Top 15 Best Donut Shops In Washington, DC

by
Top 15 Best Donut Shops In Washington, DC

Living or working in DC? Or perhaps you’re here on a visit? Been struck by a donut craving that just won’t quit?

Never fear, we’ve got you covered!

We’ve checked out the best donuts in DC, from local chains to small indies. And there are some seriously excellent pastries to satisfy your sweet tooth.

So if you’re ready, let’s find the crème de la crème of DC donuts!

Best Donuts in Washington DC

1. Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

As the name suggests, Astro offer a delicious combination of quality donuts and succulent fried chicken.

The range of donuts isn’t huge, but everything is fresh and tasty. Choose from vanilla glazed, maple bacon, PB&J and crème brûlée.

There’s also a great range of breakfast options, including the “Fried Chicken Honey”, a fried chicken breast with honey and hot sauce. Lunch options and the rest of the fried chicken menu is available after 11.30am.

There’s also soda, bottled water and, of course, coffee. In the warmer months cold brew and lemonade are on offer too.

The shop is open seven days a week. On weekdays, the hours are 8am to 5.30pm. On Saturdays, it’s open from 9am to 5pm, and on Sundays, opening hours are from 9am to 3pm.

You can order takeout, or get your donuts delivered to your door. Note, though, that there’s no dine in option here.

 

2. District Doughnut

District Doughnut

District Doughnut specializes in gourmet yeast-raised donuts in creative flavor combinations. Everything is made from scratch, using the finest ingredients. Think Valrhona chocolate, authentic Spanish dulce de leche, and fresh fruit.

The menu changes regularly to make the best of seasonal ingredients. At the time of writing, the options on offer included Key lime pie, peaches and cream and the “Hello Dolly”. The latter features butterscotch glaze, toasted coconut and pecans, chocolate chips and graham cracker streusel. Yum!

The shop offers takeout only, and there’s also a catering service for special events. It’s open daily, from 6am to 4pm on weekdays, and 7am to 5pm on weekends.

 

3. Donut Run

Donut Run

Donut Run is the home of what some customers have called the best donuts they’ve ever eaten. Check out the store’s Instragram stories for the latest flavors. Social media is also a great place to find special offers, like free donuts for National Donut Day.

The innovative flavor combinations include the “Take 5”, featuring chocolate, peanuts, pretzels and caramel drizzle. Classic options are available too, like cookies and cream, French Toast and Boston cream. And there’s a strawberry glazed donut that some say is the best they’ve ever tasted.

The shop is open every day for takeout only, from 7am to 2pm.

 

4. Donisima

Donisima

Donisima elevate donut-making to an art form. These donuts look so good you could hang them on your wall – except you’d miss out on the amazing flavors.

The donuts here are brioche, based on a family recipe, and combined with Latin American flavors.

They include the Amor al Chocolate, combining chocolate and hazelnut, and garnished with gold leaf. Or there’s the Arequipe, a brioche donut with Colombian dulce de leche, glaze and cream, and topped with queso fresco streusel.

They’re not cheap, but you’re paying for quality.

The shop is open every day except Monday, from 10am to 5pm. Note, though, that they close early if they sell out – so don’t leave it too late.

 

5. Rose Ave Bakery

Rose Ave Bakery

Located in the Block Food Hall in DC is Rose Ave Bakery, an Asian American bakery that specializes in innovative flavors.

Here you’ll find options like a Korean soybean donut filled with nutty roasted soybean cream, pandan and black sesame, and strawberry rose lychee.

Online preorders refresh every Sunday at 5pm. But get in quick – slots get used up fast. There’s also a walk-in service at the store from Tuesday through to Saturday, 9am to 2pm. Don’t leave it too late though – they often sell out by 1pm.

 

6. Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats

Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats

Sticky Fingers is the home of seriously delicious donuts, as well as a range of other sweet treats. And there’s a great vegan selection too.

The donuts include coconut crème and tiramisu flavors that get rave reviews from customers.  Note, though, that you’ll need to wait for a donut day. Most of the time, the speciality here is cookies. You can even sign up for a cookie subscription!

The store is open from 10am to 5pm Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 7pm on Saturday, and !0am to 4pm on Sunday. The hours do change, though, so check out the website when you’re planning your visit.

Sign up there, and you’ll also get 10 per cent off your first order.

 

7. Call Your Mother

Call Your Mother

Call Your Mother is a Jewish deli that also does a fine line in donuts. It’s a popular place, so expect there to be a line. But don’t let that put you off – it moves quickly.

Their donuts get high praise from customers, and there are also some excellent cookies. But the stars of the show here are really the bagels. They’re fresh, generously filled and full of great flavors.

The shop is open seven days a week from 7.30am to 2pm.

 

8. Lulabelle’s

Lulabelle’s

Lulabelle’s is a charming bakery offering donuts alongside cookies, cupcakes, ice cream and hot and iced coffee.

The donut range isn’t huge, but everything is freshly prepared and packed with great flavors. Choose from options including chocolate or strawberry frosted with sprinkles, Boston cream, blueberry, and devil’s food cake.

They can also make a custom cake for your special event. Just make sure you give them five days’ notice.

The shop is open for takeout every day except Monday. The hours are 9am to 7pm Tuesday to Thursday, 9am to 8pm Friday and Saturday, and 8am to 6pm on Sundays.

 

9. Bread Furst

Bread Furst

Bread Furst is a bakery, rather than a donut shop. That means you’ll get a wide range of artisan breads, cakes, pastries and coffees, plus light lunches. But they also make donuts – and they’re extremely good.

There isn’t a huge range of flavors – that’s not what this place is about. But if you sample their simple glazed donuts, you’ll come back for more. More than one customer has said these are the best donuts they’ve ever tasted.

The shop offers dine in, drive through or delivery. It’s open seven days a week, from 8am to 6pm.

 

10. Baked by Yael

Baked by Yael

Baked by Yael is a nut-free and kosher bakery – and it’s also the home of the duffin. What’s a duffin? I hear your cry. Well, it’s a cross between a donut and a muffin – and it’s delicious.

You can choose from five different flavors. There’s plain, chocolate chip, maple glazed, chocolate glazed and cinnamon sugar.

There’s also a great range of cake pops and other pastries, including cookies and cookie bars, gingersnaps, raspberry bars and rugelach.

You can pre-order online or order in store, and you can get your order delivered too. The shop is open from 8am to 4pm, seven days a week.

 

11. Uptown Market

Uptown Market

Uptown Market includes a restaurant serving coffee, lunch and dinner, And there’s a market where you can buy groceries too. But it’s the donuts here that customers rave about.

They’re only available on the weekends, between 8am and 12.30pm. And it’s recommended that you pre-order, because they sell out fast.

There are just three flavors: a simple glazed donut, a cinnamon sugar, and a toffee crumble. But each of them is executed just about perfectly.

If you fancy trying something else from the menu, you’ll have plenty of choice. Other pastries are served between 8.30am and 2.30pm daily. There’s a lunch and brunch menu from 11am to 2.30pm daily. And the dinner menu is available from Tuesday through Saturday, from 4pm to 9.30pm.

 

12. La Coop Coffee

La Coop Coffee

La Coop is a cooperative that specializes in fair-trade coffee from Guatamala. But they also happen to do some seriously good donuts to go with your cup of Joe.

The donuts are the traditional cake variety, with classics like glazed and vanilla. And they serve empanadas too.

You can dine in the cozy shop or order takeout. It’s open from 7am to 4pm on weekdays, and 8am to 3pm on weekends.

 

13. Rise Bakery

Rise Bakery

Rise is a completely gluten-free bakery. But whether or not you have allergies to contend with, it’s a great choice for a delicious donut.

The donuts here are simple vanilla, with a vanilla glaze and sprinkles. And they’re expertly crafted. They also offer cupcakes, pies, cakes, croissants, scones and eclairs.

If you’re in the mood for something savory, there’s also a great range of breakfasts, sandwiches, paninis and pizza. There’s hot drip coffee, tea and a range of cold drinks too. And just like the food, all the beverages are gluten-free.

The bakery is open from 10am to 6pm on weekdays, and from 8am to 6pm on weekends. You can dine in, collect your food curbside, or have it delivered to your door.

 

14. Good Company Doughnuts & Café

Good Company Doughnuts & Café

Confession time: Good Company Doughnuts and Café isn’t actually in DC. It’s just over the border in Arlington, Virginia. But the quality of the donuts here means you might just be happy you made the journey.

They’re made fresh daily and cut by hand. There are standard donuts, donut holes and giant-sized party donuts. And you can buy them individually, or by the dozen or half-dozen.

There are everyday classics like apple cinnamon, Bavarian cream and the Big Apple, the Good Company’s take on an apple fritter.

And there’s an ever-changing menu of specials. At the time of writing, these included the Angel White, a classic yeast-raised donut filled with angel vanilla cream and dusted with sugar. A Chocolate Cream donut with caramel, chocolate ganache and Oreo crumbs was another star specialty.

You can dine in at the shop, pick up your order curbside, or have your food delivered. Opening hours are 7am to 1pm on Mondays, and 7am to 4pm the rest of the week.

 

15. Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme

You know what you’re getting with Krispy Kreme – light, sweet donuts and a huge range of amazing flavors. The DC branch on 14th Street North-West does it all very well, and customer service gets good marks too.

Classics include the glazed, chocolate cream, glazed raspberry filled and apple fritter. There’s also a regularly changing specials menu, with limited edition donuts to mark the holidays.

The menu is big enough to keep you sampling new donuts for months if not years. But if you fancy something new, there’s also a great selection of ice cream. And the drinks menu is extensive too.

The shop is open seven days a week for takeout and delivery. From Sunday to Thursday, the hours are 6am to 10pm, and on Fridays and Saturdays they stay open until 11pm.

 

Ready for a Donut?

That brings us to the end of our tour of the best donuts in DC! We bet your stomach is rumbling!

If you’re in the mood to sample some sugary goodness, why not check out one of these stores right now? From artisan donuts to tried and tested chains, the city offers something for every taste.

We hope you enjoy your next donut!

Related posts:

Leave a Comment