
Monuts
A bustling Durham favorite known for its gourmet donuts, scratch-made sandwiches on house-baked bagels, and exceptional coffee.

Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

Monuts

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A bustling Durham favorite known for its gourmet donuts, scratch-made sandwiches on house-baked bagels, and exceptional coffee.
Visit Early on Weekends
To avoid crowds, arrive early on weekends as Monuts gets packed quickly. Lines move fast, though.
Try Seasonal Specials
Explore the ever-changing seasonal menu for new and exciting flavors and culinary experiences.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Cafe, Bakery, American
Price
Mid-range
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Gourmet Donuts & Pastries
Indulge in a delectable array of handmade donuts and pastries, fresh from scratch, with unique flavors.

Inventive Sandwiches & Bagels
Experience creative sandwiches crafted on house-baked bagels, featuring fresh, quality ingredients.

Cozy Atmosphere & Local Charm
Enjoy a bustling yet cozy setting, supporting a local business with a commitment to fair wages.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Visit Early on Weekends
To avoid crowds, arrive early on weekends as Monuts gets packed quickly. Lines move fast, though.
Try Seasonal Specials
Explore the ever-changing seasonal menu for new and exciting flavors and culinary experiences.
Consider the Chicken Biscuit
Pair the savory chicken biscuit with locally made fruit preserves for an excellent meal.
Parking Can Be Tricky
Parking is limited, but free street parking is available in nearby neighborhoods.
Tips
from all over the internet
Visit Early on Weekends
To avoid crowds, arrive early on weekends as Monuts gets packed quickly. Lines move fast, though.
Try Seasonal Specials
Explore the ever-changing seasonal menu for new and exciting flavors and culinary experiences.
Consider the Chicken Biscuit
Pair the savory chicken biscuit with locally made fruit preserves for an excellent meal.
Parking Can Be Tricky
Parking is limited, but free street parking is available in nearby neighborhoods.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Monuts is highly praised for its delicious handmade donuts, inventive sandwiches on house-baked bagels, and fantastic coffee. Many appreciate the cozy atmosphere and the restaurant's commitment to fair wages. However, some find the prices to be on the higher side, and weekend crowds can be substantial.
"Monuts is a Durham staple with delicious donuts and pastries, well made coffees, and teas, and a savory spread to meet any craving! We got a variety of donuts, two bagel, breakfast sandwiches, and some lattes. Everything was delicious.
Sometimes the parking can be challenging, and the biggest downside would be that it’s very challenging to get a hot donut! But if you can… Yum!"
Stephen Mutz
"Monuts is an absolute gem in Old West Durham! The cafe is a perfect destination for breakfast, brunch, and lunch; and you can feel good supporting a local business that pays their employees a living wage! The food at Monuts is incredible with a focus on delicious baked goods, inventive sandwiches, and fantastic coffee drinks. Their menu changes on a seasonal and sometimes weekly basis, so it's easy to keep coming back to see what their current offerings are. In addition to sandwiches, you can also enjoy lunch items such as soup, salads, and quiche! Everything is made from scratch, in-house, no pre-made mixes here. if you're visiting on the weekend, come early and be prepared for the crowd, this place gets packed!"
Zaneta Reid
"Not pictured the amazing Apple cider donut I inhaled. It was warm and the cinnamon flavor was out of this world. Small parking lot but easily accessible free street parking in adjacent neighborhoods. Went on a Friday morning and it was busy but the lines moved fast."
Veronika Mazur
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Monuts is famous for its gourmet donuts, inventive sandwiches on house-baked bagels, and scratch-made pastries, soups, salads, and quiche.
Yes, Monuts is a popular brunch spot, especially on weekends. Expect a lively atmosphere and delicious breakfast and lunch fare.
To avoid the biggest crowds, it's recommended to visit early on weekends or during weekdays.
While not explicitly detailed, their menu of sandwiches, salads, and pastries likely offers vegetarian options. It's best to inquire directly for vegan choices.
Parking is limited at the location, but free street parking is available in adjacent neighborhoods.
Monuts is known for its commitment to paying employees a living wage, its inventive menu, and its cozy, bustling atmosphere.
Mentioned in
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The Top 10 Brunches In Durham, North Carolina
What started as a donut stand operating on Saturdays at the farmer’s market, has now expanded into an actual restaurant offering meals all day. If you’re lucky enough to visit on Sunday, it serves a wonderful brunch. Donuts may certainly be the root of the vision, but the expansion has brought new and exciting flavors to join the ranks.
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1002 Ninth StIt may be known for donuts -- absolutely delicious chocolate peanut butter cream donuts, to be sure -- but breakfast here is the real move. Try tacos with scrambled eggs and house-made chorizo, or the Breakfast Banh Mi, a bagel piled high with pickled veggies and avocado, topped with a fried egg and Sriracha mayo.
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Whether you opt for a hearty avocado-stuffed breakfast burrito, go healthy with a granola bowl, or just stop in for a drip coffee, you'd be remiss to leave without one of the signature house doughnuts. Don't even try to fool yourself into just eating half.
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Monuts is a bustling Ninth Street bakery and cafe that began as a tricycle vendor peddling doughnuts at the Durham Farmers’ Market.
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Donuts from Monuts are a must, but the nearby Common Market would be another good option to pick up breakfast sandwiches or pastries before you start the day. Durham’s rich history offers many ways to spend a Saturday (for free!). If you’d like to take a deeper dive after your visit to Bennett Place, check out our two other state historic sites: Stagville State Historic Site, one of the South’s largest plantations now dedicated to sharing the culture and stories of enslaved people, and Duke Homestead, the historic home, farm and factory buildings of the Duke family.
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With a series of redirects and wrong turns, Monuts came into being through the sheer determination and passion of owners and chefs Lindsay Moriarty and Rob Gillespie. The busy bakery and café is located in a prime location in Downtown Durham and offers handmade gourmet donuts, house-baked bagels, sandwiches, coffee, and boozy delights. Classic Yeast Donuts and Cake Donuts are available in an assortment of flavors like Vanilla Bean, Strawberry and Cream, Old-Fashioned Chocolate, and Apple Cider.
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It began as a donut stand operating from a tricycle near the Durham Farmer’s Market, and has grown into a popular brick-and-mortar cafe and bakery that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With an emphasis on good food, good people, and good jobs, they’ve created a real atmosphere of positivity and good vibes that can be felt from the moment you arrive. Monuts offers straightforward coffee options at very competitive prices, but it’s the food menu that attracts most customers.
The Triangle Guide: The Best Places To Eat And Drink In Raleigh, Durham, And Chapel Hill - North Carolina
If you have one breakfast in Durham, or you land at RDU any time before 2pm, the first place you should go to is Monuts. What started as a donut cart at the farmers market is now a bright, large space with tables and a wraparound coffee bar - and one of the best and most popular breakfast/lunch spots in the area. This means on weekends, there’s a line from morning until close (4pm), but it moves quickly and gives you more time to choose between the eight or so donut options.
Brunchin' in Durham: The Best Breakfast in Durham - 2024
Monuts is a busy bakery and cafe located in Downtown Durham. The business began as a donut stand operating off a tricycle near the Durham Farmer’s Market in 2011 and has since grown into a bustling counter-service restaurant and bakery with a full menu of breakfast and lunch fare including soups, salads, sandwiches, and of course, donuts. Monuts takes an updated approach to the American breakfast and lunch, pairing bold ethnic flavors with seasonal and local ingredients.
Want the Best Donuts in the Triangle? Go to Carolina Glazed Now
In an area undergoing a bloom of haute couture donuts, though, where places such as Monuts and Rise offer eccentric specialties like chili mango or crème brûlée and their takes on the faddish cronut, Carolina Glazed stands out for its dedication to craft and its execution of the basics. To a near-comical extent, it is a bullshit-free eatery, the place to go if you want a top-quality, low-budget treat and none of the frills.
Best Brunch in Durham, NC: 7 Favorite Places to Try
Monuts is more than just donuts, though you cannot leave without trying one of their famous donuts. Monuts offers a wide variety of breakfast items by pairing bold flavors with seasonal and local ingredients. There are traditional favorites like the “Pep it Up” bagel with melted white cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, pepper jelly, avocado, and a farm egg or the chicken & pickle biscuit with chili-infused honey.
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Though this tasty destination is a bit further out, you can easily walk here from the main downtown area. This casual dining spot asks you to make your order at the counter before choosing a seat in the cozy, laid-back space, which also boasts a bar. The menu includes light options — salads, sandwiches, granola bowls — but also devourable donuts that come in unique varieties, like blueberry and earl grey.
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Monuts has come a long way from its beginnings selling from a tricycle near Durham’s Farmers’ Market. While Monuts became famous for their donuts, they offer a nice breakfast and lunch menu at their current location based on both seasonal and local food items. Most menu items are $8, although I have a fondness for the chilaquiles at $9 ($9.68 including tax).
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Monuts is where doughnut dreams come true in Durham, NC. This unique spot has transformed from a humble bike-delivered service to a bustling bakery. Located conveniently in downtown Durham, it’s a must-visit for sweet treat enthusiasts. What sets Monuts as one of the most unique restaurants in Durham is its creative twist on classic doughnuts.
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Lindsay and her husband Rob own and run the Monut shop, and they have much more than just doughnuts; they have soups, sandwiches, great coffee drinks, and more!. Fun fact, Mo was Lindsay’s nickname, so she named her place MOnuts. I love everything they make; all are fresh and full of flavor, every last bite or sip!
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Monuts is many things: a bustling cafe, a pillar of the Durham community, and some of the best donuts in the world. This is a bold statement, but once you try their amazing donuts, you’ll understand why we make this claim. The brunch menu includes bagels, muffins, egg sandwiches, soups, salads, and quiches.
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Monuts started in 2011 as a donut stand operating off of a tricycle near the Durham Farmer’s Market and has now grown into a full service restaurant and bakery. Monuts pairs bold ethnic flavors with seasonal and local ingredients. Everything is made from scratch, by hand and with natural ingredients.
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First of all, we love the guiding philosophies that underpin everything at Monuts, from its vow to pay employees a decent wage to its dedication to using local ingredients. Like Guglhupf, it could really land at multiple spots on this list. Like Bull & Bean, it offers a great breakfast menu all day.
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Personally, I prefer Krispy Kreme, but I still think you should go to Monuts for the delicious fresh baked bagels. When I was pregnant with my first and Monuts was at the first brick and mortar location, I walked to Monuts every single Saturday to get an everything bagel and a chocolate milk.
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The restaurant began as a donut stand in 2011, and is now a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch. You can get a modern version of American breakfast and lunch at Monuts, and the restaurant uses local and seasonal ingredients. For lunch, you can build your own sandwich at Monuts.
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Monuts is now closed on Sundays, but every day of the week it serves up an idealized brunch menu. If you’re craving sweet you probably want at least one freshly fried doughnut. If you’re feeling savory, the breakfast sandwiches and gigantic square biscuits never disappoint.
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Monuts cooks from scratch, sources from local farmers, and is living-wage certified. This restaurant offers rotating seasonal donut flavors, such as their popular orange pistachio donut. They always have a selection of three to four cake and three to four yeast donuts.
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When you arrive at the restaurant, head to the side door and text your name and they’ll bring your order out to you. There is a 10% service charge added to all orders placed through this website (total service charge goes to the tipped employees).
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Monuts – Monuts takes a creative approach to American brunch by pairing bold ethnic flavors with local ingredients. Try their unique offerings like “guac dirty to me” and “Durham dreams of shawarma,” or indulge in one of their famous donuts;
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Monuts is another place that gets our vote for the best breakfast in Durham. At Monuts, there’s usually a line out the door. But with a fresh list of cake or dough selections, Monuts is THE breakfast spot and totally worth the wait!
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If so, going to Monuts is one of the best date ideas in Durham. This is a bakery where you and your partner can try out delicious donuts together. What's great is that there are often new flavors of donuts to try!
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If I had to pick a drawback of this restaurant, it’d be the wait. It’s quite long but worth it. Monuts is a busy bakery and cafe located in downtown Durham, less than one mile away from Duke’s East Campus.
Monuts Donuts of Durham – The Best Donuts Ever! Period.
Well, I am here to tell you that none of those places even come close to the awesomeness of the donuts made by Monuts Donuts in Durham. As the title of this post states, Monuts make the best donuts ever!
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– Monuts is a popular restaurant for sandwiches, breakfast, donuts, bagels, snacks and more. It gets extremely crowded on weekend mornings and holidays. Great Pandemic order flow and control.
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1002 Ninth StDurham, NC 27705(919) 286-2642 Visit Website See Menu Open in Google Maps. Monuts Donuts became well-known in the area because of its gourmet donuts and sandwiches.
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Monuts in Durham has been serving the Durham community since 2011. They rotate their donut flavors fairly often. I’m currently into their orange pistachio donut!.
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Monuts, located at 1002 Ninth St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the bakery, which offers doughnuts, bagels and more, four stars out of 386 reviews.
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Monuts Donuts serves delectable salads, sandwiches, pastries, coffees, and, of course, donuts. But, they do more than just serve these up.
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1002 9th St, Durham, NC 27705Phone: 919-286-2642 Visit Website. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Monuts (@monutsdonuts)
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit