Three friends opened a small doughnut shop in Mill Creek Town Center in 2009. Fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit and the recipe for a killer Salted Caramel Old Fashioned, the shop quickly gained a devoted following and nationwide acclaim.
Frost built its reputation on “evolved” doughnuts: familiar favorites with unexpected flavors and delicious twists, created using high-quality ingredients. Local fans of the sweet treats lined up to taste the Smoky Bacon Maple Bars, Root Beer Float Bismarcks, and Southern Red Velvets, and a win on The Food Network’s Donut Showdown by co-owner Del Hernandez put Frost in the national spotlight.
With that goal met, the team expanded its Mill Creek location in 2014, re-opening in a larger space branded as a “dessert lounge” with more menu options including specialty cupcakes, macarons, wine, and its own Bespoke Roast created by Seattle-based Victrola Coffee Company.
Next came an Everett location on Colby Avenue in June 2015. Then, in December of that same year, the Frost Luncheonette opened in the Bellevue Collection’s Lincoln Square, offering hot sandwiches, scratch-made soups, and intriguing salads all in a retro-inspired, whimsical setting.
“Nothing we do is typical or standard,” said Sterling of the brand’s savory offerings. “Expect unique flavors like Turkey and Curried Apricot or an Asiago and Smoked Mozzarella Grilled Cheese.”
Also on the menu is Frost’s famous, and mouthwatering, doughnut break-fast sandwich crafted from scrambled eggs, American cheese, and your choice of crispy bacon or flavorful sausage between a ridiculously tasty doughnut. Calorie counters need not apply.
It pairs well with a Frost Cake, the brand’s beautiful and delicious cup-cakes that are a “step above” the ordinary. Try the rich and decadent German Chocolate Cake complete with coconut pecan frosting and a generous dollop of chocolate fudge icing or the classic Birthday Cake in either chocolate or vanilla with baked-in rainbow confetti sprinkles and topped with Frost’s Signature Butter Cream.
In the mood for something lighter but just as sweet? The gluten-free French macarons in a rainbow of pastel hues are just the ticket. Delicate Pistachio is delightful, as is the bright Limoncello, and smooth Mexican Vanilla.
And Frost continues to build its menu with innovative options at the same time as it grows its locations. A fourth location in Amazon’s Bigfoot building in South Lake Union opens this fall. Patrons will be able to enjoy beer with their goodies, a first for Frost, either inside the 4,000-square-foot space or outside on the adjacent patio.
“The growth of Frost is exciting,” says Sterling, “but, of course, [it] is also a challenge.” Frost’s management team is unwilling to sacrifice the quality of their doughnuts or their guest service in favor of rapid expansion. “We don’t believe anyone can match our product or our service. This is our number one priority.”
Keeping the taste experience front and center is paying off. Frost continues to rake in rave reviews from people sampling their rotating menu of fresh-made, always innovative offerings. “We are known for sophisticated and interesting flavors,” says Sterling, but his favorite is a classic: the Raised Glazed.
“No other doughnut I have tasted across the country—and there have been many—has even come close to ours. It has the perfect crispness on the outside, and a tender, doughy interior.”
Indeed, when it comes to dough-nuts, and other savory items and sweet treats, Frost makes the simple, special and the unexpected, extraordinary.
15217 Main St., #106, Mill Creek 2811-B Colby Ave., Everett
700 Bellevue Way NE, #140, Bellevue frostology.com
