On Saturday, 10^th of December, The Junction welcomed back the long-time favourite joint with a refreshed, rebranded, and rejuvenated look and feel. That’s right, the OG sweet foodie geniuses of Newcastle, Doughheads have undergone one hell of a transformation.

It’s been eight years since owner and director, Anna Farthing originally brought her crazy concept of loaded doughnuts to the mouths of Novocastrians. From popping up at Markets across town in 2014 to opening their flagship in 2016 to its fun and lively renovation, the Doughheads brand has been through many iterations and seasons to find its way here.

Having spent the last eight years being a staple for many families, couples, and individuals in need of a sweet treat, 2022 has seen The Junction-based venue undergo some serious rebranding and renovating to bring a fresh new approach to Doughheads alongside their OG iconic flavours.

Not only relaunching their Junction Space with a brand-new fit-out crafted by the incredibly talented gurus at After Dark Design, Doughheads is now home to another sweet sensation right in time for the warmer months – GELATO.

“I always loved the idea of doing gelato. I never had the technical knowledge or the scientific background to do it because it really is a science; you don’t just take on doing gelato for the sake of doing it, if you’re going to do it, you’ve got to do it properly,” Anna shared.

During lease negotiations, Anna had stumbled into meeting an iconic gelato guru and one-half of the duo that brought Gelatissimo to Australia – Domenico Lopresti. Now out of the Gelatissimo group, Dom now consults with keen gelato lovers on how best to create authentic yet equally flavoursome and unique gelato.

“One of my things was that I wanted it to be high-quality, but I needed it to still have our branding across it; it needed to be Doughheads gelato, it needed to fit in with our values, and give people an experience that fits with our doughnuts.”

Launching with a simple gelato menu, the plan is to build up their gelato flavours to be as equal in excitement and wow factor as their doughnuts are. The menu will continue to evolve as time goes on, but the best news? There will always be a Vegan offering – that’s right, not Vegan Sorbet but VEGAN GELATO.

“Of course, all of our sorbets are vegan, but vegans can get sorbet anywhere and it’s what they’re always offered. When Gaytime released their vegan version, it went absolutely crazy so I wanted to bring a vegan gelato to Newcastle. Just like our vegan doughnuts, it's been quite the operation to bring it together but the community deserves it.”

With plans to work on exciting new gelato flavours with the likes of Apple Pie, Lemon Meringue, and Strawberry Cookies & Cream amongst those Anna has on the list; Doughheads Gelato is no doubt going to make as much noise in the Newcastle foodie scene as Doughheads Donuts all those years ago.

Now, it’s without a doubt that Newcastle’s love for the Doughheads doughnut is undeniable, so never fear, they’re OG goodies are still hanging around. Whether it’s the fluffy cake-like texture or the gooey, sticky icing on top, the humble little Doughhead doughnut will continue to give us a whole lot of pleasure for years to come.

Working with Adrian De Boucherville and his team of After Dark Design, Anna knew that the fit-out needed to take so much into consideration, but that the iconic doughnut display needed to be at the forefront.

“We have this incredible statement piece to display our doughnuts. You won’t be able to miss it. At the moment we’ll be showcasing our whole range of doughnuts, as well as our low-gluten and our vegan doughnuts.”

Moving into the rest of the space, it’s like stepping into a completely fresh business. From the newly developed brand colours of baby blue, beige, and pops of red, to the quirky curves with gold edging found throughout and their white tiled counter; this fancy new Doughheads will be turning heads for days, weeks, and even months to come.

“I was very nervous going into the renovation for all sorts of reasons. Adrian has walked me through it step by step. Every step he’s just been so great to work with and the entire team has just been amazing. The quality of the work, and the fact he’s just taken it on and managed it all has been amazing and I couldn’t have done it any other way.”

What’s most to love about Doughheads is the continuing passion that Anna and her whole team exude. With everything made from scratch; every gelato handcrafted and every doughnut hand-dipped, there are no novelties or surprises here, only consistent quality flavours that just keep getting better and better.

Whether you’re keen to check out the new space, are a lover of all things gelato, or need a Doughheads Doughnut fix, get amongst that BIG DOUGH ENERGY and check out this new take on an old favourite.