I love me some warm, fresh from the oven, baked goods! And boy, some of my favourite coffee shops have the best treats! What pairs well with a good cup of coffee? A donut! And if you’re a lover of donuts like me then do I have the list for you! I’ve compiled a list of the best donuts in Ontario, with cafes and donut shops from Niagara to Thunder Bay.
These incredible Ontario donuts will have you planning your next road trip just to try one! This list includes vegan donuts, gluten free ones, and all the best cream filled donuts that will have you craving one right away!
Best Donut Shops in Ontario
Café Kittyhawk
One of my favourite cafés in Ontario is Café Kittyhawk, located in the charming small town of Penetanguishene. And while they have an array of delicious things to eat, from lemon squares to Penetang hoagies, one of the best things is their cronut!
You may be asking, what is a cronut? I thought we were talking about donuts here! Well, a cronut a kin to a donut, and is what would result if a donut and croissant had a baby.
You might go for the cronuts but you’ll stay and return for the amazing atmosphere with a room full of plants, other local goods, and the friendliest staff ever!
Address: 4 Robert Street W. Penetanguishene
Mmm Donuts – Café & Bakery
I had to stick local for my one of my first picks of one of the best places to get donuts in Ontario. And I’m so lucky to have a great local shop 15 minutes from home. Mmm Donuts is a cute little shop is one of the top places to visit in Barrie, and boy are their donuts incredible! Not only are they plant-based but many of them look like works of art! Like their Birthday doughnut pictured above. They also have gluten free options too!
They may be vegan donuts but I promise you they don’t lack anything! Full flavour! And if I have to be honest, since I tried my first vegan donut I can’t go back! I think they’re better than the alternative! Some of their crazy flavours include; Turtles, Fudgeo, Pralines & Cream, and so many more! The café also offers other tasty treats like cookies, cakes to order, lattes, and more!
Address: 240 Bayview Drive unit 11, Barrie
Related Post: Best Cafes in Barrie
The Persian Man
Now, this next donut is definitely road trip worthy! So, plan for an epic Northern Ontario road trip to try a Persian. No, not an actual Persian man, lol. While there is a host of things to do in Thunder Bay, one of the top things for foodies is to head to The Persian Man and try their awesome Persian donut.
What exactly is a Persian? Turns out it’s quite a secret. But after tasting one I can tell you they’re a mix of cinnamon roll and frosted donut and oh so delicious! And they are said to be one of the most famous donuts in Canada, they were even mentioned on The Food Network.
Address: 899 Tungsten Street & 400 Balmoral Street, Thunder Bay
Mariposa Market
Another road trip worthy place for doughnuts in Ontario is the Mariposa Market. Located in the charming downtown of Orillia, the market has been a staple of the community for over 100 years. The Market serves up a range of baked goods as well as lunch and dinner fare made fresh daily. There’s also a cute little shop downstairs selling a bunch of fun gifts ideas, kitchen products, fudge, and more.
But the donuts at Mariposa Market are epic. Known as Texas donuts for their sheer size, you’ll love them but may want to share one!
Address: 109 Mississaga Street East, Orillia
Beechwood Doughnuts
One of Ontario’s best donut shops is Beachwood Doughnuts, located in St. Catharines. They’re loved and revered by all lovers of donuts – especially vegans! They are a beloved local business that ensures that their fresh, warm, vegan donuts are top quality. The range of flavours is vast, from Earl Grey Tea to Nanaimo and Apple Crisp doughnut with house-made apple filling to Chilli Chocolate.
Address: 165 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines
Donut Monster
I remember the first time I was faced with choosing which donut to choose from Donut Monster, the possibilities were out of this world! They’re known for their unique flavours and combinations. A few flavours to try are Hazelnut Espresso, Butterscotch Toffee Filled, and Cranberry Almond – which is one of their vegan options. The sweet factor is BIG! But if you’ve got a sweet tooth then Donut Monster donuts will blow your taste buds!
Address: 246 Locke Street South, Hamilton
Revel
There are a plethora of reasons to visit Stratford Ontario, from the incredible art scene to fun outdoor activities, but a big reason is for the food! One of the best cafés in town is Revel. While you’ll love everything they make in house by their incredible chefs, you’ll find it hard to resist their awesome donuts. They switch up with a range of interesting and delightful flavours that will keep you coming back again and again.
Address: 37 Market Place, Stratford
Niemi Family Farm
I love exploring Ontario’s farms. Many have shops full of incredible food, local products, and even have markets, fun festive events, and activities for families. At one of the best Christmas markets at Niemi Family Farm that I discovered their mouth-watering donuts baked fresh daily! These light and fluffy, Scandinavian donuts are covered in cinnamon and worth the drive to this charming little farm in Mount Albert.
You’ll go for the donuts and probably leave with more of their awesome goodies like sourdough bread, cookies, and their Scandinavian sweet breads.
Address: 18463 Highway 48, Mount Albert
Dooher’s Bakery
They’ve been serving satisfied customers since 1949 and are known for their famous cream filled donuts. Dooher’s was even named “The Sweetest Bakery in Canada” in 2018. This four generation bakery has a bunch of great goodies to grab beyond the donuts, there’s everything from pies to bagels and over ten varieties of bread.
Address: 61 Bridge Street East, Campbellford
Wannamaker’s Bakeshop
With family in the Belleville area gushing about this incredible bakery I had to try; I was thrilled when I finally visited Wannamaker’s Bakeshop in Trenton! This family owned and operated bakery is one of the best places to visit in the Bay of Quinte for foodies!
Best known for their cinnamon buns, that are massive, they also have a selection of epic desserts. The list includes everything from the BEST cream and strawberry filled croissants to delicious donuts and creative cupcakes.
Wannamaker’s Bakeshop was even featured on the Food Network’s Project Bakeover! Go hungry!
Address: 391 Dundas St W, Trenton
Hank’s Pastries
One of the top places to visit in Port Perry is Hank’s Pastries! This downtown bakery has been a favourite to locals and visitors alike for over 50 years.
Inside Hank’s you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time, with its warm and classic vibe of bygone bakeries. Plus, the smells will instantly make you drool!
Hank’s Pastries serves a large selection of baked goods that range from cakes to cupcakes and fresh bread. However, they are best known for their apple fritters that are literally the size of your face, they’re big enough for two!
It’s one of my favourite donut shops when it comes to finding unique and seasonal donuts. They have a butter tart donut that has a full-sized butter tart in the middle of it. And I’ve bought fun donuts throughout the year, like their St. Patrick’s Day donut that is topped with green frosting and a gold coin!
Address: 204 Queen St, Port Perry, ON
Leinala’s Bakery
For one of the most unique donuts in Ontario, head north to Sudbury! While best known for its outdoor activities and popular attractions like Science North, the city’s food scene is amazing!
And when it comes to fun and tasty treats, plan a visit to Leinala’s Bakery. This Finnish bakery is one of the best bakeries in Sudbury, and has been around for over 60 years! Inside you’ll find a mix of baked goods, imported foods, and other tasty treats.
My go-to is Leinala’s famous Jelly Pigs! This odd shaped donut is said to be in the shape of a pig’s foot and are filled with raspberry jam and covered in sugar. Because they go through so many in the mornings, they’re often warm, which makes them that much more flavourful!
Address: 1769 Regent St
Good Glaze Doughnuts
Another one of the best donut shops in Northern Ontario is in downtown North Bay. Good Glaze Doughnuts has a cool and boho-chic vibe inside, along with fabulous donuts!
During my summer visit, I tried their Blueberry Breakfast donut, which yes – was my breakfast! Their hand-crafted donuts are on a rotating menu and include classics like Boston Cream to unique flavours like Banana Cream.
Another favourite is their D’OH-NUT, which pay homage to the iconic Simpson’s pink topped donut. One of their top sellers is their salted caramel crueller. But I’d love to try their fun Halloween donuts that feature ghosts and googly eyes.
Be sure to pop into Good Glaze Doughnuts on your next trip to North Bay!
Address: 130 Main St W, North Bay, ON P1B 2T5
Maverick’s Donuts Company
One of the best donuts shops in Ontario is Maverick’s Donuts Company, which started in Ottawa. Now, this beloved donut shop is popping up with locations across the province. Locations now include Kitchener, Ajax, and one near me – Barrie!
Maverick’s donuts are made fresh daily with a varied menu that includes classics and unique flavours. A couple of my favourite donuts at Maverick’s are the Lemon Ricotta and the vegan Chocolate Oreo. They make some of the best vegan donuts!
I love that they also have great coffee to pair with your donut purchase as well as mini Mav’s, which are the tasty donut holes!
Locations: Check Maverick’s website to find a location near you.
Crave Doughnuts
Don’t tell the other shops, but one of the best donuts I’ve had was from Crave Doughnuts in Whitby! It was their one of their crullers topped with rice crispies! But I love all of their crullers.
Crave Doughnuts opened in 2017 by two young and passion donut lovers! In addition to classics, Crave serves a variety of unconventional flavours like French Toast, Lavender Matcha, and Raspberry Pistachio. But what I love the most is that they use local ingredients to create their incredible seasonal donuts.
While the originally small shop in Whitby often has line ups on weekend mornings, I recommend visiting during the week or their new location in Oshawa.
Address: 102 Lupin Drive in Whitby
Healthy Food Technologies
In the picturesque town of Almonte there’s a special shop that sells healthy donuts! Yes, there is such a thing! Donuts at Healthy Food Technologies are made with half the fat as traditional donuts. But these are no tasteless donuts, they are just as tasty!
Healthy Food Technologies sells all the classics like honey dip and double chocolate as well as apple fritters. But always on the hunt for weird donuts, I love their different flavours. They have Scor, Key Lime and even a Hamburger donut!
Address: 25 Industrial Dr, Almonte
Lady Glaze Doughnuts
It all started in Kitchener’s Belmont Village and has now expanded to various other locations like Hamilton and Guelph. Lady Glaze Doughnuts is one donut shop you don’t want to glaze over; they make some mouth-popping flavours.
No artificial flavours go into Lady Glaze Doughnuts and they use local ingredients as much as possible. One of their most popular classic donuts is Belmont Cream. But I’ve tried a world of different donuts from Lady Glaze that include Strawberry Daiquiri, Arnold Palmer and Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake.
Be sure to pop in through various seasons and holiday times to check out their pop-up donuts.
Locations: 701 Belmont Avenue West in Kitchener, 46 Quebec Street in Guelph
Holey Confections
The first time I tried a donut from Holey Confections I was blown away! These are not your everyday donut. Created with 140 layers of pastry, it takes three days to make them. But the results are SO worth it!
Holey Confections gourmet donuts are stacked tall, reaching heights as much as 3 inches. Another cool feature of these donuts is that they exclusively use homemade glazes as well as locally sourced ingredients for ultimate freshness!
My favourite donut from Holey Confections is their Raspberry Lemonade. The mix of lemon curd filling and raspberry glaze and layered pastry is the perfect flavour combo!
Other fun flavours include Carmellow, Charlie Brown, and the New Yorker. Plus, many of their popular ones come in vegan options! Now it’s a must-visit in Carleton Place every time I go!
Address: 21 Bridge St, Carleton Place
Ontario Donuts Honorable Mentions
Georgian Bakery
There are a wealth of great bakeries in Simcoe County and one of them is Georgian Bakery located in downtown Midland. You won’t be able to stroll by their window filled with donuts without your mouth watering and quickly popping in. While all of their donuts are delicious, one of my favourites is their enormous apple fritters filled with real chucks of apple.
Address: 253 King Street, Midland
Tyrone Mills
On the backroads northeast of Toronto is one of the most interesting day trips in Durham Region, Tyrone Mills. This historic site is home to an over 150 year old working mill. Inside you’ll find local goodies and some of the best donuts – their apple cider donuts!
Address: 2656 Concession Rd 7, Bowmanville
Glory Hole Doughnuts
For those looking for the best donuts in Toronto, pop into Glory Hole Doughnuts. With an award-winning doughnut recipe, this woman owned shop sells donuts made from scratch. A few must try donuts from Glory Hole include Citrus Cheesecake, Ferrero Rocher and Strawberry Shortcake.
Address: 1505 Gerrard St E, Toronto
Red Eye Café & Donuts
When it comes to scoring donuts, often you have to get there in the morning before they are sold out. That is not the case at Red Eye Café & Donuts in Cambridge! I was thrilled to visit in the middle of the afternoon to find a host of fresh donuts, as they bake throughout the day. You’ll find both gluten free and vegan donuts. Along with standards like Vanilla Sprinkle they sell fun donuts like Blueberry Lemon and Chai Crumble.
Address: 600 Hespeler Rd #76, Cambridge
Culbert’s Bakery
There are endless reasons to visit Ontario’s West Coast and one of them is food. And specifically, a visit to Culbert’s Bakery in Goderich. This bakery has been around for over 100 years and makes some of Ontario’s best baked goods. And while their goodies will inspire you to walk through the door their prices will wow you and lead you to return! One of the things you have to try is their famous cream puff.
Address: 49 West Street, Goderich
Boxcar Donuts
These aren’t your traditional donuts, Boxcar Donuts in London is known for their artisanal donuts. While they have some classic donut flavours, though they look like little works of art, they also offer specialty donuts that range from Cinnamon Whiskey Crunch to Apple Walnut Pie and Peppermint Matcha Latte. And be sure to swing by during the holiday season to try one of their awesome seasonal donuts!
Address: 478 Richmond Street, London
Impressions Coffee House and Bakery
Perth County is a great place for foodies! There are a ton of farm gates, restaurants, and bakeries. One of the best bakeries can be found in Listowel, Impressions Bakery. Everything here is made from scratch and they also have gluten free and vegan options. But you’ll definitely want to try one of their citrus cruller donuts. Light and fluffy with a twist of citrus, it will be love at first bite!
Address: 151 Main Street West, Listowel
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Move on over butter tart road trips and festivals, I demand a proper road trip for donuts! So, whether you’re looking for new destinations to visit in Ontario or are a DoNUT, then check out these local, independently owned and operated, incredible shops to order some of the best donuts in Ontario! And don’t forget to save the date of June 4 to celebrate Doughnut Day!
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