Bello's Bakery - Not My Favorite Bakery

Bello's Bakery Takeaway. Bello's Bakery came highly recommended, but I found myself baffled by the hype. This is a 6.7/10 for me, based on donuts that were dry and, in my opinion, just didn't live up to the reputation.

I've heard from so many friends, and Yelp, that this place is a must. But after several visits, I just can't get on board. In my search for the best donuts in St. Louis, I have to say this one isn't worth a special trip.

Parking is a breeze with a dedicated lot right out front. The service, on the other hand, was never super pleasant, and I was even overcharged by mistake on one visit.

Not sure why I keep coming back…

Bello's Bakery Experience Summary

Bello's Bakery came recommended by both Yelp and friends in the area, so when it turned out that Nathaniel Reid was closed, Bello's was the closest option on the map.

And I'll tell you what, people all around St. Louis seem to love this place. I've talked to several people since having them, and they all recommend Bello's.

We gave it a shot.

I went in with my son, and we grabbed some assorted donuts, cookies, and day-old cinnamon bread. For me, I went with my core measurement options, the glazed donut and a cinnamon bun, which is my fallback comparison if an apple fritter isn't available.

I was unimpressed as the cinnamon bun lacked enough flavor, my son didn't eat his cookie, and the glazed came out a bit dry.

After that initial visit, we've still been back to Bello's each summer after my kids went to swim camp, and I've never really enjoyed it. This last trip confirmed it. The experience has been so underwhelming that Bello's actually made me think I didn't like donuts anymore.

thought maybe my taste buds had changed, and I just wasn't a glazed donut or apple fritter guy.

But then I went to Ferrara's on Long Beach Island in NJ, and my faith was restored. That apple fritter was giant, fluffy, fried on the outside, and had big chunks of apple. It proved there is still hope for humanity when it comes to donuts.

So, I know I still like a good donut. I just don't think Bello's makes the best ones. For me, it's a spot that just doesn't deliver.

The Food At Bello's Bakery

Over the years, I've had all their core donuts. I tried the glazed, vanilla frosted, the apple fritter, and the cinnamon bun.

The main issue across the board is that the donuts come out a little bit too dry for me.

The cinnamon bun just doesn't have enough cinnamon. For having "cinnamon" in its namesake, just having a slight sprinkle on the outside and kinda spread out in the middle isn't going to cut it. It needs that gushy, cinnamon-sugar swirl.

But here's another point of reference. My son got a cookie but didn't eat it.

He said it was dry and not the best. When a kid's not eating a cookie, something's gone wrong.

Because I compare everything to Boogyz and to Schnucks around here, I have to say this doesn't come close. The Boogyz apple fritter is in another league. Quite honestly, I'd rather get a donut from Schnucks.

That means two things: one, Schnucks makes surprisingly good donuts, and two, these just aren't going to blow your mind.

My favorite thing we've actually gotten from Bello's over the years is the day-old cinnamon bread. That actually had a fair amount of cinnamon swirled all throughout it and made for great toast and French toast over the weekend.

That's probably the highlight of all my experiences there.

Bello's Bakery Atmosphere And Miscellaneous

Inside, it feels like an old-school, mom-and-pop bakery. No clean lines and boring walls, you can see directly back to the kitchen.

There are display cases showing off all the option,s literally all around you.

My main note here is on the service. For what it's worth, I don't remember the service ever being very pleasant. Maybe it's just my experience, colored by the fact that I don't like the food, but they've never seemed super happy to be helping.

One time I went, the lady accidentally charged me for an extra donut, which I didn't realize until I got home.

It's just something of note because I don't say most places have bad service in St. Louis.

Parking At Bello's Bakery

Parking is really easy. There's a dedicated lot right out front.

I've never seen a line when we've gone at random times, but I can imagine it might get busy on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

Bello's Bakery Receipt