The 15 best donut shops in NYC

If it’s time to celebrate–whether it’s simply waking up or planning an extravagant sweet-filled birthday–then it’s time to head to Donut Pub, where you can find donuts shaped like every letter of the alphabet (a new take on the old CONGRATS GRAD signage perhaps?), rotating special flavors like the cannoli kreme and chocolate dipper, and The Donut Pub's own take on croissant donuts, including the delightfully salty-sweet maple bacon.

Every single creation at Alimama is a spectacle: a gorgeous symphony of color, design and taste that makes as much for a gorgeous photo as it does a delicious experience. The highlights here are the gluten-free mochi donuts, which are infused with flavors like salted caramel Nutella and matcha toasted rice crispies.

Brooklyn doughnut expert Fany Gerson – the founder of Dough – launched a new vision in the same location when she opened Fan-Fan during the first year of the pandemic. Despite the risk involved with such an undertaking, the store is perhaps even more popular than its predecessor, with lines consistently queuing up down the block for both mainstays like the mango lassi and holiday specials like king cake doughnut for Mardi Gras.

Staten Island doesn't get enough credit for a lot of dishes, but these donuts top the charts. Donut World could be easily missed in its strip mall, but once you find it, you'll be coming back again and again. We love the comic book-style signage and its sentient donut mascot, too.

This quirky and inventive donut shop is best known for its unique square donuts stuffed with house-made jams and cream fillings (peanut butter banana, coconut cream). But bakers here also sling chubby yeast-raised rings that are fluffy yet substantial and glazed in rotating flavors (pistachio, strawberry, vanilla bean, Valrhona chocolate), plus cake-style donuts like Brooklyn Black Out and carrot cake. Vegan and gluten-free options are available as well.

Josh Ku and Trigg Brown’s restaurant, Win Son, proffers inventive takes on Taiwanese-American bites. But now, the duo has opened a bakery across the street that serves fried-chicken sandos on milk bread (made in-house by pastry chef Danielle Spence), wonderful mochi doughnuts, Taiwanese beer and natural wine.

Another 24/7 donut spot, this charming old-school haunt is also lovingly referred to as The Donut Shoppe. Shaikh's Place is a lunch counter serving tacos, chicken sandwiches and breakfast options—but fans come hungry for a date with their donuts. 

Dominique Ansel honed his skills as executive pastry chef at Daniel for six years before opening this American and French patisserie. Caramelized croissants, rainbow colored macarons and the chef's signature Cronut (croissant-doughnut hybrid) creations make up just a few of the sweet selections at the counter.

You’ll find doughy fritters, not Tinkerbell, at this Greenpoint standby. Dip your lightly glazed donut into steaming coffee at the curved counter or box up a dozen still-warm chocolate cake rounds or (and?) honey dip French crullers — which are just some of the 20-odd varieties baked daily.

At this Lower East Side bakery, desserts are treated like they're art in a gallery: displayed on a terrazzo bar with shiny to-go, boxes fit for jewels. Though Supermoon has come to be known for its oozing, sumptuous croissants, its donuts are the sleeper hit. Flavors change constantly, so keep an eye out. 

Brooklyn's vegan doughnut lovers are in luck—Dun-Well Doughnuts is about as good as you're going to get in the animal-product-free sweet-treats department. Consider the old-timey atmosphere a bonus.

This Bushwick shop is truly eponymously named – its doughnuts are pretty plump. Catch flavors ranging from the classic chocolate frosted with sprinkles to house specialties like dulce de leche creme at a discount after 4 P.M. most days. Head in with an appetite and take advantage of the hearty all-day breakfast menu.

The showstoppers on the menu are the airy bomboloni, a soft yeast round filled with super light custards (vanilla and chocolate are regular staples, plus seasonally rotating flavors like caramel apple), flecked with lemon zest and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

This Greenpoint charmer churns out colorful, doughy circles perfect for a nosh in nearby McGorlick Park.

Long live Formica tables in an old-school luncheonette atmosphere. At this Flatbush favorite, donuts cost $1.50 each: all baked on the premises.