Luscious Old Ferry Donut from Korea to make Texas debut in Carrollton

A doughnut shop from Korea is making its Texas debut: Called Old Ferry Donut, it's a chain that calls itself South Korea's first premium doughnut brand, and it's opening its first location in Texas in Carrollton at 2225 Old Denton Rd. #215.

The concept is coming to Carrollton via John and Joyce Kim, who became fans after trying the doughnuts on a trip to Korea.

“We fell in love with Old Ferry Donut and pursued bringing it to the DFW market as soon as we got back home,” Joyce says. This is their first foray into the restaurant world; he has a business background and she previously worked in education. They're planning to open the shop in the fall.

Old Ferry Donut was founded in 2016 — by whom, they do not say. Every story about Old Ferry Donut says the same thing: The founders, never identified, were inspired by doughnut shops in New York — but which shops, they do not say.

"The founding team of Old Ferry Donut is deeply committed to quality and aesthetic," Joyce says. "Their vision blends Korean minimalism with indulgent flavors, which inspired us to bring that same energy to Carrollton."

The chain entered the U.S. in 2023 and currently has five locations in California, where they've earned rave reviews.

Their doughnuts are unique:

• They have a slightly chewier, more bready texture than the fluffy texture of a Krispy Kreme.
• Many of their doughnuts have fillings, made from premium ingredients.

Joyce says that the brand’s dough fermentation process and batter ratio is what gives the doughnuts their unique flavor profile and exceptional chewiness. They do both frying and baking to prepare the treats, depending on the type of doughnut.

The menu includes old-school flavors such as Boston Cream, Original Glaze, and Cinnamon Sugar — but also unique new-school flavors like White Chocolate Sesame, Earl Gray, and Matcha Cream. Butter Pistachio is the most popular flavor. They're a little less sweet than traditional American doughnuts, and a little more complex.

Doughnut prices will range from $3.50 to $5.25.

Old Ferry DonutsOld Ferry

Old Ferry also takes a different view of doughnuts beyond their role as a breakfast item, with different hours from the usual shop.

“We are more of a dessert shop,” Joyce says. “We open around lunch time and close in the evenings.”

The menu also includes flavored milks in flavors such as banana and mint white-chocolate, plus coffee and milk teas.

Locating the shop in Carrollton was an idea that came from the mysterious corporate office.

“Carrollton is a good location for Old Ferry's first location since there's a big Asian population in the area,” Joyce says. “In our opinion, it will fit well in this shopping area/neighborhood.”

The shopping center — a cluster of new commercial spaces called The Great Oasis — houses businesses that include a Vietnamese coffee shop, a boba tea shop called Happy Lemon, Chinchikurin, a restaurant that serves the Japanese staple okonomiyaki, and more. It’s also down the street from Korean supermarket H Mart.

Old Ferry has a distinctive design motif which they describe as "retro-pop," with '70s-style earth tone colors such as orange and brown. The local franchisees are aiming for a “cozy and thoughtfully-designed” space, with a counter for ordering and a few tables for sitting.

"We’re not a full dine-in experience, but it’s definitely a place where people can linger and enjoy the vibe,” Joyce says.

In addition to bringing the popular Korean brand to Texas, Joyce and John are excited to become patrons of the shop once again. “We are also excited to have some of these doughnuts ourselves!” says Joyce.