Reviewing Dawn Donuts: Housemade donuts and pastries in Galveston that will have you coming back for more.

Many breakfast places in Galveston, especially along the Seawall, are often packed with tourists and families.  Though there is nothing wrong with a family-friendly chain breakfast location, we wanted something fast and off the beaten path to get our day started quicker. 

A quick Google search of what was around us led us to a handful of donut shops since that’s primarily what my friend was craving. We decided on Dawn Donuts simply because of two things. First, they had rave reviews from other Galveston locals saying how Dawn Donuts had great service and donuts. Second, my attention was grabbed by the numerous mentions of boudin (a Cajun sausage made of pork, rice, peppers, onions, and other vegetables) and kolache. As a Texas native, you’re born with a deep love of kolaches, which is often used as a broad term in Texas to include both actual fruit kolaches and the meat-filled Klobasneks. And so, when I see a new type of kolache (in this case, Klobasneks), I have to try it.  

A short drive later, we arrived at the tiny donut location. Though the building may be small, don’t let the size fool you. This quaint, family-run business is quite unique. Once you walk into Dawn Donut, you’ll see a few tables and chairs for people to sit and enjoy their breakfast, as well as three refrigerated cases of drink options for you to quench whatever you’re craving, including coffee and energy drinks. The entire aesthetic and ambiance of the building make you feel like you’re in a retro donut shop, similar to the exterior, which my friend especially liked. When many places are constantly updated to keep up with modern changes, it’s a nice change of pace to see a donut shop that still retains its retro aesthetic. And even though the shop was small, Dawn Donuts was packed! I hadn’t expected there to be so many people since the donut places I’m used to tend not to be that crowded. However, that just goes to show how popular this place is.

There are a plethora of donuts to choose from, including little mini donuts in a paper tray with assorted glazes. It’s not just donuts though; cinnamon rolls, eclairs, kolaches, and more adorn their bakery display. After a few minutes, we ordered an eclair, a maple glazed, chocolate covered, plain glazed, and of course, the boudin kolache that I was dying to try. Because the tables and chairs were so packed with local Galvestonians enjoying their donut haul, we headed back to the car and dove straight into ours. The other donuts didn’t survive long enough to get their picture taken by me; we ate them without thinking because they were so delicious. Now I’m a huge fan of all things maple, so I’ve had my fair share of maple donuts. But unlike other ones I’ve had, this one actually tasted like it had real maple in the glazing. The maple donut definitely was my favorite of the ones that we purchased.  

Now that I’d saved the best for last, I tried the boudin kolache. This kolache is probably one of the best things I’ve ever had, and I can’t believe it came from such a quaint little donut shop! This kolache packs a huge punch of flavor that I wasn’t expecting. The boudin inside is fully filled, rich, and delicious. The added rice is so unusual in a kolache, and I loved every single bite. It was such a unique take! 

At the time that I’m writing this, I’ve already been back to Dawn Donuts multiple times to get more donuts and boudin kolaches. So, it’s safe to say this has now become a favorite breakfast place of mine.