Great Chicago spots for National Doughnut Day

🍩 Monica's pick: I went to Downstate Donuts in Uptown for potato doughnuts on the recommendation of readers Susan S. and Mark Hamill, but the force wasn't with me.

• They'd run out of product and closed by 11:30am. Next time I'll get there at 7am.
• So I headed to Lincoln Park for Bill H. and Sheila G.'s suggestion of all-vegan Beacon Doughnuts sold from a colorful window in an alley off Armitage near the old Charlie Trotter.
• I tried the lemon curd beignet ($3.95), strawberry churro ($3.95) and vanilla bean cronut ($4.25), which were a little dense but fantastic after I took them home for a quick warmup in the toaster oven.

🍩 Justin's pick: I am eating for Daniel G. and Jori H., who chose Impallaria Bakery in Bridgeport. The Italian bakery and deli has been on South Wallace Street for almost 75 years.

• You can get pizzas, loaves of bread and various Italian cookies, but I went for the doughnuts. I tried the old-fashioned, chocolate cake doughnut, and the Bismarck.
• The doughnuts were just over $2 each, and they were delicious.

🍩 Carrie's pick: Shout-out to Barbara G. and Rhonda H. for introducing me to Reuter's on the edge of Montclare and Elmwood Park. This is your classic bakery where you take a ticket at the door and the glass cases are stacked with trays of Italian cookies.

• Both my fellow doughnut lovers suggested the chocolate cake doughnut ($1.59), which had smooth, fresh icing and a lemony flavor inside.
• I also tried the marshmallow creme horn ($2.75) and buttermilk doughnut ($1.59), which are worth the trip.

Pro-tip: Eat your haul at beautiful Riis Park.

More reader recommendations:

Weber's Bakery: Scott S. says "the chocolate donut will change your life."

Sweet Circle in Elmhurst: Beverly T. loves the Mexican mole doughnut.

Fiene's Donuts in Naperville: Patricia S. thinks these are more than fine.

Do-Rite Donuts: Recommended by Tina L. and Olivia O., who says the "lemon pistachio is amazing" and reminds that you can enter to win a year of doughnuts from Do-Rite here.

Rudy's Bakery in Roscoe Village: Quinn M. recommends the "cinnamon sugar or chocolate frosted that are less than a buck each!"

Bennison's Bakery in Evanston recommended by Gary G. and Don M., who likes the "chocolate frosted cake donut, maple bacon long john, red velvet" but prefers the "croissant donut."

Dip and Sip Donuts in Glenview: John H. calls it "excellent."

Somethin' Sweet Donut Shop in Albany Park: Leah C. especially loves their "Too Good to Go" deals.

Firecakes Donuts: Simone C. loves the Valrhona chocolate iced here and says the pastries "melt in your mouth."

The Doughnut Vault in River North: Recommended by Karim M. and Kyle K., who says, "Getting there early on a Saturday morning, sitting in the sun with doughnut and coffee is THE best way to feel like a main character in Chicago."

Huck Finn's: Paul F. goes for the "old fashioned or double chocolate cake."

2d Restaurant in Lakeview: Bob. K. loves these chewy, crisp Japanese/Taiwanese mochi-doughnuts and recommends "trying the less sweet purple ube. If I didn't live in the suburbs, I'd be there every week."

Joe Donut in Glenview: Christine W. recommends the salted caramel old-fashioned.

Beverly Bakery: Mary N. loves the vanilla doughnuts.

Old Fashioned Donuts in Roseland: Jori H. recommends the frosted cake variety but also the namesake doughnut in "all varieties - plain, cinnamon, frosted."

Wolf's Bakery in Evanston: Sara M. steers you to the cake doughnut with chocolate frosting.

Wheeling Donuts in Wheeling: Chester M. gets the blueberry and chocolate-covered cake varieties.

Country Donuts in Crystal Lake: Christine W. says the 'nuts here are "even better than Spunky Dunkers in Palatine, and that's saying something."