Holey sugar! The 5 absolute best donuts in Richmond VA
As far as we’re concerned, donuts are life. Though, to be fair, that may just be because we have some of the world’s best donuts in Richmond VA. It’s a miracle we don’t have to roll around the world!
If you want to follow the crumbs we’ve left behind, we’ve listed the River City’s best donut shops and our favorite offerings from each below. Let us know if you give them a try!!
“New mysteries. New day. Fresh doughnuts.”
― David Lynch
Best donuts in Richmond VA: The locals
Sugar Shack Donuts
Our local Sugar Shack interior
Roadtripping with Sugar Shack Donuts
Type of donuts: Yeast and cake (downtown location offers gluten-friendly & vegan varieties)
Richmond neighborhoods: Southside, Henrico, and just north of the Fan District
Level of flavor crazy: Willy Wonka
Our favorite flavors: Samoa or white icing with Oreo pieces (Meagan) ;; Glazed or chocolate icing with sprinkles (Luke)
Sugar Shack and Richmond have become almost synonymous in the past few years. At every office gathering? Sugar Shack. At James River Cellars’ wine pairing event? Sugar Shack. We usually stop there whenever we’re about to head out on a road trip, and I used to stop by on summer mornings on my way home from the pool. And for good reason. Their comprehensive and ever-changing menu of flavors ranges from the safe (sprinkles, glazed, etc.) to the “oooo” (red velvet anyone?) to the zany (e.g. chocolate with Butterfinger pieces, gummy worms, or Oreos on top!). Wash those down with one of their tasty coffees, and you’re well on your way to the perfect morning. Or afternoon. Or evening. You get it.
Boyfriend Perspective: Their flavors change throughout the day and from day to day, with the exception of their most basic house donuts. So, your breakfast donut may be different from your dinner donut. Because we’re all adults here, and we can eat what we want… right?
Find out more about Sugar Shack, their house donuts, and their locations.
Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen
Donut-to-hand size comparison
Donut line at SotJ farmers market
Type of donuts: Sourdough
Richmond neighborhood: Food truck/mobile
Level of flavor crazy: Classic
Our favorite flavors: the only one they have! Whether it’s glazed or unglazed :)
Have you ever gone out on a rainy, disgusting, sticky morning to an outdoor farmer’s market JUST to get donuts? We have, because that’s how good Mrs. Yoder’s donuts are. This Mennonite food truck parks at the South of the James Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning, and the queue that forms in front of it can get a bit shocking. You’ll see why!
Boyfriend Perspective: Ever had an experience that SHOULD be bad, but it’s really, really good? One morning, everyone and their mom showed up to the Farmer’s Market for donuts and the cart ran out of glaze. So, they sold unglazed donuts to the rest of us at half price and gave us pieces that had broken off in the glaze bin. Sounds meh, but that was such. a. good. day.
Once you get to the window, you’ll be blessed with one (or 12?) hot, sourdough donut, fresh from the fryer, dunked in glaze, and hung on a wooden rack to drip. Let’s just go ahead and say “you’re welcome” for this recommendation ;)
Boyfriend Perspective: If you’ve ever had a fresh Krispy Kreme donut and think it’s mana from heaven, you’re about to have new religious experience. Unless you’re just holding on to Krispy Kreme for the nostalgia of it… and then I really can’t help you.
Find out about Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen’s locations and hours.
Hot Diggity Donuts
The sign that leads to deliciousness
Feature platter of donuts. OMG.
Type of donuts: Sourdough
Richmond neighborhood: Manchester
Level of flavor crazy: Gourmet
Our favorite flavors: Rhubarb Agave (Meagan) ;; Chocolate and peanut (Luke)
Hot Diggity Donuts has only recently joined the Richmond donut scene, but we already can’t imagine life without them. While Sugar Shack may cater to the child within all of us, Hot Diggity is here to give mature tastebuds some gourmet donut joy. With seasonal sourdough varieties like Rhubarb Agave, Blackberry Cobbler, Nectarine and Caramel, and Maple Bourbon, you WILL leave happy.
Add to that, their ambiance is out of this world. Most donut shops in the area feel like cute neighborhood spots. Hot Diggity, all pink and aqua, looks like a seriously 50s-inspired diner — but with a boozy soda counter and all the diversity that era SHOULD have had. And yes, you heard that right — a boozy soda counter! Because, as if this spot wasn’t cool enough, Hot Diggity serves delicious cocktails with their donuts (for the 21+ crowd, of course). Bellini and a donut? SIGN ME UP. We’re so excited to see what flavors they’ll come up with next, and are already planning our next visit.
Boyfriend Perspective: If you ever don’t want a donut at a donut shop (because THAT happens), this is also the place to be. For savory tastebuds, they do offer bagel sandwiches and other snacks.
Find out more about Hot Diggity Donuts hours, location, and menu.
Best donuts in Richmond VA: The out-of-towners
Country Style Donuts
Country Style donuts exterior
Rack o’ deliciousness
Type of donuts: Sourdough, cake, and yeast
Richmond neighborhood: Henrico/West Broad
Level of flavor crazy: Very normal
Our favorite flavors: Chocolate cake donut (Meagan) ;; Cream-filled donut (Luke)
Though you may end up a bit spoiled if you’ve visited the shops above, know that Country Style donuts are definitely tasty. We particularly enjoy their chocolate cake donuts, and both of us have been known to filch them out of a box at work before anyone else can get to them. Their apple fritters and sourdough offerings are also quite tasty. Basically, if you’ve got a donut craving that just won’t stop, this spot will definitely set you right.
Boyfriend Perspective: Flavor-wise, Country Style is pretty much standard. They’re not always our go-to, but we definitely won’t say no, either. Mmm… fritter.
Find out more about Country Style’s hours, menu, and other locations.
Duck Donuts
Duck Donuts beachy exterior
Duck Donuts cinnamon sugar donut closeup
Type of donuts: Cake
Richmond neighborhood: Willow Lawn (based out of North Carolina, but a Virginia fixture, too)
Level of flavor crazy: Build your own
Our favorite flavors: whatever we feel like building that day!
If donuts were movies, Sugar Shack would be “Cinderella” (sweet and fun for everyone) and Duck Donuts would probably be “The Princess Bride” (absolute CULT following). While Duck is associated with North Carolina, it’s become a staple all around Virginia as a way to reach back to tasty, fun time spent in NC’s Outer Banks, a popular summer vacation spot for Virginians of all stripes. Its perky shops offer yummy donuts with all the fixins, and the counter staff will actually walk you through the process of customizing your own cake donut that gets fried right before your eyes. It’s basically Sweet Frog for donuts. How can you go wrong?!
Boyfriend Perspective: Cake is not my donut of choice. I’ll defer to Meagan on this one.
Find more about Duck Donuts’ hours, locations, and offerings.
Do you have a favorite donut shop in your home town? Or… did we miss YOUR best donuts in Richmond VA? Let us know in the comments! We’ll just be here noshing :)
Anticipating a sugar craving? Save this for later!
Originally published at Two Restless Homebodies.
