There are few things better than a freshly fried puff of dough, glistening with glaze. All it takes is a powdered sugar doughnut or a chocolate-frosted Boston Cream to awaken my inner 6-year-old. (Extra sprinkles, please!)
These days, the humble doughnut has become the stuff of gourmands. You can find everything from artisanal bacon to local craft beer in your fried dough. They’ve even captured the imagination of a few James Beard Award-winning chefs. Recently, Miami’s doughnut scene has started to pick up some steam, and let’s just say it has never been a better time to be a doughnut aficionado in the 305.
Whether you’re 4 or 94, bringing a treat for your nanny or simply treating yourself, these five Miami donut shops are sure to satisfy the entire family’s sweet tooth.
The Salty Donut
Address: 50 NW 23rd St., Ste. 112, Miami, FL 33127
Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Saturday & Sunday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. (or until they sell out)
Phone: 305-925-8126
This Wynwood shop was the first to bring gourmet doughnuts to Miami’s sweets-craving scene. What began as a pop up has evolved into a permanent brick-and-mortar store churning out some of the most creative puffs of dough the city’s ever seen. Their base is a 24-hour raised brioche doughnut that serves as the platform for menu staples like the Maple Bacon with pure maple glaze, J. Wakefield UJP Porter redux and Miami Smokers’ bacon crackling. Fans know to keep an eye on the weekly rotating flavor board, where the Unicorn doughnut and White Chocolate Tres Leches have made short-lived appearances.
These chef-made doughnuts are churned out in small batches daily and the sellout risk is high. Prepare to stand in line for your sugar rush — but trust me, every minute is well worth it.
Honeybee Doughnuts
Address: 7388 Red Road, South Miami, FL 33143
Hours: Tuesday – Thursday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Sunday, 8:30 a.m. – noon
Phone: 786-773-2770
Down in South Miami, the the honeybees have taken over — and when it comes to doughnuts, that’s a really good thing! This tiny shop churns out an impressive array of varieties, many of them using locally made honey. In fact, you can find tiny sugar replicas of the black-and-yellow bee adorning this shop’s Honey Caramel doughnut and their Signature Honeybee treat, filled with fresh whipped cream.
But it’s not all about the honey here. Kids will love the Fruity Pebbles or gummy-topped doughnuts while adults can indulge in more exotic flavors like matcha, chai tea, or the guava with cream cheese. Even gluten-free members of the family can indulge. Honeybee offers a 90-calorie gluten-free beehive made with Fage Greek yogurt and organic blueberries. Who said doughnuts couldn’t be good for you, too?
Mojo Donuts & Fried Chicken
Address: 8870 Bird Road, #13, Miami, FL 33165
Hours: Open daily, 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. (or until they sell out)
Phone: 305-223-6656
This boutique doughnut shop stormed the pastry scene in 2013 when they first opened the doors in Pembroke Pines. Four years later, they’ve made the journey down south with a brand new location in Miami filled with all the sugary staples customers have come to know and love, along with some brand new riffs on their original menu. In fact, their Miami location has upped the ante by adding fried chicken to their roster of amazing eats.
Made from scratch, these doughnuts have made the rounds on NBC6, The Food Network and the Cooking Channel. On any given day, you can find tasty takes on the traditional doughnut, like Nutella Bacon, Sour Patch (a kid favorite!) and the Abuelita — a cinnamon sugar and dulce de leche-covered confection filled with arroz con leche. Decadent is an understatement.
Federal Donuts
Address: 250 NW 24th St., Miami, FL, 33127
Hours: Sunday – Wednesday, 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. | Thursday – Saturday, 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 305-573-9393
This Philadelphia-based legend is a relative newcomer to the Miami doughnut scene — and with a James Beard Award-winning chef as one of its creative masterminds, it’s a welcome addition! Federal Donuts can be ordered either “Hot Fresh” out of a doughnut robot fryer, tossed in house-blended sugars and served piping hot (like their cinnamon brown sugar or strawberry lavender variety); or “Fancy”, with a rotating selection of imaginative and delicious glazes that cover cake doughnuts made fresh each morning. (Think: guava poppy and blueberry mascarpone.)
And because the salty/sweet combo is too powerful to resist, Federal Donuts also dishes up a wickedly good twice-fried super crispy chicken that they serve up with a honey doughnut on the side.
Chez Bon Bon at Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Address: 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33140
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, 6 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Phone: 305-674-4727
Tucked away inside the historic Fontainebleau resort on Miami Beach, Chez Bon Bon tempts locals and visitors alike with their elegant pastries, cakes, cookies, and gelato. Celebrity A-listers have also been known to frequent this sweet spot for a guaranteed sugar rush.
The donuts here are almost too beautiful to eat (emphasis on “almost”.) Lined up side-by-side in the pastry case, each one is an edible work of art that’s been handmade that day without any preservatives. You can thank Fontainebleau’s executive pastry chef for the decadent and delicious varieties here — everything from cinnamon sugar to a brightly colored vanilla splatter version.
