You Need To Try This is a running archive of all the awesome drinks and delicious dishes we’ve come across over the course of our professional and private lives.

Janice Lee’s little doughnut shop in Chinatown is coming along nicely after its first month in business. The colourful, 20-seat Mello hasn’t seen much in the way of hype to date, but having paid my way backwards and forwards through the short menu of doughnuts (plus their dreamy banana pudding), watched it slowly get busier and busier, and listened to positive word of mouth whispers from the right mouths, I suspect the wider public is on the edge of catching on to its deliciousness. Frankly, I’m a little surprised there aren’t daily line-ups out the door. Because look at these darlings…

From the lemon-curd stuffed brioche-dough biggies and cake-style Old Fashioned discs to the sugar-dusted little guys filled with creamy nutella (my personal fave) — the bites are pure magic. Granted, it’s on the expensive side for a doughnut joint (a dozen at Mello is $42, compared to Cartems‘ $36 and a baker’s dozen at Lucky’s for $36.75), but the quality is unmistakable. I likely wouldn’t blink at the prices if it were located in, say, Kits, but here we are…one block from Main & Hastings…so my eyes flutter through every transaction. Are they the best doughnuts in Vancouver? Maybe. I have a long-running sacred allegiance to the honey-dipped beauties at Lee’s on Granville Island, but this is some next-level sorcery. You tell me…

Mello

Neighbourhood: Chinatown

223 East Pender St.

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