Every neighborhood in Pittsburgh probably has a non-chain donut spot that is considered one of their best kept secrets and local treasure. Well this is easily that for the greater West End area of Pittsburgh. And I'm pretty sure that they would rank up there against any other neighborhood's best donut effort as well.
Speaking of which, if someone would like to organize some sort of tournament to decide the the dominant donut producers in the Three Rivers area, I would gladly volunteer my expertise as a judge and set aside my love for Better-Maid in order to conduct myself with the impartiality and professional one would expect from a regional donut judge. For serious.
The donuts themselves are the more traditional style cake donuts, with a moist and crumbly inside, slight crunchy outside. They are amazing and need to be experienced.
The only knock on this place is that if you don't get there early, they tend to sell out occaisonally. Also, they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. But when the worst thing you can say about a place is that it's products are too in demand and not available as often as you like, you're clearly dealing with something pretty great.
I've brought their donuts to over 20 offices and, other than dieters threatening to kill me, nearly every person has woven a tapestry of superlatives explaining how much they love them. If you find yourself having to buy popularity with donuts, picking up some Better-Maid is a surefire way to win over anyone who enjoys deliciousness in the morning.