Twin Donuts is an Allston classic, where you can begin your days or end your late nights. And where better to take your new crush than a donut shop at dawn?
The old-timey metal sign atop the shop, in beautiful red '50s cursive, is a beacon for the hungry and hung-over. The inside has a classic diner feel; you can order your food and sit at a counter, or there is waiter service. And there's always a fun hodgepodge of people here, from gutter punks recovering from the night before, to the friendly old men reading the morning paper.
As for the food, you can't really go wrong. The doughnuts (75 cents/each) are the classic homemade style: fluffy and thoroughly drenched in frosting. I started with such classics as honey-dipped and chocolate frosted, then ventured into marble-crueller-and-bowtie land. All were delicious.
Another absolute killer aspect of Twin Donuts is the iced coffee. You can get the extra-large, in the biggest Styrofoam cup I've ever seen, for only $3.25. The coffee is good, and cream and sugar are added to light-and-sweet perfection.
As for full breakfasts, they serve up standards like eggs ($3/one; 50 cents for each additional egg), cooked how you like it, with optional choice of sausage, ham, or bacon ($1.85 extra), plus home fries and toast. Or you can get an omelet (prices vary). I tried the Western ($7.20); it was cheesy, and the ham, onions, and peppers were distributed perfectly throughout. The home fries are funny because every time I've been there they've been a little different, but they never quite hit the mark, always too soft or too bland.
If you want to change directions completely and venture into lunch territory, there are some sandwiches and soups — including the quietly scrumptious chicken noodle soup ($3.25) a hidden gem of the menu.
Twin Donuts is a staple: it's cheap, it's good, it's fun. It's Allston.
