7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Sweet choices at the six best doughnut shops around Boston
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Doughboy Donuts & Deli
Photo by Adam DeTour for The Boston Globe; Food styling by Shiela Jarnes
This place isn't about being fancy or punny. This is where you go when it's midnight and you really, really need a doughnut (warning: It closes earlier on weekends). Doughnut-making is even geared toward night owls, starting at 5 p.m. every day. The cake doughnuts will fill you up and take some chewing. Don't miss the glazed ones though — light and airy and best consumed as a precursor to the dawn.
Address:
220 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston
Phone:
Find online:
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Kane's Donuts
This modern downtown Boston doughnut shop looks the antithesis of the original mom-and-pop Saugus spot that opened in 1955 (five years after the first Dunkin'). As beloved as ever, you'll have to choose among 30-plus varieties. Doughnuts are larger than average and old-fashioned types are among the best sellers: yeasty glazed honey rounds, moist Maine blueberry cakes, and chocolate-coated Boston cream-filled. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free versions are also sold. Note: Sometimes one Kane's doughnut per day is enough. Sometimes.
Address:
90 Oliver Street, Downtown
Phone:
Find online:
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Mass Hole Donuts
Dan Parcell
A cheeky riff on the unofficial Massachusetts state dessert, these cleverly composed doughnut holes are orb-only fever dreams with more ingredients than Market Basket, with varieties including crushed potato chips, candied lemons, churro chunks — why not? Here, no flavor is off-limits, and each one is aptly named for a local landmark (The Big Dig is adorned with a gummy worm, then rolled in Oreos crumbled to resemble pavement). Sweet but sassy: What could be more local than that?
Address:
1157 Broadway, Somerville
Phone:
Find online:
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Red Apple Farm at Boston Public Market
Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff
There's no shame in visiting this authentic and charming farm stand inside Boston Public Market solely to buy apple cider doughnuts. They're made fresh year-round on-site at the market from a secret mix combined with its pressed apple cider. Soft and with a distinctive apple flavor, they've been perfected over multiple generations. There are other doughnut flavors available but, sometimes, simplicity is best. Available in mini and full sizes.
Address:
100 Hanover Street, Downtown
Phone:
Find online:
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Union Square Donuts
Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe
Whichever location you visit, Union Square has the doughnut formula down pat: the perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and doughiness. Beyond the basics, it also thrives on singular flavors that aren't just a menu gimmick. Ever had a Vietnamese coffee doughnut? What about espresso martini or maple bacon? They also sell cinnamon rolls and an assortment of teas and coffees.
Address:
20 Bow Street, Somerville
Phone:
Find online:
Boston Globe Best of the Best winners for 2025 were selected by Globe newsroom staff and correspondents, and limited to Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Brookline. We want to hear from you:
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