A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

SEEN IN VANCOUVER #345: A Day In The Life Of Gastown’s New “Cartems Donuterie”

Cartems Donuterie co-owner Jordan Cash tables the first batch of fresh donuts this morning at 408 Carral Street

It’s only been open for 7 days, but Cartems Donuterie has been a smash hit from the gate. They’ve seen their sales go from 60 donuts on day 1 to over 400 today. Pretty impressive, and perfectly understandable. The quality is definitely there – today’s maple bacon special was amazeballs – and there’s been a gaping hole [insert shitty donut pun here] in Vancouver’s donut department since as long as we can remember, Lee’s and Duffin’s notwithstanding. We returned this morning to eyeball the arc of its day, and boy…if we blinked too many times we would have missed it. Donut porn, anyone?

  • Cartems is located on the southeast corner of Hastings and Carrall (408 Carrall)
  • Door detail | Awaiting the opening of Cartems Donuterie
  • Let us in, damn it! | Cartems Donuterie
  • At last...choices | Morning selection at Cartems Donuterie
  • Gluten Free Donuts | Cartems Donuterie
  • co-owner Jordan Cash | Cardems Donuterie
  • Demand quickly outweighs supply | Cartems Donuterie
  • Cartems' rad delivery cart |  Cardems Donuterie
  • The Classic, yup. So good.
  • Earl Grey Donut | Cartems Donuterie
  • The rush begins in full swing | Cardems Donuterie
  • Cartems Donuterie Maple Bacon (amazing) | Cartems Donuterie
  • Carrot Donut | Cartems Donuterie
  • Sweet Heat | chocolate, cinnamon, chilies | Cartems Donuterie
  • Triple Chocolate Threat | Cartems Donuterie
  • To Go | Cartems Donuterie
  • Cartems Donuterie (Earl Grey and Carrot) | Cartems Donuterie
  • Box detail | Cartems Donuterie
  • Jordan works the non-stop rush | Cartems Donuterie
  • Katie with Donut | Cartems Donuterie
  • And just like that, poof! They're all gone.
———————————————————————————————————————–

As you can see, the place quickly becomes a bit of a madhouse almost as soon as the doors get unlocked at 10:00am. Today, it was hardly three hours later when they had to lock up, and that after a full re-supply at noon. If you can’t make it down because you’re chained to a desk, don’t sweat it. They deliver by bicycle to pretty much the entirety of the downtown core, so if you want to make your co-workers stoked (or jealous), don’t hesitate to order online.

Sadly, the fresh donut pop-up is only at its 408 Carrall St. address (sub-leased by Sean Heather) for the next six months. On account of its immediate success, we imagine they’ll find something more permanent soon.

EVERYTHING SEEN IN VANCOUVER

There are 12 comments

  1. They’re a great addition to our Woodland Smokehouse Commissary. We all got to try a hella lot of donuts while they were tweaking their recipes and I can attest to the fact that they deffinetly put a lot of effort into getting things done right.
    Swing by the commissary and you can get them straight from the fryer!

  2. i liked it much better the first time when it was called “Voodoo Donuts”.

  3. Pablo you’re a joke. Insinuating that since Cartems serves donuts that are not run of the mill they are ripping off Voodoo. What about Top Pot? What about Fonuts? What about Doughnut Plant? What about Stan’s? Are they all copying Voodoo as well or is that the only unique Donut shop you knew of? Just be happy Vancouver finally has a place doing donuts proud, regardless of whoever is doing it elsewhere.

  4. thank you @donut protector!!
    the world has information at their fingertips and quite frankly this is the most positive thing for the conservative Vancouverite, good ideas come from creative & positive influence and most great ideas were inspired from somewhere … i might sound like a flower child when I say “can’t we all nice to each other and be friends?” maybe doesn’t work all the time, but if you are local gastowner, we support anyone who makes their ideas or concepts real and works hard to make it happen
    I heard about Jordan Cash’s donuts over the summer and am super pleased we are fortunate enough to have him in the neighbourhood, between 4 of us neighbours, we’ve already bought 20 donuts since Wednesday and we plan to go as often as we can to show this pop up shop is worthy

  5. Loving this new addition to the G-town hood! Snuck a few out of a neighbour’s dozen the other day and am HOOKED. I’ll be elbowing grannies out of the way come Saturday to get my own Earl Grey donut, I can tell you that right now 🙂

  6. Well, I for one am very excited to pop by tomorrow and get my paws on one of these. I’ve heard nothing but extraordinary things. If you see me, back off, cuz I’m gunning for the days’ selections.

  7. A welcome addition to the neighbourhood. Ordered a dozen on Tuesday and they were amazing. Can’t wait for my next dozen.

  8. Finally – I ate four in 1/2 an hour. Earl Grey donut x 2 – gone. Triple Threat Choco donut – see ya later. Carrot Cake donut – dunzo. I had to put the box at the top of my closet out reach of my greedy hands.

  9. I agree with donut protector, there will always be something that is similar out there to compare with. Voodoo, Honeys, etc. Atleast there are people out there like Cartems that is trying and will succeed with there donuterie. And if you think this place tastes too much or looks too much like Voodoo …. then don’t go.

    More donuts for the donut whores …. specially when they’re on bikes!! Yum, yum, yum!

    Thanks guys, and I’ve told everyone on a bike about this place! Perfect for rolling in and getting some roundful goodness.

Scenes from Last Night’s Dine Out World Chef Exchange at The Acorn

The event saw a special collaboration between The Acorn and Wilsons from Bristol, UK. Although I wasn’t among the lucky ones to score a spot at either of the sold out seatings, I was invited to slip by pre-service for a glimpse of what was to come.

Yes Shef: An Evening In Images

A lineup of BC's most talented women working in the hospitality sector come together in in the Star Sapphire Ballroom at the Fairmont Pacific Rim for an exceptional cause at the WORTH (Women of Recreation, Tourism & Hospitality) Association's Yes Shef event...

Why Did Vancouver Make Front Yard Businesses Illegal?

In the latest video from the Vancouver-curious YouTube channel 'About Here', we learn of a terrible NIMBY move of yore.

This Mt. Pleasant Restaurant Features ‘Sadio’, the ‘World’s Saddest Patio’

Most nearby restaurants were allowed temporary patio permits. Wallflower was denied theirs, but it hasn't broken their spirit.