Sweet Coloradough

In Glenwood Springs, there is a donut shop that's part entertainment, part great food, and entirely Colorado.

“Hot Action!” The voice on the other side of the phone says, catching me off guard.

No matter how many times I have called in an order when we are in Glenwood, the owner’s voice always surprises me.

“I’ll have a Phat Pig, a LAS, and an Original no bread, and a side of gravy.”

“Give me 20 minutes. Want any doughnuts with that?”

“Yeah, give me 6 of your choice. Need a couple that are gluten-free.”

“See you soon.”

I love this bastion of breakfast deliciousness in Glenwood Springs. I found it years ago on my first guys’ fishing trip on the other side of the mountains, and it has become a regular part of any Glenwood experience. We bought a home in Glenwood in 2021, escaping the Front Range busyness, trading it for a quiet spot close to skiing and fishing. Glenwood is a fabulous town; it's my favorite in Colorado. Small enough to see familiar faces, but busy enough with tourists to have a host of wonderful shops and restaurants. As the gateway to its more luxurious and famous neighbor, Aspen, Glenwood is what most people think of when they imagine what Colorado is like. Good, kind people tucked into the most beautiful valley in the state. Huge canyons, wide rivers, and massive mountains dominate the landscape there. We fell in love with it in 2016 as a family. We came to ski, and then did all we could to figure out how to be here as much as we could.

Part of why we love it there is the long and extensive list of great places to eat. But chief among them is Sweet Coloradough. It wouldn’t be a ski trip without the breakfast sandwiches and doughnuts from this little gem on Glen Avenue.

The building is unassuming. A modified A-Frame with a 70s style bus parked out front, both painted with red, yellow, and blue Colorado flags and adorned with images of doughnuts and mountain scenery. Yet one step inside and you will quickly realize this is a popular place for a reason. The line usually starts out of the door, and it serpentines around shelves filled with Colorado souvenirs. Funny hats, t-shirts, and socks help set the mood for the morning fun.

It is rare that I have been to the shop and the owner, Aaron, isn’t there. He is as integral to the experience as the food is.

“Do you need any tequila with the burrito?”

“Want anything else since she’s paying?”

“A dozen doughnuts, a Phat pig. Anything else? Bloody Mary? Salad?”

“What are you waiting on? Kitchen says just a little more time, no more than an hour.”

It’s a nonstop comedy show, and no matter how many times I have heard the same jokes, they never get old. Behind the counter is a whir of activity. Some of the staff are in the kitchen making made-to-order sandwiches. Others are making lattes, and someone is attending the line filled with tourists trying to decide which deliciousness will be their pleasure. The line moves fast because the staff makes the magic happen. Pushing for decisions in their voice with a half kindness and a half Soup Nazi tone, the staff helps to assuage the chaos of the place with a beautiful kind of casual Colorado order.

The doughnut cases are filled with the most incredible creations. This isn’t your average doughnut shop. Ranked number one in Colorado and number nineteen in the nation, the sweet, sugary beauties are something to behold. Cronuts and old-fashioned cake-style pastries make the choices difficult. A dozen seems like it will be short of flavors, given how many different types and styles they make. They make all of their doughnuts from scratch in their kitchens across four locations in Western Colorado.

What goes somewhat unnoticed in the casual, comedy-filled atmosphere is the business talent of the owner. Aaron Badalato and his wife, Anne, have made a doughnut empire on the Western Slope, but as he said in an article from the Post Independent, “This place wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for my desire for a good apple fritter!” Aaron has focused on creating a quality product, and the business has thrived because of it. From that same article, Aaron describes what has helped create their successes: “From day one, we’ve always focused on the highest level of quality, highest level of ingredients, highest level of pay — so we can ensure the highest quality of people working.”

Glenwood Springs is a town of 10,000 people, but it is not uncommon that Sweet Coloradough will sell over 5000 doughnuts a day. That’s staggering for a little shop in a sleepy valley. But it’s clear that Aaron knows more than just recipes for a great doughnut, but also knows how to make a business work. He is dedicated to creating the same fun experience every time you step through the doors. Sweet Coloradough continues to expand, opening its most recent store in Grand Junction. And while Aaron and his wife moved from Denver to the valley for a better quality of life, it hasn’t stopped him from creating a fixture restaurant of the western slope experience.

I love his ambition and his sense of humor. Finding someone who is content with what it is they do for a living is really amazing. You see a joy in their eyes that so many fail to have. Glenwood has provided Aaron with the chance to live out a business dream, and you can see that reciprocated thanksgiving in the eyes of Aaron. We never eat doughnuts unless we are at our home in Glenwood, and it’s because Aaron provides more than just a sugary pastry; he makes the entire experience of coming to his store worth it.

Success in business isn’t easy, especially in today’s climate of paperwork and inspections, so when someone does it well, they deserve all the accolades we can muster. I love Sweet Coloradough. It makes me happy to go in and see Aaron and the whole line of bewildered tourists spinning like they are in a washing machine as a loud voice from behind the counter asks them if they need any salad with their doughnuts.

If you come to Glenwood, Rifle, or Grand Junction, be sure to make your way to one of Aaron’s stores. You won’t be disappointed.