Fancy Doughnut Chain Fractured Prune Is Losing Its Only Virginia Shop

Doughnut hole in Loudoun

The Fractured Prune doughnut shop in Leesburg, Virginia, will close this weekend after two years of business, the shop announced. The Loudoun County location, the Maryland-based chain’s only foothold in Virginia, will shut down Sunday, September 1. Known for dense, cake-like doughnuts in funky flavors like banana cream pie and French toast, Fractured Prune opened its original store in Ocean City, Maryland, in 1976, has become a mainstay in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and has spawned franchises as far west as Glendale Arizona. A Fractured Prune food struck will continue to operate in Northern Virginia. The closest local shop is in Frederick, Maryland.

Masa makeover

The popular vegetarian tacos at Chaia just got upgraded tortillas. Co-owner Bettina Stern tells Eater that the company just started sourcing Oaxacan masa flour from Masienda, a growing purveyor that supports small farms in Mexico that grow heirloom varieties of corn. In addition to its original counter in Georgetown, Chaia opened a second location near Mount Vernon Triangle in January.

Another mutant croissant

This summer, the lobby coffee bar inside the Line hotel in Adams Morgan started selling a “cretzel,” a mash-up of a croissant and a pretzel that comes in sweet and savory flavors like a Frenchified Auntie Anne’s. DCist has the story on how A Rake’s Progress pasty chef Alicia Wang created the pastry with a pretzel-like crust and a forgiving, layered interior. [DCist]

Noodle party

Ballston will host a mac and cheese festival next month with more than 30 variations of the comfort food from local restaurants such as Neopol Smokery. [Northern Virginia Magazine]