KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) - The Salty Donut, a Miami born, beloved artisanal doughnut shop, is bringing its unique flavors and vibrant atmosphere to LaCenterra at Highway 99 and Cinco Ranch Boulevard in Katy.
Known for its creative, hand-crafted doughnuts, The Salty Donut has gained a loyal following since its humble beginnings in Miami.
The journey began in December 2015 when founders Andy Rodriguez and Amanda Pizarro set up a small blue and white trailer selling doughnuts and coffee. In the early days, business was slow.
“The first couple of weeks, there was nobody there — just friends and family,” Rodriguez said in a 2022 interview for the publication Broken Palate.
The Salty Donut
Donuts from The Salty Donut
But when they reopened after the Christmas holiday, something remarkable happened: lines of hundreds of people began forming each morning, and the couple quickly sold out of doughnuts within hours.
“When we came back, it was like our customer base multiplied times a thousand,” Rodriguez says.
This initial success led The Salty Donut to open its first store front location where the lines have never ceased.
The Salty Donut is known for its brioche doughnuts, which have a pastry-like texture that sets them apart from traditional yeast or cake doughnuts. Popular flavors like Brown Butter and Salt and Maple Bacon quickly became fan favorites.
Fast forward to today, and The Salty Donut has expanded to six locations in cities like Miami, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Austin, and Dallas. Now, just shy of its seventh anniversary, the company is poised to continue its growth with the upcoming opening in Katy’s LaCenterra.
“We’re expanding all over the place,” says Rodriguez, noting that the company strategically selects cities with strong growth potential. Houston was a natural next step, with Katy’s thriving community making it an ideal spot for their latest shop.
Rodriguez and Pizarro’s passion for doughnuts drives the company’s success. The couple, who discovered artisanal doughnuts while traveling across the United States, wanted to bring the same quality and creativity to their hometown of Miami. They decided on a brioche doughnut as the foundation for their offerings, a choice that allows for more creativity with fillings and toppings while maintaining a balanced sweetness.
The Salty Donut’s menu includes several core flavors unique to each location, with seasonal flavors rotating throughout the year. The shop also collaborates with local restaurants and breweries to create special offerings that reflect the community’s tastes.
The Salty Donut will open its doors at LaCenterra later this year. An official date has not been set.
“At the end of the day, we’re in the hospitality industry. The service has to be awesome, the product has to be great, and the place has to be clean. Sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how hard it is.”
LaCenterra says the shop will occupy a 1,329-square-foot space next to Ambriza toward the Cinco Ranch Boulevard portion of the shopping center.
LaCenterra is also recently welcomed Houston TX Hot Chicken, and will soon add Fidelity Investments and Chewy Vet Care to it's line up.
Chewy Vet Care will offer a comprehensive range of services designed to support pets' overall well-being -- from preventive care and wellness programs to vaccinations, dental procedures, and critical surgeries. It will occupy 3,002-square-foot next to Trader Joe’s.
"The practice will be open for in-person visits six days a week, complemented by 24/7 virtual health guidance and mobile access to medical records, care plans, prescriptions, and appointment scheduling via an online pet portal," a LaCenterra Press Release said.
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With artful attention to detail and using nothing but the finest ingredients, The Salty Donut offers an ever-changing menu of specialty donuts, baked goods and perfectly crafted coffee. The perfect place for first dates, birthdays, community gatherings and more, this 1,329-square-foot space will be located next to Ambriza.