Restaurant Review: Liberation Donuts

When one thinks of fresh and delicious donuts, we often have a Homer Simpson moment of pure ecstasy. What one doesn’t often think of are vegan donuts. Liberation Donuts in West Town is about to change all that with their vegan spin on this classic scrumptious creation.

Located at 2054 West Grand Avenue, Liberation Donuts operates out of the Breakroom, a vegan cafe owned by Upton’s Naturals founder Dan Staackmann. Staackmann noticed that Chicago was devoid of a vegan donut option that wasn’t baked and went to work on a fried version that was vegan and delicious. From this need, Liberation Donut was born and began operations last year.

Motivated by the animal rights movement, the donuts available at Liberation Donuts are named after either an animal or a philosophy based on animal liberation. Liberation Donuts may just be the perfect entry point for those new or curious about vegan food to partake in healthy food choices. Even Homer Simpson would approve.

As for the options available, one can’t go wrong with anything Liberation Donuts is serving up fresh on the daily. Sanctuary is a plain cake donut, but with the addition of cherry and rosemary jam, there’s nothing plain about it. The Balaclava donut features sweet tahini and pumpkin seed baklava creating a moist blend of flavors that will awaken the taste buds. The Flapjack has maple and spice chocolate crumb, while Lydia’s Eclair is made with chocolate and tasty vegan pastry cream.

The Total Liberation donut consists of plain cake, lemon, and poppyseed, producing something akin to a sweet symphony for your mouth. The Resistance (noticing a theme yet?) has sweet tahini, strawberry sauce, and black sesame seeds. The delicious creation they call The Bolt Cutter is a savory salvo towards new ways of creating pastries with its blend of chocolate cake, chocolate, and cocoa nibs. Likewise, the Firestorm with its chocolate cake, chocolate, cinnamon, guajillo chili, and the Beach Cow made with chocolate cake, vanilla, and Maldon salt, may make you forget all about that Dunkin place.

Rounding out the yummy vegan options at Liberation Donuts are the It’s Me Sesame with chocolate cake highlighted by zig zag tahini, the classic-inspired chocolate cake and powdered sugar flavored Undercover, and the Kindness donut duo of either chocolate or vanilla glaze with sprinkles. A personal favorite is For Greta, named after Staackmann’s own German Shepherd. This plain cake circle of heaven has pink vanilla, vegan whipped cream, and fresh strawberries.

Besides the fantastic donuts, there is another reason to check out this West Town spot. Liberation Donuts donates 50 percent of the proceeds from each donut sold to a different animal rights or humanitarian organization each month.

Liberation Donuts is open for pick up or delivery Monday through Thursday from 11 am to 7:30 pm, and Friday through Sunday from 9 am to 7:30 pm. You can check out their menu on Tock here.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO