While West Vancouver only has one dedicated doughnut maker, residents and visitors can count themselves lucky that it’s Goldie’s Donuts & Bakery.
Opening in March, the shop has received a warm welcome from people seeking a sweet treat in the Horseshoe Bay neighbourhood.
Until now, North Vancouver has gotten all the local glory for producing some of the region’s best doughnuts. But with Goldie’s, West Van can toss a hat in the ring for its own well-crafted take on the perennially popular treat.
Tucked beside the newly(ish) built Westbank condo development overlooking the marina and ferry terminal, Goldie’s inviting interior is made more so by the scents of dozens of freshly made goods.
A conspicuous glass display case by the front entrance draws you in immediately with rows upon rows of doughnuts, all decorated with a high attention to detail.
From the store’s regular menu of 13 flavours, we tried seven: Strawberry Milkshake, Mocha Tiramisu, Peanut Butter Glaze, Oreo Cream, Vanilla Glaze, Mango Passionfruit Glaze, and Matcha Cream.
Colours and toppings made all of them easy on the eye, but the best part is mostly hidden from view.
Packed with flavours true to their names, the creamy fillings are incredible. A standout was the Oreo Cream, delivering a new way to pay tribute to the time-honoured cookie.
None of the offerings lacked in the flavour department, and offered wide variety throughout the box. The fermentation gave the doughnuts a pleasant funk, in smell and taste, that was evident but not overwhelming.
The dough itself is soft and chewy, but not too greasy. However, Goldie’s has stiff competition in the yeast doughnut category, with Monarch in North Van offering the most pillowy, cloud-like doughnut bread we’ve had.
In any case, paying $4.50 to $5.25 for a Goldie’s doughnut will leave you filled with happiness, and is a new must-try for any self-respecting North Shore dough nut.
Goldie’s designed to mimic the simple joy a golden retriever brings, founder says
Everything about the Goldie’s brand is designed to evoke the simple warm and happy feeling given by a golden retriever, explains founder Young Jun (Jack) Jeon.
That’s what Jeon and his family decided when coming up with the business two years ago.
“We have an eight-year-old golden retriever and wanted our doughnut shop to give an atmosphere that a golden retriever gave us,” he said. “All our interior design, branding and visual aspects were developed by ourselves with warmth and happiness as a core value.”
Jeon grew up in West Vancouver, attending Sentinel Secondary and UBC before moving to Los Angeles, Calif. to study fashion. But in 2022, he decided to end his career as a retailer of eco-friendly medical garments to pursue a career in the food and beverage industry instead.
“And I loved doughnuts,” he said.
Jeon quickly gained experience, working at shops including Lucky’s Doughnuts in Vancouver.
Not wasting any time, he snapped up the lease for the Horseshoe Bay location that October. Meanwhile, his family was working on opening a companion store in Suwon, South Korea, which launched in May 2023. There are also three Goldie’s vendors at Lotte department stores in South Korea.
Much of Jeon’s approach to the Goldie’s in West Van comes from South Korea’s high-quality café culture.
At the Horseshoe Bay store, the doughnuts go through a 24-hour fermentation process, which involves both room-temperature and cold fermentation to enhance the flavour and texture of the bread.
“Everything has to be prepared a day before and that’s why we can’t make more once we sell out,” Jeon said, adding that each of his creations are scrutinized before being deemed fit to sell.
But what Jeon said makes a Goldie’s treat special is the vibe at his store.
“All our furniture was custom made by us to give the people who visit Goldie’s a very warm and cosy place to enjoy excellent doughnuts with great local coffee,” he said.
The food review portion of the article was conducted anonymously and paid for by the North Shore News.
