best donuts in usa

Go big or go home at Froth & Forage, where doughnuts are made from biscuit dough. (Photo: Courtesy of Froth & Forage)

Eat + Drink

Doughnut Hesitate to Eat This Sandwich

No need to worry about Doughnut Day sending you into full sugar-crash nap by 3 p.m. This year, you’re going to rock some protein along with that pillowy glazed (or plain) doughnut goodness. Here, we welcome doughnut sandwiches from around the U.S. that will keep you happy and moving forward all day long.

Have one for breakfast, another for lunch, or, if you’re on vacation, have two and call them brunch. These goodies will have you evangelizing for turning every meal into a doughnut opportunity.

Froth & Forage, Indian, Alaska

A short and stunning drive from Anchorage, Froth & Forage sits in an unassuming little building. Don’t be fooled: This is one of South-Central Alaska’s best restaurants. Built on the homemade-from-biscuit-dough doughnuts that have long been a part of the owner’s life, these doughnut sandwiches are stuffed with thick-cut house-cured bacon, fried local eggs and plenty of cheese.

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, Washington, D.C.; Falls Church, VA; and Los Angeles

best donuts in usa
Craving salty? And sweet? Look no further. (Photo: Courtesy of Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken)

This donuttery … doughnutterie … doighnut chain is not fooling around. As well known for its fried chicken as it is for its fried circles of delight, Astro brings the two together for fried chicken on savory donuts for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Whether you like your chicken spicy or sweet (or a bit of both), Astro has you covered.

The D.C. and Falls Church locations also offer Old Bay doughnuts — and if you grew up anywhere on the East Coast, there’s a good chance Old Bay seasoning was a part of your life. If you didn’t, you’ll want to work it in now.

Do-Rite Donuts & Coffee, Houston

Well, hello lovely shop that will let you upgrade any sandwich to a doughnut sandwich for just a dollar more! Think of the possibilities. Applewood smoked bacon on a blueberry cake doughnut? Or how about a deconstructed Denver omelette on an old-fashioned doughnut? There’s even fried chicken to load up on the donuts, too! Ask for the “sweet heat” if you like to spice up your life.

Straw, San Francisco

best donuts in usa
Who doesn’t love carnival-inspired food? (Photo: Courtesy of Straw)

Let’s start with this: Straw serves “carnival-inspired comfort food.” Now you want know: WHEN CAN I MOVE IN? Well, you might need to because, hold on to your carousel horse, Straw serves up what might be the most decadent, even-protein-can’t-fight-off-the-nap doughnut sandwich around: The Ringmaster.

Sandwiched between two donuts? Two beef patties. Two! And cheese. Side of fries with that? Of course. Want maple-glazed bacon in the sandwich mix? Not a problem. Eat well, dear hearts. And then go for a long walk.

And for dessert …

best donuts in usa
Still have room for more? Stuffed Ice Cream has you covered. (Photo: Courtesy of Stuffed Ice Cream)

But of course, humans cannot exist on doughnut sandwiches alone. At some point, doughnut day must come to an end. There’s no better way to send it sailing and to bring on the sugar crash of your deeply weird dreams than by stepping into Stuffed Ice Cream in New York City.

Once inside, you’ll have plenty of sweet tooth doughnut and ice-cream sandwich satisfaction to choose from, including, among other delightful names, the Matcha Ma Call It (green tea ice cream and black sesame ice cream sprinkled with Cap’n Crunch cereal) and the Unicorn Poop (which is colorful and sweet — you can discover the rest once you bite in).