Amelie CameronIn my opinion, starting the day with a donut is elite. Biting into the sticky, sugar glaze and munching on the equally sweet dough is enough to energize me for a good part of the day.
That’s why I’m so thrilled to notice that more and more donut shops are popping up in Toronto. And many of them take donut flavors to a whole new level!
These are the ones in Toronto that I keep coming back to.
Maverick’s Donuts
– From: mavericksqueenwest
Address: 1618 Queen St W
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday—7:30 am to 8:30 pm
Contact Number: +14165305776
Maverick’s Donuts is one of the most popular donut chains in Toronto, so you can’t really go wrong with starting here.
There are many flavor options here, and personally, I go for the ones in the Signature Series because that’s where the fun flavor combos are.
My favorite has to be the Chocolate Coconut Donut, which is dipped in honey glaze, sprinkled with chocolate curls, and topped with toasted coconuts. It’s not overly sweet, and the variety in texture is fun as well.
| Pro Tip: You can make a custom order for any kind of special event, from corporate gatherings to elaborate weddings. |
Machino Donuts
– From: machinodonuts
Address: 1556 Bloor St W
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—9 am to 8 pm
Vegan donuts? Yes, they’re possible, and yes, they can be just as tasty as the non-vegan ones. Come to Machino Donuts, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.
I quite like the Dubai Chocolate Kunafa Donut, and it’s not just because I wanted to jump into the trend. This donut is filled with kataifi pistachio cream and then dipped in a chocolate ganache with a generous topping of toasted kataifi and chopped pistachio.
To say that this is decadent is an understatement. I can feel my blood sugar spiking with every bite, but I don’t care!
| Pro Tip: You can hire them for special event catering! |
COPS
– From: eatcops
Address: 445 Adelaide St W
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday—9 am to 11 pm
- Friday and Saturday—9 am to 12 am
Inspired by the association between police officers and donuts, COPS sticks to simple flavors, but donut worry (heh) because they more than do justice to these classic flavors!
My go-to flavor is cinnamon sugar because it tastes like churros to me. Their OG glaze is also a good one. It’s made with sour cream and sweetened milk, so every bite is a dance between sugary and tangy. This flavor combo is actually very addictive!
| Pro Tip: You can book COPS for a private event. They have several fun offerings, including custom installations and unlimited donuts. |
Glory Hole Doughnuts
– From: ghdoughnuts
Address: 1505 Gerrard St E
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday—9 am to 4 pm
- Friday and Saturday—9 am to 5 pm
Contact Number: +16473521505
It’s hard not to hear about Glory Hole Doughnuts when it was named THE number one donut spot in the city by NOW Toronto and blogTO. Plus, my friends are always hyping up this East End spot as well.
After trying several donuts here, I have to say that the hype is well-deserved. I recommend the Ferrero Rocher donut, which also happens to be one of the bestsellers. With all the chocolate, this donut is rich and decadent, and it also has a lovely crunchy texture because of the nuts.
| Pro Tip: Give a fellow donut lover a gift card from this shop. |
Bloomer’s
– From: bloomersto
Address: 873 Bloor St W
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday—8 am to 8 pm
- Saturday and Sunday—9 am to 8 pm
Contact Number: +14165510532
If you’re in the West End, Bloomer’s is a great spot to get donuts. This is a vegan and gluten-free bakery, even vegans and gluten-sensitive people are welcome to feast on the scrumptious treats here.
I really love the strawberry shortcake donut here because it’s sweet and fruity, with a bit of tanginess at the end. The apple pie donut is another one that I like because it tastes nostalgic for me. Plus, the apple filling is generous!
| Pro Tip: If you need a large order for private events like weddings, you can send a request (or inquiry) to [email protected]. You can also choose to fill out the form on this page. |
The Donuterie
– From: thedonuterie
Address: 327 Carlaw Ave, Fruitful Market
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Saturday—9 am to 6 pm
- Sunday—9 am to 5 pm
Contact Number: +14168492504
The Donuterie is a new addition to my list of favorites. It’s a small shop situated in the Fruitful Market, and it’s always selling pretty and delicious artisanal donuts.
What I like about this shop is that the menu changes every month, so there’s always something to look forward to. One flavor that stood out to me is the Nutella Cookies Ring. It was a sweetness overload, but somehow, I could never get sick of it.
| Pro Tips: Every Friday to Saturday, all of the flavors of the month are available until sold out. This is the perfect time to try as many flavors as you can. This shop also does catering for special events. |
Unholy Donuts
– From: unholydonutscanada
Address: 596 Bay St.
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday—8:30 am to 8:30 pm
- Saturday and Sunday—9:30 am to 8:30 pm
Contact Number: +14378360804
I reckon that this place is called “Unholy Donuts” because the donuts are so good you might be tempted to eat so much as to be gluttonous. If that’s the case, then perhaps I’m guilty!
The donuts here are brioche-style, so they’re super soft, almost like biting into a cloud. The filling is also generous, so the donut feels hefty and tastes indulgent.
My favorite flavor is the Spring Fever, which has strawberry pastry cream, chocolate ganache, and white chocolate mousse. It has an interesting combination of textures, and its flavors are a mixture of sweet and tangy.
| Pro Tip: Keep in mind that this place doesn’t have any seating, so you’ll have to either eat your donut standing up or order it as a takeaway. |
Dipped Donuts
– From: dippeddonutsinc
Address: 161 Baldwin St #1
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday, Sunday—9 am to 6 pm
- Friday and Saturday—9 am to 7 pm
Contact Number: +16479063668
If you’re in Kensington Market, then you need to head to Dipped Donuts. This shop is passionate about gourmet donuts, so the flavors are always creative.
My favorite so far is the Salted Caramel Honeycomb Bomb. The filling is a salted caramel cream that’s so rich and decadent, and then the donut is rolled in sugar and topped with homemade broken honeycomb.
Death by Chocolate is another popular choice, and its name is quite fitting. The donut base is a chocolate cake, the filling is milk chocolate ganache, and the topping is chocolate soil. I can feel cavities already forming in my teeth at the thought.
| Pro Tip: This shop offers catering services for special events. |
SanRemo Bakery
– From: sanremobakery
Address: 374 Royal York Rd, Etobicoke
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday—8 am to 5 pm
Contact Number: +14162552808
SanRemo Bakery started as a humble mom-and-pop bakery, but now it’s a beloved spot in Etobicoke. Aside from the delicious donuts, the vibes in this shop are cozy and casual, so I always feel at home.
Maple bacon is my go-to order because I love the sweet-salty combination. Plus, it tastes like breakfast!
Another one of my favorite flavors is the lemon meringue. This one has a sour kick to it, enough to excite my taste buds but not too much that I pucker my face at the taste.
| Pro Tip: Make your event worthwhile by booking their catering services. |
Isabella’s Mochi Donut Boutique
– From: isabellasdonuts
Address: 1669 Bayview Ave, East York
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday—8 am to 8:30 pm
- Saturday and Sunday—10 am to 8:30 pm
Contact Number: +14163222220
Mochi donuts are some of my favorite snacks when I last visited Japan, so I’m super glad to discover that there’s a shop in Toronto that offers this type of donut: Isabella’s Donuts.
The variety of flavors here is extensive, so it always takes me a minute before I make a decision. Usually, I gravitate toward the Ube Smore because I love the combination of chocolate and ube (plus the smokiness from the torched meringue), but I also like the Mango Sticky because of how fruity it tastes.
| Pro Tip: You can purchase a gift card from this shop to give to a fellow donut lover. |
FK Dulce Bakery
– From: fkdulcebakery
Address: 3418 Bathurst St, Tropa Filipino Variety Store and Takeout
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday, Sunday—11 am to 8 pm
- Friday and Saturday—11 am to 9 pm
Contact Number: +16473438523
Donuts with flavors inspired by Filipino food culture? That’s the first thing I knew about FK Dulce Bakery, and it was enough to convince me to check it out as soon as possible.
I can’t resist their ube macapuno donut. The ube halaya filling is thick and rich like a custard, and the macapuno (sweet coconut) adds a chewy texture that complements the filling. Every bite is such a delight!
While we’re on the topic of rich, indulgent donuts, the leche flan donut is another perfect example. This time, the milk custard filling is creamy and silky smooth, and the caramel topping makes everything even sweeter.
| Pro Tip: This shop also sells a few imported Filipino grocery items like chicharron and pancit canton! |
6ix Donutz
– From: 6ixdonutz
Address: 83 Portland St
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday—1 pm to 1 am
- Friday and Saturday—1 pm to 4 am
Contact Number: +16475675545
Most shops in Toronto sell pretty big donuts, which can be a double-edged sword because while they’re satisfying, you can’t finish them all in one sitting. If you’re this type of person, then you might like to check out 6ix Donutz instead.
This shop specializes in mini-donuts that you can eat in one pop. The flavors here are the classic ones, but you can customize them however you want. For example, I usually get the donuts with Nutella glaze and crushed graham cracker toppings because this combo tastes like s’mores!
| Pro Tip: I recommend coming here via public transportation because parking is very difficult to find in this area. |
Sugar Daddy Doughnuts
– From: sugardaddydoughnuts
Address: 1221 Dundas St W Unit 3
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday—3 pm to 11 pm
- Friday—3 pm to 1 am
- Saturday—11 am to 1 am
- Sunday—11 am to 11 pm
Contact Number: +12896774044
Another great spot to order mini donuts is Sugar Daddy Donuts. This one also has a few flavor options, but they’re all good, so I can’t really complain.
For now, my ultimate recommendation is the Gold Digger simply because I can’t resist the cookie butter flavor (it’s just too scrumptious!).
The Strawberry Sundae is also winning me over because it does taste like ice cream in donut form somehow—sweet, fruity, and creamy!
| Pro Tips: Book a Sugar Daddy pop-up stall at your private event. This pop-up will already include unlimited donuts for your guests! You can also choose to make a custom donut order for your event. If you’re interested, just click “catering” on their website and fill out the form that pops up. |
Harry and Heels California Donuts
– From: harryandheelsdonuts
Address: 832 Dundas St W Unit B
Operating Hours:
- Monday—12 pm to 5 pm
- Tuesday to Friday, Sunday—12 pm to 10 pm
- Saturday—10 am to 10 pm
Contact Number: +14167923473
Ever wondered what a California-style donut tastes like? Well, with Harry and Heels, you’ll finally get your answer!
The interesting thing about the donuts here is that the toppings aren’t the main focus; instead, it’s the dough itself. The texture is light and fluffy, and the flavor is a mellow sweetness that’s highlighted by the simple toppings of glaze and sprinkles.
The donuts here are also exceptionally large. Considering they’re inspired by the ones in California, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.
| Pro Tip: Give a gift card from this shop to a friend who also loves donuts. |
Frenchie’s Doughnuts
– From: frenchiesdoughnuts
Address: 3830 Bloor St W, Etobicoke
Operating Hours:
- Wednesday to Saturday—9 am to 8 pm
- Sunday—9 am to 6 pm
Contact Number: +14162310008
I admit: I didn’t check out Frenchie’s Doughnuts because of the donuts. Instead, it’s because of the store’s mascot, which happens to be the owner’s beloved French bulldog. Aside from donuts, I’m also obsessed with dogs!
Though that was the case, it was the donuts that eventually made me stay. The flavors available here always look so good, and I want to try them all at once!
So far, my favorite is the Mocha Crunch. It’s dipped in chocolate, then topped with crunchy toffee pieces and coffee drizzle. Somehow, it toes the line between richly sweet and not too sweet, with a slight hint of bitterness.
| Pro Tip: If you want a delicious custom order for your private event from this shop, fill out this form. |
Letterbox Doughnuts
– From: letterboxdoughnuts
Address: 1590 Queen St W
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11 am to 12:30 pm
Contact Number: +14372887451
If you love getting custom donuts, then Letterbox Doughnuts is the spot for you. To make things better, this spot also offers vegan options!
Lettered donuts that spell a word or phrase are the bestsellers here, but I’m quite fond of the novelty donuts (donuts that aren’t your typical circular donuts).
For the filling, I usually choose Biscoff because I love the decadent cookie flavor. Then, to top it all off, I choose the chocolate ganache as the glaze. The end result is a rich, intense dessert that my doctor will definitely frown upon!
| Pro Tips: Order custom donuts for weddings or corporate parties. This shop also offers catering services like donut walls, donut bars, and more. These services are perfect for any type of event. |
