Best Donut Shops in Chicago
Chicago takes its donuts seriously, from tiny River North shops that sell out by noon to South Side legends frying giant fritters at dawn. Here are the donut shops we send friends to, grouped by neighborhood so you can plan your route.
By the Underground Donut Tour team · Updated November 2026
19 shops, in no particular order, grouped by neighborhood. We checked that every one is open as of November 2026, but hours change, so check before you go.
OFFICIAL UNDERGROUND DONUT TOUR PARTNER means you can taste it on one of our tours. We also love shining a light on Black-owned, women-owned, Latino-owned, Asian-owned, LGBTQ+ owned and viral social media favorites. Look for the tags.
RIVER NORTH
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Firecakes Donuts
Website · Instagram · Facebook
Small-batch donuts and great coffee just off State Street. Guests love the Tahitian vanilla and the fruit-filled raised donuts. A second shop is in Lincoln Park at 2453 N Clark St.
Donut Tour Recommends: Tahitian Vanilla Bean
THE LOOP
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Stan's Donuts & Coffee
Website · Instagram · Facebook
A bright, cheerful shop with a case full of flavors, from the Biscoff pocket to red velvet, plus gluten-free options. More locations on Rush Street, in Wicker Park and in Hyde Park.
Donut Tour Recommends: Biscoff Pocket
STREETERVILLE AND THE MAGNIFICENT MILE
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Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken
Website · Instagram · Facebook
Born and baked in Chicago. Buttermilk old fashioneds, lemon blueberry and some of the best gluten-free donuts in town. A second shop is in Fulton Market at 181 N Morgan St.
Donut Tour Recommends: Buttermilk Old Fashioned
STREETERVILLE AND THE MAGNIFICENT MILE
TE'AMO Boba & Desserts
Water Tower Place, 835 N Michigan Ave, 2nd floor
Colorful mochi donuts with a chewy, rice-flour bite, plus boba to match. An easy treat while shopping the Mag Mile.
Donut Tour Recommends: Ube Mochi Donut
LINCOLN PARK
● Women-owned
Daly's Donuts
Baked, not fried. The farmers market favorite now has its own shop, with cinnamon sugar donuts and rotating seasonal flavors. Open Wednesday through Sunday. Co-owned by Alejandra Daly, and the original donut comes from her family recipe.
Donut Tour Recommends: Original Cinnamon Sugar
LINCOLN PARK
● Viral on social media
Beacon Doughnuts
810 W Armitage Ave (in the alley)
Entirely vegan and tucked into an alley off Armitage. Big brioche doughnuts and a Boston cream nobody guesses is dairy-free. Order ahead online. Beacon became a destination after going viral on TikTok.
Donut Tour Recommends: Boston Cream
LINCOLN PARK
Mochinut
Mochi donuts in a weekly rotation of flavors, plus Korean corn dogs.
Donut Tour Recommends: Dubai Chocolate Mochi Donut
UPTOWN
● Black-owned
Downstate Donuts
Website · Instagram · Facebook
Potato donuts with a crisp outside and a fluffy middle, in flavors like miso honey butter. Open Wednesday through Sunday, and they sell out. Black-owned and founded by Virgil Roundtree, who started out selling from a donut trike. The vanilla glazed won first prize at Donutfest.
Donut Tour Recommends: Vanilla Glazed
PILSEN
Don Churro
A family-run Pilsen favorite for churros and buñuelos fried fresh, including filled churros. Grab a sampler bag.
Donut Tour Recommends: Cajeta-Filled Churro
ROSELAND
● Black-owned ● Viral on social media
Old Fashioned Donuts
A South Side legend, still frying in the front window. Go for the giant apple fritter. Black-owned and run by Burritt Bulloch since 1972, with his daughters Michele and Tina. A TikTok video of Mr. Bulloch at work passed 1.5 million views.
Donut Tour Recommends: Giant Apple Fritter
Taste Chicago's best on one walk
Skip the guesswork. Our guides pick the best of the best at each stop, with stories along the way.
Chicago Downtown Delicious Donut Tour →
Chicago & Fulton Market Delicious Donut Tour →
Chicago Donut FAQ
Are these donut shops ranked?
No. Every shop here is one we would happily send a friend to, so we list them by neighborhood instead of ranking them.
Can I try several of these on one tour?
Yes. Our Downtown tour visits Doughnut Vault, Firecakes, Stan's and Do-Rite, and our Fulton Market tour visits Voodoo Doughnut, Levain Bakery and Do-Rite. Lineups can vary by day and season.
Which Chicago donut shops have gluten-free or vegan donuts?
Do-Rite and Stan's both make gluten-free donuts, and Beacon Doughnuts is entirely vegan.
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