Photo by Megan Ekhaml – Memorandum Images.

What happens when you convert the humble doughnut into a medium of artistic expression? It gets fruity, creamy, zesty, buttery and a little nutty. It might even speak with an international accent.

Enter District Doughnut (749 8th Street SE), opening Friday on Barracks Row to introduce its yeasty creations to the hungry masses.

Photo by Megan Ekhaml – Memorandum Images.

The shop opens at 8 a.m. until it sells out of its initial public offerings: brown butter, dulce de leche, Nutella bacon and key lime pie, priced from $2.75 to $3.00. Doughnuts can be paired with drip coffee from D.C. roaster Compass Coffee (under construction at 1535 7th Street NW).

Co-owners Greg Menna, Christine Schaefer and Juan Pablo Segura incubated their two-year-old business at Union Kitchen, catering and filling online orders as they prepared to open their first storefront.

“Our doughnuts reinvigorate an everyday classic and transform it into a higher-end conception,” Menna said. “Everybody has nostalgic memories of eating doughnuts. Our doughnuts will remind you of that and take the experience to another level.”

For the time being, the shop is take-out only, with seating to be added in the coming months. After opening weekend, hours will be Wednesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. until sellout.