Gail Ann Coffee Shop

Best donuts ever. Been coming here since 1963. I now travel from my home on Long Island just for donuts here. Best chocolate jimmy donut ever. Cinnamon rolls to die for.

What has happened here?? New owners?? Went on Sunday at 9 AM. Only 3 plain croissants left but an entire tray of filled croissants. Obviously not made in store and purchased from somewhere else otherwise they could be filled to order. Was not able to get my breakfast sandwiched. My friend got a sandwich on a bagle and it was toasted in a volcano and burnt beyond being edibe.. They also only included 1 strip of bacon that was microwaved to beyond crispy and them broken up over the egg. Very disappointed.

Great selection of old fashioned donuts and coffee at great prices. The staff are always so friendly. Very clean and a nice place to start your day. Be advised: cash and Venmo only.

Local and cash only (or venmo too now) coffee shop with sandwiches and delicious pastries. I usually get a hot or iced coffee and a coffee roll - the big size is great to bring home to share since it's the size of my face! Delicious. Everyone is so nice here, and often people are sitting here chatting over food and drinks. They have indoor and outdoor seating and are right across from the 80 bus stop which is convenient for me. There is also a book store and other food places to stop by if you want to make a morning or afternoon adventure here.

My first time here and I have to say definitely by far one of the best donuts I have ever had.

I only bought a jelly donut, a spinach & feta pastry, and a smoothie here, but they were all delicious, and the size of the donuts are significantly larger than, say, Dunkin Donuts'. The spinach & feta pastry was amazing--really creamy filling with buttery, croissant-like bread. There staff is also very friendly and helpful.

The best donut I’ve had. They are lovely people! Venmo or Cash only!

This place has better coffee at half the price and the most amazing pastries - just good ol' fashioned, sugary, delicious doughnuts. Completely unlike Vernas down the street and IMO much better than Vernas. I always grab a chocolate cruller when I'm in the area.

Best donuts in town!! Wonderful family run business. Been around 75 years. Try the glazed donut

This place serves great coffee and muffins! From what I was told, they roast their own coffee beans and don't use store bought coffee beans, which reflects in the taste :). Plus, you will be greeted with a smile in this place!

Microwaving eggs and bacon in front of us completely killed the appetite (& for $6.50? have some class and use a griddle), whomever said this place has the best egg sandwiches around has clearly been victim to a mid 20th-century lobotomy & on account it was packed inside, seems half the residents of Arlington have also be lobotomized - how has this local news story not broke yet? ONLY Gail's killer smile and lovely attitude allowed me to keep my appearances cordial and stop me from causing a scene in this house of charlatanic grifts Coffee roll was pretty good However I digress, truly: "my disappointment is immeasurable, and my day, ruined"

I've only been to Gail Ann to grab pastries and their donuts are top notch. They were very fluffy and delicious. We tried the cinnamon roll and the chocolate frosted. The man behind the counter helped us heat up the roll and we headed out to the picnic tables outside to enjoy the treats. The inside of the store was a bit stuffy but the nice weather outside meant we could enjoy the treats outside. There are also many benches in the area that we could have used.

The best donuts in Boston!!! Try a Jelly you will be blown away! Everything is made from scratch and you can taste the difference... Old school place that reminds me of when I was a kid 40 years ago... Al natural goodness!!! The folk from Starbucks come here... Service is fantastic!

This my go-to place for coffee and donuts. These are pretty standard donuts - don't expect unique flavors or a gourmet approach - but they're fluffy and delicious. The Boston creme stick, buttercrunch cake donut, and chocolate frosted (with sprinkles) are all excellent. I've been underwhelmed by the chocolate cake donuts. The muffins are really quite special - apple cinnamon and chocolate chip are my favorites. The coffee: it's diner-style, meaning mild flavor and low caffeine. For me, that's great. The cold brew is very good and not overly strong. The breakfast sandwiches are nothing special, but they're fast and cheap and hit the spot. In conclusion: Skip Starbucks and Cafe Nero and hit up Gail Anns :)

Stopped in for a bite of breakfast. Small but busy cafe. Pretty friendly service and neighborhood vibe. I got an egg bacon and cheese sandwich on a croissant. It was good. Flaky ands till warm after the short walk back home. They do have a table or 2 I side and 1 on the sidewalk.

~11:00AM on a Sunday, 2 other patrons came in Pros: -Inexpensive -Diner vibe -Some seating inside (4 small tables and a counter) Cons: -Cash only -Not super fresh at 11AM (they close at 2PM Sundays) -Street parking -- 3 donuts for $4.50 Boston Cream Long John Eclair-shaped yeast donut with chocolate frosting filled with vanilla custard. This donut felt super fresh and was loaded up with custard. Fairly standard, but solid. This was easily the best of the 3 we tried. Chocolate Cake with Sprinkles Glazed chocolate cake donut with sprinkles (no frosting). This donut tasted a bit dry and less fresh than the Boston Cream. It had a slightly sugary aftertaste. Plain Glaze Glazed yeast donut. This was the worst of the bunch. It tasted a bit stale and too bready (possibly because it didn't seem entirely coated in glaze). Based on the hype, I was expecting to be blown away but unfortunately 2/3 of our donuts were a bit stale/dry at 11AM (they close at 2PM Sundays). I would recommend getting there as early as possible in case they're better in the early morning!

If you are looking for a real and truly HOMEMADE donut or muffin, Gail Ann's is the place for you! Service is always friendly. The shop is small with a few tables and chairs. I stop by on my way to work at least once a month for a dozen of donuts Everyone LOVES them. They always say they are waaay better than the any chain brands, and there are a few. Personally, I don't eat donuts from anywhere else, ONLY Gail Ann's will do!

I gotta say best cafe in Arlington. I always go in and get a bacon egg and cheese on a croissant and every time it's just absolutely amazing. The people who work here are also so nice it's just fantastic. I love this place, highly recommend it to everyone :)

I'd give this little cafe ten stars if I could. It's a fixture in the Arlington community. It's a family run business and every time I go in the staff treats the kids and me like part of their family. They have lots of flavors of coffee, and tea, plus lots of drinks in the beverage refrigerator, but what can't be skipped are the enormous, fresh donuts. I still haven't tried the soups they're known for, and I'm not up early enough to get there for breakfast, but some day I will try them and report back!

I walked in this morning - walking past a large group of unmasked people old enough to know better, to find the two employees both wearing masks only in the technical sense: one has his mask only on his chin, the other on her neck. I'm pretty sure Arlington has a law requiring masks indoors, and presumably they mean correctly worn masks.

Came here for the donuts, but maybe mid-morning was too late? There were also a few people in the shop just chilling with their coffee even being such a small shop. We got a Boston cream stick, chocolate stick, and a pistachio muffin. I wasn't really impressed with any of them. It was great to see the Boston cream was filled on both ends, so plenty of filling, but the donut itself wasn't as soft or fluffy as a donut should be. The chocolate stick was hard, dry, and tasted more oily than chocolatey. They have so many muffin choices that it was hard to choose, but I figured I go with something different than the usual (chocolate chip), I decided on pistachio. It was slightly burnt on top, which I didn't mind at all since it was a nice crunch, a nice green coloring (assuming from food coloring), and I appreciated the crunch of the small pistachio chunks for texture. This place also has a Venmo account in case you don't have cash on you!

Came in on a Friday morning around 9am and they still had a huge selection of donuts and treats. The service was fast - prices aren't marked that clearly so ask if you're unsure about anything. Wasn't too sure what kinds of coffee they offered either - I had seen that they had flavored ice coffees online but I didn't see them posted on the menu or anything. If you like yeasted/brioche donuts then these are definitely for you. They were ENORMOUS (like most reviews here will mention) but also pillowy soft and not too heavy. I could easily have 2-3 of these (and I did!) and not feel sluggish or weighed down. They don't have seasonal flavors, etc. but their regular selection is pretty solid. Loved the glazed and the Boston Cream stick is delicious (also enormous). 4 donuts and a coffee was a little under $10. Overall, a wonderful local shop. Parking's a little tricky - park on Mass Ave if you're heading over here. Cash only but they also have Venmo.

The people here are super friendly. I always see regulars sitting down for breakfast and reading the paper. Donuts are huge! However, I didn't think they were particularly fresh. It was 8:30 am on a Sunday, and I thought they were a little bit stale. My husband didn't finish his, and I didn't bother to finish it for him. There's seating inside, so it looks like it might be a good place to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee. It's cash only, but there's a bank nearby.

Pros: - Service is good. - Prices are good. - The fresh glazed doughnut and cranberry orange muffin was good. Cons: - Not a big fan of their cake doughnuts or butternut doughnut.

There's something special about homemade donuts. Not all soft and bready. Gail Ann's donuts have substance, and they are large. Coffee is good and strong. And they open early too, 5 am, an hour before all the others. Check it out.

The donuts are are pretty good, a nice fluffy texture but a little light on flavor. What really stood out to me what the coffee roll! Not only is is massive but it is delicious and just the right amount of sweet. The staff is also incredibly nice. Cash only so be prepared.

Big fan of Gail Ann Coffee Shop! Very no frills - they take cash or Venmo only. Great, neighborhood feel compared to the corporate options of Starbucks and Cafe Nero nearby. It's always quick service and they have delicious coffee, donuts, and muffins.

Gail Ann Coffee Shop has been a staple in the Arlington Business community for over 65 years so I was surprised the other day soon after they opened when being served a large black coffee that had no taste and appeared to be so weak as to be no better than colored water. The Old Fashion doughnut was great but the Chocolate Frosted was stale and crumbly.

Exceedingly average donuts. If you want a great Boston donut, go to Kane's or Blackbird.

Huge doughnuts! I got there at 6:10 and the lemon-poppyseed muffin was still warm. Got 1/2 dozen doughnuts + a muffin. Everything was delicious. They accept Venmo.

Gail Ann coffee shop has some of the best donuts around. It's one of those places that you would think you have to arrive early or all the donuts will be gone but somehow they are always fully stocked when I get there! It's incredible and I think it's due to the fact that not enough people know about it. Would definitely recommend their donuts as well as their coffee. Really enjoyed the subtle flavor of their flavored bean as well as a standard roast with their flavor shots. Gail Ann's is a classic "Mom and Pop" coffee shop that you'll often find filled with regulars who make it part of their weekly routine to stop in for a coffee and a donut. I would definitely recommend you stop by if you are looking for a nice donut to treat yourself with and/or a nice cup of coffee to go along with it.

Gail Ann's makes the sweetest, fluffiest, most delectable homemade donuts on the planet! Don't miss the glazed, coconut, and lemon-filled! The Yummiest!

I am a confirmed breakfast food nut and pastry snob and this place, an authentic coffeeshop from the 1950s -and still going strong!- passes the muster! But I live in Arlington so I might be biased:p True, Gail Ann's might look like unremarkable at first glance, but don't let its appearances deceive you: this little coffeeshop packs a mighty wallop! Their plain croissants are pillowy and buttery, and the almond ones are to be experienced to understand. The cake donuts dense, perfectly crunchy on the outside and with a delectable tender crumb on the inside. Try the Jelly Stick! I am not much of a fan of yeast-style donuts (the light fluffy ones) but Gail Ann's are every bit as amazing as their cake donuts. And the cookies and cakes? An absolute delight. Their coffee is also a not-to-be-missed. Fresh, full-bodied but not too strong and not bitter. They have a rotation of flavors which are not bad, and what could be better than a fresh cup of delicious coffee with a fresh made-from-scratch donut? Best of all though is the family that runs Gail Ann. The 3 generations of family you'll encounter in Gail Ann are the sweetest of people you'll come across. So friendly, always a kind word, enthusiastic greetings when you walk in the door, and - corny as it might sound - genuine love that you can taste in every bite of their food. It's as much the neighborly feeling you experience as the authentic freshly made treats that keeps me coming back. Give Gail Ann a try, you won't regret it!

Gail Ann's donuts are the kind of donuts I grew up with as a kid. Freshly made each day by someone who works through the night, and run as a family business with a long standing history of making simple sweet pleasures for the neighborhood, Gail Ann's cranks out huge wheels of flavor in all their traditional glory. No, you won't find flavors like "Bourbon bacon" or "Key Lime Pie," and that's the point. For $5 you walk away with two excellent donuts and a hot cup of coffee that cuts perfectly through the fat and sugar you're consuming. Definitely check out the baked chocolate glazed with Jimmies and any of their raspberry of lemon filled specialties. How down home are they? Once when I showed up saying I was taking myself out to breakfast, they threw in a hot glazed cruller for my wife so she wouldn't feel left out, along with a gentle reminder that there'd be hell to pay if I decided to eat that one too on the way home.

Old school spot straight forward cheap can't go wrong. I just moved to the area and I like the other coffee places too around the corner too i suppose, but i do like supporting independent and old fashioned kind of places especially being in the restaurant business myself.

Coffee is good and donuts are huge. You definitely get what you pay for - cash only though. Typical selection of pastries but they all looked freshly made and the owners are very sweet as well. Everyone that walked in after me seemed to be everyday regulars. Highly recommend this shop for those who don't feel like paying $5 for only one donut.

Great hidden gem in Arlington - terrific doughnuts (and I grew up around the corner from Kane's in Saugus - these are on par), and their breakfast sandwiches are fantastic. Happy to support a small mom-and-pop business, especially this year.

The food is just amazing. The warm, soft donuts melt in your mouth and is perfectly paired with a breakfast sandwich because, you know, sweet + salty is the way to satisfy your taste buds!

I love this coffee shop, great service with the nicest people and good food! I recommend their rice and chicken soup

You'd think that, after like 70 years of practice, Gail Ann (I prefer to believe the titular Gail personally fries all my donuts, just like Wendy hand-whips each Frosty) would be awesome at making donuts. Instead, she just got sloppy. It's kind of like my grandmother's egg and sausage casseroles. I have a feeling they were awesome back in the '40s, when she first found the recipe, but by the end she'd just half-assedly toss in whatever was handy, confident that it'd work out fine, because it always had. And I always ate them, but only because I loved Grandma Jo until the cows came home. Unfortunately for Gail Ann, me and her don't have the same rich history. All we have are a couple dry-on-the-inside, soggy-on-the-outside donuts. Her glaze is great, and I'll always take her butternut coating over nearby competitors like Verna's, Difference, Ohlin's or Linda's, but the donuts she puts it on may as well have been bought day-old from the Foodmaster down the street. The chocolate is slightly better, but unless you get one that's accidentally been triple-glazed, you'll drown in a desert of bland, dry, passionless crumbs.

I have lived in Arlington for five years and have never visited. I googled best donuts places around Boston and figured I had to try since it's so close. First off I did not know what to get! Everything looked amazing. I got a plain stick, banana nut muffin and a cinnamon Role. Everything was amazing. The coffee was great too! I am so excited for this find and will be sharing their name with everyone I know!

This place has a great selection of pastries. Simple and straight forward drinks and wonderful service!

I'm glad I don't live in Arlington. I'd be fat because I would eat these donuts every day! The place smells delicious when you walk by, and it's on the way to the bus stop. The donuts are decently sized and the consistency is perfect. Honestly, they could raise the prices because they are that good. I think a half dozen costs $4. My favorites are the frosted with sprinkles and the plain glazed. I haven't had anything else there yet because I am a donut junkie and I can't bring myself to buy anything else. Also, the old folks behind the counter are as sweet as the treats =)

Gail Ann's is an adorable little shop in downtown Arlington that is easy to miss. At first I thought that maybe it had been taken over by the Starbucks on the corner. But alas, I found it hidden right around the corner, across from the theatre. The entire shop is about the size of my living room, but its quaint and adorable. The woman behind the counter was very friendly and helpful. The donuts and muffins look amazing in the case and they offer a good selection of other goodies as well. The donuts were good - definitely better than dunkins, however, they didn't compare to Kane's in Saugus or Verna's right down the road. They just didn't have the same homemade and fresh of the press feeling to me. The coffee was great. Much better than Verna's so I guess its a toss up for which you're feeling more. And the muffins looked delicious so I'll have to stop in and try one. All in all, I'm glad I stopped in!

Donuts A+. Need some back up. Check out the Globe article. Link to the 2016 Globe Article bottom off this. I can attest to black and white crueler, dyn-o-mite. Butter crunch , yup, jelly, they're all good , undecided? just ask for 1/2 dozen and ask them to choose. Always friendly and welcoming when I walk in and I didn't get up at 3 in the morning to make em. Been a ritual at my house every Saturday morning... 1/2 dozen and I'm a hero. https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2016/03/08/boston-greatest-doughnut-shops/KCMh8kpsXG8fojMniGGLdP/story.html

Total local Townie hangout and I love it! Friendly staff always pleasant and smiling. The donuts are oversized, fresh, and tasty. Multiple varieties of coffee both iced and hot. Bagels, egg sandwiches, and some local gossip.. Yes Please! Can't miss with Gail Ann.

Like other have said before, I have no idea how this place had 4 stars over all. I literally just left this place and I can't even eat the breakfast sandwich I got. I assumed because it was a Mom and Pop place that out would be fresh but no way! Everything was microwaved, except for the English muffin that had to be run through the toaster three times and dropped on the counter by the person waiting on us who, quite frankly, cared more about the phone app she was on than making the food. They don't even have the decency to go behind the wall to make the nutrient-less sandwich. Still 15 minutes of the sandwich out of the bag and it's still screaming hot, too rubbery to even tear a piece off. I'm so disappointed. Wasted time and money.

You can get a hamburger from a gas station... but most people don't. That's the way it is at Gail Ann's. Get the donuts, muffins, pastry or even the shaved ice, but don't get their microwaved selection of other breakfast food. I mean, why would you? If you like big, buttery, yeast donuts then this place nails it every time! Good and cheap. My favorite combo =) Tip: Cash only

Donuts are great, and huge! Good price for size and quality. Their selection is still good when I get there at 11! Parking hasn't been a problem if I get there before noon.

My wife and I went here this morning and had a wonderful breakfast! I had the sausage, egg and cheese on a croissant. Cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll. Very friendly vibe and good local spot!

Great little coffee shop. I truly wanted to sit down and hang out. Cozy, friendly staff. They have a limited selection of donuts, but delicious. Very simple yet wonderful. I was recommended this shop and I can see why.

One of the best places in the Boston area. Old school donut shop with old school prices (a rare thing in the times of Union Square and Blackbird donuts). Everything I've had has been great, but the butternut is my fav!

Their Butternut Donut, I could run a Marathon and still not burn enough calories to offset this donut. And it's worth EVERY SINGLE BITE. Words cannot describe how amazing it is. Their other donuts and pastry items are good too (my co-worker swears by the red velvet muffin) but nothing compares to the Butternut for me. I swear this place is half the reason I've gained 10 pounds since I started working across the street two years ago. I have no regrets. Pleasant staff, reasonable prices (same as Dunkin but you're getting a far bigger/superior donut). Busy in the mornings especially after a Mass lets out and before/after school it can get packed with students. Staff seems to handle the rush well. Cash Only! Tons of ATM's nearby (one literally right next door), lucky for you because once you walk in here there's no way to walk out without a donut. I just ate one of their Butternut donuts in one sitting and may have sugar high so I apologize for the contents of this review haha.

I wish donuts were healthy, then I would live in here. Great donuts and muffins. Good coffee. A blast from the past. A little grungy in a grungy diner sort of way. I really wish donuts were healthy. Maybe they are. Yes I think they are. Good, I can come here every day.

I've only had the donuts and they were great. Old fashioned, no frills delicious. The place is cash only so be prepared for that. (There's a leader bank around the corner). I probably would have bought more but the woman behind the counter was rushing me out with no line behind us. Either way, donuts were fantastic and I will def be back for more!

This place is a real gem. Ordered a donut with a cup of tea--the donut was one of the best I've had in awhile. The shop itself is cozy and down to earth. Lastly, the people who work there are extremely kind and generous. I left my charger behind before leaving town, and they went through the trouble of mailing it to me without accepting compensation for shipping. I highly recommend this cafe.

Never going to happen: the woman who works here will never, ever be nice to me and I will never, ever order anything but the world's most delicious coconut doughnut. It's just not in the cards. She hates me, I love her coconut doughnut. (um, er, um...never mind) I got a ham and egg sandwich on a croissant last week and the microwave played too large a role in its preparation. Not a tragedy, as the croissant was no great shakes to begin with, but my advice to you is to stick with the world's most delicious coconut doughnut. It costs one dollar.

This is the kind of wonderful neighborhood gem that you'd think doesn't exist anymore. Not only do they make their own fabulous donuts, not only do several of the people who work there look like they've been working there since WW2 (but they're friendly! really friendly!), not only do they have great coffee -- but it's like The Neighborhood Hangout for the nearby high school kids after school. I've gone there with my son to get an afterschool donut and been shocked by a line of 15 girls in uniform -- but here's the best part: it only takes 2 minutes to get to the front of the line. The folks behind the counter are line-evaporating geniuses. This place makes me feel like I live in a neighborhood, not a corporate strip mall.