This post was updated in March, 2025.
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken
1308 G St., NW; 4005 Campbell Ave., Arlington
The oversized doughnuts at these long-running shops can read more as dessert than breakfast (the best of the bunch: the crackly-topped creme brûlée). In the mood for something savory? The rest of the menu includes six fried chicken sandwiches, which you can get on brioche bun or a biscuit, but also on a savory or Old Bay doughnut.
B. Doughnut
6700 Crain Hwy., La Plata
Portuguese/Hawaiian hole-free malasadas—both light and rich at the same time—are the thing at this La Plata shop, which formerly had space in Union Market. They’re in the area’s very top tier of doughnuts. Get them filled with housemade three-berry jam, vanilla, or chocolate cream. There are also non-filled vegan doughnuts and American-style glazed and sugared rings.
Bread Furst
4434 Connecticut Ave., NW; 1600 21st St., NW
Mark Furstenberg’s excellent Van Ness and Dupont bread bakery and market locations have lowkey some of the best doughnuts (and bagels) in the city. The honey-glazed rounds are big and airy, and even better on the days they come spiked with passionfruit.
Donutchew
Multiple locations in Maryland and Virginia
For a mochi-based treat with a chewy texture, head to this doughnut-and-boba spot with rotating flavors baked fresh daily. Previous hits include glazed matcha, banana with a chocolate drizzle, and Biscoff topped with cookie crumbles. Or, try a croffle—a doughnut-waffle hybrid—smothered in whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Donut Run
6904 Fourth St., NW
The snug vegan shop, which opened in 2021, comes from husband-and-wife duo Shawn Petersen and Nicole Dao. You’ll find yeast and cake doughnuts in dozens of ever-changing flavors—Snickers, pistachio-lemon, and maple Frappucino have been on the recent roster—plus tasty apple fritters and coffee from local Brewing Good Coffee Company.
Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe
Multiple locations in DC and Virginia
While this family-f and veteran-owned doughnut spot was established in 2019, its inspiration was a small-scale shop in 1960s Jupiter, Florida, which was run by the co-founder’s parents. Today, Good Company’s four locations sling housemade classic and specialty doughnuts, as well as a variety of breakfast fare. Look for nostalgic flavors like sour cream and cinnamon-sugar cake, yeast-raised dough topped with chocolate ganache, and mini doughnuts and doughnut holes.
Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe
2150 N. Culpeper St., Arlington
Crusty pumpernickel loaves, biting mustards, and loads of buttery tea cookies can be found at this 48 year-old German-style bakery in Arlington. Also: terrific Berliners, or jelly doughnuts, filled with raspberry or apricot jam. The raisin-studded apple strudel is also worth a place on your breakfast table.
Rose Ave
2633 Connecticut Ave., NW
Pediatric nurse/baker Rose Nguyen—who launched her doughnut phenom as an online business during the pandemic—now boasts a brick-and-mortar shop in Woodley Park. Her hit passionfruit doughnut is here, as are confections in flavors such as cinnamon-sugar brioche with banana and tamari caramel, or pandan tossed in sugar and filled with coconut cream.
Sunday Morning Bakehouse
11869 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda
Love a jelly doughnut? Head to this pretty Pike & Rose shop for its brioche puffs piped with strawberry jelly and rolled in sugar (the unfilled cinnamon sugar version is pretty great, too). The bakehouse also excels with croissants—ham-and-Swiss, twice-baked almond—and the baristas make a lovely London Fog.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
