try are Pig & Fig, Chicken Bacon Ranch, and Hawaiian BBQ Chicken. They also offer Parmesan Minis.

📌 ODDS & ENDS –

😋 Keep on Savoring! Just this last weekend to go. If you’re going to get in on a Savor Sarasota restaurant deal, you’d better make it quick! HERE’S OUR PREVIEW PIECE!

🗓️ SARASOTA FOOD INFO🗓️

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