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Salty Donut
Photograph: Courtesy Salty Donut/dmargherite

The best donuts in Miami, from simply glazed to fully over-the-top

These amazing Miami donuts remind us why the best things in life are sweet.

Written by
Eric Barton
Contributors
Virginia Gil
&
Ryan Pfeffer
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A donut is, at its core, a blank canvas. By definition just a ring of dough, it excels equally with nothing but a sweet glaze as it does covered in all manner of sweet and savory toppings. In the deft hands of donut masters, this pastry can become a full breakfast, an acceptable midday snack or the most decadent dessert—maybe all three some days. The best donuts are very much worthy of the indulgence, of breaking a diet and reminding yourself why the best things in life are sweet.

Here in fitness-obsessed Miami, we’re not exactly known for our donuts. (Time Out’s own list of America’s best donut shops fails to mention any of ours.) But we’re here to proclaim loudly—and mouths proudly full of carbs—that this city is home to an exceptional crop of donut artists creating fried dough beauty befitting of the most refined palates. These are the best donut shops in Miami. 

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Best donuts in Miami

  • Restaurants
  • Bakeries
  • Wynwood
  • price 1 of 4

Wynwood’s resident donut wizards churn out fluffy, sweet creations that are stuffed, injected and topped with wonderfulness ranging from creamy guava to crispy bacon. Its multiple locations across South Florida (and also nationwide) have largely eliminated the long lines at the original Wynwood location, good news for those who need a sweet fix and quick. What to choose? The guava and cheese is uniquely Miami, washed down ideally with a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Latte.

There are lots of reasons to drive south to the Upper Keys and add to that list SandBar, a food truck that puts out hot cake donuts. Paula and Jordan Quade cover their donuts in decadence—peanut butter banana, Butterfinger crunch, butter pecan coffee and whatever they're dreaming up for the specials board today.

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  • Restaurants
  • Doral
  • price 2 of 4

Everything at this Doral bakery is 100 percent vegan and—believe it or not—still 100 percent delicious. Cupcakes are normally the go-to here but don’t sleep on the mini donuts shaped into little hearts and each decorated in colorful frosting patterns.

Pink Love began life in Fort Lauderdale before adding a second location in Miami Beach, where it continues its obsession with well-dressed donuts. There are a staggering 80 of them on offer, mostly topped with colored frostings and candy and all manner of pretty adornments. There are even savory numbers, namely a loony tunes pizza donut with red sauce, cheese and pepperoni. They'll even add writing on top for special occasions, eliminating the need to hit the Publix deli. 

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The Oregon ice cream geniuses have opened two Miami shops, both offering up scoops of a donut-spiked ice cream that’s a partnership with The Salty Donut. And it’s a glorious marriage: cream cheese ice cream, chunks of glazed brioche donut, guava curd and puffed pastry streusel. Yes, we know, this entry on the best donuts is actually ice cream, but this homage to The Salty Donut is like a cool scoop of amazing.

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  • Restaurants
  • Bakeries
  • Olympia Heights
  • price 2 of 4

Guy Fieri gave it two flaming thumbs up on his ode to calories, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and for good reason. Everything your inner child ever wanted to stuff on (and in) a donut gets stuffed on and in donuts here, from Fruity Pebbles to flan. Plus, fried chicken! Come hungry, leave semi-conscious.

  • Restaurants
  • Bakeries
  • North Miami Beach
  • price 2 of 4

The national chain consistently cranks out the fluffiest little clouds of glazed goodness, best ordered, of course, when the lit-up sign out front signals they’re hot and ready. Pro tip: six secs in a microwave gives takeout Krispy Kremes a new, warm life.

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  • Restaurants
  • Bakeries
  • price 2 of 4

The old-school donut joint has three locations across South Florida and even expanded north to Massachusetts. There's a diner-style menu for dinner with grandpa-friendly dishes like chipped beef on toast, but the reason to come is the apple fritter, a bulbous marriage of a donut and an apple pie.

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