Welcome back to Tim’s Tasty Tax Travels, a lighthearted look at the local food that fuels Partner Tim Gustafson on his SALT travels. This month, Tim heads to Smithfield, Virginia, where an early morning stop at Ringo’s Donuts delivers handmade classics and a reminder that some destinations are worth setting the alarm for.

I’ve spent a lot of time in Smithfield, Virginia, over the last few years and was back again recently. It’s a historic Revolutionary War town, filled with great people, great pork, and great donuts. At Ringo’s Donuts, you get all three. 

I arrived when it opened at 6:00 a.m., which is a risky proposition in the donut world, generally because the full array isn’t always ready from the get-go. On the other hand, if you arrive at Ringo’s too late, then you may miss out entirely. I’ve driven up at 9:30-10:00 a.m. more than once only to see the “Closed” sign in the window as they already had sold out for the day. 

So, I took a calculated risk, and indeed, there were a few open spaces in the display case for the donuts that the owner, Kirk Ring, in back was still making. (By the way, having been in business for over 15 years, Kirk will tell you that he has handmade millions of donuts during that time – and tastes every single batch he makes.) Undeterred, and sufficiently excited with the available selection, I ordered seven – what I call a baker’s half-dozen. 

I’m a cake donut fan, myself, so I went with honey-dipped, glazed old fashioned, birthday cake, blueberry, and the owner’s favorite – chocolate chocolate, fresh from the back of the shop.  While thicker than some, they are neither dry nor dense. Instead, these donuts are soft throughout, with a whisper of a crunch on the bottom to tell you they were baked just long enough.  

Of course, I also had to get the “Squealer,” a local favorite. It’s a maple-iced donut sprinkled with perfectly cooked Smithfield bacon, the smokiness of which complements the sweet maple flavor.

Finally, I ordered an unassuming glazed raised – the classic test of any baker’s donut-making chops. Kirk passed, and how. (With a last name like his, what else could I expect?) Enough glaze to look for a napkin but not overly sweet; airy yet structurally sound enough to maintain its height as you eat it. (Not pictured because it was devoured.)

If I had to offer constructive feedback, I’d like to see more glaze on that old fashioned. I can hear Christopher Walken in my head – “Guess what? I got a fever. And the only prescription is more [glaze]!” 

If you are ever in Smithfield, then be sure to grab a donut – or 12 – at Ringo’s. Get there early, though, as they regularly sell out. I suspect it’s because, like me, many folks consider these to be some of the best donuts that they’ve ever had.