Kyle here. I recently asked Axios readers to share your favorite doughnuts in the Twin Cities. The suggestions … do-nut disappoint.

The big picture: Taken together, your recommendations are a guide to the metro's most beloved doughnuts.

• I tried more than 30 creations from the places you suggested just to make sure. (Tough assignment, I know.)

Taking the cake: More readers name-drop Minneapolis skyway favorite Cardigan Donuts (8 votes) than any other spot.

• Right behind it are Bogart's (7), Minnetonka's YoYo (7), Golden Valley's Funner Brothers (6), and Minneapolis mainstays Mel-O-Glaze (5) and Glam Doll (4).

The fluffy middle: Prestige doughnut-makers get a lot of reader love, but so do simpler bakeries where a dozen generally costs less than $20:

• Donut Hut (7 votes) is a big deal in Little Canada, as is Sarah Jane's Bakery in Northeast.
• Bloomington's Sunrise serves "classic, simple doughnuts … with excellent execution," Zach D. tells us.

The gooey intrigue: As I suspected, nearly a dozen readers swore the metro's best doughnuts are at grocery stores or gas stations.

What we're all (secretly?) saying: "I frickin' love me a good Holiday crème filled long john!" writes Katie M.

Here are the 10 baked treats readers recommended that I can't stop thinking about.

What I did: I visited 15 bakeries. At each place, I bought one specialty treat — not always a doughnut — and one staple variety, like a plain glazed.

What I found …

Cardigan's old fashioned doughnut (Minneapolis): Creamy consistency, pleasant almond finish, strong church basement vibes. $2.85

Bogart's brown butter (Minneapolis & St. Louis Park): Rich toffee notes and fluffy pastry. The fresher the better, so get to the bakeries early. $3.50

The Heights Bakery's raised glazed (Columbia Heights): A springy, brioche-like crumb that manages to be moist without being oily. $1.60

Funner Brothers' giant doughnut hole (Golden Valley): Frying a ball of dough this massive to get a soft golden exterior and a delicate interior without a hint of doughiness feels like a real achievement. $1.50

Dufner's chocolate with sprinkles (Plymouth): Well-raised dough, golden crust and frosting that balances sweet and bitter cocoa. $1.89

Puffy Cream Donuts Plus' chocolate Bismarck (Eagan): Silky, whipped filling makes them "drive-worthy doughnuts," as Rena R. puts it. $2.59

Donut Star's almond buttercream bar (Burnsville & Lakeville): As decadent as a slice of cake, but light enough for the breakfast nook. $2.50

Donut Hut's chocolate with nuts (Little Canada): The best of the cake doughnuts I tried. $1.95

Mel-O-Glaze's apple fritter (Minneapolis): I came into this taste test thinking Mel-O-Glaze was overrated for drowning interesting flavors in sugar.

• But gosh darnit, their apple fritter was just as Kent K. describes — "big, apple-y and wonderful" — and the glaze wasn't overpowering. Credit where it's due! $3

Baker's Wife's American tea cake (Minneapolis): Not a doughnut, but the treat I could've kept eating all day. A croissant-like roll frosted with sugar — but not a "cronut." $4.25

The full list of reader faves

🐟 Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders head to Crosslake tomorrow to cast lines for the annual fishing opener.

• What we're watching: Whether they hook a budget deal on the water, if they don't reach one by today.

⛪️ The new pope hails from the Midwest. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who grew up in the Chicago area, was elected as the 267th leader of the Catholic Church yesterday. (Axios)

• Prevost, who will be known as Leo XIV, is the first American pope.

The two Burnsville police officers killed during a 2024 domestic call will be added to a national memorial honoring fallen officers this weekend. (KARE 11)

• The firefighter-paramedic slain in the same incident was recently added to the National Wall of Fallen Firefighters.

"Sometimes most of the crowd won't go up to the bar for anything."

Why it matters: Booze sales drive venue revenues, the Star Tribune reports.

The intrigue: A survey last year suggested slow bar sales may be one reason why musicians here are paid less.

What we're watching: Venues are stocking up on nonalcoholic options and looking for other ways to boost revenues as concertgoers drink less.

• "It's a trend we saw coming, but we still haven't really found a solution," First Avenue general manager Nate Kranz told the Strib.

Go deeper via the Star Tribune

🗓️ Mark your calendar with our Event Board.

Urban Classic - The Music of Earth, Wind and Fire at Main Stage Showroom on May 23: Urban Classic, Minneapolis' latest funk, soul, and R&B band, returns to Crooners to present once again an evening of hit songs by one of the greatest bands in history: Earth, Wind & Fire. $54.63-$65.80.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

A new state law aims to clear the way for more Minnesotans to step up to train service dogs.

Why it matters: These crucial canine companions make a major difference for people with disabilities.

The big picture: Groups that train service dogs say one of their biggest challenges is finding volunteers who are willing and able to raise and socialize the animals.

• One barrier, Can Do Canines executive director Jeff Johnson says, was that laws protecting people with service dogs from housing discrimination didn't apply to trainers.

How it works: The bipawtisan legislation, which Walz signed into law yesterday, limits landlords and HOAs from placing restrictions or extra charges on residents who are training an animal through an accredited organization.

What they're saying: Lydia Roseth, a college student at Hamline University, said she was able to do more academically and socially since receiving her service dog Flint in February.

• "He has not only changed my life, but he has saved my life," she told reporters.

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