New gourmet donut shop takes over San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO -- A new donut cafe in San Francisco drew eager crowds, with customers lining up down West Portal Avenue to be among the first to taste its sweet treats.

It took nearly two years to develop George's Donuts and Merriment before co-owners Lea Dudum and Janina O'Leary opened its doors. "Donuts bring joy, they bring nostalgia. We definitely wanted to bring that in, but it felt hard not to bring in salads and sandwiches for people to enjoy in this kind of space," said Dudum.

George's isn't your typical donut shop -- it's an elevated and whimsical eatery with a full menu of mouthwatering donuts, plenty of food options, and drinks. "There's a little bit of everything for everybody, for sure," said O'Leary.

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While Dudum's favorite donut is the donut hole flight -- sugar dusted brioche donut holes served with Valrhona chocolate fudge sauce -- the menu also offers unique options like key lime pie, bacon and eggs, and strawberry champagne. If you're looking for a heartier meal, a harvest chicken salad, heirloom tomato and mozzarella sandwich or "fries for a king" could do the trick.

The royal theme and cafe's namesake honors Dudum's grandfather-in-law, George. "He owned a laundromat in Oakland, and he dubbed himself the King of Oakland. He's really this larger than life character, so we really wanted to bring his personality into every piece of this cafe, from the food to the design. It's really fun to be able to honor him and his legacy," she said.

Donuts are available Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. until they sell out. If you miss the fresh donuts, you can still enjoy the cafe menu until 3 p.m.

Learn more by visiting here.