The Salty Donut

January 21, 2023

With immaculate vibes and light fluffy doughnuts, The Salty truly lives up to its tagline, “Donuts, Coffee, Vibes”. The warm atmosphere invites you to sit down and pull out your computer for a relaxed work session. I actually returned to this location to write this post because the vibes were so good.

I was very happy to have company on this original outing. Our order consisted of one drip coffee ($3.50) (very much not for me), a matcha latte ($7), and three doughnuts: the horchata ($4.25), brown butter and salt ($4), and cookies and cream ($4.25). My partner this morning really enjoyed his coffee and my latte was one of the best I've had! A phenomenal start to the experience!

The horchata was first. The First Bite was like chomping down on a cloud. There was a nice crisp outside and the inside was light and fluffy. The toasted cinnamon horchata meringue on top, though slightly grainy, melted on the tongue, and was not too sweet, just like the perfect horchata. This ended up being my favorite. It was a fun little donutty twist on a drink from my childhood.

Next was the brown butter and salt, and just like the horchata it was light and fluffy. The flavor was immaculate with the creamy nuttiness of the brown butter singing out with a little nip of salt to balance it all out at the end. The only way I can truly describe it is ‘the ultimate dad donut’. If your dad is an original glaze kind of guy, then this donut will be perfect for him. It’s timeless and not too sweet.

Finally the cookies and cream. The same is to be said about the texture and lightness, but this donut had a surprise inside. The donut was a fun swirl of chocolate and vanilla with a delicious glaze and cookie crumbles on top. Unfortunately, this donut was my least favorite. That being said, these were the best three donuts I've ever had. The crumbles on top plus the swirl were just a bit overwhelming for my taste but my partner finished the whole thing. Cookies and cream were by far their favorite.

The staff was so friendly and recommended two of the three donuts we ate, and was very thorough about the menu. When we were ordering the baristo let me know that the matcha came unsweetened and offered to stir in some simple syrup to whatever my liking.

Which for some reason elevated the experience that much more for me, “like wow you care about me enjoying this latte.” and I absolutely did.

Our baristo’s name was Angelo and his order at The Salty is the Gluten Free Sticky Toffee donut and an iced “not too sweet” oat milk latte and recommends it next time I (and you) come in.

The Salty at 2000 S. Congress Ave, Austin, TX, 78745

is the perfect place for a study or work session, I know it's going into my rotation of favorite work spots. If you're looking for a great atmosphere, friendly staff, and a great menu then this is the spot for you.

The Salty Donut - (8.8/10)