Mad Over Donuts 

For starters Pune deserved an MOD — for that beautiful feeling of picking up a freshly-made donut on the way to work, to combat the Monday blues. True to their promise of freshness, fluffiness and variety, MOD delivers it all. I just couldn’t stop at one! I first tried the Colour Me Bad ring donut, which had a smooth milk chocolate icing with rainbow sprinkles, which was yummy.
 
This is definitely one of those places that allow you to sit back and enjoy every bite. Though I generally prefer conventional chocolate cream-filled donuts, I decided to give the blueberry donut a try too.

The Cool Blue Ice donut was no disappointment. Heated just right with some tang in the sweetness, this fresh bit of dough topped with sieved icing sugar, oozing blueberry cream is one bite you can’t resist. Head here for some of the best donuts in town.

Location: Phoenix Market City in Inorbit Mall
Price: Rs 45 per donut

  Donut Magic 

If you worship chocolate and have a slightly small wallet right now coupled with a big appetite, head straight here. It amazes me how they deliver something so magical just for Rs 30! What stands out? Their Chocolate Cream Donuts, layered with smooth chocolate sauce and stuffed with chocolate cream — worth licking every speck of chocolate left on the plate or off your fingers.
 
The only thing this donut lacks is a generous dusting of crunchy nuts or colourful sprinkles (unlike the ones in pictures that adorn the outlet). They generally heat their donuts for just eight seconds, so do ask them to heat them some more for a tastier experience.

The menu speaks of a variety that is not always available. A nice hot coffee with these donuts might help reduce the overpowering sweetness. I also liked the regular Cinnamon Ring Donut — soft, simple, flavourful and a light snack.

Location: Lane 7, Koregaon Park
Price: Chocolate Cream Donut – Rs 30, Cinnamon Donut – Rs 15

  Copper Chocs 

While this may not be one of those places you would instinctively head to, to satisfy that insane donut craving, if you do happen to chance upon an outlet you’re definitely in for a pleasant surprise! You could be one of the lucky few who get the chance to gorge on a donut at Copper Chocs, since it isn’t available too often.
 
I came across a simple but rather effective chocolate dipped ring donut – the chocolate was suitably gooey, the donut adequately sweet and all the flavour seemed just about right. They also claim to have frosted sugar-coated donuts on their menu, but unluckily, I have yet to chance upon one.

Location: Aundh, Deccan, Camp
Price: Rs 30 per donut

  Cafe Peter Donut 

This cafe in Aundh serves up some of the yummiest and best-looking donuts in the city. Their premium donuts, the Choco Truffle and Choco Marble, are simply to die for. With a generous amount of dark chocolate shavings on top and a luscious cream filling, the Choco Truffle is pure pleasure in every bite.

The dark chocolate is sweet and does not give you that usual bitter sting. The Choco Marble donut is made of chocolate butter but may not be as fantastic as the former, although it’s a wonderful option. Other donuts are available too, with glazing but no cream filling. Oreo and Rainbow donuts win the race in the glazed donuts section.

Location: First floor, HPCL Petrol Pump, Aundh
Price: Premium donuts Rs 107, others Rs 73 onwards

  Pune Baking Company 

My clear bias for chocolate donuts could not thrive for long, since PBC serves two kinds of donuts every day and the ones I got to try were their Sugar Cinnamon Ring donut and Sugar-sprinkled Jam donut. The donuts here actually tasted better eaten cold than warm. Their jam donut was just perfectly moist, but failed to knock my socks off and the cinnamon donut was quite ordinary.

A coffee to go along with them is advisable. These donuts come in smaller sizes than those available at other outlets in the city. For company one has the expansive interiors of the Marriott and their wonderful smelling potpourri, absolutely free.
 
They also serve Blueberry donuts, Pastry Cream donuts, Lemon Curd donuts and Chocolate donuts apart from the above two, of which their lemon curd donut seems to be quite an interesting combination.

Location: Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre, Senapati Bapat Road
Price: Rs 40 + taxes for Sugar Cinnamon and Jam Donut