Ahh donuts.
Whether you bake ‘em or bought ‘em, they are undeniably delicious and my personal cheat day pleasure. Because when you’re having donuts, you’re not just eating them to have one. They don’t come in a dozen for no reason. You’re eating a lot and enjoying every. single. bite. So with today being National Donut Day, I’ve rounded up my Top 10 Favourite Donut Spots in the City – Toronto, that is – and added a few sleeper hits that you pointed out to me via Instagram. Thank you for your tips, thank you National Donut Day and thank you sugar. The true hero without which this list wouldn’t be possible.
While these are in no particular ranking, Glory Hole gets top billing because they create yeast, cake and vegan donuts. So ya, you’ve got a lot of variety between a lighter or more dense gluten-y donut and you can go if you are in the type of relationship where one person has all of the dietary restrictions but still wants a delicious treat. I was told the vegan vanilla glaze is a hit and one that I’ll be heading over to try out today as it checks all my boxes – classic, dairy-free, frosted.
- Tori’s Bakeshop was the first place in the city that I happened upon, that actually offered up gluten free and vegan options for an assortment of baked goods, but their donuts are top notch. And while they now have multiple locations, to me, nothing beats the original in The Beaches where you can grab a few sweet treats and head to the water to enjoy it in PURE BLISS.
I don’t think you can make a best donuts list without including this OG spot. SanRemo’s is worth the drive out of the city to get a box of some of the best darn donuts that I can only imagine are made with love. This place has been around since 1969 so you know they are doing everything right and just FYI – be sure to carve out a good chunk of time since the selection is so huge, you could be there a while (which is a pretty good problem to have if you ask me).
I remember when Krispy Kreme first came to Canada my car was filled to brim with their signature boxes and my arteries were clogged just as high. WORTH IT. There is nothing like a classic Krispy Kreme to just put you in the mood or take you out of a terrible funk. Sometimes simple is best and if you’re looking for that this National Donut Day then you’ve got to go for Krispy Kreme.
You’d never guess from this sweet little spot tucked away in Uptown Toronto that this is where donuts go to get crazy. With everything from milk ‘n’ cereal style to their signature Crunchie candy bar donut, you really can’t go wrong with a routine brunch from Emma’s Country Kitchen and room left to get wild with one of these wacky flavours.
This little diner in Leslieville goes the extra mile to bake everything from scratch – including their bread. It’s a true neighbourhood favourite that’s won over Riverside hearts for diner classics that have a fancy twist, donuts included. Their Vanilla Chai, Peanut butter & Honey, and Brown Butter Cinnamon are all must-trys.
You ever want not a full donut but like a snack donut? And I don’t mean a Timbit, those are precious individuals all on their own. I mean like a miniature donut – one that whilst being a full donut, doesn’t truly feel like that. Well if you answer yes to the above, then Little Nicky’s mini donuts are for you. They make them fresh in-house and you can watch them wheel right out of the fryer and straight in to your mouth. Actually, maybe wait a minute or two, because those babies are hot.
If you want custom donuts and endless filling opportunities you should try Jelly Modern. Yes, yes jelly’s in their name, so you would assume they have a ton of delightful centres for their offerings but what I really want to call attention to is the custom work, specifically a technique that is SO MUCH HARDER than you’d think. MARBLING. If you are looking for galaxy donuts (it’s marbling), rainbow donuts (it’s marbling) or you know any cool Insta-worthy marbled donut – YES, it’s marbling. And it is so tough to get your frosting and food dyes to work the way you need them to, so I give all my respect to Jelly Modern, because can’t nobody do it like they can. Especially not me, exhibit A.
I mean they might be “Through Being Cool” but they’re still really cool to me. I love a good rustic looking donut, one that looks like it should be food styled on a carpenter-fresh wooden table with a nearby succulent and bearded fella. For real though, this place just makes me feel cool, in a hipster way that an actual hipster probably did not intend for (but like, they did) and the amount of options – vegan options – are just so endless. But sadly, they do come to an end and tend to sell out daily so if you are thinking about going, don’t wait – just go.
Von Doughnuts is where you go for the donut, but stay for the Instagrammable moments. The drool-worthy wallpaper is all the rage and the perfectly plated, individual treats make this spot a sit down and stay a while destination. This is another sell-out-daily situation as they recommend that you call before coming in to ensure that they have what you want – How Canadian! I’ve got to say the Sundae style donut is a necessity if you’re into Insta and anywhere that has a Simpson’s style donut is a winner to me.
And there you have it. Honourable mentions you recommended go to Hollywood Cone who makes a mean milkshake and uses an actual donut as a topping, Loblaws for the grocery store frosting goodness and The Rolling Pin who were actually the winner of Food Network Canada’s Donut Showdown. I have got to check these out so thank you kindly. And to the peeps who sent through Coffee Time as a DM recommendation (NO!), perhaps take my advice and hit up any of the places above to discover, on this National Donut Day, what real flavour is all about.