Weekend in Roanoke: Donuts at Uptown Joe's

Last May, I did a write-up of Blue Collar Joe’s, a donut place in Daleville, VA.  Ever since that first trip, I’ve been a huge fan, and I was very excited to hear that they have set up a second location, Uptown Joe’s, in the newly refurbished Patrick Henry Building in Roanoke. 

My parents and I stopped by for donuts and coffee after having lunch in Downtown Roanoke.   Both Blue Collar and Uptown Joe’s has coffee roasted for them by Lexington Coffee Roasting Company.  That extra little touch is one of the many things that makes Upscale Joe’s more than just the typical donut and coffee joint.  My mom and dad's favorite is the Butter Pecan coffee; but, alas, the Butter Pecan wasn't available on the day.  Instead, I had a nice blend of their daily coffee with a touch of Hazelnut.

Of course, we also got donuts.  Although only around 1:00, Upscale Joe’s was on their third delivery from the main store in Daleville and were close to going through those as well.  They had my all time favorite, the “Blueberry Pancake Donut,” but I went the seasonal route and got the “Pumpkin Cheesecake” and a “Caramel Apple Pie" for later. 

Although the "Pumpkin Cheesecake" looks like a filled donut, it is actually a standard “o” cake style donut topped with a fluffy cream cheese topping.  Because of this, the donut keeps a lot of crunchiness while also having a playful fluffy gooey topping.  Then, the tangy cream cheese counterbalances the hints of pumpkin and spices to just bring the donut flavor in an continuous donut circle of warm to sweet to spicy to creamy and back.  A little donut infinity.  If you need to reset your palate, a small swig of coffee gives you a restart.     

Although a sleek new name and decor to go with the upscale new location, it is still the same old Joe.  And, the donuts still do wrong, right.  

Blue Collar Joe’s Donuts

I went over to a friend’s house for Wrestle Mania over a month ago and a friend coming up from Christiansburg, VA, had stopped and picked up donuts from a place in Daleville. I am someone who gets really excited about donuts, and so when I heard there were donuts I was already doing a happy donut wiggle. But, when I went into the kitchen, I was not prepared for the awesome sight in front of me.

Donuts with vanilla icing and pretzels.

Donuts with Oreos and cream.

Donuts with bacon.

My donut wiggle turned into a donut dance.

I immediately inquired how such an utopia existed without my donut senses tingling. So on Easter weekend, when I went home to visit my parents, I made the pilgrimage to Blue Collar Joe’s Donuts.

Blue Collar Joe’s is off Highway 81, exit 150B, and is a converted gas station. The menu features lots of coffee options, wraps, and around fifteen different donuts. The flavors include things like strawberry cheesecake, red velvet, coconut crème, cow tail, Reeses pieces, crèamsicle, and many, many others. My parents and I each got something different and I also got one to take home for my boyfriend. Here is what we got . . .

1. Nutty Buddy Donut – vanilla cake donut with chocolate frosting, caramel drizzle, ice cream nuts, and pieces of crumbled up sugar cone.
2. Blueberry Pancake Breakfast Donut—typical blueberry style cake donut made extraordinary with a maple glaze and bacon crumbs. It is breakfast with a whole in middle.
3. Chocolate Mousse Soufflé -- sweet chocolate cake donut with a light, frothy chocolate mousse on top.
4. Turtle Donut – chocolate cake donut with a caramel frosting, chocolate drizzle, and ice
   

   

   cream nuts.

They were all awesome, moist, sweet, and definitely more a dessert than a breakfast. With a cup of coffee, you feel like you are communing with a center-less ecstasy. If I had to choose the best, it would have to be the Blueberry Pancake Breakfast Donut. I like pancakes. I like blueberries. I like maple glaze. I like bacon. So, it only stands to reason, that I would love such a union of all these things.

As the band Devil’s Makes Three sings, “If you're gonna do wrong, buddy, do wrong right.” Blue Collar knows how to do wrong right.