If you’ve ever been to Disney Springs, you know the scene: the long, hopeful line snaking out of Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew, with people waiting patiently for those picture-perfect, over-the-top donut creations. The hype is real.
So, when I heard Everglazed was opening a location right here in Carrollwood, I was intrigued. After the abrupt and sad closure of Duck Donuts, our neighborhood had a serious donut-shaped hole in its heart. We were blessed with a new option, and a famous one at that!
I headed over recently to see if that Disney-level magic translated to a local strip mall.
The Honest Taste Test
I wanted to love it. I really did. But to be honest, my experience was… well, nothing to write home about.
I kept it simple to get a good baseline:
- The Classic Glazed: This is the benchmark for any donut shop, right? It was… okay. The donut itself was fine, but it didn’t have that airy, melt-in-your-mouth quality that makes you close your eyes. It was a solid, perfectly acceptable donut, but not one I’d be dreaming about.
- The Frosted Donut: This is where I hit a wall. For me, the icing on a frosted donut can make or break it, and this one just missed the mark. I didn’t like the icing at all. It had a texture and sweetness that just wasn’t working for me, and it completely overpowered the donut underneath.
My Final Verdict (and a Wish)
Look, I’m genuinely happy Carrollwood has another donut shop. More options are always better, and having a brand with the pull of Everglazed is exciting for the area.
But did it live up to the hype? For me, not this time. It’s a decent spot if you’re nearby, but it’s not the game-changing donut mecca I was hoping for.
And it got me thinking. You know what Tampa really needs? This is just my personal opinion, but I am putting this energy out into the universe: We need a Voodoo Doughnut.
We need that bold, weird, wonderful, pink-box magic. We need the bacon maple bars and the cereal-covered creations.
Until that day comes, Everglazed will do. But the search for Tampa’s truly great donut continues.
What we really need and want is another “Sweet Tomatoes”. They had the freshest and best food. No meat, except in some of the soups. But the veggies, breads, soups and desserts were great. I know it was covid that made them go out of business. I’m not a vegetarian. But I always enjoyed the food and never left hungry!