Top 15 Best Donut Shops in Memphis, TN

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Top 15 Best Donut Shops in Memphis, TN

Memphis may be best known as the home of Elvis and the blues. But it’s also a city that loves its donuts! And it has some seriously good pastries to offer.

If you’re ready to try some of them, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve truffled out the best donuts in Memphis – and we’re going to tell you exactly where to find them.

Ready? Let’s start our tour!

Best Donuts in Memphis

1. Gibson’s Donuts

Gibson’s Donuts

Gibson’s Donuts have a legion of loyal fans that say this is the best donut shop in the whole of Memphis. So why not see if you agree?

You’ll find all the classics here, with the simple glazed donut, blueberry cake and cinnamon roll among the customer favorites. But there are also fun specials, like the Mardi Gras donut, if you fancy something different.

The restaurant is bright and airy, and has a warm family atmosphere. It’s a popular spot, though, so expect it to be busy. You can also get takeout. Whatever option you choose, the service is fast and friendly.

Gibson’s is open from 5am to midnight, seven days a week.

 

2. O. B. Donuts Memphis

O. B. Donuts Memphis

Alongside their fresh, delicious pastries, O.B. Donuts offer savory delights like breakfast sandwiches and kolaches. And there’s good coffee here too.

The donuts are made fresh every day, and they’re beautifully soft and fluffy. Check out the maple bacon and cinnamon crumb, which get rave reviews from customers.

Other options include glazed, blueberry cake, fresh fruit and custard, coconut, apple fritters and cinnamon rolls. And there are specials for the holidays, like heart-shaped donuts for Valentine’s Day.

The shop is open every day except Monday, and you can dine in or get takeout or delivery. The opening hours are 5am to 4pm Tuesday to Friday, and 5am to 2pm on weekends.

 

3. Howard’s Donuts

Howard’s Donuts

Howard’s is another donut shop that some say deserves the title of the best in Memphis. It offers a great range of pastries, with a focus on traditional favorites.

There are more unusual options too, though, including a delicious orange glazed donut. Other pleasing pastries include the strawberry cake donut, cinnamon roll, chocolate filled, and of course, the glazed.

The customer service is friendly and efficient, and they’re happy to help if you have questions. Look out for special promotions too, like a free donut for National Donut Day on June 3rd.

The shop is open every day, from 5am to 6pm on Sundays, and from 4am to 6pm the rest of the week. You can dine in or get takeout, but note that there’s no delivery service here.

 

4. Donut Man

Donut Man

Head to Donut Man, and you’ll find a great variety of donuts, pastries and breakfast bites.

There are traditional favorites, like glazed and powdered sugar, plus fritters, cinnamon rolls and bow ties. And there’s a good range of donut holes. Everything is made fresh throughout the day.

If you’re in the mood for something savory, there are excellent kolaches and breakfast sandwiches. And you can wash it all down with a cup of gourmet coffee from John Conti.

You can dine in, pick up your order curbside, or get it delivered to your door. The shop is open seven days a week, from 3.30am to 5pm.

 

5. Happy Glaze Donuts

Happy Glaze Donuts

At Happy Glaze, all the donuts are bite sized, so you can sample more of the delicious flavors. They’re made to order, so they come warm. And they’re light and fluffy enough for the most demanding donut connoisseur.

It’s also a great option for those with a gluten allergy. The gluten-free donuts are made in a separate part of the kitchen and cooked in a separate fryer, so there’s no danger of cross-contamination.

The flavors rotate daily. Choices include the signature cream cheese or traditional glaze, cinnamon or powdered sugar, chocolate, blueberry cream or maple bacon. Call into the store to check what’s on offer.

Buy a mini box, with a “generous dozen” or a “little big box” with eight dozen donuts in up to four flavors. You can dine in the shop or get takeout. It’s open daily from 7am to 1pm.

 

6. Bartlett Donuts (Tennessee)

Bartlett Donuts (Tennessee)

Some customers claim that Bartlett Donuts have the best donuts in the Memphis area. Why not put that claim to the test?

The donuts here are soft and fluffy, and there are plenty of different flavors to choose from. The strawberry and custard filled get rave reviews.

They do specialty donuts for holidays too – think beautifully decorated heart-shaped donuts for Mother’s Day. And there are donuts shaped like letters for you to spell out a special message.

They also do a good line of kolaches and other savory breakfast bites. And the fresh fruit smoothies are excellent.

You can dine in or get takeout or delivery. The opening hours are 5am to 5pm Monday to Saturday, and 6am to 2pm on Sundays.

 

7. U.S. Donuts Cordova

U.S. Donuts Cordova

US Donuts is in Cordova, a little further east than most of the shops on this list. But it’s well worth the journey for their delicious donuts.

There’s a great range of glazed, filled, iced and cake donuts, plus donuts topped in candy or maple bacon. You can buy glazed donut holes by the dozen. And there are fancy donuts including bow ties, Long Johns, cinnamon twists, apple fritters and cinnamon rolls.

The beverage menu covers an eclectic selection of iced drinks, coffee, soda, fruit juice, bubble tea and smoothies. And if you fancy something savory, their kolaches are amongst the best around.

The shop offers the option to dine in or get takeout. It’s open every day, from 5am to 4pm Monday to Saturday, and 5am to 2pm on Sundays.

 

8. Primas Bakery + Boutique

Primas Bakery + Boutique

Fancy browsing some gorgeous Latin-inspired clothing and accessories, then admiring your purchases over a donut? Then Primas Bakery + Boutique is about to make your dreams come true.

The premises house two separate businesses, an artisan bakery and a clothing boutique. The owners are cousins, and between them they’ve created a unique shopping and dining experience.

The donuts aren’t an everyday offering, so call ahead to check they’re available. When they’re there, they’re exquisite – light, fluffy and beautifully decorated. Other sweet treats include cookies and cookie cakes, celebration cakes, macarons, tarts, choux buns, cheesecakes and petit fours.

The store is open from 9am to 3pm Sundays and Mondays, and from 9am to 6pm the rest of the week. Dine in or get takeout, or have your order delivered to your door.

 

9. Bluff City Coffee & Bakery

Bluff City Coffee & Bakery

At Bluff City Bakery, everything is made fresh every day. This isn’t a specialist donut shop, so don’t expect a huge range of donuts. But there is a huge range of different pastries – and they’re all very good indeed.

It’s wise to call ahead to see if they have donuts that day. Other sweet treats on offer could include muffins, pop tarts and granola bites and bars. There’s also a great range of savory breads, bagels, croissants and breakfast sandwiches.

Give them a ring and they can make up a special order for a meeting, party or other event. For everyday purchases, you can dine in, or order ahead for curbside pick-up or delivery. Opening hours are 6.30am to 1pm Monday to Saturday, and 8am to 1pm on Sundays.

 

10. OB Donuts

OB Donuts

The OB in OB Donuts stands for “Olive Branch”, the town to the south of Memphis where this shop is located. Depending where you are, it could mean a longer trip. But if you’re looking for top quality donuts, you might feel it’s worth it.

There’s a huge range of flavors here, and they’re constantly being updated. Recent options include caramel Snickers drizzle with chocolate icing, red velvet with cream cheese, and maple bacon, to name but a few.

They’re open seven days a week, from 4.30am to 4pm on weekdays, and 4.30am to 3pm on weekends. But it pays not to leave it too late – they close early if they sell out.

 

11. Charlie’s Donuts & Coffee Shop

Charlie’s Donuts & Coffee Shop

Charlie’s is another great donut shop located in Olive Branch. And they also offer excellent kolaches and breakfast croissants when you’re in need of something savory.

The donut flavors include all the classics, and there’s always something special to celebrate the holidays. That might be green iced donuts for St Patrick’s Day, creepy spider’s web donuts for Halloween, or donuts decorated as baseballs for the big game.

Everything is made fresh daily, and the service is excellent too. The shop offers dine in or takeout, and it’s open seven days a week from 5am to 1pm.

 

12. Donut King

Donut King

Donut King is a longstanding chain, with a good branch in the town of Southaven, southwest of Memphis. All the donuts are made fresh every day and cut by hand. And you can order online via the website, or head to the store to get takeout.

There’s a great selection of cake and raised donuts, plus donut holes and cinnamon rolls. The apple fritters, plain glazed donuts and red velvet cake donuts are amongst the top picks from customers.

The shop is open daily from 5am to midday, and you’ll get fast and efficient service from the friendly staff.

 

13. Margie’s 901 Homemade Ice Cream and Cakes

Margie’s 901 Homemade Ice Cream and Cakes

Margie’s 901 specializes in high quality homemade ice cream in a mindboggling array of flavors. But it also does a truly scrumptious donut ice cream sandwich, earning it its place on our list.

Amongst the flavors earning rave reviews from customers are the red velvet donut ice cream sandwich, and the salted caramel version. There are also plenty of other treats to satisfy your sweet tooth, including cake pops, muffins and cookies.

The shop opens daily from midday to 8pm, and you can get takeout or have your food delivered.

 

14. Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme is one of the most successful donut chains in the US. And the branch on Elvis Presley Boulevard is a great example of why.

Here you’ll find an amazing selection of donuts in all styles and flavors. You can dine in, get takeout, or have your food delivered. And it’s open seven days a week.

Hotlight hours – when the donuts are warm from the fryer – are 6am to 10am daily. And there’s a second session Thursdays to Sundays, from 5pm to 9pm.

Dine in from 6am to 10pm Thursday to Sunday, and from 6am to 5pm the rest of the week. Deliveries start half an hour later and finish half an hour earlier.

 

15. Dunkin’

Dunkin’

Another of America’s favorite donut chains, Dunkin’ has an excellent outlet on Union Avenue in Memphis.

Here you’ll find all the Dunkin’ favorites, from the simple glazed donut to the Boston Kreme. There’s a great range of savory sandwiches too, plus an extensive menu of hot and cold drinks.

The shop is open daily from 5am to 8pm. Dine in, head to the drive-through, or get delivery via Doordash, Grubhub or Seamless.

 

Donut Be Cruel

That brings us to the end of our tour of the best donuts in Memphis. There’s no need for the blues when you have pastries like these on offer!

Whether you’re looking for cronuts or crullers, cake or raised, you can find them all here. So next time your sweet tooth strikes, why not try somewhere new? Who knows, you may just be about to taste your perfect donut!

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