Hidden Gems of North-Central Connecticut

ELLINGTON, CT — The latest installment of the Hidden Gems series takes us to a corner of a shopping plaza in the shadow of a traffic rotary on the Ellington-Vernon line. Welcome to Gerry's Donuts, a business that has survived and thrived amid a plethora of more high-profile powerhouses — one of which is right on that rotary.

Gerry's, located at 180 Windsorville Road, has been around since March 30, 1983. Gerry's is known for made-from-scratch doughnuts that folks actually line up for on weekend mornings well before the doors open at 6 a.m.

Here's a sample of them cooking, courtesy of Gerry's Facebook page:

Gerry's has a variety of other food offerings as well.

"Gerry’s is the only place in CT to get a donut ... Homemade with lots of love," one Facebook poster said.

Another commented, "It is ABSOLUTELY the best place around for homemade style fresh donuts ... they are seriously the best... "

And another mentioned, "A longtime popular local place that we all want to see keep going ... I have been going for 20 years or so ... The type of place you dont see often anymore."

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The Hidden Gems series features out-of-the-way mom and pop restaurants, small specialty stores you may have never heard of, little-known historical markers or beautiful nature spots that may be a bit off the beaten path. Do you have a favorite "hidden gem" in the area that you wish to see featured in this column? Email your ideas to tim.jensen@patch.com.

Other columns in this series:

• Traveler Restaurant
• First Decorated Christmas Tree
• The Stanley-Whitman House
• Vernon's Santa House
• Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut
• Old Country Banquet Hall
• Brazilian Gula Grill
• Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop
• Congregational Church of Burlington labyrinth
• Noah Webster House
• The Bushnell's Green Room Wall
• Belding Wildlife Management Area
• The Aborn Castle
• Heublein Tower
• Birthplace of Jonathan Edwards
• Grave of Revolutionary War Soldier Heman Baker
• Jessica's Garden, Lobster and Ice Cream Shack
• Shade Swamp Sanctuary
• Ken's Corner Breakfast & Lunch
• Tolland Red and White
• The Packing House
• Cold Harbor Seafood
• Nye Holman State Forest/Heron Cove Park
• Hosmer Mountain Soda Shack
• Connecticut Trolley Museum
• Matterhorn Mini Golf
• Wood Memorial Library & Museum
• Hastings Farm
• Liquid Nirvana
• Iwo Jima Survivors Memorial Park
• Academy Hall
• Southington Drive-In
• Little Theatre of Manchester at Cheney Hall
• Somersvillage Gifts & Gourmet Baskets
• New England Civil War Museum
• The Pinchot Sycamore
• Stafford Palace Theater
• Mansfield Hollow State Park
• Old Tolland County Jail and Museum
• Hill-Stead Museum
• Mark's Restaurant