Our five favorite donuts in Chicago in 2021

Donut ThumbnailAdam and Madalyn

Donuts are one of the most delicious creations on the planet. Name another food that is basically a dessert but is acceptable to eat first thing in the morning?

Also, is it a donut or a doughnut? The spelling seems to depend on which shop you are visiting. Either way, you spell it, donuts are quite literally a reason to get up in the morning!

In 2021 we were on a mission to visit Chicago's most popular donut spots. We visited several excellent bakeries, and today we wanted to share our top 5 favorite donuts of 2021. We know there are many more great shops, and we have already started building a list of where to visit in 2022. Let us know your favorite donut shops in the comments below!

Do-Rite Donuts

Donuts at Do-Rite DonutsAdam and Madalyn

Our first and favorite donuts on the list came from Do-Rite Donuts. We have been lucky enough to live down the street from one of their locations, and it was a challenge not to pop in for donuts every morning. It is hard to beat the old-fashioned they make here at Do-Rite donuts, and we think they might be the best in Chicago. Not only are their donuts delicious, but they also serve chicken sandwiches served on top of their donuts. With any purchase, you can also get a coffee for $1. Do-Rite has expanded to 7 locations. There are five shops in Chicago and two in the suburbs, which gives you plenty of opportunities to grab some of these delicious doughy creations. They have fancy flavors like maple bacon and pistachio Meyer lemon, but what we love about Do-Rite is how well they make the classics.

Location: 181 N Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607

Beacon Doughnuts

Beacon Doughnuts ExteriorAdam and Madalyn

Second on our list is Beacon Doughnuts, located in an alleyway off of Armitage in Lincoln Park. We know that sounds a little strange, but you'll be sure to love their beautifully decorated walk-up window. They specialize in vegan donuts, and although neither of us is vegan, we thoroughly enjoyed their donuts. Beacon tends to think outside the box with their donuts creating flavors like birthday cake, blueberry pancake, and chocolate caramel shortbread. The blueberry pancake donut was our favorite! Not only is this a great donut shop, but it's a great spot to take a photo for your social media!

Location: In The Alley, 810 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Firecakes Donuts

Firecakes DonutsAdam and Madalyn

Firecakes is another popular donut chain that has made our list of best donuts. Firecakes has four locations throughout Chicagoland and specializes in small-batch artisan donuts. Established in Chicago in 2013, this donut shop has a secret family recipe from the 1930s. The donuts here are classic and delicious and are almost too pretty to eat. We had a pistachio old-fashioned, a chile-lime, and a lemon blueberry when visiting. If you are having a party or need a dish to pass at brunch, a dozen of these colorful donuts will make a lasting impression. Firecakes also has house-made ice cream for their donut ice cream sandwiches. Their donuts were fantastic, and we know that we will be back to Firecakes soon.

Location: Lincoln Park 2453 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60614

Dinkel's Bakery

Dinkel's SignAdam and Madalyn

Dinkel's Bakery in Lakeview has been a Chicago institution since 1922. That means this year; they will be celebrating 100 years of baking excellence! Dinkel's has been family-owned and operated since they opened their door and have a proud history of traditional baking. We know that their cakes are legendary, but we stopped in last year to try their donuts and pastries! We have to say that their oreo donut was one of the best donuts we had last year! They also had danishes that were well worth the calories. There is a reason why Dinkel's has been a Chicago icon for 100 years, and we are looking forward to what they do in the next 100.

Location: 3329 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

Doughnut Vault

Doughnut Vault DoughnutsAdam and Madalyn

You can't make a Chicago donut list without including Doughnut Vault. The donuts here are almost mythical in the hype that has been built around them in the beginning. The walk-up window opens at 7:30 am, closes at 1 pm, and lines will form around the block as soon as they open! This popular River North walk-up is still a Chicago donut titan with its simple menu and delicious old-fashioned donuts. Their glazed donut was one of the largest and the lightest glazed donuts we tried. Doughnut Vault is a part of the Hog Salt restaurant group, so it's not surprising that they are a master of the donut craft.

Location: 401 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60654

Let us know if your favorite made the list!