Are you a donut enthusiast on the hunt for the most amazing flavors in Illinois? Worry no more! We’ve prepared a list of renowned donut shops where you can indulge in your passion for sweet and colorful donuts. Illinois is not just famous for its unique architecture and art museums, but also a paradise for donut lovers.
From long-standing family bakeries to modern cafes, Illinois offers a diverse range of donut flavors and styles. Join us as we explore the must-visit spots to savor the best donuts in the state.
Doughnut Vault
Doughnut Vault storefront
If you find yourself in Chicago, Illinois, Doughnut Vault is a must-visit. Doughnut Vault serves fresh, delicious donuts at two main locations and a mobile truck that travels around the city. It’s a favorite destination for locals and tourists alike.
What Makes Doughnut Vault Special
Donuts at Doughnut Vault are meticulously handcrafted with a variety of enticing flavors, from rich chocolate and creamy butter to refreshing lemon. Each donut boasts a generous filling and fragrant frosting, creating an unforgettable culinary experience.
Doughnut Vault’s distinction lies in its commitment to quality and traditional flavors. Here, donuts are not just food, but works of art created by passionate bakers.
Long line of people waiting to enjoy donuts at Doughnut Vault
Real Experience
If you want to enjoy donuts at Doughnut Vault, be prepared to queue. Doughnut Vault’s popularity is evident in the long lines of customers patiently waiting outside each day. However, this wait is entirely worth it when you taste their famous donuts.
Upon arriving at Doughnut Vault, you’ll feel a cozy and friendly atmosphere. The staff here are always enthusiastic about advising and introducing new donut varieties, making it easy for you to choose your favorite flavor.
Must-Try Donuts
- Chocolate Old Fashioned: A classic, rich flavor, perfect for chocolate lovers.
- Buttermilk Old Fashioned: Buttermilk donut with a crispy crust and soft interior.
- Vanilla Bean: Natural, pure vanilla flavor that’s not too sweet.
- Lemon Poppy Seed: The perfect combination of fresh lemon and fragrant poppy seeds.
- Red Velvet: Soft red velvet donut with sweet cream cheese frosting.
Other Famous Donut Shops in the US
Besides Doughnut Vault in Illinois, the United States is home to many other famous and delicious donut shops that you shouldn’t miss if you have the chance to visit.
Dough (New York)
Box of gourmet donuts from Dough in New York
Starting as a small bakery in Brooklyn, New York, Dough has made a name for itself and expanded with two more stores in Manhattan. Dough is famous for its donuts inspired by desserts from Latin America and Europe, featuring distinctive flavors like chocolate, Earl Grey, and Tropical Chile.
Additionally, Dough is known for its unique fruit-flavored donuts such as guava, papaya, pineapple, mango, or even spicy flavors. Dough’s creativity and quality have attracted many food lovers, making it a must-visit destination for donut enthusiasts.
Fresh and appealing donuts at Dough bakery
Signature Flavors at Dough:
- Hibiscus: Sweet and sour hibiscus flavor, refreshing and fragrant.
- Café au Lait: Rich and fragrant coffee milk flavor.
- Dulce de Leche: Sweet and creamy caramel flavor.
- Passion Fruit: Sweet and sour passion fruit flavor, fresh and vibrant.
- Lemon Poppy: Lemon flavor combined with fragrant poppy seeds.
Voodoo Doughnut (Oregon)
Colorful and unique donuts from Voodoo Doughnut
Located in Portland, Oregon, Voodoo Doughnut is not only famous for its amazing flavors but also for the Portland spirit that the store conveys. Starting from a small branch, Voodoo Doughnut quickly became popular and expanded to many other cities across the United States, and even to other countries like Taiwan.
Voodoo Doughnut is known for its unique and creative recipes, such as the Voodoo Doll donut shaped like a doll with raspberry jam filling, or colorful cereal donuts, attracting a large number of young customers.
Assortment of brightly colored donuts at Voodoo Doughnut
Featured Donuts at Voodoo Doughnut:
- Voodoo Doll: Doll-shaped donut with raspberry jam filling and a pretzel stake.
- Bacon Maple Bar: Long donut topped with maple syrup and crispy bacon crumbles.
- Old Dirty Bastard: Donut topped with chocolate, peanut butter, and Oreo cookies.
- Grape Ape: Grape-flavored donut with distinctive purple sugar.
- Captain My Captain: Donut topped with Captain Crunch cereal.
Federal Donuts (Pennsylvania)
People in Philadelphia enjoying Federal Donuts as a treat
In the historic city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, there’s an extremely famous donut shop – Federal Donuts. This store has made donuts as popular in the city as cheesesteak sandwiches. The signature serving at Federal Donuts is donuts paired with a portion of fried chicken. Locals even use food from this store as a gift.
Donuts at this store often sell out quickly; you might even need to wake up early if you want to buy all the flavors. There are a total of 5 Federal Donuts branches across Philadelphia, offering many donut products such as lemon, cinnamon brown sugar, grapefruit, or glazed flavors.
Fried chicken and donuts combo meal at Federal Donuts
Signature Dishes at Federal Donuts:
- Hot Fresh Donuts: Hot fresh donuts with special sugars and spices.
- Fancy Donuts: Elaborately decorated donuts with various creams and toppings.
- Fried Chicken: Crispy, flavorful fried chicken.
- Chicken and Donuts: The perfect combination of fried chicken and donuts, creating a unique culinary experience.
Glazed (South Carolina)
Donuts at Glazed made with local ingredients
Glazed bakery in Charleston, South Carolina, is a very special bakery because most of the ingredients used in Glazed’s donuts are local products. Herbs and berries are grown right behind the store.
At Glazed, in addition to the store’s signature homemade dishes, donuts like matcha green tea, sweet corn, or blueberry are equally popular, easily satisfying even the most discerning diners.
Special Donuts at Glazed:
- Blueberry Basil: Blueberry donut combined with the aroma of basil.
- Sweet Corn: Sweet and fragrant sweet corn donut.
- Matcha Green Tea: Refreshing matcha green tea donut, good for health.
- Salted Caramel: Sweet and savory salted caramel donut, irresistible.
Primo’s Donuts (California)
Wide variety of donuts on display at Primo’s Donuts
Primo’s Donuts is a family-owned business established in 1956 in Los Angeles, California. This store is very popular and often sells out early. Primo’s Donuts’ most famous dish is the buttermilk bar donut with a crispy crust but a soft and airy interior. In addition, you can also try other equally famous dishes at Primo’s Donuts such as muffins or crullers.
Classic and vintage style Primo’s Donuts storefront
Famous Donuts at Primo’s Donuts:
- Buttermilk Bar: Buttermilk donut with a crispy crust and soft, airy interior.
- Glazed Donut: Traditional glazed donut.
- Chocolate Donut: Rich chocolate donut.
- Apple Fritter: Crispy fried apple fritter.
Conclusion
Illinois, especially Chicago, is a great destination for donut lovers. Doughnut Vault is one of the most famous shops here, with high-quality handcrafted donuts and unique flavors.
Additionally, if you have the opportunity to visit other states in the US, don’t forget to explore other famous donut shops like Dough in New York, Voodoo Doughnut in Oregon, Federal Donuts in Pennsylvania, Glazed in South Carolina, and Primo’s Donuts in California. Each store offers a special culinary experience, helping you discover the diversity and richness of the donut world. Wishing you enjoyable and delicious travels!