It’s been twenty years, at least, since I’ve had a doughnut as good as the cinnamon sugar sourdough at Nana’s Bakery & Pizza in Mystic. Made to order and served still too hot to eat in cinnamon sugar, chocolate, cardamom-Espresso or cacio e pepe, it might be the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning in Connecticut now that the tourist crowds have slackened off. The 32 Williams St. waterfront location opens at 7 a.m., except on Wednesdays — I wouldn’t blame you if you left off here and just drove over and tried one.
What makes a doughnut that good?
Leaving aside the matter of cake doughnuts, French crullers or pets-de-nonne – we’re talking yeast doughnuts here — as much as Krispy Kreme is a pinnacle of mid-century confection, wholly an expression of oil, white flour and refined sugar, Nana’s has a truly soulful flavor, more egg than yeast, crisp and cooked just until the dough is soft-set, with salty-sweet cinnamon sugar.
Nana’s James Wayman and Aaron Laipply make pizza, cookies and handpies, but start early and start first with a made to order doughnut. There’s always lunch.