I’ve never seen a city with more independently-owned doughnut places than Memphis. Atlanta’s no slouch, either, with a whole pile of great places to stop in the morning, particularly in Cobb County. Chattanooga may be a distant third to these cities, but we’ve found some great places for breakfast or a midday snack. Over a few days in late October, we visited three local favorites.
The oldest in town: Koch’s Bakery
Here’s another example of one of the many businesses in Chattanooga that has been around for decades, yet we never heard a word about it until we moved here. It’s pretty wonderful, a full service bakery that makes some of the most popular cakes in the city and starts every morning with small crowds coming in for breakfast. The bakery opened in 1948 and moved to its present location thirty years later.
The most colorful in town: Julie Darling Donuts
We had visited this big space on the North Shore a few times before moving here. It’s the home of the “donut sundae,” which I might, just might have been known to sneak off on the side for a selfish treat all by myself once in a while. They serve some fun and silly flavor combinations like their popular maple and bacon doughnut, and make some really good milkshakes for a midday treat. Pro tip: Julie Darling actually has its own parking lot, a rarity for the North Shore. On the other hand, you can’t park here and dash across the street to browse at Winder Binder.
Our neighborhood go-to: Tasty Donuts
Tasty started as a franchise in the Daylight Donuts chain. They used to have a pretty strong presence in this city and at least four locations, but they’re all gone now. There seem to be a few still dotted around north Alabama though. They briefly traded as Tasty Daylight but finally dropped the name in 2014. We’ve come here many times. I do love to sit back with two doughnuts and a pint of milk, and our son likes just about everything on the menu. His favorite might be the double-strawberry. The employees here are pretty awesome, and I believe we’ll make many more visits here in the future.
That might be it for locally-owned doughnut places, though. I hope to be corrected, but when Foursquare can’t fill out a “top 15” article about doughnuts without including Olive Garden and the Tennessee Welcome Center on 75, it doesn’t leave me optimistic. If not, these will do. I can find something wonderful at each of them!
Koch’s Bakery
1900 Broad St
Chattanooga, TN 37408
Julie Darling Donuts
121 Frazier Ave
Chattanooga, TN 37405
Tasty Donuts
1414 Jenkins Rd
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Do you enjoy classic adventure TV? I’m reliving some great shows from my own childhood with my five year-old son. Come join the fun at Fire-Breathing Dimetrodon Time!
Marie, Let's Eat! 
Did you ever visit Donut Dollies by Kennestone before you moved? That place was awesome!
We did not! I really did like Tip Top on 41, a few miles north of the Big Chicken, though.
I haven’t tried that one – they close too early! Maybe I can go Saturday.
Also, I know you’re always down on your picture-taking power, but that photo of the doughnut case at Koch’s with the sign reflected in it is really great!
I agree with Alex, those are some really good photos in this story. I like the six donuts from Julie Darling best.
Thanks for the kind words, both of you. It is, it must be said, much easier to take good pictures of doughnuts than barbecue!
We’d meant to hit up Julie Darling the last time we were in town; we’ll definitely go there next time!
You won’t regret it. They are so fun, and so tasty, too!
Yummy!!
May have to finally come visit Chattanooga to eat at Julie Darling…