It’s just past 9 p.m. on a Thursday, long after most of Manhattan’s trendier donut shops have closed for the night. But The Donut Pub will be open all night long, neon sign a-blazing—just as it has been every evening since 1964.
Inside the shop on 14th Street in Chelsea, “Magic Mike” stands behind the back counter with his magician’s supplies spread out before him, ready to perform tricks and illusions for the steady stream of customers who will come through the door. He’s been a regular at the Pub for 38 years—“Can’t you tell I love donuts?” he asked, pointing to his belly—and after he retired from the New York City Fire Department, he took up magic, bringing his act to his favorite neighborhood hangout. (He also performs private shows and sells magic supplies at the Pub and elsewhere.)
But Magic Mike is only one of many regulars at the 24/7 shop. There are also the dozens of businessmen who appear every morning with their copies of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times to order the Sip & Dip special (coffee and a donut for $2.90) to accompany the day’s news. Operations manager and baker Gus Markatos started working at the Pub while in high school in the 1990s and has held his current role since 2002. He’s a regular sight behind the counter every morning and not an unusual one in the evenings, either. Most anyone who visits the Pub on the regular knows Gus, and the feeling is mutual—though “there are so many regulars [he] can’t even count,” he knows them all by sight and many by name.
Gus isn’t the only familiar face behind the counter. There’s also Buzzy Geduld, the retired Wall Street multimillionaire who founded and still owns The Donut Pub. Patty, who works from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every weekend, has been at the Pub since it opened and has the stories to prove it. (More than a few late-late-late-night revelers come in asking for a beer with their donuts, not realizing that the “pub” name isn’t quite literal, she said.) Sammy, who works various afternoon and evening shifts during the week, has been at the Pub since 1980. Other counter staffers come and go regularly with the seasons.
Though the Pub and its clientele seem unchanged through the decades, its neighborhood is not. Just a few blocks uptown, a much-changed Chelsea Hotel now houses the Doughnut Plant, a decidedly froufrou spot whose signature crème brûlée donuts cost upwards of $3 each. You’d think that with all this gentrification, The Donut Pub would have seen some hard financial times. But according to Gus, it’s been the exact opposite.
“We’ve put two Dunkin’ Donuts out of business,” he said. “One on 14th Street a few blocks down and another around the corner.” And he doesn’t think that “artisanal” donut shops have anything on the Pub, either, no matter how trendy their flavors or presentation may be. “We are better than the competition: always fresh, and they are made with love.”
There’s lots of love to go around here. The Village Voice named the Pub’s chocolate cake donut among the city’s best. CBS NY7 did the same for its honey dip donut, whereas both Gothamist and Tasting Table ranked its jelly-filled donut among the best. (My personal favorites are the boston creme and the sugar-raised, but I’d take any of them before walking out empty-handed.)
Gus isn’t stingy with the love on the baking side of things, either. It’s not unusual to see him coming out of the back room with a rack of freshly baked croissants that he happily shares with regulars, sometimes on the house. (Yes, The Donut Pub has a full line of pastries, including muffins, cookies, biscuits, bagels, and bialys.) He has even developed his own version of the crazy-popular cronut, which some daresay is better than the one you-know-who makes (and people wait on line for hours for).
Gus’s black-and-white cookie is among the best in the city—I can vouch personally for its ability to single-handedly soothe even the worst sort of New York heartbreak. That includes at least one romance that both began and ended at The Donut Pub, with Gus and company as witness. To their professional credit, they didn’t take sides, and the cookie was on the house.
But the best part about working at The Donut Pub? Sammy and Gus agree: it’s the donuts. “I eat a donut every day,” Gus said. But as he stands there framed by racks and racks of tempting sweets, it’s hard to believe he stops at just one. No one else I know is able to.
The Donut Pub is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and is located at 203 W. 14th St., just west of 7th Avenue.
Photos by Amy L. Hayden.
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Popztarz's culinary team crafts homemade ice cream, sorbetto, gelato, and sundaes from fresh fruit and high-quality ingredients. Cool off with a s’mores gelato pop—chocolate gelato with a toasted marshmallow and graham-cracker core ($3.50)—or a vanilla salted-caramel pop with creamy vanilla gelato surrounding a homemade soft caramel inside ($3.50). Snackers can sample gelato, sorbetto, and ice-cream flavors by the scoopful ($2.99–$5.99), including Belgian chocolate, coconut, and butter pecan, or sneak a creamy coating onto the moist gelato-topped cupcake ($2.99). Frozen treat creators can concoct a variety of sundaes according to diner specifications or sling a signature selection, such as the goldrush sundae with chocolate and coffee gelato, caramel syrup, diced almonds, whipped cream, and dreams of westward expansion.
768 West Beech Street
Long Beach,
NY
US
Cuisine Type: Upscale pub fare
Established: 1982
Reservations: Recommended
Handicap Accessible: Yes
Number of Tables: 11?25
Parking: Parking lot
Most Popular Offering: Tidbits (serving many varieties)
Kid-friendly: Yes
Alcohol: Full bar
Delivery/Takeout Available: Takeout only
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Q&A with the Owner/Manager
In your own words, how would you describe your menu?
We have a very extensive menu serving everything from traditional pub fare to steaks, chops, and seafood.
Are there any dishes on the menu you consider to be a hidden gem?not necessarily the most popular, but surprisingly delicious?
[The] chicken chianti, hand-stuffed bacon-and-bleu-cheese burger, jumbo hot wings, [and] pulled-pork tacos
D?cor can say a lot about the type of food a restaurant serves. How does your d?cor inform or reflect your culinary practice?
J. Paul's is separated into two areas by double doors. On one side, customers can unwind in our newly remodeled sports-bar area?a perfect place to meet with friends to watch the big game on one of our 15 flat-screen TVs. On the other side of the doors is our 75-seat intimate and cozy dining room featuring both tables and booths, depending on your preference.
Is there anything else you want to add that we didn't cover?
We have live music every weekend. For gamblers, J. Paul's also has horse wagering on all races nationwide, as well as NYS Quick Draw.
239 Merrick Rd
Oceanside,
NY
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Berrylicious's confectionary connoisseurs sate bodily cravings with sweet eats, all of which are kosher. Numerous yogurt flavors, such as rich vanilla, chocolate, kiwi strawberry, snickerdoodle, and pomegranate ($2.75–$5.25), construct a solid frozen-treat foundation. Next, more than 30 toppings adorn towering flavor walls with candy-store favorites such as Kit Kat bits, Oreos, or chocolate chips or healthy add-ons such as strawberry, pineapple, or mango chunks to satisfy contractual obligations to the food pyramid. For portable delectables, Berrylicious also proffers sugar-free fruit smoothies ($4.50) and cupcakes piled with frosting ($2.25).
295 Burnside Ave
Lawrence,
NY
US
Pantano's Kitchen keeps its chefs busy all day. Starting with the morning's frittatas and pancakes, they transition to paninis, burgers, and deli fare as the hours progress. But they'll gladly make breakfast specialties all day alongside the more than 200 menu options diverse enough to please entire families or each head of a picky Cerberus. As diners deliberate further on build-your-own burger and salad choices, flat-screen TVs flicker with stock quotes and sporting events.
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For more than 16 years, the family of bakers at Cino's Hot Bagels has been recreating the taste of the Big Apple in Oceanside. They pride themselves on making authentic New York?style bagels, which they bake in a kettle to give each ring of dough its signature chewy texture. But Cino's carries far more than bagels. It also offers up a variety of popular toppings, including lox, flavored cream cheeses, and deli-style meats and cheeses from Boar's Head.
2941 Long Beach Road
Oceanside,
NY
US
