Cream-filled, glazed or even topped with bacon, doughnuts are an irresistible confection beloved across the country in classic and new forms. Here, Food & Wine names America's Best Doughnuts.
More from Food & Wine:
America's Best Regional Desserts
Best Burgers in the U.S.
Best Pizza Places in the U.S.
Best Grilled Cheese in the U.S.
50 Best Bars in America
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The Doughnut Vault; Chicago, IL
Gilt Bar owner Brendan Sodikoff started selling big, fresh doughnuts out of a brick storefront in the spring of 2011, and lines continue from early morning until the handful of flavors sell out. Outside, there's a communal table for enjoying old-fashioned, chocolate-glazed and sometimes pistachio-covered rings, with $1 cups of coffee.
<a href="http://thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com/" target="_hplink">thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com</a>
<strong>Plus: <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/americas-best-regional-desserts" target="_hplink">America's Best Regional Desserts</a>
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Betty Ann Food Shop; Boston, MA
This East Boston bakery, which has been around since 1931, specializes in classic sugar-rolled doughnuts, including a hefty cake option and rustic jelly-filled balls of fried dough. 565 Bennington Street.
<strong><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/best-grilled-cheese-in-the-us
" target="_hplink">Plus: Best Grilled Cheese in the U.S.</a></strong>
Clear Flour Bread Bakery; Brookline, MA
Christy Timon opened her bakery in 1982, hiring Abram Faber to help with deliveries. The now-married couple are revered as early champions of classic European baking. They continue to hunt down rare recipes, like light, baked currant doughnuts adapted from Robert Jörin, a third-generation Swiss baker at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.
<a href="http://www.clearflourbread.com/" target="_hplink">clearflourbread.com</a>
<strong><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/americas-best-coffee-bars" target="_hplink">Plus: America's Best Coffee Bars</a></strong>
Primo's Donuts; Los Angeles, CA
This mom-and-pop shop, run by Celia and Ralph Primo since 1956, still sells fantastic cake and yeast-raised doughnuts for less than $1 a piece. The soft, glazed rings are super-classic.
<a href="http://www.primosdonuts.com/" target="_hplink">primosdonuts.com</a>
<strong><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/best-hot-chocolate-in-the-us" target="_hplink">Plus: Best Hot Chocolate in the U.S.</a></strong>
Doughnut Plant; New York, NY
At his new Chelsea location, Lower East Side doughnut pioneer Mark Israel masterminded a glazed oatmeal cake doughnut, sprinkled with the usual granola suspects like dried fruit bits, oats and seeds.
<a href="http://doughnutplant.com" target="_hplink">doughnutplant.com</a>
<strong><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/best-pizza-places-in-the-us" target="_hplink">Plus: Best Pizza Places in the U.S.</a></strong>
Dynamo Donuts; San Francisco, CA
Owner Sara Spearin's menu changes all the time, with inspired flavors like lemon-pistachio and "banana de leche," filled with caramel-coated fruit. The bacon-maple doughnut, with smoky sautéed apples, is now available every day.
<a href="http://dynamodonut.com" target="_hplink">dynamodonut.com</a>
<strong><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/best-burgers-in-the-us" target="_hplink">Plus: Best Burgers in the U.S.</a></strong>
Top Pot Doughnuts; Seattle, WA
Some of the best doughnuts in the Northwest can be found in this two-story flagship beneath the Monorail. Top Pot's oversize rings and fritters come in flavors like chocolate-peanut and Valley Girl lemon -- and some have decorative flourishes like "feather boas," made from pink icing topped with shredded coconut.
<a href="http://toppotdoughnuts.com" target="_hplink">toppotdoughnuts.com</a>
<strong><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/americas-best-doughnuts/9" target="_hplink">Click Here for More of America's Best Doughnuts</a></strong>
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I guess the best donuts will be in my kitchen when I bake or fry them.
Fantastic, miss them a lot
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Donut-Man/61505333059
"How to describe the Donut Man's strawberry specialty? Great taste, messy filling
For nearly four decades, the Donut Man — a.k.a. Jim Nakano — has been selling the wildly popular strawberry doughnut. Along with his maple bars and Bavarian creams, it draws a steady stream of loyal customers to his Glendora shop..."
"... Behold the Donut Man's strawberry doughnut..."
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/05/local/la-me-donut-man-20110705
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/glendoras-donut-man-keeps-it-fresh_n_976037.html
They think Rachel Ray is a chef!