Nashville's Best Donuts

Nashville’s donut game has officially outpaced its hot chicken obsession, which is saying something for a town that treats a grease stain like a badge of honor. You can start your morning with a 100-layer croissant-donut hybrid at Five Daughters in 12 South, then pivot to a vegan option at Parlor that won’t have you mourning butter.

This list runs from an elegant, marble-clad coffee bar downtown to a Crossville operation that only exists on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and yes, you should drive. We ate the King Kong, we fought over beignets, and we judged every maple bacon attempt with prejudice.

Go hungry, bring cash, and maybe skip the napkin.

Five Daughters Bakery | 12th South

Highlights
Next-level delicious donuts
Gluten-free options available
Comparable to top bakeries
Amazing, delicate dough texture
Must-visit Nashville bakery

The 12th South Five Daughters is the one that made me understand the fuss. The 100-layer concept sounds like marketing nonsense until you bite into one and the thing practically exhales butter. The texture is astonishing, delicate without being fragile, and honestly comparable to anything I've had in cities that charge twice as much. They also do gluten-free options that don't taste like punishment. The line moves fast, the staff is efficient, and the only real problem is choosing between the King Kong and something you can finish without a nap. Go early.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Louisville.

Parlor Doughnuts

Highlights
Vegan options done right
Fluffy, layered, hand-rolled texture
Interesting flavor variety
Big enough to share
Friendly, stylish shop

Parlor Doughnuts does something clever: they make a vegan doughnut that doesn't taste like a compromise. The texture is fluffy and layered, hand-rolled in a way that gives it actual structure, not just a squishy mass. The flavors are interesting without being absurd, and the sizes are big enough to share, which is good because you'll want to try more than one. The shop itself is friendly and stylish, the kind of place you can sit and actually enjoy your coffee. I didn't feel cheated by the vegan options. That's high praise.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Louisville.

Five Daughters Bakery | East Nashville

Highlights
100-layer donuts rock
Biscuits worth the hype
Clean, friendly service
King Kong is king
Buy everything again

The East Nashville Five Daughters is where I learned to respect the King Kong. It's huge, messy, and has this peppery savoriness that cuts through all that glaze and bacon. The 100-layer donuts genuinely rock, and the biscuits are worth the hype, which is rare. Service is clean and friendly, and I ended up buying the entire case without shame. The King Kong is king, yes, but don't skip the cinnamon rolls. I'd buy everything again, and I will, next time I'm in the neighborhood. It's a dangerous place for my wallet.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Asheville.

Parlor Doughnuts

Highlights
Maple bacon doughnut is amazing
Breakfast options beyond doughnuts
Friendly, efficient staff service
Coffees worth staying for
Plenty of seating and merch

This Parlor location gets the details right. The maple bacon doughnut is amazing, and I say that as someone who usually finds maple bacon a lazy shortcut. The staff is friendly and efficient, and the coffees are worth staying for, which is not something I often say about doughnut shops. They also do breakfast options beyond doughnuts, so you can pretend you're being responsible. Plenty of seating and even some merch if you're the type to advertise your breakfast choices. I sat, I sipped, I ate the bacon. No complaints.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Evansville.

Five Daughters Bakery | The Gulch

Highlights
Fantastic donuts and goodies
King Kong has peppery savoriness
Apple pie cinnamon roll soft
Biscuit breakfast sandwich rich
Friendly staff, cute seating

The Gulch Five Daughters is slicker than the others, but the product holds up. The King Kong here has that same peppery savoriness, which I appreciate because it's not just sugar chaos. The apple pie cinnamon roll is stupid soft, and the biscuit breakfast sandwich is rich enough to make you regret a second one. Staff is friendly, seating is cute, and it's a fine spot to waste a morning. I walked in skeptical of the neighborhood and walked out with crumbs on my shirt. That's a win.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Crossville.

Five Daughters Bakery | L&L Market

Highlights
100-layer donuts are fluffy
Unique flavors, maple bacon
Perfect-sized minis for sampling
Great breakfast sandwiches too

The L&L Market Five Daughters is my pick for efficiency. The 100-layer donuts are fluffy, and the maple bacon flavor is done right, not too sweet, with actual bacon crunch. The minis are perfectly sized for sampling, which is how I tried four things without committing to a sugar coma. They also do great breakfast sandwiches, so you can get real food and a treat in one stop. The space is smaller and more chaotic, but the staff keeps things moving. I got my donuts, my sandwich, and got out. Perfect.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Greenville.

Beignets & Brew

Highlights
Honey butter chicken croissant
Nutella beignets, stupid good
Fresh, warm, chewy beignets
Friendly service, kid friendly
Relaxing, pretty interior space

Beignets & Brew is not a donut shop, but it deserves a spot here because the Nutella beignets are stupid good. Fresh, warm, chewy, and dusted with sugar, they ruin other beignets for you. The honey butter chicken croissant is also a knockout, messy and rich and worth the dry cleaning bill. The space is relaxing and pretty, with friendly service and a kid-friendly vibe. I sat there longer than I planned, just eating and watching the street. If you want a donut-adjacent experience that's actually better, go here.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Knoxville.

D’Andrews Bakery & Cafe

Highlights
Best pecan sticky buns
Excellent breakfast sandwiches
Unique vanilla cream donuts
Fluffy, not dry pastries
Friendly staff, fair prices

D'Andrews Bakery & Cafe is the old-school play. The pecan sticky buns are the best I've had in Nashville, dense, gooey, and not shy with the nuts. Their breakfast sandwiches are excellent, and the vanilla cream donuts are unique, a soft pillowy thing with a filling that doesn't taste like pudding mix. Everything is fluffy, not dry, which is a miracle for a bakery that does this much volume. Staff is friendly and prices are fair. No hype, no gimmicks, just good baking. I left with a box and zero regrets.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Naperville.

Miss Miller's Donuts

Highlights
Huge, warm, perfectly cooked
Worth every penny
Wednesday and Saturday spots
Crossville trip essential

Miss Miller's Donuts requires effort. It's a Crossville trip, and they only pop up on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I went on a Wednesday and waited in line like a pilgrim. The donuts are huge, warm, and perfectly cooked, with that crisp exterior and soft center that industrial shops can't replicate. Worth every penny and every mile. I ate one in the car and felt the sugar hit my bloodstream like a greeting. If you're doing a Nashville donut tour, extend the radius. This is the payoff.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Denville.

The Baked Bear

Highlights
Nutella chunk cookie delight
Brown Butter ice cream heavenly
Quaint polar bear den
Warm cookie ice cream sandwiches
Plenty of cookie options

The Baked Bear is a donut-adjacent stop that's really about ice cream sandwiches. The Nutella chunk cookie is a delight, and the Brown Butter ice cream is heavenly, rich and almost savory. They make warm cookie and ice cream sandwiches that are messy in the best way. The place is quaint, like a polar bear den, small and cozy. Plenty of cookie options, so you can mix and match to your heart's content. I got one, ate it too fast, and went back for another. That's the review.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Lewisville.

Legendairy Milkshake Bar

Highlights
Over-the-top shared creations
Kids love the experience
Rich, creamy milkshake base
Downtown Saturday night buzz
Pricey but memorable outing

Legendairy Milkshake Bar is not a donut shop, but I'm including it because it's a sugar destination with serious scope. The milkshakes are over-the-top shared creations, topped with entire donuts or cakes or whatever they can balance on a straw. Kids love the experience, and the base milkshake is rich and creamy, not just a gimmick. It's pricey, and you'll feel it, but it's a memorable outing for a Saturday night downtown. I watched a group of adults fight over a shake with a donut stuck on top. Worth it.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in State Washington.

Drug Store Coffee

Highlights
Historic hotel lobby setting
Sultry, elegant specialty coffee
Top-tier staff and service
Evening cocktail transformation

Drug Store Coffee is the most elegant place on this list. It's set in a historic hotel lobby, all sultry lighting and marble and serious coffee. The staff is top-tier, the kind of service that makes you feel like you're doing something important just by ordering a latte. They do specialty coffee with the precision of a cocktail bar, and at night the place transforms into an evening drink spot. It's not a donut destination, but if you need a palate cleanser between sugar bombs, this is where you go. I sat, sipped, and felt civilized.

You might also want to check out the best donuts in Coachella Valley.