Picking just 10 North Carolina donut shops as the “best” is a tough job. To their credit, others have taken it on and done a fine job, but this is my take after sampling innumerable fried circles and squares of dough – filled, glazed, topped, and even plain – mountain to sea.
Britt’s Donuts, Carolina Beach
11 Boardwalk, Carolina Beach, NC 28428
Phone:(910) 707-0755
Serving fresh, hot donuts since 1939 on the Carolina Beach boardwalk, Britt’s is an iconic must visit – at least once in your lifetime. They’re open seasonally, so check the dates here before going. Looking for more in-depth Britt’s history? “Britt’s Donuts”, the book, was published in 2014 and can be purchased via their Fan Club Shop. Doing it the “old school” way, their only online presence is their Fan Club website. Be prepared for lines in the summer months.
Duck Donuts, Kitty Hawk
5230 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
Phone:(252) 261-3312
Duck Donuts has multiple locations in North Carolina and other states and is continuing to expand. I just spent some time in the Outer Banks and took full advantage of the Duck’s proximity to our beach rental, arriving at their door at 6:30am for a donut and latte.
HenDough, Hendersonville
532 Kanuga Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28739
Phone:(828) 595-2885
Newly opened in Hendersonville, HenDough specializes in donuts and fried chicken. Hand-made yeast and dense cake donuts fill their case each morning. Some have unique toppings like their s’more donut. You can probably guess what’s involved, but it includes creamy marshmallow topping. I found the large cake donuts to be almost too dense, but lots of people prefer that. A meal in itself.
Hole, Asheville
168 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
Phone:(828) 774-5667
One of my personal favorites, Hole is for donut purists. Watch hand-made production from mixing the dough, to cutting donuts from the dough, to frying, right in front of you. The kitchen and dining areas are basically the same – all in one small room. There are no large cases full of options as they make each batch fresh throughout the day. Love this place. Read more and see more pictures in my article, “The Hole Story“.
Local Lion, Boone
791 Blowing Rock Rd, Boone, NC 28607
Phone:(828) 386-1120
Need a place to hang for a while with free Wi-Fi, great coffee and scrumptious donuts? Local Lion is it in the college town (Appalachian State) of Boone. One of the saddest days of my life was the day I had a hankering for their donuts and their machine was broken. Had to make due with just coffee while I worked on my laptop in my favorite sunny corner. They have outdoor seating, also.
Mr. Bob’s Do-Nuts, Marion
60 S Main St, Marion, NC 28752
Phone:(828) 659-7132
Mr. Bob’s opened a couple years ago and just wrapped up the first ever NC Donut Festival this weekend (Saturday, May 21) in Marion. From what I hear the event was mobbed. They bill themselves as “Home of the Apple Ugly”. Haven’t tried one yet, but it’s definitely on my list.
MJ Donuts, Pineville
325 S Polk St, Pineville, NC 28134
Phone:(704) 889-5427
Tagged “Old school atmosphere, best donuts in town” by Jen Rothacker of the Charlotte Five, their cases are full of a pretty broad selection of standards every day. When you just want a good donut. I haven’t been able to find any online presence for MJs, so you might want to call before going to be sure they’re open.
NC Jelly Donuts, Mebane
126 Millstead Dr, Mebane, NC 27302
Phone:(919) 568-0231
Choose your donut . . . then choose your filling (jelly, cream, etc.). They’ll fill it right in front of you. In the mood for something a little different? Try their maple bacon donut. NC Jelly is known for their donuts, but also an exceptionally friendly staff. If you want Sunday morning donuts, pick them up Saturday because they’re closed Sundays.
Rise Biscuits and Donuts, Raleigh
8200 Renaissance Pkwy, Durham, NC 27713
Phone:(919) 248-2992
Another success story that’s lead to multiple locations, Rise Biscuits and Donuts’ original location is their Renaissance Parkway shop in Durham. Rise grabs the breakfast crowd with their breakfast biscuit sandwiches as well as fresh and always changing donut selection. Be prepared for lines on Saturdays.
Your Mom’s Donuts, Matthews
11025 Monroe Rd, Matthews, NC 28105
Phone:(803) 280-5720
Home of square donuts in standard and unique flavors like “peanut butter mousse-filled topped with banana chips”, Your Mom’s Donuts are standouts. Sourcing all ingredients locally and as natural as possible is a Mom’s hallmark. They sell their donuts in the shop and at a couple local farmers markets. Watch their Facebook Page for BOGOs (Buy One Get One [free]) offers and market “sold out” notices.
Have a favorite not included here? Leave a comment with the shop’s name and city and I’ll try to include them in my next best donut shop roundup.
Vortex in Asheville