Although good, I don't see what all the hype is over. Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe I was expecting my Monday morning to be awesome because I drive 30 minutes out of my way for a donut, but I left hungry and un satisfied. For $3.20 I bought a cup of Joffrey's Jamaician me crazy coffee and 2 donuts-a crueler and a cake with chocolate frosting. I arrived around 9 am and the selection was pretty much picked over. I guess the early bird does get the worm in this case. Would I go back? Only if I was in the area and there was no dunkin donuts in sight, but this girl is sticking with DD.
(3)
Brett N.
Why 5 stars? Because they are easily the best donuts in Tampa. --- --- --- I don't miss much about living in Houston, but I have many fond memories from Shipley's Donuts. The only place that even compares to the epic-ness of Shipley's is Nicola's. Krispy Kreme? Anywhere else? They are all imitators and wannabes. I don't understand how Krispy Kreme even considers their product a donut. Get to Nicola's early if you would like to experience the transformation of everything you've ever believed in about breakfast snacks.
(5)
Charless M.
I must've I must've caught them on a bad day. Donuts were not fresh the selection was not impressive and the place didn't look clean.
(1)
Julia C.
These are the best donuts I have found in the Tampa Bay area (so far). They are generous with the fillings and glaze on top, they taste fresh and they have a good selection of rotating flavors. Some thoughts for you: Peanut Butter Cup - awesome Original (raised) Glazed - excellent Chocolate-Iced Cream-filled - amazing Pumpkin iced (cake) donut - very good Sorry that wasn't more descriptive, they disappeared so fast I didn't have a chance to come up with more adjectives. It's a good thing this shop is nowhere near my house because my husband and I love some donuts.... I still need to go back to try the Oreo and the S'mores specialty donuts.
(5)
Diane G.
It's shameful that when Nicola's Donuts was sold that the new owners didn't maintain the same standards. The donuts they sell are not deliciously fresh like they used to be. The cake donuts are tough and you can tell they have either been made ahead and refrigerated or may sometimes be left from the day before. The skimpy frosting on the coconut donut is hard and dry as is the coconut. They used to be absolutely decadent. All of the others are just as much of a disappointment. You shouldn't have bought the name if you weren't going to keep it the same.
(2)
Josh M.
The absolute best donuts in Tampa. Nothing comes close. Get there early because they tend to sell out fast and are closed by noon. Driving down Busch in the mornings and not pulling in here should be a punishable offense! Hahaha seriously though if you reside in Tampa and have yet to try these donuts you're missing out.
(5)
Sandra G.
Very probably the best donuts in Tampa
(5)
Justin R.
I haven't been able to actually eat anything from here in like a month, but I still buy my coworkers donuts, because its always fun to see them get more rotund while I get skinnier right (just don't tell them that...)? The donuts are pretty phenomenal, I mean better than Krispy Kreme but not better than Krispy Kreme hot, catch my drift? The PBJ is off the charts, for real fat camp, gut plugger action, and honestly if I could get away with eating one everyday, and still working my way to a Gosling body, I would.
(4)
J A.
Really disappointed. Donuts, even on an early Sunday morning, did not taste fresh. The apple fritter was slightly burnt on the bottom.
(2)
Odion B.
Best best best handmade doughnuts in Tampa. Oreo cookie crumbles, pb-n-j, mint chocolate chip, tons of cake and raised doughnuts. Only downside is it opens early (530), but closes at noon; and the donuts go early! You can call the day before to order though.
(5)
Jim B.
Huh. I did a review of my attempts to try these donuts on a couple of occasions (which failed) and it seems to have gone away. Well: Now, Thanks to the people at Buddy Brew I have had the opportunity to try them on two occasions... Since I live in S Tampa, getting way the hell up to Nicola's early enough to eat there is a problem. And they close by noon (sooner if they run out of stock - I was there at 11 and they were closed - poop) and that sucks. But: I've now had a cake donut with amazing white frosting and coconut, and a glazed yeast donut courtesy of the fact that Buddy Brew stocks these every day. OMG they are wonderful... So, I still have not had the experience of actually being IN this place, but I have now tasted their creations - and so far, nothing but love. I just wish their hours were more accommodating.
(4)
Pat D.
how does this place only have 4 reviews?! Donuts are hard to come by in tampa but this place is something special. I tried the red velvet, crumb, and oreo cookie donuts and each one was fantastic. Very dense and cakey, perfect texture. She makes all her own donuts each morning and is a very sweet lady on top. Everytime I'm in tampa im stopping at Nicolas.
(5)
Will C.
If you even remotely have a passing interest in doughnuts, you must have at least one Nicola's Doughnut. These are little hidden treasures that are in incredibly high demand. The doughnut shop opens around 5 AM and is usually out of doughnuts before 11 AM. Their variety is about as wide as Dunkin Doughnuts, and their taste is simply inexplicable. I must stress the need to have one of their Crullers; It will redefine what a doughnut is to you. Once again, these doughnuts are in very high demand. Either order ahead for the next day or be prepared to wait in line for what's left.
(5)
Mui Mui K.
Made a special out of way trip to Nicola's as I'm in Tampa for a few days. Got two cake (red velvet and pumpkin), a special butterfinger raised, and a long john. In terms of the donuts themselves, they were ok texture wise. The red velvet was a tad too sweet. The pumpkin was recommended and the flavor was good. The butterfinger was yummy. The long john has a lot of toppings. Overall I'm a bit disappointed after reading all the reviews plus the fact that I drove an extra 45mins to get there.
(3)
Michael P.
This place has the best doughnuts on the planet, their icing is sweet, but not put you into a diabetic coma sweet. Just perfect. Their prices are very good too, just 85 cents for a single doughnut. Overall, this place is an eyesore for the tampa bay area and I recommend this place to anyone who is a doughnut lover like me. Hats of to you Nicola's!
(5)
Shaun S.
The best donuts in Tampa. I am never disappointed and donuts are always baked fresh daily.. Check this place out if you are in to locally made donuts rather than chain store donuts
(5)
Magnus T.
great donuts destroyed by cheep HFCS filling
(2)
James R.
I rarely eat donuts, but when I do I am going to go to Nicola's. They have a wide selection & all their donuts taste fresh & delicious. They close early, so get there before noon & hope they are not sold out. Best donuts I have ever had!
(5)
Moki C.
Get there early...because they are so good they sell out! I dropped in on my way to ...wait for it...yoga...I got a sprinkle, Nutella filled, and Reese's PB. The Nutella filled donut could have done with a tidge more filling, but the sprinkles is the best I've had yet and the Reese's was plenty peanut buttery. Donuts are about $1 each. SUPER donuts for SUPER CHEAP!
(4)
David H.
Yummy donuts! You know this place is good when the door says 5:30am - 12pm "Or when all sold out" The donuts are big, fluffy, and just damn good. Huge selection to choose from.
(4)
Teddy B.
if you like dounts, omg this is the place they are huge and sweet and yummy but you better get here quick because they sell fast.
(4)
Gwendolyn F.
The best in Tampa!!! They are so worth it! I wish they didn't close so early. You have to get there early.
(5)
Ashley B.
The best donuts in Tampa! Although the location isn't convenient, it's worth the drive! Any time I stop by Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme I leave disappointed. Not so at Nicola's. If you want to be a hero, bring a box of Nicolas to the office. You'll get a gold star for sure! But be warned, you want to stop by early. Once they sell out, they close for the day.
(5)
Addison P.
The donuts are amazing. They have a weekly special flavor that is varied and amazing. If you want the special on a week other than it's normal rotation, you just have to special order them a day before and order a minimum of 2 dozen. I've had a couple problems trying to order them on a week other than their normal rotation, but now that the rules are laid out and clear, it seems to be working....all in all a great place and they know you by name when you walk in...how could you not love that?
(4)
Zachary O.
As a 200+ plus pound midwestern boy, I know a thing or two about donuts. Nicola's are the best I have ever eaten , period. I really prefer savory foods, but I now eat at least 6 Nicola's donuts a week. Every week. The first week I went with my fiancee, we arrived at about 10:30. There were two or three varieties left, the sad unwanteds. We bought three. They were great. I think I was eating the vanilla glazed when I thought (outloud, somewhat embarassingly) "this is the best donut ever." I resolved to return posthaste. The next weekend, we arrived earlier. A much better selection was available. We bought a half dozen, and each was phenomenal. The next weekend, we bought a dozen. We ate them all that day. The next weekend, we bought a dozen. We ate them all that day. I don't think I have missed a weekend since. The Busch location is not in as nice as a building, but parking is easier. Also (at least on weekend), they don't run out as early in the morning. The Carollwood (N Dale Mabry) location has at least a little seating, which the Busch location does not. It is in a big strip mall with lots of traffic, which I guess some people prefer. My personal favorites: chocolate iced sprinkle raised, chocolate vanilla iced coconut, and the eerily melty creullers. Conclusion: Nicola's is no more expensive than DD or KK, is owned locally, and is just unquestionably better than any donut I have had in this town, or anywhere else. My only advice: get there early, and buy a dozen. You will regret it if you don't.
(5)
Karen U.
the absolute best doughnuts ever!!! Chocolate coconut is delish! Get there early though because when they are out, they close.
(5)
Bonnie S.
great donut shop - ordered an assortment of powered with vanilla creme, maple glazed cake and chocolate frosted filled vanilla - these fried dough rings have a fantastic fresh doughy smell and super yumo taste - definitely worth getting up before noon 4 these tasty suckers .....
(4)
Anthony C.
Best donuts around. This is the only place in Tampa I have found to get a good homemade donut. When I moved to Tampa I lived near this place and loved stopping by for a quick cinnamon roll. I have moved away, and forgot how much I miss this place until a co-worker brought in a dozen this morning. If your in the Carrolwood area, you must swing by, but like everyone says, come early, or call ahead to be sure to get your favorite.
(5)
Mark P.
Ahhh the sweet smell of donuts overcame me when I entered. That got my experience off to a great start but only got better from there. The super nice owner, Rachel, greeted me promptly and explained the various options - the cakey ones, the yeasty ones, the gluten-free ones, the specialty ones, the muffins, the bear claws, I could go on and on. So many choices, only one belly. And it was 2pm and I should've been eating lunch, not donuts. Finally decided on a vanilla nut donut and grabbed a Starbucks frapuccino from the fridge (since the fresh-brewed coffee you can only get hot). But since there is a $5 minimum to use a card, I got another one - a large Boston Cream eclair donut (not sure of proper name). Then I realized with a Yelp check in/purchase, you get a free one! So I added a maple donut to my order. I ate 1.5 donuts while I was there - both fresh and airy...I especially enjoyed the cream in the Boston Cream. Not really any crazy flavors like another donut shop closer to me but if I were in the area, I would definitely stop in for an afternoon snack.
(5)
Paige C.
Nicola's donut, full of glaze, the coffee is with thee. Blessed shop. I have a little bit of a donut obsession. It's one of the main reasons I go to church. And Nicola's is like Tampa's donut Cathedral. It's not much to look at on the outside, but inside, beautiful variations on the humble cake and yeast arise. Colorfully topped with the most expensive of breakfast cereals. Cinnamon rolls nearly the size of Baby Jesus' head. And I swear I saw a silhouette of Guadelupe on that Apple Fritter. This is a place to simply get your donuts and go. No wasting time. Machine made coffee that goes perfect with a fresh plain cake. My personal favs are the classics--Sour cream, fritter, and chocolate glazed plain cake. There is something to be said for these over the more crazy yeast donut adulterations. But I won't judge your choices, just like in church.
(5)
Kathy D.
Nicola ' s has been in Tampa for centuries. A few location changes, but with great products, comes growth. Love the fact it is an indie & still going strong after all these years. In this case the early bird truly gets the best variety of doughnuts, pastries, muffins, cupcakes... They open early at 5 AM & once they sell out, that's it for the day. Over the years zi have tried a wide variety of goodies, freshly baked and never been disappointed. Their baked goods are ample in size, cooked with love & quality ingredients & who doesn't love fresh baked goods. I am seldom up that early, unless it is from the night before. Out of habit, if I am driving by, my car has a mind of it's own. Itjust pulls in.occasionally latter in the morning you might luck out & find a few of your favorites still available. Love Nicola's, best in Tampa, in my humble opinion. What's a girl to do? Sometimes ya gotta do what makes you happy & not what makes you healthy.
(5)
Karen F.
This tiny doughnut shop is most frequently requested by my office when I stop to pick up breakfast on the way in. My boss says the cake doughnuts "... are as good as New York doughnuts" which is apparently very high praise. They have cake donuts and raised donuts, jelly and cream filled ones, sprinkles and chocolate covered, seasonal ones (i.e. pumpkin donuts for Fall), and an exotic weekly special like Peanut Butter n Jelly or Smores. They also have specialty pastries - their cinnamon 'twirls' are my very favorite. Freshly baked every morning, if you don't get there early, you don't get doughnuts. They lock the front door as soon as they sell out.
(4)
Taylor G.
I've been going to Nicola's ever since I was a kid when my parents used to take me every Saturday for breakfast. Now that I've moved back to the area, I'm back there just about every weekend again. I had never had a sour cream donut until my girlfriend forced one on me during our first trip. Now it's my favorite thing and Nicola's makes the best sour cream donuts there are. I bought her a cupcake on her birthday and it was incredible. You would think that premade cupcakes would dry out after sitting out for awhile but this one was still moist. It was giant and just enough to share. The prices are very reasonable especially for the quality. This is the best donut shop in Tampa. I only wish Nicola's was open late so I could get donuts whenever I want.
(5)
Jaimie T.
The sour cream donuts are amazing. We go just about every week since we moved a few blocks away! The staff is mostly friendly and the selection is fantastic. I also had one of their gourmet cookies and cream cupcakes for my birthday and it was fantastic, too! I have yet to find something at Nicola's that I did not like.
(5)
Nicolas L.
Nicola's is a highly rated donut shop that has been featured on several "Best of" lists and I finally got the opportunity to visit yesterday morning. Unfortunately, my experience was very disappointing. We arrived around 8:30 am and were delighted to see a large selection of beautiful, unique, and appetizing donuts. We were a little worried our options would be limited since the shop has been known to run out but this was not even close to being a problem. The selection was a little overwhelming so it took a couple minutes to decide what we wanted. The employee behind the counter seemed annoyed by this and skipped us to take the order of another customer who had literally just walked into the shop (the only other customer in the shop while we were there). After taking this customer's order, the employee went to the back and started chatting with another employee completely ignoring the fact that we were ready to order. The employee in the back essentially told the employee in the front to keep an eye out for their boss (or "the warden") and one of the employee's expressed that they would not do any cleaning around the shop unless explicitly told to do so by their boss. The employee in the front finally came back and took our order. I don't normally comment about service unless it's really bad or really good. In this case I was shocked that an establishment with such a good reputation would have such rude and disinterested employees. The donuts themselves were unique but pretty average. I tried the Snickers, PB & J, Maple Bacon, Sour Cream, Apple Crumble, and Brownie Brittle Donuts. My favorite of these was the Brownie Brittle that had a nice chocolate flavor and soft sweet brownies on top. The Apple Crumble had a nice apple pie like filling and the PB&J was just like eating a PB&J sandwich with raspberry jam in donut form. However, the donuts were dense and not as fluffy as they should have been. The icings and fillings tasted pretty generic and the Maple Bacon was way to salty. Overall, the donuts were satisfying but you could get similar quality donuts at well-known chain donut shops.
(3)
Steve E.
Nicola's Donuts have been featured as one of the Best Donuts in America by Travel and Leisure magazine, and voted "Best Donuts in Tampa" by the Tampa Tribune. I often drive-by Nicola's on Busch Boulevard on my way to / from various appointments, but thankfully I'm either in a big hurry or it's well after the shop has closed for the day. Otherwise I'd be stopping for donuts on a more regular basis, and that wouldn't be good for the diet. You'll find the main Nicola's Donut Shop on Busch Boulevard at the intersection of North Blvd, and diagonally across the street from Chamberlain High School. This location opens at 5:30 am and has generally sold out by 11 am. There's a second location in Carrollwood on N. Dale Mabry near the intersection of Ehrlich Road, and they stay open later in the day. Nicola's is a family-owned and operated success story that has been pumping out the tasty treats for well over 30 years. Their menu is made up of donuts, pastries (including muffins and fruit turnovers), and cupcakes. Everything is cooked in small batches so that the trays of pastries are incredibly fresh. Once they run out, that's it, and they will be closed until the next day. For a sneak peak of the many varieties of donuts on sale, please look at this site: nicolasdonuts.com/our-me… In my humble opinion, these donuts are more dense and less airy than their chain store competitors, and so you're getting more dough and less whipped air, which makes for a tastier donut. My morning was off to a good start when I snagged a chocolate cake donut with chocolate frosting. YUM!!!!
(4)
Daisy D.
I don't get it. Maybe I set my expectations too high. But after having delicious donuts from both sides of the coast - Donut Man in Glendora ( yelp.com/biz/the-donut-m… ) and Cinotti's ( yelp.com/biz/cinottis-ba… ) in my hometown - Nicola's just didn't match up. At least not to me. Don't get me wrong - the Fruity Pebbles donut was definitely a treat. But the nature of the donut icing & cereal combination causes the cereal 'pebbles' to get a little soft. The cake on the red velvet iced donut was good, but I could have gone for a nice glaze on it to balance out the amount of cake you have. My husband tried the PB&J: peanut butter topped with jelly filling. The PB was plentiful but the jelly filling was only on one side of the donut. We're used to almost too much filling that we have more filling than donut. And the cinnamon bun with strawberry (we're not sure if that's what it's really called) reminded him of the Strawberry Donut from Donut Man (see link above) but fell way short of his expectations. Fresh strawberries & strawberry spread really just don't match up. We would give them another shot and definitely support them rather than one of the national chains but now that we've set the bar, we know what to expect next time.
(3)
Jill L.
GET THE SOUR CREAM DONUT! Except don't, because I want them all for myself. Don't be fooled by the dingy strip mall, this place is the real deal. It's a small shop but they generally have a good variety. My personal favorites are the sour cream donut (as if you didn't already know) and the blueberry cake donut. Their frosting is a little too sugary for me and tends to crumble, so I usually go for the glazed options over frosted. Get there early because they do sell out!
(4)
Francisco W.
Best donuts hands down but make sure you reserve a few. Nicola's donuts fly off the shelf.
(5)
Jamie O.
Donuts were ok kind of expected more out of the visit. They had interesting options like the brownie crunch donut however supplies were limited and service was not the best. Our visit was lackluster
(3)
Natasha P.
For years I have been driving past Nicolas and I'll finally stop in this morning to try it out. Talk about heaven. So many yummy99 options to choose from. I totally agree will all the reviews stating that it is the BEST IN TAMPA. My ultimate favorites are the powdered red velvet and the regular powdered donuts. My church St. Tim's every Sunday give out Nicolas donuts for donations I was told. I seriously don't think there any better donuts in the world as compared to Nicolas. I had an extreme hard time picking out what wanted, they all looked so delicious and mouth watering. I love that the donuts are made fresh everyday so the earlier you get there the better other wise once they are all gone, that is it for the day, than you will have to wait for tomorrow. I will for sure stop at Nicolas more often especially since I drive by it everyday to work.
(5)
Elizabeth S.
Maybe I didn't go early enough in the day (went at 8am on a Sunday) but they didn't have a huge selection. Picked a fruity pebbles donut and the donut itself was delicious and looked beautiful, but the icing had made the fruity pebbles soft and a little soggy. But overall the donut was delicious, large, and well-worth an early wake up call. Excited to try another flavor soon!
(4)
Wilhelm R.
Delicious donuts! I don't usually even like donuts but theirs are fantastic.
(5)
Elizabeth D.
A donut a day makes your troubles go away. If there were a chance that that could be true, Nicola's could be my therapist. Sweet, preservative-free, chewy heaven. So delicious that you better buy enough to share because you won't want to sacrifice a single bite. The Busch location closes early so make sure you wake up early enough to grab some before I buy them out!
(5)
Mary Beth W.
Pretty dang good! I LOVE their Vanilla Glazed donut and the Maple Glazed is awesome. The Maple & Bacon tastes a lil like something you've had before - I've been eating those since I lived in LA and the concept is the same. Worth the early morning drive.
(4)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :902 W Busch Blvd,Ste 102
Tampa, FL, 33612
Kelleigh M.
Although good, I don't see what all the hype is over. Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe I was expecting my Monday morning to be awesome because I drive 30 minutes out of my way for a donut, but I left hungry and un satisfied. For $3.20 I bought a cup of Joffrey's Jamaician me crazy coffee and 2 donuts-a crueler and a cake with chocolate frosting. I arrived around 9 am and the selection was pretty much picked over. I guess the early bird does get the worm in this case. Would I go back? Only if I was in the area and there was no dunkin donuts in sight, but this girl is sticking with DD.
(3)Brett N.
Why 5 stars? Because they are easily the best donuts in Tampa. --- --- --- I don't miss much about living in Houston, but I have many fond memories from Shipley's Donuts. The only place that even compares to the epic-ness of Shipley's is Nicola's. Krispy Kreme? Anywhere else? They are all imitators and wannabes. I don't understand how Krispy Kreme even considers their product a donut. Get to Nicola's early if you would like to experience the transformation of everything you've ever believed in about breakfast snacks.
(5)Charless M.
I must've I must've caught them on a bad day. Donuts were not fresh the selection was not impressive and the place didn't look clean.
(1)Julia C.
These are the best donuts I have found in the Tampa Bay area (so far). They are generous with the fillings and glaze on top, they taste fresh and they have a good selection of rotating flavors. Some thoughts for you: Peanut Butter Cup - awesome Original (raised) Glazed - excellent Chocolate-Iced Cream-filled - amazing Pumpkin iced (cake) donut - very good Sorry that wasn't more descriptive, they disappeared so fast I didn't have a chance to come up with more adjectives. It's a good thing this shop is nowhere near my house because my husband and I love some donuts.... I still need to go back to try the Oreo and the S'mores specialty donuts.
(5)Diane G.
It's shameful that when Nicola's Donuts was sold that the new owners didn't maintain the same standards. The donuts they sell are not deliciously fresh like they used to be. The cake donuts are tough and you can tell they have either been made ahead and refrigerated or may sometimes be left from the day before. The skimpy frosting on the coconut donut is hard and dry as is the coconut. They used to be absolutely decadent. All of the others are just as much of a disappointment. You shouldn't have bought the name if you weren't going to keep it the same.
(2)Josh M.
The absolute best donuts in Tampa. Nothing comes close. Get there early because they tend to sell out fast and are closed by noon. Driving down Busch in the mornings and not pulling in here should be a punishable offense! Hahaha seriously though if you reside in Tampa and have yet to try these donuts you're missing out.
(5)Sandra G.
Very probably the best donuts in Tampa
(5)Justin R.
I haven't been able to actually eat anything from here in like a month, but I still buy my coworkers donuts, because its always fun to see them get more rotund while I get skinnier right (just don't tell them that...)? The donuts are pretty phenomenal, I mean better than Krispy Kreme but not better than Krispy Kreme hot, catch my drift? The PBJ is off the charts, for real fat camp, gut plugger action, and honestly if I could get away with eating one everyday, and still working my way to a Gosling body, I would.
(4)J A.
Really disappointed. Donuts, even on an early Sunday morning, did not taste fresh. The apple fritter was slightly burnt on the bottom.
(2)Odion B.
Best best best handmade doughnuts in Tampa. Oreo cookie crumbles, pb-n-j, mint chocolate chip, tons of cake and raised doughnuts. Only downside is it opens early (530), but closes at noon; and the donuts go early! You can call the day before to order though.
(5)Jim B.
Huh. I did a review of my attempts to try these donuts on a couple of occasions (which failed) and it seems to have gone away. Well: Now, Thanks to the people at Buddy Brew I have had the opportunity to try them on two occasions... Since I live in S Tampa, getting way the hell up to Nicola's early enough to eat there is a problem. And they close by noon (sooner if they run out of stock - I was there at 11 and they were closed - poop) and that sucks. But: I've now had a cake donut with amazing white frosting and coconut, and a glazed yeast donut courtesy of the fact that Buddy Brew stocks these every day. OMG they are wonderful... So, I still have not had the experience of actually being IN this place, but I have now tasted their creations - and so far, nothing but love. I just wish their hours were more accommodating.
(4)Pat D.
how does this place only have 4 reviews?! Donuts are hard to come by in tampa but this place is something special. I tried the red velvet, crumb, and oreo cookie donuts and each one was fantastic. Very dense and cakey, perfect texture. She makes all her own donuts each morning and is a very sweet lady on top. Everytime I'm in tampa im stopping at Nicolas.
(5)Will C.
If you even remotely have a passing interest in doughnuts, you must have at least one Nicola's Doughnut. These are little hidden treasures that are in incredibly high demand. The doughnut shop opens around 5 AM and is usually out of doughnuts before 11 AM. Their variety is about as wide as Dunkin Doughnuts, and their taste is simply inexplicable. I must stress the need to have one of their Crullers; It will redefine what a doughnut is to you. Once again, these doughnuts are in very high demand. Either order ahead for the next day or be prepared to wait in line for what's left.
(5)Mui Mui K.
Made a special out of way trip to Nicola's as I'm in Tampa for a few days. Got two cake (red velvet and pumpkin), a special butterfinger raised, and a long john. In terms of the donuts themselves, they were ok texture wise. The red velvet was a tad too sweet. The pumpkin was recommended and the flavor was good. The butterfinger was yummy. The long john has a lot of toppings. Overall I'm a bit disappointed after reading all the reviews plus the fact that I drove an extra 45mins to get there.
(3)Michael P.
This place has the best doughnuts on the planet, their icing is sweet, but not put you into a diabetic coma sweet. Just perfect. Their prices are very good too, just 85 cents for a single doughnut. Overall, this place is an eyesore for the tampa bay area and I recommend this place to anyone who is a doughnut lover like me. Hats of to you Nicola's!
(5)Shaun S.
The best donuts in Tampa. I am never disappointed and donuts are always baked fresh daily.. Check this place out if you are in to locally made donuts rather than chain store donuts
(5)Magnus T.
great donuts destroyed by cheep HFCS filling
(2)James R.
I rarely eat donuts, but when I do I am going to go to Nicola's. They have a wide selection & all their donuts taste fresh & delicious. They close early, so get there before noon & hope they are not sold out. Best donuts I have ever had!
(5)Moki C.
Get there early...because they are so good they sell out! I dropped in on my way to ...wait for it...yoga...I got a sprinkle, Nutella filled, and Reese's PB. The Nutella filled donut could have done with a tidge more filling, but the sprinkles is the best I've had yet and the Reese's was plenty peanut buttery. Donuts are about $1 each. SUPER donuts for SUPER CHEAP!
(4)David H.
Yummy donuts! You know this place is good when the door says 5:30am - 12pm "Or when all sold out" The donuts are big, fluffy, and just damn good. Huge selection to choose from.
(4)Teddy B.
if you like dounts, omg this is the place they are huge and sweet and yummy but you better get here quick because they sell fast.
(4)Gwendolyn F.
The best in Tampa!!! They are so worth it! I wish they didn't close so early. You have to get there early.
(5)Ashley B.
The best donuts in Tampa! Although the location isn't convenient, it's worth the drive! Any time I stop by Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme I leave disappointed. Not so at Nicola's. If you want to be a hero, bring a box of Nicolas to the office. You'll get a gold star for sure! But be warned, you want to stop by early. Once they sell out, they close for the day.
(5)Addison P.
The donuts are amazing. They have a weekly special flavor that is varied and amazing. If you want the special on a week other than it's normal rotation, you just have to special order them a day before and order a minimum of 2 dozen. I've had a couple problems trying to order them on a week other than their normal rotation, but now that the rules are laid out and clear, it seems to be working....all in all a great place and they know you by name when you walk in...how could you not love that?
(4)Zachary O.
As a 200+ plus pound midwestern boy, I know a thing or two about donuts. Nicola's are the best I have ever eaten , period. I really prefer savory foods, but I now eat at least 6 Nicola's donuts a week. Every week. The first week I went with my fiancee, we arrived at about 10:30. There were two or three varieties left, the sad unwanteds. We bought three. They were great. I think I was eating the vanilla glazed when I thought (outloud, somewhat embarassingly) "this is the best donut ever." I resolved to return posthaste. The next weekend, we arrived earlier. A much better selection was available. We bought a half dozen, and each was phenomenal. The next weekend, we bought a dozen. We ate them all that day. The next weekend, we bought a dozen. We ate them all that day. I don't think I have missed a weekend since. The Busch location is not in as nice as a building, but parking is easier. Also (at least on weekend), they don't run out as early in the morning. The Carollwood (N Dale Mabry) location has at least a little seating, which the Busch location does not. It is in a big strip mall with lots of traffic, which I guess some people prefer. My personal favorites: chocolate iced sprinkle raised, chocolate vanilla iced coconut, and the eerily melty creullers. Conclusion: Nicola's is no more expensive than DD or KK, is owned locally, and is just unquestionably better than any donut I have had in this town, or anywhere else. My only advice: get there early, and buy a dozen. You will regret it if you don't.
(5)Karen U.
the absolute best doughnuts ever!!! Chocolate coconut is delish! Get there early though because when they are out, they close.
(5)Bonnie S.
great donut shop - ordered an assortment of powered with vanilla creme, maple glazed cake and chocolate frosted filled vanilla - these fried dough rings have a fantastic fresh doughy smell and super yumo taste - definitely worth getting up before noon 4 these tasty suckers .....
(4)Anthony C.
Best donuts around. This is the only place in Tampa I have found to get a good homemade donut. When I moved to Tampa I lived near this place and loved stopping by for a quick cinnamon roll. I have moved away, and forgot how much I miss this place until a co-worker brought in a dozen this morning. If your in the Carrolwood area, you must swing by, but like everyone says, come early, or call ahead to be sure to get your favorite.
(5)Mark P.
Ahhh the sweet smell of donuts overcame me when I entered. That got my experience off to a great start but only got better from there. The super nice owner, Rachel, greeted me promptly and explained the various options - the cakey ones, the yeasty ones, the gluten-free ones, the specialty ones, the muffins, the bear claws, I could go on and on. So many choices, only one belly. And it was 2pm and I should've been eating lunch, not donuts. Finally decided on a vanilla nut donut and grabbed a Starbucks frapuccino from the fridge (since the fresh-brewed coffee you can only get hot). But since there is a $5 minimum to use a card, I got another one - a large Boston Cream eclair donut (not sure of proper name). Then I realized with a Yelp check in/purchase, you get a free one! So I added a maple donut to my order. I ate 1.5 donuts while I was there - both fresh and airy...I especially enjoyed the cream in the Boston Cream. Not really any crazy flavors like another donut shop closer to me but if I were in the area, I would definitely stop in for an afternoon snack.
(5)Paige C.
Nicola's donut, full of glaze, the coffee is with thee. Blessed shop. I have a little bit of a donut obsession. It's one of the main reasons I go to church. And Nicola's is like Tampa's donut Cathedral. It's not much to look at on the outside, but inside, beautiful variations on the humble cake and yeast arise. Colorfully topped with the most expensive of breakfast cereals. Cinnamon rolls nearly the size of Baby Jesus' head. And I swear I saw a silhouette of Guadelupe on that Apple Fritter. This is a place to simply get your donuts and go. No wasting time. Machine made coffee that goes perfect with a fresh plain cake. My personal favs are the classics--Sour cream, fritter, and chocolate glazed plain cake. There is something to be said for these over the more crazy yeast donut adulterations. But I won't judge your choices, just like in church.
(5)Kathy D.
Nicola ' s has been in Tampa for centuries. A few location changes, but with great products, comes growth. Love the fact it is an indie & still going strong after all these years. In this case the early bird truly gets the best variety of doughnuts, pastries, muffins, cupcakes... They open early at 5 AM & once they sell out, that's it for the day. Over the years zi have tried a wide variety of goodies, freshly baked and never been disappointed. Their baked goods are ample in size, cooked with love & quality ingredients & who doesn't love fresh baked goods. I am seldom up that early, unless it is from the night before. Out of habit, if I am driving by, my car has a mind of it's own. Itjust pulls in.occasionally latter in the morning you might luck out & find a few of your favorites still available. Love Nicola's, best in Tampa, in my humble opinion. What's a girl to do? Sometimes ya gotta do what makes you happy & not what makes you healthy.
(5)Karen F.
This tiny doughnut shop is most frequently requested by my office when I stop to pick up breakfast on the way in. My boss says the cake doughnuts "... are as good as New York doughnuts" which is apparently very high praise. They have cake donuts and raised donuts, jelly and cream filled ones, sprinkles and chocolate covered, seasonal ones (i.e. pumpkin donuts for Fall), and an exotic weekly special like Peanut Butter n Jelly or Smores. They also have specialty pastries - their cinnamon 'twirls' are my very favorite. Freshly baked every morning, if you don't get there early, you don't get doughnuts. They lock the front door as soon as they sell out.
(4)Taylor G.
I've been going to Nicola's ever since I was a kid when my parents used to take me every Saturday for breakfast. Now that I've moved back to the area, I'm back there just about every weekend again. I had never had a sour cream donut until my girlfriend forced one on me during our first trip. Now it's my favorite thing and Nicola's makes the best sour cream donuts there are. I bought her a cupcake on her birthday and it was incredible. You would think that premade cupcakes would dry out after sitting out for awhile but this one was still moist. It was giant and just enough to share. The prices are very reasonable especially for the quality. This is the best donut shop in Tampa. I only wish Nicola's was open late so I could get donuts whenever I want.
(5)Jaimie T.
The sour cream donuts are amazing. We go just about every week since we moved a few blocks away! The staff is mostly friendly and the selection is fantastic. I also had one of their gourmet cookies and cream cupcakes for my birthday and it was fantastic, too! I have yet to find something at Nicola's that I did not like.
(5)Nicolas L.
Nicola's is a highly rated donut shop that has been featured on several "Best of" lists and I finally got the opportunity to visit yesterday morning. Unfortunately, my experience was very disappointing. We arrived around 8:30 am and were delighted to see a large selection of beautiful, unique, and appetizing donuts. We were a little worried our options would be limited since the shop has been known to run out but this was not even close to being a problem. The selection was a little overwhelming so it took a couple minutes to decide what we wanted. The employee behind the counter seemed annoyed by this and skipped us to take the order of another customer who had literally just walked into the shop (the only other customer in the shop while we were there). After taking this customer's order, the employee went to the back and started chatting with another employee completely ignoring the fact that we were ready to order. The employee in the back essentially told the employee in the front to keep an eye out for their boss (or "the warden") and one of the employee's expressed that they would not do any cleaning around the shop unless explicitly told to do so by their boss. The employee in the front finally came back and took our order. I don't normally comment about service unless it's really bad or really good. In this case I was shocked that an establishment with such a good reputation would have such rude and disinterested employees. The donuts themselves were unique but pretty average. I tried the Snickers, PB & J, Maple Bacon, Sour Cream, Apple Crumble, and Brownie Brittle Donuts. My favorite of these was the Brownie Brittle that had a nice chocolate flavor and soft sweet brownies on top. The Apple Crumble had a nice apple pie like filling and the PB&J was just like eating a PB&J sandwich with raspberry jam in donut form. However, the donuts were dense and not as fluffy as they should have been. The icings and fillings tasted pretty generic and the Maple Bacon was way to salty. Overall, the donuts were satisfying but you could get similar quality donuts at well-known chain donut shops.
(3)Steve E.
Nicola's Donuts have been featured as one of the Best Donuts in America by Travel and Leisure magazine, and voted "Best Donuts in Tampa" by the Tampa Tribune. I often drive-by Nicola's on Busch Boulevard on my way to / from various appointments, but thankfully I'm either in a big hurry or it's well after the shop has closed for the day. Otherwise I'd be stopping for donuts on a more regular basis, and that wouldn't be good for the diet. You'll find the main Nicola's Donut Shop on Busch Boulevard at the intersection of North Blvd, and diagonally across the street from Chamberlain High School. This location opens at 5:30 am and has generally sold out by 11 am. There's a second location in Carrollwood on N. Dale Mabry near the intersection of Ehrlich Road, and they stay open later in the day. Nicola's is a family-owned and operated success story that has been pumping out the tasty treats for well over 30 years. Their menu is made up of donuts, pastries (including muffins and fruit turnovers), and cupcakes. Everything is cooked in small batches so that the trays of pastries are incredibly fresh. Once they run out, that's it, and they will be closed until the next day. For a sneak peak of the many varieties of donuts on sale, please look at this site: nicolasdonuts.com/our-me… In my humble opinion, these donuts are more dense and less airy than their chain store competitors, and so you're getting more dough and less whipped air, which makes for a tastier donut. My morning was off to a good start when I snagged a chocolate cake donut with chocolate frosting. YUM!!!!
(4)Daisy D.
I don't get it. Maybe I set my expectations too high. But after having delicious donuts from both sides of the coast - Donut Man in Glendora ( yelp.com/biz/the-donut-m… ) and Cinotti's ( yelp.com/biz/cinottis-ba… ) in my hometown - Nicola's just didn't match up. At least not to me. Don't get me wrong - the Fruity Pebbles donut was definitely a treat. But the nature of the donut icing & cereal combination causes the cereal 'pebbles' to get a little soft. The cake on the red velvet iced donut was good, but I could have gone for a nice glaze on it to balance out the amount of cake you have. My husband tried the PB&J: peanut butter topped with jelly filling. The PB was plentiful but the jelly filling was only on one side of the donut. We're used to almost too much filling that we have more filling than donut. And the cinnamon bun with strawberry (we're not sure if that's what it's really called) reminded him of the Strawberry Donut from Donut Man (see link above) but fell way short of his expectations. Fresh strawberries & strawberry spread really just don't match up. We would give them another shot and definitely support them rather than one of the national chains but now that we've set the bar, we know what to expect next time.
(3)Jill L.
GET THE SOUR CREAM DONUT! Except don't, because I want them all for myself. Don't be fooled by the dingy strip mall, this place is the real deal. It's a small shop but they generally have a good variety. My personal favorites are the sour cream donut (as if you didn't already know) and the blueberry cake donut. Their frosting is a little too sugary for me and tends to crumble, so I usually go for the glazed options over frosted. Get there early because they do sell out!
(4)Francisco W.
Best donuts hands down but make sure you reserve a few. Nicola's donuts fly off the shelf.
(5)Jamie O.
Donuts were ok kind of expected more out of the visit. They had interesting options like the brownie crunch donut however supplies were limited and service was not the best. Our visit was lackluster
(3)Natasha P.
For years I have been driving past Nicolas and I'll finally stop in this morning to try it out. Talk about heaven. So many yummy99 options to choose from. I totally agree will all the reviews stating that it is the BEST IN TAMPA. My ultimate favorites are the powdered red velvet and the regular powdered donuts. My church St. Tim's every Sunday give out Nicolas donuts for donations I was told. I seriously don't think there any better donuts in the world as compared to Nicolas. I had an extreme hard time picking out what wanted, they all looked so delicious and mouth watering. I love that the donuts are made fresh everyday so the earlier you get there the better other wise once they are all gone, that is it for the day, than you will have to wait for tomorrow. I will for sure stop at Nicolas more often especially since I drive by it everyday to work.
(5)Elizabeth S.
Maybe I didn't go early enough in the day (went at 8am on a Sunday) but they didn't have a huge selection. Picked a fruity pebbles donut and the donut itself was delicious and looked beautiful, but the icing had made the fruity pebbles soft and a little soggy. But overall the donut was delicious, large, and well-worth an early wake up call. Excited to try another flavor soon!
(4)Wilhelm R.
Delicious donuts! I don't usually even like donuts but theirs are fantastic.
(5)Elizabeth D.
A donut a day makes your troubles go away. If there were a chance that that could be true, Nicola's could be my therapist. Sweet, preservative-free, chewy heaven. So delicious that you better buy enough to share because you won't want to sacrifice a single bite. The Busch location closes early so make sure you wake up early enough to grab some before I buy them out!
(5)Mary Beth W.
Pretty dang good! I LOVE their Vanilla Glazed donut and the Maple Glazed is awesome. The Maple & Bacon tastes a lil like something you've had before - I've been eating those since I lived in LA and the concept is the same. Worth the early morning drive.
(4)