The 14 Best Doughnut Shops In The South

Photo:
Courtesy of Five Daughters Bakery

Is there anything more crave-worthy than a hot and fresh doughnut? Plush, sugary, and insanely satisfying, Southerners can't get enough of these little bites of deep-fried goodness. While we'll forever have a special place in our hearts for ubiquitous chains like Krispy Kreme (they did just announce a partnership with our beloved Dolly Parton after all), our favorite local shops take the cake when we've got a hankering for a sweet treat. Here, we spotlight some of the best local doughnut shops across the region, from one-shop wonders like TatoNut in Ocean Springs—whose secret ingredient is none other than potato flour—to multi-location favorites like The Salty Donut, which started making its decadent doughnuts in Miami and has since expanded across the South and beyond.

How We Picked This List

This list was compiled by the writer and the editors of Southern Living, who are always on the hunt for a great doughnut. These doughnut shops span the region and represent everything from creative cronuts to classic yeast rings. They are listed in no particular order.

Twinkle Donuts

The Colony, Texas

Don’t check your GPS if you pull up to this doughnut shop and find a Korean restaurant instead. Angela Choi and her husband always dreamed of opening their own bakery but wanted to do a test run before committing to a brick-and-mortar spot in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Choi’s mother, who owns The Rice Bar in The Colony (a suburb of about 45,000 on the outskirts of Dallas), suggested that the couple use her space as a temporary storefront. They began taking over her morning shifts in September 2019 and haven’t looked back. “We eventually became a staple breakfast place here, and we love the small-town feel,” Choi says. On their way to the register, guests walk along a buffet of doughnuts, where they have the difficult task of choosing from multiple types of yeast and cake donuts and Cronuts. Pro tip: Arrive early, or risk missing out on the popular kinds. Choi’s top choice is the melt-in-your-mouth crème brûlée. Another bestseller is the banana pudding donut that’s filled with fresh fruit and cream.

5401 S Colony Blvd, The Colony, TX 75056; 972-370-0626; twinkle-donuts-toast.square.site

Red’s Donut Shop

Paducah, Kentucky

Things at Red’s haven’t changed much since 1955 when Howard “Red” Clark opened Nunn Better Donut Shop in a former Dairy Queen. Well, except the name, which got a swap 10 years into business to honor the owner’s distinctive hair color. The shop is still family-owned (now by Red’s three sons), the doughnuts continue to be hand cut every day, and the prices have remained somewhat stuck in time. A single yeast one—whether filled with cinnamon apples, jelly, or Bavarian cream—will set you back only 90 cents, and you can take home an entire dozen for $10. But Red’s doesn’t stop there; they also offer cake doughnut options like blueberry, strawberry, coconut, caramel, peanut, and cinnamon sugar.

2800 Jackson Street, Paducah, KY 42003; 270-443-6717; redsdonutshop.com

Sandy Pony Donuts

Multiple locations across Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland

Hot doughnuts always taste better, and that’s exactly what makes Sandy Pony’s made-to-order concept so beloved. “People are amazed that their doughnut is made just after they’re done paying,” says Brea Reeves, who owns the busi- ness with her husband, Ben Wang. “We mix the batter, fill the hopper, punch out a ring into the fryer, let it cook for two minutes, remove it from the fryer, and then dip it in the glaze and topping of choice.” Reeves started the business in 2015 out of a food trailer on Chincoteague Island, Virginia; the wild ponies that roam in the area inspired the shop’s name. Sandy Pony offers 24 different glaze and topping pairings for their light and fluffy vanilla cake delicacies. Favorites include the Ms. Sandy (honey glaze and cinnamon sugar), Pony Party (strawberry glaze and rainbow sprinkles), and Porky Pony (honey glaze, cinnamon sugar, and bacon). What began as a way out of a boring nine-to-five job has turned into a passion for the owners, who now have five locations across Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. “Getting doughnuts at the beach or on the weekends in Annapolis has become a family tradition for many customers,” says Reeves.

instagram.com/sandyponydonuts

Gibson’s Donuts

Memphis, Tennessee

Something of a local celebrity, Don DeWeese is known as the Donut Man. He took over Gibson’s in 1996 after it had already been in business for almost three decades, but he says that under his guidance it has become one of the largest single-owner, single-location doughnut shops in the country. DeWeese points to a couple of secrets behind the success of Gibson’s. One is that their recipe calls for 50% more yeast than average. They also let their dough rise three times and use an antique glazer to cover both sides instead of just one. Open from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. every day, Gibson’s has to fry a lot of dough to satisfy customers from morning to late night. On the Saturday before Christmas in 2023, they sold a whopping 1,700 dozen. Memphians swear by Gibson’s, but even out-of-towners like Food Network star Alton Brown have named it the best.

760 Mt Moriah Rd, Memphis, TN 38117; 901-682-8200; facebook.com/gibsonsdonuts

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

Multiple locations in D.C. and Northern Virginia

Fried chicken and waffles is an iconic pairing in the Southern diet, but fried chicken and doughnuts? At Astro’s three locations in Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia, the two go together swimmingly—as do the establishments’ owners Elliot Spaisman and Jeff Halpern, who were childhood best friends and little league hockey teammates. (Halpern went on to play for the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals.) Their favorite post-practice snack became the sweet inspiration for a winning business when they opened Astro in 2013. The duo enlists the help of pastry chef Chris Kujala to oversee an ever-changing menu that includes four always-available flavors (crème brûlée, peanut butter and jelly, vanilla glazed, and maple bacon) plus four specialty options that change monthly, like banana pudding, hot chocolate cake, and mango passion fruit. Hometown spirit is a big point of pride. Two of their most popular creations over the years have been the annual Cherry Blossom and the Baby Shark, inspired by the Washington Nationals’ 2019 World Series victory.

astrodoughnuts.com

Vincent Van Doughnut

St. Louis, Missouri

Every pastry is a work of art at this St. Louis operation that started out in Vincent Marsden’s home kitchen, graduated to a food truck, and then rose through the ranks to achieve TV fame by winning the Cooking Channel’s Donut Showdown. Although Marsden offers a varying array of inventive choices for each style (yeast, vegan, sour cream old-fashioned, and gluten free), his top pick is a classic yeast-raised cinnamon-and-sugar doughnut hole. “My mother always used to have a bowl of cinnamon and sugar around for quick breakfast toasts for me and my siblings, so this one is nostalgic,” he says. “It’s simple, but if you can’t do the easy ones—the staples—then you’ve got no business attempting the more exotic ones.” For the record, Vincent Van Doughnut, which was named for Marsden’s son, does excel at the exotic. Past examples have included pecan pie cheesecake, lemon lavender, French toast, and gooey butter cake (in honor of the city’s favorite dessert).

1072 Tower Grove Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110; 314-339-5440; facebook.com/vincentvandoughnut

Hole Doughnuts

Asheville and Marshall, North Carolina

You can watch your order go from being a pile of dough to a crisp, rustic round at this cozy cabin in West Asheville. It’s the unreproducible texture (created by a higher protein ratio in the flour) that makes the doughnuts here so special. They are crunchy on the outside yet plush on the inside and have just the right amount of chew. Vanilla Glazed, Toasted Almond Sesame Cinnamon, and Cinnamon Sugar are offered year-round. A fourth option—often with seasonal ingredients like honeysuckle—changes weekly. Don’t be discouraged if you see a line going out the door. The wait will be easily forgiven once you have a steaming hot, just-pulled-from-the-fryer pastry in hand. And because the flavors are simple and balanced rather than cloyingly sweet, you won’t have a problem eating three or four. After nine years stewarding the Asheville location, owners Ryan Martin and Hallee Hirsh are planning a second outpost in nearby Marshall. Called Noodle Hole, the new spot will sell doughnuts by day and hand-pulled noodles by night.

168 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806; 828-774-5667; hole-doughnuts.com

The Salty Donut

Multiple locations

A family of serial entrepreneurs are the masterminds behind The Salty Donut. Owner Amanda Pizarro’s college project came to life as a vintage camper pop-up in Miami’s Wynwood district and has since expanded to 15 locations across the South, with more on the way. Today, Amanda’s husband, Andy Rodriguez, is the company’s CEO, while her brother Danny Pizarro serves as CMO. Together, the three continue to dream up new flavors and improvements for this burgeoning business that Danny describes as more than just a doughnut shop. “We really do prioritize community above all else,” he says. “We’ve launched running clubs and sponsored yoga classes, basically just doing things that bring people together and allow them to enjoy a treat afterward.” Folks keep coming back for their excellent selection of 24-hour-raised brioche doughnuts as well as cake, vegan, and gluten-free varieties. Distinctive spins have included café con leche and coconut-macaroon versions.

saltydonut.com

Good Company Doughnuts & Café

Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe — Kent Mason

Multiple locations in Arlington, Virginia

Doughnuts have been a lifelong endeavor for Jim Murphy. His family’s business, Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts, has attained legendary status in Massachusetts. So when he and his wife, Kate, relocated to Arlington, Virginia, they brought along the sugary confection, joining forces with Kate’s brother, Charles Kachadoorian, and his wife, Melissa. Kate heads a large team of bakers to crank out 40 flavors per day. With so many delicious options to choose from, Charles’ favorite makes an impression. “It’s the Unicorn, which gets a hot-honey dip fresh out of the glazer,” he says. “As the name suggests, they’re very rare, but if you can get your hands on one, you’re a happy camper.”

gocodough.com

The TatoNut Shop

Ocean Springs, Mississippi

For the uninitiated, a doughnut made with anything but wheat flour might sound strange, but those who’ve been to TatoNut will beg to differ. Theirs are prepared using a combination of wheat and potato flours, producing a fluffy texture that’s airy rather than heavy. The shop has been a coastal Mississippi standby since 1960 when Robert Mohler opened a Spudnut franchise. Along the way, his business shed its chain affiliation and became the one and only TatoNut. Today, the institution is run by Katelyn Mohler, his granddaughter, who took over operations after her father passed away in 2021. Step up to the giant pastry case where rows of bright yellow trays display everything from classic TatoNuts to other treats like the Persian (a cinnamon roll doughnut glazed like a honey bun) and the misshapen Katrina, a resourceful solution to reduce waste during supply shortages caused by Hurricane Katrina.

1114 Government St, Ocean Springs, MS 39564; 228-872-2076; facebook.com/TheTatoNutDonutShop

Hero Doughnuts & Buns

Multiple locations

Wil Drake's childhood memories of Saturday mornings spent eating Krispy Kreme with his dad inspired the menu at his own restaurant. But the similarities between his offerings and the famous chain’s original glazed are few and far between. Rather than being cranked out by the dozen from a conveyor belt, Drake’s brioche-style bites are hand cut and take three days to make. Each measures around 1.5 inches tall, forming a striking profile that’s worthy of the brand’s name. Drake first served the pastries as the dessert at a ticketed dinner in Birmingham. Shortly after that, he brought the runaway hit to pop-up and a well-attended weekly farmers’ market. His flagship store opened in 2017. Since then, eight others across Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee have followed. Although the menu has expanded to include more Americana classics like smashburgers (on homemade sesame buns), loaded hash browns influenced by Drake’s favorite Waffle House indulgence, and extra-crispy chicken nuggets, the doughnuts will always be the stars. Look for seasonal specials like a vanilla-glazed kind that’s split in half to sandwich cream and fresh strawberries.

herodoughnutsandbuns.com

Five Daughters Bakery

Multiple locations

The playful mash-up of a croissant and a doughnut first received national attention when Cronuts went viral in 2013. Two years later, Stephanie and Isaac Meek introduced their hometown of Franklin, Tennessee, to their take on the trend. They called it the 100 Layer Donut and sold it at cafes and pop-ups. At the time, Isaac was seeking a way out of his accounting job and into a career that allowed more flexibility and creativity. An artisanal doughnut shop with Instagram-worthy products was the answer. The first store, named for the couple’s five girls, opened in Franklin at the end of 2015; a second location in Nashville’s 12 South neighborhood followed in early 2016. Since then, six others have been added in Music City and Atlanta. The 100 Layer Donut takes roughly three days to make and is a hearty breakfast in and of itself. Most flavors weigh close to eight times as much as the average glazed variety. Order the King Kong (which is coated in sugar, infused with vanilla buttercream, and garnished with a maple glaze and candied bacon pieces) when you’re feeling extra hungry. If you want to taste a few, the bakery makes mini versions as well.

fivedaughtersbakery.com

Sublime Doughnuts

Atlanta, Georgia

Kamal Grant spent many a late night turning his dreams into reality when he took over a failing shop and transformed it into Sublime Doughnuts in 2008. “I opened it with just my savings and wasn’t able to hire employees for six months,” he recalls. With Sublime, he strives to bring unexpected flavors to this familiar dessert. The Culinary Institute of America graduate and former pastry chef for the U.S. Navy was inspired by his time spent in Singapore to conjure up what he dubbed the doughnut burger, which features ice cream and toppings nestled between two halves of the split confection.

2566 Briarcliff Rd NE, Suite 107, Atlanta, GA 30318; 404.315.6899; sublimedoughnuts.com

JR’s Donut Castle

Parkersburg, West Virginia

There’s a childlike joy that comes when biting into a hot, sugary treat. But at JR’s Donut Castle, that uncomplicated bliss intensifies. “It’s a castle that sells doughnuts—who wouldn’t want to stop by?” asks second-generation owner Aaron Parsons. In 1977, Parsons’ father, JR, decided to purchase the doughnut shop where he worked. Then shortly after that, he hired his soon-to-be wife, Darlene, and they teamed up to keep their new business afloat. Open daily until 10 p.m., JR’s is a welcome sight for anyone who has a sweet tooth. Be sure to try the Yum Yum (butter is continually added into the dough as it’s formed into a twist).

3318 Emerson Ave, Parkersburg, WV 26104; 304-428-9097; jrsdonutcastle.com

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The 14 Best Doughnut Shops In The South

How We Picked This List

Twinkle Donuts

Red’s Donut Shop

Sandy Pony Donuts

Gibson’s Donuts

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

Vincent Van Doughnut

Hole Doughnuts

The Salty Donut

Good Company Doughnuts & Café

The TatoNut Shop

Hero Doughnuts & Buns

Five Daughters Bakery

Sublime Doughnuts

JR’s Donut Castle

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