Bear Donut is a new brand from Suhum Jang, Owner of the Michelin-recognized modern Asian restaurant Hortus NYC and Marketing Director Honey Kim founder of ARTIPS, a beauty brand.
Bear Donut is a reimagined retro American donut shop with South Korean flair. The new shop in NoMad will be baking fresh donuts twice daily, the first batch arriving at the counter at 10am and the next, 2pm, in three varieties of signature donuts developed by Jang: Bear Donuts, chewy and crispy donuts made with sweet rice flour in a bubble-ring shape dressed with powdered or glazed toppings like Powdered Sugar or Cheddar and Lavender or Pink Chocolate Glaze; Glazed Donuts, classic ring-shaped donuts also made with sweet rice flour in flavors ranging from Classic glaze to a sour Grapefruit Poppy; and specialty light and airy brioche Cream Puff Donuts, perfectly round and double the height of the other donut varieties filled with such options as Double Milk Tea and Matcha Custard, each topped with powdered sugar and Dirty Choco, filled with Nutella and glazed with semi-sweet chocolate.
The shop will also feature house-made soft serve ice cream, in milk and Thai Iced Tea flavors, as well as specialty drinks Bear Draft Milk and Draft Oat Milk in such flavors as Cheddar Cheese, Black Sesame, and Lavender, all developed by Jang. Bear Donut also features coffee from La Colombe in the forms of fresh brew, cold brew, draft latte, and Bear Donut Coffee, a coffee float made of iced or hot coffee with milk soft serve.
Bear Donut’s logo was designed by South Korean graphic designer Jo In Hyuk, who is known for his “newtro” artwork, a combination of “new” and “retro”, referring to the trend of “modernized retro”.
Bear Donut’s interior is bathed in white, giving it a clean, retro feel with beautiful menu boards, a high ceiling and large windows. The large white marble counter features a window to showcase the fresh donuts, allowing customers to eat with their eyes before deciding on which donuts to try. Opposite the counter is mural of the Bear Donut logo painted by EunHea Kim, as well as branded shirts, hats, and coffee mugs designed by the Bear Donut team.
