Donuts and strong coffee are an essential part of any busy New Yorker’s morning routine at some point, in fact, you will find donuts in almost every cafe or coffee shop you’ll come across in any of the five boroughs of NYC.
There are so many donut stores and coffee shops that sell donuts across Brooklyn, let alone New York City making it super difficult to differentiate the amazing from the average and know what’s worth spending a short subway ride to and spending a few extra dollars.
For visitors to NYC, or those who live in Brooklyn seeking out some new donut spots to get their favorite sweet treat, keep on reading as we’ll be recommending the best of the best for you to try out.
Brandon’s Donuts
Brandon’s Donuts was opened by owner Matt and conveniently named after his son Brandon back after over 20 years of experience of making incredible donuts before opening his store in Carroll Gardens. The store is very family orientated and is easy to see with their very courteous customer service that never fails to brighten your day.
Brandon’s specializes in custom creations which allows you to create your perfect donut whether it’s just as a weekend treat or a special occasion as a gift for someone else.
The store is closed on Monda’s (they need a day off sometime right?) and open 11 am to 6 pm Tuesday through Thursday and then 11 am to 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. If you’ll need your coffee and donut fix come Sunday, then don’t worry as Brandon’s is still open from 11 am to 7 pm to eat in, order online, or take it away from the store.
Their specialty donut – the strawberries and cream is one of our favorites when in the area but the rest of the menu cannot be faulted.
Moe’s Doughs
Moe’s Doughs is located in Greenpoint and boasts one of the most extensive menus in Brooklyn in regards to donuts and sweet treats. Moe’s is open 5 am to 10 pm most days of the week, so whether you’re hitting the office early and in need of some sugar to get you pumped or returning from drinks with friends, the team at Moe’s will be able to accommodate you.
The Rainbow Cake Donut is one of the most visually pleasing delights you’ll come across and is up there within our top 5 favorite picks from Moe’s.
Moe’s also offers sandwiches, burgers, and chicken if you’re ever in need of some savory goodies to settle your stomach before filling yourself with sugar.
Moe’s donuts are available for delivery on UberEats, however, you’ll need to live/be within a certain distance to the restaurant to be eligible to deliver to your door, or you can choose to pick up your delicious pastries and donuts from in-store.
Mike’s Donuts
Mike’s Donuts have been serving Brookyln’s residents and visitors since 1976 and to this day Mike and his wife Christina still run operations at the store but have handed some responsibility over to their son Gus and son-in-law John to continue the family business.
The Bay Ridge donut store bakes all their donuts on the premises twice a day and offers around 35 types of donuts suitable for all types of customer tastes. As well as scrumptious donuts, Mike’s also serves hot fresh coffee and muffins, bagels, and croissants which you can buy in-store or order for collection over the phone.
You’ll have so much choice when it comes to picking your donuts, but whoever is working that day will be able to recommend their favs or try to pick one based on your tastes. We’d recommend not coming here hungry as you’ll want to buy one of each type.
Dun-Well Doughnuts
Dun-Well is an all-vegan donut shop that offers over 200 varieties through rotation and is one of the most popular donut venues in the Williamsburg area. It truly is hard to believe that all their incredible donuts are vegan, but you’ll have to take a visit to the store to believe your eyes.
Dun-Well has partnered with Brooklyn Roasting Company to bring you hand-roasted coffee daily to pair perfectly with your sweet treats.
If you know someone who loves donuts just as much as you, then buy them a Dun-Well gift card to give them one of the best gifts of all.
If you are a passionate vegan and foodie, then you’ll be happy to know that Dun-Well has also created a map that shows the local foodie places in the Brooklyn area that you can also visit, we stan a supportive donut joint!
Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop
The family-owned and run Peter Pan Donut & Pastry shop has been serving the neighborhood in Brooklyn for over 60 years.
You’ll find customers of all kinds within their stores due to their super early opening times (as early as 4.30 am on weekdays) so if you work the night shift or are passing by after a night out in the area then you may be able to grab yourself some fresh donuts.
Make sure to swing by when the seasons change as the shop produces some seasonal specials which are truly to die for.
There’s quite a lot of choice when it comes to the menu, but if you’re stuck for a decision then we’d recommend the red velvet, apple crumb, or Boston cream donut and you won’t be disappointed.
Doughnut Plant
In downtown Brooklyn, you’ll find Doughnut Plant, a popular NYC donut chain that is insanely popular with residents and tourists to the city. If you’re not around downtown, then you can also hit up the alternative store in Williamsburg.
There’s a good choice of flavors, including some you’ve probably never come across before so we’d recommend branching out and trying something new on your next visit.
Donuts from Doughnut Plant are reliably delicious and we’ve never had a bad experience in any of their stores. Prices are a little more expensive than what you’d find in independent stores, but it’s what to be expected from what is now one of the most popular donut chains in the city.
If you’re looking for a donut to get you hooked on this place, then we’d recommend the Brooklyn Blackout – a rich chocolate donut dipped in even more chocolate.
They even offer letter-shaped donuts that are custom-made and make a great birthday gift or a unique way to send a special message to someone. You can go in-store to pick out your sweet treats, order for pick up when you’re ready, or even order for delivery to your door as long as you’re within the correct distance of the store.
Fat Doughnut
Fat Doughnut is a great place to swing by on your lunch break as they not only serve up some rich and fluffy donuts, but also tasty bagels as well as hot and cold drinks to pair with them.
The Maple Glazed Donut is a favorite of ours and served with hot black coffee, it is the perfect pairing for a chillier day in the city.
Many regulars to the store will comment upon how friendly and accommodating the owner is and you can tell that they care a lot about their profession and take pride in their work. You’ll also find that they can help you choose a great donut based on your existing preferences whilst also recommending something new for you to try.
Homecoming
Homecoming in Greenpoint is not the typical donut shop you’d find in NYC, in fact, it doesn’t exactly market itself as a donut shop in general, it’s more of a coffee shop and plant store that happens to also sell some great donuts.
If you’re walking by one Sunday morning or looking for a zen place to get a good cup of joe and a sweet donut, then you should make sure to stop by. The staff just give off nothing but good vibes and are extremely accommodating of each customer regardless of if you’ve come in just to browse or to sit down and order some items.
The ambiance is very calming as you’ll be sitting amongst a vast selection of greenery and flowers (if you’ve got allergies, then it’s probably not recommended).
They’re open 8 am to 7 pm throughout midweek but open up at 9 am on the weekend, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to swing by, even if it’s on your way home from the office.
7th Ave Donuts & Luncheonette
If you’re looking for a straight-up old-school diner in Brooklyn that serves some decent donuts as well as a full menu of other traditional diner food items, then you’ll want to hit up the practically 24/7 7th Avenue Donuts & Luncheonette.
The store has had a recent makeover and introduced some fresh new faces for their front-of-house team, so you’ll be guaranteed a great experience any day of the week that you may visit. Donuts aren’t anything too fancy but consistently delicious whatever time of day you choose to dine.
Make sure to bring cash with you as in-store they only accept cash payments. There is a cash machine available within the diner but it does charge a small fee, but you could always grab some cash free of charge from a nearby ATM. If you choose to order online for takeout or delivery then you’ll be able to do so on the app through credit cards or Apple Pay.
Fan Fan Doughnuts
Fan Fan Doughnuts was opened up by Fany Gerson, a former partner of the popular Doughnut shop Dough in 2020, only 10 years after they opened their previous business in the same space.
Fany is an alumnus of the Culinary Institute of America and originally comes from Mexico and loves to combine unique flavors of her culture with authentic New York traditions in her recipes for doughnuts.
The store is open 9 am to 4 pm and 5 pm on weekends, however, they will close early if they happen to sell out, so we’d recommend getting there towards the start of the day so you have a full selection of doughnuts to choose from.
Happy Zoe Vegan Bakery
If you’re a vegan living in Brooklyn, then there’s a high chance you’ve probably come across Happy Zoe Vegan Bakery during your time there as they’re insanely popular with vegans, gluten-free eaters, or even just those looking to try something new.
We first found out about this place when one of our friends bought one of their matcha vanilla chocolate birthday cakes and we couldn’t believe our ears when they told us it was completely vegan. Soon enough, we did some research and paid a visit to this small little bakery in Brooklyn and were pleasantly surprised to find they also do doughnuts.
The pumpkin coconut crumb donuts are out of this world, however, there are plenty of other versatile donut options on the menu for you to try out if this is not your cup of tea.
