Pretentious and Pink aka COPS Miniature Doughnuts Toronto

Off one of the main roads in Downtown Toronto is a mini doughnut shop that is literally head to toe pink! COPS Doughnuts is a tiny hole in the wall establishment that I would have completely walked past if not for their dusty rose painted brick exterior with the massive text "HOT DOUGHNUTS" painted in bright fuchsia pink. Inside, COPS continues with its love of their signature "blush pink" from the walls, to the benches to the order desk and even the coffee machine. Oh, and of course, the packaging is more of their COPS shade of pink! The only exception is the repeating slogan "The Golden Days Are Now" which has been expertly hand-painted with what I can only say is liquid gold paint. 

COPS boasts a bold menu that truly comes off as a little too try-hard millennial bordering on pretentious. Their daily offerings include plain mini doughnuts, cinnamon-sugar dusted and a flavour of the day. Their beverage offerings are further limited to solely drip-coffee, so basically screams millennial hipster again! 

On the particularly frigid cold -20ºC winter day in Toronto, COPS flavour of the day was Key Lime Pie! Fresh out of the fryer, their pillowy soft mini doughnuts were given a generous drizzle of tangy yet sweet key lime glaze and finished with fresh key lime zest. I found the addition of the zest really brought more freshness and helped cut the oiliness of the doughnuts. Not sure if that makes sense, but I think you get what I am trying to say. But I also have to add they are JUST miniature doughnuts and tasted identical to those I enjoy each summer at the PNE. 

The mini doughnuts from COPS were definitely delicious, but I would not walk face-first into -20ºC windchill for them again. Especially not after one of the several employees rudely notified me that I had to order something. Apologies that I was merely trying to thaw myself and gather myself before ordering because as someone from the west coast, I am not accustomed to the aggressive winters of Toronto. Also, why does such a tiny operation that tries so hard with their extremely pared-down menu need upwards of three staff behind the counter? 

Needless to say, COPS Doughnuts is a clubhouse for privileged hipsters that think miniature doughnuts dressed up in a fancy glaze served alongside a drip coffee is groundbreaking. 

BYES