Forget plain glazed and sprinkle-covered standbys — National Donut Day is your excuse to go full-on gourmet. We’re talking about donuts that take three days to make, are filled with bourbon-soaked jams, or arrive crowned with candied bacon. This is your go-to list for the most iconic donuts around.
Saint Honoré Doughnuts
Crack into bliss at Saint Honoré Doughnuts, where every bite feels like dessert heaven. Their star, the Crème Brûlée doughnut, is filled with silky vanilla custard and topped with a caramelized sugar shell that shatters like glass. It’s crunchy, creamy, and absolutely unforgettable. Each doughnut is handmade daily with rich brioche dough and inventive flavor twists that keep fans coming back. This isn’t your average doughnut; it’s pastry artistry with serious crave factor.
Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee — Southern California
Fresh from the fryer every 10 minutes, Sidecar’s brioche donuts are warm, pillowy, and absolutely life-altering. You’ll smell the buttery goodness before you even step inside. Their signature Huckleberry is a cult favorite (subtly tart and bursting with real fruit flavor), but don’t overlook the salty-sweet Vanilla Bean Butter & Salt, or the fan-favorite Strawberry Buttermilk. Their rotating monthly specials often sell out before noon, so don’t sleep in.
The Salty Donut — Miami-born, now in FL / TX / GA / NC / DC
With locations that feel more like design-forward cafes than donut shops, The Salty Donut is all about elevated experiences, both flavor and vibe. Grab a single-origin coffee and pair it with their famous Guava & Cheese donut, made with real fruit and tangy cream cheese. Other standouts include the Tiramisu, Brown Butter + Salt, and seasonal favorites like Butterbeer. The Maple Bacon Brioche has achieved cult status, and once you try it, you’ll understand why.
Blue Star Donuts — Portland, OR
Blue Star Donuts isn’t just a donut shop — it’s a flavor lab for grown-ups. Their cocktail-inspired creations are made with a rich, 18-hour brioche dough and topped with glazes like Blueberry Bourbon Basil, Orange Olive Oil, and Passionfruit Cocoa Nib. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but the Cherry Old-Fashioned Brûlée is a sleeper hit. Need a drink to match? Their matcha, lattes, and cold brew are just as refined as their pastry case.
Doughnut Plant — New York City, NY
Doughnut Plant has been slinging preservative-free, made-from-scratch donuts in NYC for over 20 years — and they keep reinventing the classics. Don’t miss the square-shaped filled donuts like the Vanilla Bean & Blackberry Jam, or the decadent Tres Leches. They roast their own coffee beans, so your cold brew will be just as memorable as the donut next to it.
Federal Donuts & Chicken — Philadelphia, PA
Looking for sweet and savory done right? Head to Federal Donuts & Chicken for crispy, juicy fried chicken and warm sugar-dusted donuts. Start with their OG Fried Chicken Sandwich, stacked with ranch, pickles, and spicy sauce, then finish strong with an assorted box of donuts. The Cinnamon Brown Sugar, Cookies & Cream, and Strawberry Lavender will have you planning a return trip before you even leave the parking lot.
Union Square Donuts — Boston / Somerville / Brookline, MA
At Union Square Donuts, you’ll find pillowy yeast-raised donuts that feel like biting into a cloud, in the best possible way. Flavors like the Dubai Chocolate Bar and Affogato are rich and unexpected, while the Maple Bacon (made with homemade brioche) is a crowd favorite for a reason. Don’t leave without snagging a tray of their take-and-bake cinnamon rolls to bring some sweetness home with you.
Five Daughters Bakery — Nashville, TN (+ Atlanta & FL outposts)
A cronut that takes three days to make? Yes, please. Five Daughters Bakery is home to the 100-Layer Donut, a flaky, buttery marvel that’s equal parts croissant and donut. The most iconic flavor is King Kong, topped with maple glaze and candied bacon, but their rotating menu also includes classics like Vanilla Cream and Chocolate Sprinkle. Their yeast-raised donuts, like the Boston Cream or Apple Fritter, are equally worth the hype.
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken — Washington, DC & Arlington, VA
Comfort food takes center stage at Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, where spicy fried chicken is sandwiched between donut buns (Old Bay seasoning optional, but recommended). But don’t sleep on the sweet side of the menu: the Crème Brûlée donut, with its crackly caramelized top and silky custard center, is next-level. You’ll also find rotating seasonal creations like butter pecan and pumpkin pie.
Voodoo Doughnut — Portland, OR (and expanding nationwide)
Pink boxes, wild flavors, and a Voodoo Doll donut stabbed with a pretzel stick. Voodoo Doughnut was doing wild-and-weird long before it was cool. Choose from 40+ varieties, including vegan options, with flavors like Churro Cheesecake, Cherry Cola, PB&J, and Memphis Mafia (a banana fritter stuffed with chocolate chips and peanut butter). Equal parts edgy and nostalgic, this is the donut experience you tell your friends about for years.
