Know the North Shore: Donut Monster

Donut Monster brings chef-crafted, scratch-made donuts and house English muffin breakfast sandwiches to Whitefish Bay, Cedarburg, and Milwaukee's Third Ward.

Donut Monster sells craft. This is the place where a fine-dining chef decided to put technique into a brioche ring, and the result has people lining up before 8 a.m. on a Saturday. In our latest Know the North Shore profile, we break down the history, the locations, the must-order donuts, and the insider tips that separate a good Donut Monster run from a great one. Here's everything to know before you go.

The history

Donut Monster is the work of husband-and-wife team Jackie and Sara Woods. Jackie spent nearly two decades in fine dining, cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens in Milwaukee and across California, before deciding to pour that training into something more joyful. The name came straight from their young daughter, a Cookie Monster fan who announced one morning over breakfast that she was the "donut monster." The name stuck, and a brand was born.

The Woodses started small, selling at area farmers markets and pop-ups around Milwaukee before opening their first permanent shop on a quiet residential street in Whitefish Bay in December 2019. Word spread fast. A Third Ward location followed inside downtown's Landmark Building, and the brand has since grown to three spots across the metro. What began as a farmers market stall is now one of the most recognized names in Milwaukee's donut scene.

The locations

There are three Donut Monster shops to choose from, spanning the North Shore, Ozaukee County, and downtown.

The original sits in the heart of Whitefish Bay at 5169 N. Elkhart Ave., tucked into a neighborhood setting that gives it a real corner-bakery feel. The Cedarburg location lives in that town's historic, walkable downtown at W62 N634 Washington Ave., a natural pairing with a day of antiquing and strolling (see our guide to the best places to eat in Cedarburg while you're there). And the downtown shop anchors a prime Third Ward address at 316 N. Milwaukee St., perfect for pairing with a riverwalk stroll or a stop at the public market.

What it's known for

The whole operation runs on one principle: real ingredients, no shortcuts. Donut Monster avoids nitrates, artificial flavors, and artificial colors, leaning instead on organic fruit concentrates for its glazes so the donuts taste like fruit rather than dye. The dough is the star for a lot of fans, a tender, buttery brioche that bakes up light enough that you can polish off two without feeling weighed down.

The other thing that defines the shop is creativity. The flavor board rotates constantly, mixing polished classics with playful one-offs, and regulars have learned to follow along on Instagram to see what's dropping each week. Beyond the donuts, the shop has built a serious reputation for its breakfast sandwiches served on house-made English muffins, plus a coffee program with rotating seasonal specials.

Best donuts

The lineup shifts week to week, but a core group of flavors shows up again and again and earns the most love from longtime fans. The PB&J is a signature, a brioche shell filled with peanut butter buttercream and finished with a concord grape glaze made from organic grapes. The Maple Bacon strikes a more sophisticated balance than most versions around town. The Lemon Poppy Seed and the tangy Buttermilk with sprinkles are reliable crowd-pleasers, while the Salted Chocolate satisfies the richer cravings.

Then there's The OG, a sour cream old-fashioned cake ring with a distinctive tang and texture that more than a few regulars consider the single best thing on the menu. Filled fans gravitate toward the Cheesecake donut, which tops a cheesecake-filled shell with seasonal fruit glaze and a graham cracker crumble. Cinnamon Toast and Brown Butter round out the list of flavors customers consistently rave about.

Best food beyond the donuts

If you only ever order donuts here, you're missing half the magic. The breakfast sandwiches are a destination in their own right, built on English muffins the shop bakes from scratch and layered with egg, your choice of ham or bacon, cheese spread, and avocado. Fans routinely describe them as some of the best breakfast sandwiches they've had anywhere, and the chef pedigree shows. Pair one with a coffee or a seasonal espresso drink and you've got a full sit-down breakfast rather than a grab-and-go snack. (If you're chasing a great cup, our roundup of North Shore coffee shops and our North Shore brunch guide are good companions to this one.)

Its hours

All three locations keep the same schedule, and it's a short week, so plan accordingly. Donut Monster is open Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The shops are closed Monday through Wednesday. Donuts are made fresh and popular flavors do sell out, so earlier is always better.

Best picks: what to order

If it's your first visit, build a box around the greatest hits. Start with The OG for the cake-donut purists, add the PB&J and the Maple Bacon for the filled-and-glazed crowd, and grab a Lemon Poppy Seed or Buttermilk Sprinkles for someone who wants something a little more classic. Whatever seasonal special is on the board that week is almost always worth a gamble, because the rotating flavors are where the kitchen's fine-dining background really shows off.

Bringing the family or feeding a crowd? Order a mixed half-dozen or dozen so everyone can sample, and don't skip at least one English muffin breakfast sandwich for the table. And if you have your heart set on a specific flavor or a large quantity, call ahead. The shop recommends placing advance orders to make sure your favorites are ready and waiting.

Anything else you should know

A few things make a Donut Monster visit more than just a donut run. The shops lean into a fun, retro vibe, and the Third Ward spot in particular is a favorite for a low-key date morning, complete with patio seating that gets decorated for winter (if you love eating outside, it earns a spot on any Whitefish Bay patio dining list, too). Keep an eye out for the pin vending machine, a small but beloved detail that regulars love to collect from.

Seasonal flavors are a year-round event here. Summer brings playful specials like Chili Mango and Strawberry Rhubarb (a perfect treat to grab near the Cedarburg shop during Cedarburg Strawberry Festival), fall ushers in Pumpkin Pie, and the holidays add festive options like gingerbread. The shop has also developed a knack for clever, of-the-moment names, with a spruce lemon curd donut once dubbed the "Spruce Springsteen."

A couple of practical notes round things out. Vegan varieties are available by request, a rarity in the local donut scene. And because the menu changes so often, the shop's Instagram (@donutmonster414) is the most up-to-date source for what's being baked, which farmers markets they'll be at, and any hours changes, well ahead of the website.

Bottom line: Donut Monster is one of the North Shore's true food gems, a chef-driven shop that takes a humble breakfast treat seriously without ever taking the fun out of it. Go early, order wide, and don't leave without trying whatever's new that week. And if you want to see how it stacks up against the competition, check out our guide to Milwaukee's best donut shops.