It’s National Doughnut Day. Here are the Triangle’s best donuts + free deals
Your Friday is about to get a whole lot sweeter.
Happy National Doughnut Day to all who celebrate. This Friday, June 3, National Doughnut Day returns with a handful of sugary deals and more than a dozen reasons to seek out something sweet.
If you’re looking for a top doughnut shop, The News & Observer has rounded up the Triangle’s best and noted a few special National Doughnut Day Deals.
Here’s the list you’re looking for.
BAKER’S DOZEN DONUTS: 6320 Capital Blvd., Suite 123, Raleigh. 919-803-0837 or facebook.com/baker-s-dozen-donuts-2
This doughnut wonderland always keeps the flavors fresh and fries up a wide variety, including cake and yeast styles. Though it specializes in old-fashioned flavors, look for contemporary combinations as well, like maple bacon and a glazed that could rival another famous brand.
BIG DOM’S BAGEL SHOP: 203 E. Chatham St., Cary. 919-377-1143 or bigdomsbagelshop.com
Though famous for its leopard-spotted bagels baked in an old Little Caesar’s oven, don’t sleep on the B’donut at Big Dom’s. These doughnuts have such crispy edges you’ll barely notice the fact that they’re baked not fried, served with a hearty shower of powdered sugar.
BRIGHT SPOT DONUTS: 1501 Sunrise Ave., Suite 180, Raleigh. brightspotdonuts.com
It’s the newest shop on this list, but there’s no doubt Bright Spot fries up some of the best doughnuts in Raleigh. From the owners of Boulted Bread and Benchwarmers Bagels, Bright Spot is an airy, crispy ode to the great glazed giants, but mixes it up with seasonal jam fillings. Right now that means in-season strawberry glaze or a blueberry ricotta filling. Lord have mercy. For National Doughnut Day, Bright Spot is offering a free doughnut of any kind with the purchase of any other thing.
BURNEY’S SWEETS & MORE: 4500 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 100, Raleigh. 919-298-2800; 517 Outlet Center Drive, Smithfield. 919-300-1691 or burneyssweetsandmore.com
Doughnuts are just one of the sweet treats Burney’s does well. This North Carolina brand has outposts across the state, including two in the Triangle, frying up yeast and cake doughnuts. For National Doughnut Day, Burney’s is offering one free glazed doughnut or croissant.
CAROLINA GLAZED DONUTS: 5400 S. Miami Blvd., Durham. 919-474-9999 or facebook.com/carolina-glazed-donuts
One of the most popular doughnut shops in the Triangle, Durham’s Carolina Glazed showcases the sweet spectrum of the fried dough arts, with a glass counter filled with sprinkled, iced, filled, cake, yeast and sugared flavors.
DAYLIGHT DONUTS: 7550 Creedmoor Road, Suite 101, Raleigh. 919-676-7442 or daylightdonutsraleigh.com
The Raleigh location of this national doughnut brand has been a local staple for years, making one of the Triangle’s widest selections of doughnuts, including yeast, cake and filled favorites. For National Doughnut Day, Daylight is offering one free doughnut with the purchase of a drink.
DUCK DONUTS: Triangle locations in Cary, Durham and Raleigh. duckdonuts.com
Born on the North Carolina coast, and now a national doughnut phenomenon, Duck Donuts created a new way to doughnut, frying up orders and then coating them in flavors. Everything comes out fresh and crispy. For National Doughnut Day, Duck Donuts is giving away one free cinnamon sugar doughnut per guest.
DUNKIN’: Numerous locations throughout the Triangle; dunkindonuts.com
This northern doughnut giant has moved into the Triangle in a major way. Chances are, the closest doughnut to you right now is from Dunkin’, beloved for solid coffee and reliable doughnuts, plus crushable Munchkins. For National doughnut day, you can score a free Dunkin doughnut with the purchase of a drink.
EARLY BIRD: 2816 Erwin Road, Suite 101, Durham. 984-888-0417 or facebook.com/ebdonuts
Creative and local, Early Bird taps into doughnut nostalgia while showcasing flavors of its own. Its artful seasonal offerings might include peak season strawberries, but classics like chocolate glazed are mainstays. Early Bird also happens to be the winner of the Triangle Doughnut Bracket and a personal favorite of Coach K. For National Doughnut Day, Early Bird is offering one free glazed doughnut (while supplies last).
KIM’S BAKE SHOP AT WOODEN NICKEL PUB: 111 N. Churton St., Hillsborough. 919-932-0134 or downtownpies.com
This weekend bake shop from the popular Hillsborough wing joint The Wooden Nickel makes some of the most creative doughnuts around. These old-fashioned cake-style doughnuts are made with sour cream and come in flavors like classic apple cider, plus root beer float, lemon blackberry and mango lime.
KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS: Five locations in the Triangle, including Durham, Raleigh, Wake Forest and Fuquay-Varina; krispykreme.com
Hailing from North Carolina, these glazed rings of air are famous around the world. Whether they’re Hot Now or a day later, some see Krispy Kreme as the beginning and end of the doughnut universe. For National Doughnut Day Krispy Kreme is giving away one free doughnut — no drink purchase necessary, no questions asked.
MAIN STREET GRILLE: 1318 S. Main St., Wake Forest. 919-554-1564 or facebook.com/mainstreetgrillecafe
This Wake Forest cafe does a little bit of everything, but plenty of people head to northern Wake County for their doughnuts. The apple cider cake is an everyday option, but Main Street gets creative with its yeast flavors, including, at times, options like pistachio and raspberry.
MONUTS: 1002 9th St., Durham. 919-286-2642 or monutsdonuts.com
It’s always a treat to read the daily doughnut menu at Monuts, but obviously a greater treat to taste them. This shop makes some of the most inventive and seasonal sweets around, including powerfully flavorful citrus and fruit glazes. But if you’re not looking for adventure, apple cider cake doughnuts are on the menu every day.
NC JELLY DONUTS: 126 Millstead Drive, Mebane. 919-568-0231 or ncjellydonuts.com
Situated on the western edge of the Triangle, this Mebane shop has fans across North Carolina. The shop makes a deep menu of raised, cake and filled favorites, but jelly is, as you may expect, a specialty.
RISE SOUTHERN BISCUITS & RIGHTEOUS CHICKEN: Nine locations in the Triangle; risebiscuitschicken.com
Don’t let the name fool you, doughnuts are still part of the foundation of Rise, the fast-casual breakfast brand that’s one of the most popular concepts to branch beyond the Triangle. These modern flavors include Cheerwine glaze, a maple bacon, a classic glazed and one topped with Cap’n Crunch cereal.
SOLA COFFEE CAFE: 7705 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh. 919-803-8983 or solacoffee.com
This North Raleigh coffee shop is a beloved community cafe. The bags of “hot minis” — two-bite-sized rings of fried dough — are at the heart of that love. These petite doughnuts come dusted in flavored sugars, like cinnamon, strawberry, birthday cake and espresso.
TEPUY DONUTS: 1818 Oberlin Road, Suite 103, Raleigh, in Idle Hour Coffee Shop. 984-389-6429 or tepuydonuts.com
Bursting on the sweets scene in the middle of the pandemic, Tepuy has thrived as a doughnut brand without a shop of its own, instead set up in the Raleigh cafe Idle Hour. Tepuy’s doughnuts often feature bright flavors, like a hot pink strawberry, and keep an airy lightness.
