American Doughnut Kitchen Prahran

For years, American Doughnut Kitchen has been pumping out golden, jam-filled gems from its Queen Victoria Market van. Co-owner Belinda Donaghey – whose maternal grandfather, Arnold Bridges, purchased the business over 70 years ago – says the truck sells about 150 kilos worth of the doughnuts on weekdays and 400 kilos on weekends.

The German-style doughnuts (the business was known as German Doughnut Kitchen when Bridges bought it in 1950) are a nostalgic favourite for many Melburnians. The truck – which originally travelled around the city, rolling into events like Moomba and even the 1956 Olympics – has been a Vic Market staple since the ’50s.

Now, Donaghey and her husband are finally opening a second location – this time at the Prahran Market.

Unlike at the Queen Vic Market, where the business is run entirely out of a van (rolling, filling, frying and all), the Prahran Market operation will be housed in a bricks-and-mortar shop overlooking the market square.

Marketgoers will be able to see the doughnut production line, and Donaghey says the new back-of-house section will allow them to add some extra fillings and flavours to the offering. While the classic raspberry- and plum jam-filled doughnuts will remain the signature, she says there could be some special collaborations with other market vendors once the store opens this autumn.

“There’s something a little bit wild that we’re considering at the moment,” she tells Broadsheet. While she’s keeping mum for now, we’re hoping for something cheesy involving Maker & Monger.

American Doughnut Kitchen Prahran is set to open at Prahran Market this autumn.