SoJo Donuts: Fun And Flavorful

Have you ever had a vegan doughnut? Don’t knock it until you try it. That’s what it’s all about at SoJo Donuts, the brainchild of couple Jocelyn and Sonny DeCarlo. The name comes from the first two initials of each of their names, and it’s truly a team effort. Jocelyn is a long time baker with experience at The French Pastry School in Chicago and always dreamed of owning her own little shop. Sonny is a longtime musician and lover of food who started helping Jocelyn do pop-up events around town and baking for friends.

SoJo Donuts recently opened in October 2020 and has been earning rave reviews ever since. The DeCarlos specifically picked Mesa, because they believed there was a need for more vegan options out there, and everything at SoJo is handmade and baked fresh daily. Items also sell out quickly, so make sure to call ahead to check what’s there before heading out. Keep in mind as well that the shop is open Wednesday to Sunday from 7 a.m. on. There is a combination of sweet and savory options on the menu, from doughnuts to breakfast sandwiches and coffee drinks. Jocelyn also makes cakes, with 48 hours notice required.

The doughnuts flavors are creative and made from plant based ingredients with a gluten free daily doughnut also available. There’s traditional ones like Vanilla Bean, Apple Fritter, Mr. Sprinkles and Boston Cream. If you’re looking for something more unique, there’s Cookie Dough and Scarf S’More, a play on s’mores with house-made toasted marshmallow and graham cracker crumble. Other fun ones are the signature The Bacon Is Due On Maple Street made with rice paper bacon, Princess Peach made with peach champagne icing and Sweet Potato. Moving on to the intriguing savory flavors — the Spicy Mario is made with Bloody Mary icing with bacon and candied jalapeño while the The Gravy Train is biscuits and gravy flavored and the Mac N Chz is filled with mac with a green chile frosting sprinkled in pretzel/nutritional yeast dust. Totally a meal within itself! There’s also a curry filled doughnut made with sauce from Sherpa Kitchen.

If you want a breakfast sandwich, there are two choices. The first comes with a house-made vegan egg patty, vegan cheese and a choice of house-made veggie bacon or sausage on an english muffin. You can change it out for a glazed doughnut for $1 more. The second sandwich is a Denver style vegan egg patty with peppers and onions, ham, mayo, cheese and green chile slices. Coffee is a custom blend and locally roasted. There’s cold brew and drip coffee with oat, coconut and almond milk available.

SoJo Donuts is both fun and delicious and deserves your visit. It’s located at 1305 W. Guadalupe Road, E3, Mesa; 480.590.6716; www.sojosdonuts.com