America's Best Doughnuts

Cream-filled, glazed or even topped with bacon, doughnuts are an irresistible confection beloved across the country in classic and new forms. Here, Food & Wine names the best doughnuts in the U.S.



The Doughnut Vault (Photo: Triphena Wong)The Doughnut Vault; Chicago, IL

Gilt Bar owner Brendan Sodikoff started selling big, fresh doughnuts out of a brick storefront in the spring of 2011, and lines continue from early morning until the handful of flavors sell out. Outside, there’s a communal table for enjoying old-fashioned, chocolate-glazed and sometimes pistachio-covered rings, with $1 cups of coffee.





Betty Ann Food Shop (Photo: Darren Gersh)Betty Ann Food Shop; Boston, MA

This East Boston bakery, which has been around since 1931, specializes in classic sugar-rolled doughnuts, including a hefty cake option and rustic jelly-filled balls of fried dough. 565 Bennington Street.







Doughnut Plant (Photo: Sarah Lemoncelli)Doughnut Plant; New York, NY

At his new Chelsea location, Lower East Side doughnut pioneer Mark Israel masterminded a glazed oatmeal cake doughnut, sprinkled with the usual granola suspects like dried fruit bits, oats and seeds. doughnutplant.com.







Dynamo Donuts (Photo: Dynamo Donuts)Dynamo Donuts; San Francisco, CA

Owner Sara Spearin’s menu changes all the time, with inspired flavors like lemon-pistachio and “banana de leche,” filled with caramel-coated fruit. The bacon-maple doughnut, with smoky sautéed apples, is now available every day. dynamodonut.com.