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Tepuy Donuts’ first brick-and-mortar anticipated to open in October
If you dig doughnuts, chances are you know Alejandro Contreras—or have at least gone glazy for his battered brilliance. Raleigh’s very own “doughnut guy” has made quite the name for himself in the community with his Tepuy Donuts—the moniker an ode to Venezuela’s flat-top mountains in Canaima National Park that played a transformative role in shaping him.
Now, the Venezuelan-born baker is taking things to the next level—while making his doughy delicacies even more accessible—with the opening of his first brick-and-mortar on Capital Boulevard slated for as early as this month.
The new storefront answers the call for Tepuy’s thriving fan base, which has exponentially grown from his pandemic start baking doughnuts out of Mandolin, where he was working at the time, as part of the restaurant’s contactless family-style meal deliveries. Clearly tapping into a communitywide untapped hunger—at a time when doughnuts weren’t even having a moment—he broke out his treats beyond the Mandolin kitchen, selling wholesale (and often selling out) almost on the daily at spots like Idle Hour, Madre and Pine State Coffee, to name but a few.
“Ever since my first visit to a Krispy Kreme, I knew I wanted to dive into doughnut culture,” says Contreras, who cut his teeth baking cinnamon rolls in his home country before honing his skills and scaling his business in Argentina. “I’ve had a goal to reinvent the doughnut scene,” he adds, “and Mandolin was a stepping stone to make that goal a reality. Now, with Tepuy Donuts’ brick-and-mortar location, I look forward to creating a place for the community where everyone can enjoy a sweet treat.”
Tepuy’s storefront will dish cases full of Contreras’ delish handmade dough, including his signature sourdough brioche doughnut (richer and lighter than the traditional cake counterpart), plus flavors like Boston cream, s’mores, raspberry and salted caramel. He’ll also sprinkle in seasonal specialties with the likes of corn custard with blueberry filling, a Black Forest cake-inspired op and more—including fan-fave pumpkin spice creme brulee. And, adding to Raleigh’s brewing scene, coffee and tea will provide fuel via a collab with Pine State Coffee.
While the 1,500-square-foot space will serve up some indoor seating and a covered outdoor patio to take pause over pastry perfection, Contreras sees it being most ideal for grab-and-go—whether a midday caffeine and sugar boost or snagging a dozen for an event (or to house down yourself—no judgment!). And in a full-circle moment, Mandolin chef/owner Sean Fowler is a silent partner in the venture as well. So, truly a hole-in-one for all. @tepuydonuts
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