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Originally published by Ching Yuen. Last updated by Catharina Cheung.
We were on a diet but we doughnut care anymore! Doughnuts can go from being a quick snack to a full-blown meal on its own, and we love licking off the frosting on our fingers. We have sourced the best doughnuts in Hong Kong, from simple sugar-coated doughnuts to elaborately decorated doughnuts—check them out below!
With three locations across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories, Indonesian import J.CO boasts freshly baked doughnuts that are arguably the best in town. Their range spans from sugar-glazed and chocolate-dusted doughnuts to creations like the signature Alcapone ($15), a sweet creation covered in white chocolate toasted almonds, and the aptly named Avocado DiCaprio ($15), topped with avocado and chocolate crunch. Oh, and they also do cream-filled cronut versions of their doughnuts, too!
This artisan bakery was opened by Grégoire Michaud, who has worked in some of the finest hotels in the world. It has not had a slow day since it opened, and on the weekends, you can expect to queue for a table. And for good reason: Everything is delicious, especially their rotating selection of baked goods. The chocolate hazelnut doughnuts ($38) are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, but the vanilla custard doughnuts ($38) also deserve a special mention!
Bakehouse, 14 Tai Wong Street East, Wan Chai
If you want to know how far you can take your doughnut dedication, why not pop by the Donut Café in K11 Musea? Right next to the Donut Playground is the doughnut-themed eatery that serves up gelato paninis and doughnut milkshakes. The doughnut shake ($59) is made up of all our childhood desires, smoothly blended milkshakes with a plump doughnut sitting on top of the drink. There’s also a doughnut wall with doughnut plushies hung out for an extra bit of fun, but to take things to another level, any purchase within the Donut Café gives you a free ride down the mega slide at the Donut Playhouse!
Donut Café, Shop B247, B2/F, K11 Musea, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 6114 1771
Another top pick for doughnuts with fillings, Dough Bros has you covered if that’s what you prefer. Next to their amazing pizzas, their doughnuts ($38) are freshly fried to order and stuffed with the choice of Nutella, custard, or jam, and covered in sugar. Be careful when you are biting into the fluffy doughnut since the generous fillings might just spill out!
Dough Bros, Shop 5, G/F, 38–42 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley | (+852) 2760 4555
Popular bakery chain Queen Sophie is mostly famous for its egg tarts, but their affordable doughnuts are also worthy of sharing the spotlight. The doughnuts ($10) look more like a cronut than a traditional doughnut, with a crispy fried coating and layers of buttery pastry inside. You can choose between traditional Western flavours such as caramel and raspberry or Asian-infused flavours such as matcha and red bean.
If you’re looking for a standard doughnut, look no further than Yamazaki and their sugar-coated doughnuts ($9.50). Sometimes, the simple things are the best, such as a fluffy doughnut with some sugar sprinkled on top. If you need a little bit more of the glam, then just turn to the rainbow-sprinkled doughnuts ($10.50) for an extra bit of colour!
Set against chic and bare concrete walls, moody pendant lights, and cool greys, Aussie-themed Ninetys paints a sharp contrast against the vibrant flavours of their dishes and their aesthetic decorations. Their doughnut toast ($98), is the combination of a French toast with a doughnut, sesame ice cream, crushed nuts, and cookie crumbs for crunch. If you’re looking for something quick and slightly healthier, you can also try these grab-and-go doughnuts made with Greek yoghurt and baked instead of fried.
If you're on a budget, you can always pop over to any Marks & Spencer Food Hall and just grab one of their doughnuts. Their bakeries have all the classic flavours such as chocolate sprinkles ($12), pink sprinkles ($12), rainbow sprinkles ($12) and sugar-coated doughnuts ($10) made fresh every day!
An online store that takes weekly order, Chinuts._ is seriously obsessed with doughnuts. They like to focus on a special type of doughnut, which is the wheel-like doughnuts made up of little bobs. Their staple flavours include matcha ($30), strawberry cookie ($28), and chocolate cookie ($28) that come with plentiful toppings. Made by hand, the owner comes up with seasonal flavours such as meat floss, pineapple, and also takes customised orders. Find her online to ask about what special flavours she’s got hidden!
Ms Donutt is a doughnut fanatic who dedicates her online shop to doughnuts only. She has made over 22 kinds of doughnuts all on her own, which makes each and every doughnut unique in its design. The doughnuts are baked rather than fried to make a healthier snack, and the owner prefers a cake-like texture that fills you up. Whenever she has a batch of doughnuts ready, she will announce it on her social media and take orders, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!
There are scores of people who got super into baking over the coronavirus lockdown, but the founders of DoughByDesign actually made a business venture of it. Inspired by the delicate doughnuts of Tokyo and the bold varieties of Los Angeles, they took the best of both worlds and created huge, fluffy doughnuts. Their offerings come in boxes of three for $125, and apart from your standard tastes, they also do special flavours each month, including maple bacon, dark chocolate coconut, and caramel apple. Pre-orders open every Tuesday, so keep them on your watch list!
Created by Hong Kong-based French celebrity Amanda Strang, Flakes & Layers called their confectionaries Ooonuts—so named for their 1,000 flaky layers—which we adore almost as much as the pastries themselves. It’s likely you’ll be loath to actually eat their Ooonuts (from $50) because they’re just so well-made and aesthetically pleasing. We particularly love their innovative flavours such as poached pear and caramel, pistachio, and their special Christmas edition, purportedly a cola flavour. Their pop-up in Landmark will last until February next year, so don’t forget to stop by for some festive treats!
Flakes & Layers, Shop 350, 3/F, Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central | (+852) 9191 3301
Having lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, and London sure is a fun fact whenever people try to guess Ching’s accent. She loves switching between all these language channels and her “mother tongue” is just determined by how many drinks she’s had for the night! She loves movies, travelling, and exploring cities, from hidden alleys to gourmet dining, so feel free to hit her up if you need any suggestions for dinner!
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