There's no doubt about it, Vancouver is a city that loves its donuts.
From the classic glazed and filled of Lee's Donuts to the destination donuts of Deep Cove's Honey's, Metro Vancouver has more than its share of sweet, sweet spots for the beloved fried (or baked) treat. There's even a tasting tour you can take that's just for trying out donuts in downtown Vancouver.
Yelp recently released its list of the Top Donut Spots in Canada, ranking 25 delicious places sure to please any donut lover.
Of all the delectable donuts, it was the "soft as clouds" Korean-style cream-filled brioche donuts of Vancouver's Mello that nabbed the number one spot. Mello first welcomed customers into its small, minimalist Chinatown cafe at the end of 2019. Their soft, decadent donuts come in a variety of flavour options, with fillings like lemon curd, tiramisu, cereal milk, and strawberries and cream - they even do an Everything Bagel Donut (and it's incredible). Last year, Mello added a second bakery cafe in the Kerrisdale neighbourhood.
Where to get the best donuts in and around Vancouver
Elsewhere in the region, Lee's (3), Cartems (4), Lucky's/49th Parallel (5), and Duffin's (24) made the list representing Vancouver proper, with neighbouring donut hot spots Harmony (18) and Honey's (23) in North Vancouver, Duft & Co Bakehouse (21) in Abbotsford, and Outpost Mini Donut Company (22) in Richmond joining the ranks.
Yelp explains that to come up with their 25 Top Donut Spots in Canada, the user-generated review site "identified businesses in the donut category, then ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews between Jan. 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. This list looked at businesses in Canada. All businesses were marked open on Yelp as of May 1, 2023." Additionally, Yelp notes that, "when available, all businesses on this list have a passing health score as of May 1, 2023."
This isn't the first time a Vancouver spot has claimed the number-one ranking on a national Yelp list. Earlier this year, the hidden gem diner Northern Cafe & Grill took first place in Yelp's Canada’s Top 100 Places to Eat in 2023 ranking.
25 Top Donut Spots in Canada
- Mello, Vancouver, British Columbia
- Cops, Toronto, Ontario
- Lee’s Donuts, Vancouver, British Columbia
- Cartems Donuts, Vancouver, British Columbia
- 49th Parallel Coffee, Vancouver, British Columbia
- SuzyQ Doughnuts, Ottawa, Ontario
- Crave Doughnuts, Whitby, Ontario
- Isabella’s Mochi Donut Boutique, Toronto, Ontario
- DIPPED, Toronto, Ontario
- Bronuts, Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Daddy O Doughnuts and British Baked Goods, Mississauga, Ontario
- Beechwood Doughnuts, St. Catharines, Ontario
- Destination Doughnuts, Edmonton, Alberta
- Take Five, Edmonton, Alberta
- Donut Monster, Hamilton, Ontario
- The Donut Mill, Red Deer, Alberta
- Country Fresh Donuts & More, Niagara Falls, Ontario
- Harmony Donut Shop, North Vancouver, British Columbia
- Glory Hole Doughnuts, Toronto, Ontario
- Léché Desserts, Montréal, Québec
- Duft & Co Bakehouse, Abbotsford, British Columbia
- Outpost Mini Donut Company, Richmond, British Columbia
- Honey Doughnuts & Goodies, North Vancouver, British Columbia
- Duffin’s Donuts, Vancouver, British Columbia
- Doughnut Party, Edmonton, Alberta
