This Illinois Donut Shop Still Fries Its Huge Apple Fritters Fresh In The Window, Just Like Always
An apple fritter roughly the size of your face comes out of a fryer in a shop window, and the man flipping it opened the place in 1972. He was 85 in 2024.
He still works six days a week.
The fritters get stuffed with apple chunks and cinnamon. Then they get a heavy coat of glaze made from his own recipe.
The best seller wears a layer of pecans on top.
I love that nobody here chased trends for fifty years. The counter is plain, there are no tables, and the dough is still cut by hand.
This Illinois shop keeps doing the same thing, day after day.
So why do people drive in from far-off suburbs for something they could grab at a gas station? One look through that window answers it.
A South Side Donut Counter That Opened In 1972 And Never Stopped
Old Fashioned Donuts sits in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood, on the city’s far South Side. The doors first opened on November 4, 1972, and they’ve stayed open ever since.
That’s more than half a century of glazed rings, cake donuts, and fritters. In a city packed with trendy bakeries, this little counter plays a very different game.
The shop is family owned and refreshingly simple. You walk up, point at the display case, and leave with a box.
No fancy menu boards, no flavor-of-the-week gimmicks, no latte art.
What you get instead is consistency. The recipes, the methods, and even most of the equipment have stuck around for decades.
In Illinois, where we love a good old-school spot, that kind of loyalty to tradition feels like a small miracle.
The shop sits just north of the Pullman historic district. That makes it an easy add-on to a South Side day trip.
Families who want a cheap outing with real history attached will feel right at home. It’s a donut run that doubles as a little lesson in how Chicago neighborhoods hold on to their legends.
Meet Mr. B, The Man Who Never Left The Donut Bench
Burritt Bulloch moved to Chicago in 1963 at age 23. He learned the craft of donut making here before opening his own shop nine years later.
Everyone calls him Mr. B. As of July 2024, he was 85 years old and still running the place.
He works six days a week, from early morning until closing. That’s not a ceremonial appearance for photos, either.
He’s at the donut bench, doing the actual work.
I can’t imagine many people keeping that schedule at any age. Mr. B has done it since the shop opened, and his methods haven’t budged.
He judges each donut by eye. When the color looks just right, he flips it, a skill built over decades of practice.
No timers needed, apparently.
The glaze recipe belongs to him alone. That secret has outlasted plenty of food trends, several decades, and countless competing bakeries.
For a lot of folks, seeing him in the window is half the reason to come. It’s rare to buy a donut from the same person who started the business more than fifty years ago.
The Front Window Puts On The Best Free Show In Roseland
Forget streaming services for a minute. The real entertainment here happens behind the glass up front.
Dough gets rolled and cut by hand right in the window. Fresh batches drop into the fryer, bob around, and get glazed while they’re still hot.
Kids treat it like a live fryer show. Adults tend to appreciate something else entirely, which is the craftsmanship and the nostalgia of watching food made the slow way.
Every step is visible. You can see the cutting, the frying, the flipping, and that glossy finish going on.
Nothing hides in a back room or arrives frozen on a truck.
That window is also why timing matters. Catching a batch fresh out of the oil means walking away with donuts that are still warm.
For Illinois families hunting for cheap, memorable outings, this is a great one. Admission is free, the show runs all morning, and the souvenir happens to be edible.
Bring the grandkids and let them press their noses to the glass. They’ll probably remember the giant fritters more than any toy store trip.
About That Pound Of Apple Fritter
Roughly a pound. That’s how much one of these apple fritters is said to weigh, and it’s often compared to the width of a person’s face.
Each one starts with dough scraps. Warm apple chunks and cinnamon get worked in, then the whole thing is fried and finished with a heavy, made-from-scratch glaze.
The best-selling version comes topped with fresh pecans. If nuts aren’t your thing, a plain version is available too.
Apple fritters come up more than any other item when people talk about this shop. Big, very sweet, and loaded with glaze, they’ve built a reputation all their own.
Sharing is recommended, at least in theory. One fritter could easily cover a family’s morning treat budget, which makes it a smart buy for a crowd.
Old Fashioned Donuts was named the best donut shop in Illinois by Yelp’s Elite Squad in 2024. The fritters have a lot to do with that honor.
A cold glass of milk on the side wouldn’t hurt. Neither would a few napkins, because that glaze clearly has a mind of its own.
Glazed Rings, Texas Donuts, And A Case Full Of Classics
Mr. B is especially proud of one item, and it isn’t the fritter. It’s the plain glazed yeast donut, a high-volume favorite that sells steadily all day.
Chocolate cake donuts have a devoted following too. They’re a classic choice for anyone who likes a denser bite.
Then there’s the Texas donut. It’s named for its size, and one equals roughly four regular donuts.
That’s a lot of breakfast in one ring.
The case also holds giant bow-tie donuts, bismarcks, and buttermilk donuts. Devil’s food cake, French donuts, toasted coconut, and glazed strawberry round out the lineup.
Chocolate Bavarian cream, cinnamon rolls, and giant croissants show up as well. Caramel cake donuts get plenty of attention, and so do the donut holes.
The shop sells about 250 dozen donuts every day. That’s a staggering number for a small counter on Michigan Avenue.
With that much variety, picking a dozen can feel like a test. A mixed box is the easy way out and a smart way to let everyone in the car choose a favorite.
Bare Walls, Original Equipment, And Zero Interest In A Makeover
Polished it isn’t. The storefront is modest and bare-bones, and both the outside and inside have stayed largely the same for decades.
The building hasn’t been renovated in over a century. The ceiling and floors show their age, and most of the donut-making equipment is original to the store.
Some folks might see that as a flaw. Others see a time capsule.
The lighting runs on the dim side, and the room is all about the counter.
There’s currently no seating inside. It’s a grab-and-go setup, so plan to eat in the car, at a nearby park, or back home.
I like how honest the space feels. Every dollar clearly went into the donuts rather than decor, and the old-school charm comes through anyway.
Change is on the way, though. The shop received a $50,000 grant from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation through its Backing Historic Small Restaurants program.
Planned upgrades include new cooking equipment, floors, windows, and countertops. More seating and a stand-up counter are also part of the plan.
Burgers And Polishes Hiding Behind The Pastry Case
Surprise number one: this donut shop also sells cheeseburgers. Pizza puffs, polishes, and hot dogs show up on the menu as well.
Milkshakes are part of the lineup too. A shake next to a glazed donut sounds like a very Chicago kind of lunch.
Breakfast is served on Saturdays, which gives weekend visitors another option. Chili has made appearances as well.
That savory side of the counter makes the shop more useful than you might expect. A family can stop for lunch and still leave with a box of sweets for later.
It also fits the neighborhood spirit of the place. For decades, it has worked as a community stop, not just a dessert detour.
Prices are considered reasonable, so a quick meal won’t wreck the budget. That’s welcome news for parents feeding a hungry back seat.
Just remember the seating situation. Burgers to go are still burgers, and a park bench nearby works fine on a nice Illinois afternoon.
Save room, though. Skipping the fritter after a burger would be a tough call to explain on the drive home.
Plan For Early Mornings, Sunday Closures, And A Short Line
Mark your calendar for any day but Sunday. The shop opens at 6 a.m.
Monday through Saturday and closes at 6 p.m.
You’ll find it at 11248 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60628. It sits between 112th Place and 113th Street, a short hop from the Pullman historic district.
Weekend mornings bring lines that can run 20 to 25 minutes. Weekdays may be calmer if waiting isn’t your favorite hobby.
Popular items can sell out, so earlier tends to be safer. With 250 dozen leaving daily, the good stuff moves fast.
Also note the renovation plan. A four-month project was slated to begin with a temporary closure, wrapping up in early January.
Check the shop’s social media before driving in from far away.
People travel from all over the Chicago area, including suburbs like Monee. Visitors have even come from out of state for a taste.
A box of donuts makes this one of the more affordable day trips in Illinois. Pair it with Pullman nearby, and you’ve got a full morning without spending much.
Why This Little Shop Deserves A Spot On Your Illinois Bucket List
Roseland has faced real economic challenges over the years. Through all of it, Old Fashioned Donuts kept frying, and that steadiness made it a symbol of resilience.
Many customers are regulars. Some have been coming for decades, and some now bring their own kids and grandkids along.
That’s the magic here. It isn’t about a slick dining room or a viral flavor.
It’s about a man, a fryer, and a window that’s barely changed since 1972.
I believe places like this are worth protecting by simply showing up. A donut purchase is a small vote for keeping neighborhood legends alive.
The atmosphere feels welcoming and community-minded. Old-school charm does the heavy lifting, and nobody seems to mind the lack of chairs.
So grab a pecan fritter, a few glazed rings, and maybe a Texas donut for the brave. Then find a sunny spot and enjoy the spoils.
Illinois has plenty of sweet stops, but few come with this much history. Watching Mr. B work the fryer is a memory worth making while you still can.