I ran into someone from my church right outside Linda's and he asked me where the best donuts were…read morein the Boston area. I told him, "We're standing right outside it, it's Linda's." He thought I was joking. I was definitely not. I LOVE Linda's.
The donuts are fresh and divine, but the people are the reason I keep going back. So imma tell you a story about why I will defend their honor til the day I die.
One time I ordered a donut and a coffee and sat down to eat. A few minutes later, one of the employees walked over holding another donut.
I said, "Oh, thank you, but I'm good."
He just smiled and said, "It's fresh, it just came out."
I took it. It was out of this world amazing.
I've made donuts at home before, and fresh donuts really _are_ different. Warm, soft, and just about the best donut I've ever had.
Here's another story: some other time, I wasn't thinking. I bought a dozen donuts for my coworkers and was gonna bring it to work, but I was on my bike that day and realized there was absolutely no way the box was fitting into my panniers. I went back in and asked if they happened to have a bag big enough to hold the box. They disappeared into the back and came out with their reusable Linda's Donuts bags. I suspected there weren't so many of them.
I asked if I could pay for it. They wouldn't let me.
I still have that bag and use it all the time, and every time someone asks me about the bag, I tell them this story.
That, my friends, is how I became a Linda's Donuts evangelist.
Re: ambiance, it's super low key. There are only four or five tables, and I've definitely sat there with friends over coffee and donuts. It's not trying to be trendy. It's just a neighborhood donut shop, and that's exactly why I like it.
I've seen people complain that Linda's runs out of donuts. FOLKS, they're a neighborhood mom-and-pop shop. They make a finite number of fresh donuts every day. Personally, I'd rather they sell out than have donuts sitting around all afternoon. If you want the best selection, get there earlier.
Maybe Kane's or Union Square Donuts are objectively better and have more variety, and fancier flavors like maple-glazed bacon doughnuts. I admit, those donuts are damn good too, but when I think of getting donuts, I always make the trip to Linda's for all the warm-fuzzies and to see all the smiling, kind people behind the counter.