When you think of food and Boston, you immediately jump to clam chowder and other seafood delights. While donuts may not be the first one you think of, this Boston food tour focusing on donuts is on you need to do on your next visit.
This unique food tour shares the rich history and diverse flavors of this sweet treat. Off the Beaten Path Tours, Boston’s only locally owned food tour company, hosts a Sunday Donut Food Tour that shares the unique nature of Cambridge while sampling some of the best donuts Boston has to offer.
On a recent visit to Boston, they hosted me on this tour, but all opinions are my own. And I am recommending this tour to everyone I can.
This isn’t the first food tour I’ve done. I love exploring cities and the food in them, so when I say I liked this food tour, I’m speaking from experience!
And if you’re headed to other cities, I have great recommendations for a Barcelona food tour, a Quebec City food tour, and more. Food tours are such a great way to enjoy a variety of flavors in a city in a short amount of time and learn from the experts to get even more recommendations.
About the Tour
This walking tour begins at Harvard Smith Campus Center. Participants meet their guide 10 minutes before the 11 a.m. start time just outside the center. The guide will be easy to spot, holding a binder with a sign for the tour. With a small group size that maxes out at just 12 people, it’s an intimate experience perfect for donut lovers.
Getting to the tour is convenient. For drivers, discounted parking is available at University Place Garage in Harvard Square for just $6—just print and bring the PDF sent to you before the tour. Alternatively, public transit is a breeze with the nearby Red Line MBTA stop.
The tour costs $45 for a nonrefundable reservation or $60 for a refundable one, which allows cancellations up to 48 hours before the tour. And it’s worth the charge, as you walk away stuffed.
Ready to book? Reserve this amazing donut tour from Off the Beaten Path.
Not every donut on the tour is a typical donut
And I appreciate that. I love how different locations and cultures have created their own delicious versions, and the Off the Beaten Path tour allows you to try several of them. That said, you also get the classics, including the Boston cream you expect.
The first stop is Saloniki, a Greek-inspired eatery with a large, inviting interior and the warm aroma of fresh pita and savory fillings. We were a little surprised by the variety of the menu, but the restaurant was thankfully pretty empty as we get there right when it opens.
This local favorite, which started in Somerville, is known for its loukoumades—traditional Greek donuts. Saloniki makes over 200 loukoumades daily, preparing the dough fresh each morning and frying them to order in water, not oil, which gives them a distinctive texture.
Loukoumades are one of my favorite treats of all time, so I was ridiculously excited about this stop. We sampled two loukoumades each, served with honey and cinnamon, and enjoy a frothy Greek frappe alongside.
If you don’t want to have a frappe, you can instead have lemonade at this stop. Simply make sure to note that in your reservation.
The loukoumades were delicious and fresh, and I marked this as a spot to visit again, as the entire menu looked and smelled amazing. This is also one of your only chances for a bathroom break, so take advantage of it if you need to.
Hold onto your napkins from this stop, as you will need them for the next one!
Union Square Donuts: A Sweet Icon
Next, the tour visits Union Square Donuts, known for its creative and generously sized offerings. Thankfully, the tour guide cuts the donuts into pieces so each person can try as many flavors as they want, something I appreciate since I can never choose just one option.
The storefront is very small here, so the guide goes inside to get the donuts, and you enjoy them at a local park. This is another great reason to make sure you dress for the weather, as you will enjoy these outdoors.
You’ll be as impressed as I was when she opens the box. You’re able to sample a variety of donuts, including staples like Boston Cream and Apple Cider Cake as well as seasonal favorites, which for us was Brown Sugar Fig, Pumpkin Pie, and Pecan Pie.
Union Square Donuts makes three different kinds of dough, and you get to try examples of each. The brioche dough is rich and airy and is what they use for the Boston Cream and the other filled donuts. The cake donut batter is used for the apple cider donuts, and the cruller has a seasonal flavor that varies by the week.
While the Boston cream wasn’t my favorite example of the Massachusetts official state donut, the other brioche donuts were among the best I’ve ever had. I don’t even like pecan pie, and I went in for a second sample of that one after everyone had their fill.
Churros at Painted Burro
For another twist on tradition, the tour includes a stop at Painted Burro for Churros, inspired by Spanish shepherds who shaped the fried dough to mimic their sheep’s horns. These churros are served with Mexican hot chocolate drizzle, a nod to the thick, rich chocolate that became popular in Spain.
Painted Burro, once the historic Border Café, has reopened as a fun and funky restaurant. We all sat around the bar, which was a little noisy to try to hear the information from the tour guide, but this did give us all a chance to ask for a much-needed glass of water.
The churros here are delightfully soft on the inside, with just a hint of chewiness on the exterior. It was a nice and light changeup after the plethora of donutes from Union Square Donuts.
Modern Mochi Donuts
The final stop highlights a modern twist on the donut: mochi donuts. These have been on my list to try ages, and I loved having them on this Boston food tour. This unique treat originated in Hawaii, evolving from a garage experiment into a celebrated shop in Honolulu.
The mochi donuts have a chewy, light texture and fun flavors. The chew reminds me of traditional mochi, but they’re much lighter.
In the box, we had one of each of their six flavors, which included Churro, Tiramisu, Matcha, Strawberry Cheesecake, Cookie Monster, and Taste of Harvard, a raspberry creation with Oreo crunch. The Matcha flavor was my favorite, as it was subtly sweet, but the Taste of Harvard was a close second.
The tour ends at this shop, which is around the corner from where we started. The Off the Beaten Paths tours don’t end in the same location where they start, but it’s easy to find your way back again.
You Get a Dose of History with the Donuts
The tour is not just about indulging in my favorite morning treat, but the guide also weaves information about the history of donuts. We learned about ancient Arab yeast-based treats to Jewish jelly-filled creations and German savory mushroom donuts.
It was cool to see how this iconic food evolved. The modern donut we’re used to with a hole in the center, owes its design to Dutch immigrants and an inventive ship captain (or so the legend goes), but it’s clear donuts continue to change.
Off the Beaten Path Harvard Donut Tour is Vegetarian
If you’re a vegan or gluten-free or have other dietary concerns, going on a food tour can be a challenge. The good news is that this tour is already vegetarian.
However, because this is all donuts, it is hard to navigate most other dietary restrictions because donuts are generally made with eggs and yeast and flour. If you’re vegan, dairy-free, and the like, this is not the best tour for you. Instead, look at some of the other Off the Beaten Path tours that can be more flexible.
What to Know Before You Go
The tour lasts approximately an hour and a half and covers about half a mile of walking. Bring a water bottle, as the sugary treats can leave you thirsty, and napkins are a must (grab one at Saloniki if needed).
With plenty of food at each stop, you’ll want to pace yourself to fully enjoy the experience. Some of the participants in our tour were too full to even take a bite at the last couple stops.
You also want to remember to bring cash to tip your guide. Larom was our guide, and she was incredibly enthusiastic and a lot of fun and definitely deserved a good tip.
Off the Beaten Path also has other food tours in Boston and continues to add new ones. We also did the Central Square Cambridge Food and Mural Arts tour that was fascinating, and Larom talked about a fries tour they’re adding that sounds right up my alley, too, but that’s just touching the surface, as they have 14 tours altogether right now.
This Food Tour Is Totally Worth Booking – So Have Fun!
Off the Beaten Path’s donut food tour is a really fun way to explore the city’s food scene while indulging in a variety of donut styles and flavors. From ancient Greek loukoumades to modern mochi donuts, this tour has something for everyone. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, it’s an unforgettable way to spend a Sunday morning.
Leave a comment