10 Places to Try the Best Donuts in Philadelphia

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Philly is full of delicious options for donuts. Whether you’re looking for traditional glazed or unexpected flavors, yeasted or cake, or frosted, filled, or decorated, there’s something for every taste.

In Philadelphia, the fried dough choices are extensive. There are vegan offerings at Dottie’s, adventurous flavors at Federal Donuts, Amish specialties at Beiler’s, and cream-filled at Holmesburg Bakery. Here’s a look at some of the best donuts in Philadelphia, no matter what you’re craving.

Federal Donuts

Six donuts with different flavors and toppings on a table.
Thanksgiving pie-flavored offerings

When Federal Donuts opened in Pennsport a decade ago, it revolutionized donuts in Philadelphia. Founded by a team that includes Steve Cook and chef Michael Solomonov (they run some of the city’s best restaurants, including Zahav and Laser Wolf), Federal Donuts specializes in some of the best donuts you’ll ever have. They have joined the pantheon of must-eats in the city.

The donuts at Federal Donuts fall into three groups—classics like old fashioned glazed, hot sugared donuts straight from the fryer, and fancy donuts that run the gamut from raspberry mascarpone to pumpkin pie and Irish potato. Try one with Federal’s other specialty, their epic twice-fried chicken, which is available as individual pieces, on a sandwich with buttermilk dressing, and even in a salad. Anything you choose here is almost guaranteed to be a home run.

There are now seven locations around the city plus a new food truck that pop ups at special events and around the suburbs making the fresh sugar-coated donuts.

Beiler’s Donuts

Display case filled with trays of glazed and filled donuts.
The packed donut case at Reading Terminal Market

No matter what time you visit Beiler’s Doughnuts, there’s likely to be a crowd. They’re just that good.

Located in Reading Terminal Market, Beiler’s has been a city staple for nearly 40 years and was one of the first Amish merchants at the market. Every day, they offer up to 40 varieties of homemade Pennsylvania Dutch donuts.

There are classics like plain glazed, strawberry-filled, and cruller varieties as well as popular options like Fruity Pebbles and peanut butter and jelly. We’re partial to the apple fritters and the apple cider donuts that are available year-round.

Dottie’s Donuts

A fritter, a filled donut, and a donut topped with cookie dough on three plates.
A selection from Dottie’s

Proving that vegan pastries can be creative and super delicious, Dottie’s Donuts regularly sells out of their fantastical creations. There are standard delights like vanilla sprinkle donuts and apple fritters alongside daily specialties like raspberry white chocolate, blueberry poptart, and creations topped with cookie dough or infused with tea.

And, yes, it’s all vegan. Even the Boston cream.

Go early to get the best selection. There are three locations to choose from

Frangelli’s Bakery

Hand holding a pastry in front of a sign for "Frangelli's: Home of the Franolli."
The cannoli-like Franolli

Frangelli’s Bakery has been a South Philly staple for over 75 years. Every morning, they make hundreds of yeast and cake donuts that are hand filled to order.

The bakery has a wide variety of donut options (the jelly-filled are super popular), but it is most known for two unique creations—ice cream doughnuts and the Franolli. Ice cream doughnuts are a choice of your favorite ice cream sandwiched in between two donut halves, a spin on the Sicilian specialty of brioche con gelato. The Franolli—a “Best of Philly” winner—is a hole-less donut filled with thick, fresh cannoli cream and chocolate chips. They’re also available in chocolate, and you’ll occasionally find special flavors like pistachio or pumpkin.

Suraya

Cruller topped with crushed pistachios on a plate.
Suraya’s cruller

Lebanese restaurant Suraya is well-known for being one of the best places in the city for mezze, but it is also popular for its selection of French-inspired pastries. The lone donut on the menu is a true standout. The light, rose-flavored cruller is topped with crushed pistachios. It’s available on its own or as part of a pastry basket on the weekends.

Okie Dokie Donuts

Six donuts topped with sugar and icing in a box.
A fall selection from Okie Dokie

Pastry chef Carol Ha has perfected gluten free donuts at her South Philly shop Okie Dokie Donuts.

With flavors like lychee, ambrosia, and orange cardamom, plus fritters to die for, there is no shying away from flavor here. The shop regularly collaborates with other local businesses to produce specialty donuts like Mango Cider, which uses a cider from Hale and True, or the Donutella Versace breakfast sandwich that uses sausage from Porco’s Porchetteria.

Okie Dokie’s window is open Wednesday through Sunday, with evening hours Thursday through Saturday.

Tiffany’s Bakery

Hand holding a red velvet donut with a box of a half-dozen donuts in the background.
Tiffany’s light doyos

Located in the Fashion District, Tiffany’s Bakery makes a unique kind of donut that they call the “doyo” (dough-yo). Instead of being deep-fried, the cakes are steamed, creating a moist donut that’s surprisingly light.

As a bonus, Tiffany’s donuts have 50% less fat than a traditional donut. But don’t try them because of that—try them because they’re really good. They come in more than a dozen flavors ranging from cinnamon sugar to vanilla glazed to red velvet.

Holmesburg Bakery

Two cream-filled donuts on a plate--one topped with powdered sugar and the other with granulated sugar.
Holmesburg Bakery’s specialties

A family-owned business, Holmesburg Bakery has served delicious pastries for over 120 years. They’re particularly well-known for their cream-stuffed donuts. Whether you opt for the ones covered in powdered sugar or regular sugar, bring your sweet tooth for these treats.

Hello Donuts + Coffee

One glazed donut and one chocolate donut topped with a mint leaf.
Mint chocolate and more from Hello

Hello Donuts + Coffee in East Kensington offers a selection of traditional and unique flavors like old fashioned cake, raspberry lemonade, and cookies and cream. The six flavors change weekly along with a variety of savory buns, cinnamon buns (Monday only), and fritters (Friday only). There are also always a couple of vegan options available.

The shop is open daily. Grab an espresso or latte for a sampling of some of the city’s best coffee, too.

Hands on the Earth Orchard

Hand holding an apple cider donut in front of gallons of apple cider.
Fresh apple cider donut at the market

Apple cider donuts aren’t just for fall. At the Saturday Rittenhouse Square market, you can see these perfectly fresh, sugary donuts straight from the fryer at the Hands on the Earth Orchard stand, typically in winter through early spring. They usually begin just after Thanksgiving and are absolutely worth a special trip.

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