Noted, one of the most popular donut chains in Korea, is loved for its wide variety of donuts and unique flavors.
Using fresh ingredients and a meticulous production process, the donuts are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, with colorful toppings that enhance their rich flavor.
The Milk Cream Donut, Earl Grey Donut, and Lemon Sugar Donut are particularly popular, and they currently offer new strawberry-flavored menu items as well.
Hello, donut enthusiasts searching for the best donut shops! Today, I'm going to introduce you to the top 3 most famous donut shops in Korea. I'll be showcasing Noted, Randy's Donuts, and Old Ferry Donuts, each captivating palates with their sweet allure and rich flavors. But for today, let's start with Noted!
Noted
<Source: Namu Wiki>
Noted is one of the most popular donut chains in Korea, beloved for its unique flavors and wide variety. Crafted with fresh ingredients and meticulous attention, the donuts feature a delightful balance of crispy exteriors and chewy interiors. The sweetness is further enhanced by rich toppings, elevating the taste experience. One of Noted's signature products, the Crunch Cream Donut, is particularly adored for its distinctive texture and smooth cream filling.
In Seoul, there are numerous branches centered around the Cheongdam flagship store, and they have expanded their reach to Busan, Suwon, Jeju Island, and even Daejeon. Depending on the size of the store, the menu might vary slightly, with not all locations offering the entire range of donuts.
Initially starting as a small bakery, Noted focused on developing its donut menu as they gained popularity. They also transformed the store's ambiance into a whimsical, American vintage cartoon concept, which further boosted its fame through social media.
<Source: Namu Wiki>
Noted has two main mascot characters: 'Smiley' and 'Sugar Bear'. The smiley face and bear characters add a cute, whimsical touch, and their vibrant image seems to further enhance Noted's overall appeal.
Besides the main characters, there's also a Noted-exclusive song, 'Happy Knotted', created in collaboration with AKMU's Lee Su-hyun. If you're an AKMU fan who enjoys Su-hyun, you might want to check it out.
<Source: Noted> Various donuts from Noted. They are served in cute Noted character paper cups.
Since Noted became famous for its donuts, they are the main menu item. The menu is broadly divided into donuts, scones, cookies, croffles, and cafe drinks.
The donuts include Noted Glazed Donut, Milk Cream Donut (signature menu), Classic Vanilla Donut, Earl Grey Donut, Choco Pudding Donut, Raspberry Donut, Kaya Butter Donut, Lemon Sugar Donut, Strawberry Cream Donut, Mint Chocolate Cream Donut, Nurungji Caramel Donut, Green Tea Donut, Jeju Citron Donut, Udo Peanut Cream Donut, Original Ring Donut, Strawberry Jam Jam Ring Donut, Yellow Cheese Cream Ring Donut, Pistachio Orange Ring Donut, Injeolmi Cream Donut, Chal Tteol Ssuk Cream Donut, Red Bean Paste Cream Donut, Anbutter Donut, Tiramisu Donut, and more.
The signature menu is the Milk Cream Donut. It's filled with a generous amount of milk cream, which isn't overly heavy or sweet, making it less overwhelming compared to other donuts. The bread is incredibly soft, and the cream is smooth but not excessively rich. I thought it paired wonderfully with coffee.
Personally, I enjoyed the signature Milk Cream Donut, the Earl Grey Donut with its subtle Earl Grey aroma, the Lemon Sugar Donut with its sweet and tangy flavors, and the Classic Vanilla Donut with its soft, gentle vanilla fragrance! I highly recommend them!
Scones include the New York Buttermilk Scone and Choco Nutella Scone, while cookies include the Chocolate More Cookie. Croffles come in flavors like Tiramisu Croffle, Deep Chocolate Croffle, Milky Croffle, and Sugar Croffle. Cake options include Yellow Smile Cake, Mango Smile Cake, Clover Smile Cake, Pure Strawberry Junior Cake, M&M Choco Cake, Brown Bear Cake, Creamy Happen Cake, Secret Garden Cake, Happy Bunny Cake, Happy Bear Cake, Lovely Sugar Bear Cake, Snowman Smile Cake, Strawberry Ganache Cake, Merry Strawberry Cake, and more. They also recently released new strawberry-flavored donuts and drinks.
Previously, there were long queues and frequent sell-outs, making it challenging to get donuts. However, with the donut craze subsiding, it's now easier to purchase them without waiting in line.
Donuts typically range from 3,000 won to 3,800 won each. If you purchase individually and request a box, an additional 500 won will be added. For purchases of 3 or more donuts, the box is free. However, a paper bag will cost an extra 300 won.
<Source: Noted> Interior of the Cheongdam main store
Noted offers a wide array of merchandise, including collaborative products, dolls, stationery, wine, and more, often available through pop-up stores or the main shop. It seems like there's a lot to see and explore.
The Cheongdam flagship store is located at 1F, 15, Dosan-daero 53-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It's open daily from 09:00 to 21:00, and the phone number is 070-8860-9377. For orders, please visit https://knotted-order.com/!
That concludes our introduction to Noted Donuts, the first in our Donut Shop series. In the next installment, we'll delve into Randy's Donuts. Thank you!