PORT ST. LUCIE ── I’m not a big doughnut person these days. When I was a kid, on a rare Saturday morning, most likely an overtime week for my dad, he would bring them home for the family.
The one jelly doughnut in the bakery box, raspberry of course, smothered in powdered sugar was off limits to my siblings. That was my jam ── pun intended.
So, feeling nostalgic around Father’s Day, I went to the new doughnut shop on U.S.1, right next to the Shell Bazaar and treated myself to a jelly doughnut, raspberry of course.
Although Gator Glaze has only been open since May, the place felt like it’s been there for years. Not in a dated, grungy way but in a mom and pop, warm and welcoming way. And it was busy for a late Monday morning.
From the greeting as you enter, to the kindness of the servers, especially Ava, who informed me the honey in my tea was as local as you can get – from next door at the Honeybee Hollow Apothecary, the place just has a really comfortable vibe.
Between the well-worn concrete floors, the nautical décor, and the old-school, ad-filled paper placemats, the cafe screamed nostalgia and old Florida.
Turns out Gator Glaze Donuts is actually Gator Glaze Donuts & Café, serving full breakfasts and lunch along with the freshly-made yeasted doughnuts, cake doughnuts, doughnut holes, and croissants.
There’s an extensive breakfast grill menu, platters, wraps, sandwiches and omelets, served with home fries or grits, of course, and several specials.
Plenty of coffee choices, too, ranging from classic hot brews to handcrafted lattes and cappuccinos.
On the lunch menu you’ll find sandwiches like a tuna melt on rye, BLTs, and grilled cheese, along with a host of others. They have smash burgers and big burgers, quesadillas, wraps and a variety of salads, all made to order.
Prices on the breakfast side of the menu start at $4.95 for a breakfast sandwich to $13.50 for Country Fried Steak and eggs. Lunch options range from $8 for a smash burger to $13.50 for a ½ pound burger.
It’s a perfect place to bring out of town guests, looking for a good breakfast and Florida vibes. Once they’re satiated, they can go next door and shop for souvenirs at the oldest gift shop in the county.
So back to that jelly doughnut. It was pillowy soft, filled with plenty of sweetness, and tasted like childhood.
Gator Glaze Donuts & Café is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., daily. It is located at 10106 South U.S. 1, Port St. Lucie. For more information, visit gatorglazedonuts.com.