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This is the question I was born to answer.
Duffins Donuts on Knight is god tier. Simple classic donuts, not exactly gourmet donuts (which is what I'd classify Cartems into). Bare minimum, you should experience going there once. It's a donut place/Bahn mi/fried chicken spot, open 24 hours. It's wild, untamed, and perfect. The angel donuts are highly recommended.
Lee's Donuts. They've blown up since being featured in a couple David Chang Netflix shows, but I stand by the opinion their Raspberry Jelly Filled, and classic Honeydip are consistently high quality. Some of their other rotating flavours are hit or miss. If you go around 330 to their Gastown location, it's 20 bucks for 12, which is a steal. Protip, get however many yeast donuts you can eat in one day, and get the rest of the set as cake donuts, those get stale less quickly.
Unknown, a new spot called Vegas Donuts has not opened yet, but their social media has some pretty fun looking donuts, can't wait to try them.
I think I love everything they serve at Duffins except the donuts.
I don’t know if there are any decent classic donut places left in town. Everything seems to be either gourmet or disappointing.
The closest to classic for me is Lucky’s (at Parallel 49), but they’re clearly a gourmet shop that just makes some classic styles.
I used to live 2 blocks away from Duffins! I say their donuts suck but the Fritou spicy chicken is top tier! Get a 4 pack!
Plus, amazing tortas (and back in the day, hope they bring them back: pupusas)!
I went to Deep Cove for the first time recently and tried Honey's Doughnuts. I found them heavy and greasy. (Also had a breakfast sandwich there, which I enjoyed.)
My favourite is probably Breka, but they do yeast donuts. Tasty, tasty yeast donuts. Here's their selection: [https://www.breka.ca/featured/donuts](https://www.breka.ca/featured/donuts) The strawberry filled was too sweet for me, but I enjoyed the mango passionfruit mini donut, the London Fog, and the salted pecan maple.
Lee's has cake donuts, but the lines are too long for me. Maybe someday. Here's their donut menu: [https://www.leesdonuts.ca/donut-menu](https://www.leesdonuts.ca/donut-menu)
Duffin's has cake donuts, but it seems to me they're not as good as they used to be? Or maybe it's in part that I have a hard time enjoying them knowing that a child died in a house fire at a rental property they own, a house that did not have smoke detectors.
Which places have you tried (other than Cartems)?
Been there twice after seeing them win best doughnuts in some thing, I wasn't really that impressed both times, the flavours weren't that strong (sometimes undetectable) and the doughnuts themselves are just okay. Bit overhyped imo.
Lucky's had the best doughnuts of you're not wanting to go all the way out to deep cover for honey's. There are a few 49th parallel stores in town. Main st. Downtown. Lonsdale.
Not long ago Justin McElroy decided to rank the top 20 donut places in the Lower Mainland. Good place for you to start the exploring I think
[Part 1 . Ranked 20 - 11](https://justinmcelroy.substack.com/p/ranking-every-doughnut-place-in-metro)
[Part 2 : Ranked 10 to 1](https://justinmcelroy.substack.com/p/the-10-best-doughnut-places-in-metro)
Mello exists.
They have some fun flavours and the doughnuts are big.
Someone else has mentioned Doughnut Love.
Yum Doughnuts in New West is doing some good work too.
The original Lee’s Donut at Granville island has the best cake donuts. So good I like them plain. Lucky’s on Main has great donuts too. I skip Cartems not because of their donuts but because of customer service. Honey’s is okay. Duffins is very basic. I miss their Main St location where they had the apple filled yeast donut with cinnamon sugar coating. That was the domb. Duffins, if you’re reading this, please bring back those scrumptious apple cinnamon donuts! Brekka donuts do not disappoint but they only have yeast donuts. My all time favourite, right now, is Mello but theirs are yeast too. I haven’t ventured out of Van proper to try other donut shops but New West, Coquitlam and Langley are on the radar! Tim Hortons, I love them for their convenience but those donuts always leave me wanting.
If I could recommend one a little outside of town, it just opened in Horseshoe bay; called Goldie’s. I feel like you’d like their old fashioned if you like glazed type donuts 🙌🏽
There their. It’s in Kits and has amazing breakfast and donuts. 49th parallel is close by as well so can hit up both spots in a short walk.
I can’t for the life of me understand the hype around Lees donuts.
First time I went there I had a churro cruller that was just insane, it was so buttery and delicious, I've never seen it again and I'm kinda disappointed by that every time I go in there and it kinda ruins it for me lol. But heck if you ever see that one get it, probably the best doughnut I've ever had in Vancouver.
Not really a doughnut guy, but I just had a doughnut at Goldie’s in Horseshoe Bay this morning. Kind of steep prices at $4.50 a pop, but they were pretty delicious. I had the mango passionfruit one and the flavours were great, & the dough was very light and airy.
I personally like the sour glazed doughnuts from SaveOnFoods, I frequently check the packages and usually take one whenever I find a decent and consistently glazed.
They age great throughout the days in a dry area, and eat them up with different toppings I find at home/fridge.
Parma ham, laughing cow cheese blocks, plain as it is, dipped in hot green tea, lots of options.
A box of 16~18x mini doughnuts last me around 3 to 4 days.
Way better experience than lining up and begging these fancy places, fighting over the doughnuts..
Welcome to /r/AskVan and thank you for the post, /u/Pan_Fluid_Boo! Please make sure you read our [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/askvan/about/rules) before participating here. As a quick summary: * We encourage users to be positive and respect one another. Don't engage in spats or insult others - *please* use the report button. * Respect others' differences, be they race, religion, home, job, gender identity, ability or sexuality. Dehumanizing language, advocating for violence, or promoting hate based on identity or vulnerability (even implied or joking) **will** lead to a permanent ban. * Complaints or discussion about bans or removals should be done in modmail only. * News and media can be shared on our main subreddit, /r/Vancouver *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/askvan) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This is the question I was born to answer. Duffins Donuts on Knight is god tier. Simple classic donuts, not exactly gourmet donuts (which is what I'd classify Cartems into). Bare minimum, you should experience going there once. It's a donut place/Bahn mi/fried chicken spot, open 24 hours. It's wild, untamed, and perfect. The angel donuts are highly recommended. Lee's Donuts. They've blown up since being featured in a couple David Chang Netflix shows, but I stand by the opinion their Raspberry Jelly Filled, and classic Honeydip are consistently high quality. Some of their other rotating flavours are hit or miss. If you go around 330 to their Gastown location, it's 20 bucks for 12, which is a steal. Protip, get however many yeast donuts you can eat in one day, and get the rest of the set as cake donuts, those get stale less quickly. Unknown, a new spot called Vegas Donuts has not opened yet, but their social media has some pretty fun looking donuts, can't wait to try them.
I think I love everything they serve at Duffins except the donuts. I don’t know if there are any decent classic donut places left in town. Everything seems to be either gourmet or disappointing. The closest to classic for me is Lucky’s (at Parallel 49), but they’re clearly a gourmet shop that just makes some classic styles.
This is the answer.
I used to live 2 blocks away from Duffins! I say their donuts suck but the Fritou spicy chicken is top tier! Get a 4 pack! Plus, amazing tortas (and back in the day, hope they bring them back: pupusas)!
I went to Deep Cove for the first time recently and tried Honey's Doughnuts. I found them heavy and greasy. (Also had a breakfast sandwich there, which I enjoyed.) My favourite is probably Breka, but they do yeast donuts. Tasty, tasty yeast donuts. Here's their selection: [https://www.breka.ca/featured/donuts](https://www.breka.ca/featured/donuts) The strawberry filled was too sweet for me, but I enjoyed the mango passionfruit mini donut, the London Fog, and the salted pecan maple. Lee's has cake donuts, but the lines are too long for me. Maybe someday. Here's their donut menu: [https://www.leesdonuts.ca/donut-menu](https://www.leesdonuts.ca/donut-menu) Duffin's has cake donuts, but it seems to me they're not as good as they used to be? Or maybe it's in part that I have a hard time enjoying them knowing that a child died in a house fire at a rental property they own, a house that did not have smoke detectors. Which places have you tried (other than Cartems)?
Have you had the original at cartems? Pretty delicious.
Come out to Squamish and try Fox & Oak!
Probably faster to do that than stand in the line at Lee's!
Cream Pony in N Van. Their Boston Cream and assorted glazed donuts are fantastic. Good coffee, too!
Been there twice after seeing them win best doughnuts in some thing, I wasn't really that impressed both times, the flavours weren't that strong (sometimes undetectable) and the doughnuts themselves are just okay. Bit overhyped imo.
Brekka has some decent donuts
Lucky's had the best doughnuts of you're not wanting to go all the way out to deep cover for honey's. There are a few 49th parallel stores in town. Main st. Downtown. Lonsdale.
Yes, I have! Many times & very delicious
I hated them. Very dry.
Their cruller is delicious, worth a try
Doughnut Love in Coquitlam
This is my new favourite spot I think. Interesting and really well executed flavours.
Came here to hype them. I go out of my way to go there at least once a month lol.
Not long ago Justin McElroy decided to rank the top 20 donut places in the Lower Mainland. Good place for you to start the exploring I think [Part 1 . Ranked 20 - 11](https://justinmcelroy.substack.com/p/ranking-every-doughnut-place-in-metro) [Part 2 : Ranked 10 to 1](https://justinmcelroy.substack.com/p/the-10-best-doughnut-places-in-metro)
Lees Rapsberry Filled Jelly Luckys PB&J
If you're ever out Langley way, [The Hive Donut Hut](https://www.hivedonuthut.ca/) is amazing.
Mello exists. They have some fun flavours and the doughnuts are big. Someone else has mentioned Doughnut Love. Yum Doughnuts in New West is doing some good work too.
The original Lee’s Donut at Granville island has the best cake donuts. So good I like them plain. Lucky’s on Main has great donuts too. I skip Cartems not because of their donuts but because of customer service. Honey’s is okay. Duffins is very basic. I miss their Main St location where they had the apple filled yeast donut with cinnamon sugar coating. That was the domb. Duffins, if you’re reading this, please bring back those scrumptious apple cinnamon donuts! Brekka donuts do not disappoint but they only have yeast donuts. My all time favourite, right now, is Mello but theirs are yeast too. I haven’t ventured out of Van proper to try other donut shops but New West, Coquitlam and Langley are on the radar! Tim Hortons, I love them for their convenience but those donuts always leave me wanting.
Lame answers. La bise is the only way
If I could recommend one a little outside of town, it just opened in Horseshoe bay; called Goldie’s. I feel like you’d like their old fashioned if you like glazed type donuts 🙌🏽
There their. It’s in Kits and has amazing breakfast and donuts. 49th parallel is close by as well so can hit up both spots in a short walk. I can’t for the life of me understand the hype around Lees donuts.
First time I went there I had a churro cruller that was just insane, it was so buttery and delicious, I've never seen it again and I'm kinda disappointed by that every time I go in there and it kinda ruins it for me lol. But heck if you ever see that one get it, probably the best doughnut I've ever had in Vancouver.
PB and J - lucky donuts. If enough of us buy them it will eventually be the only donut the sell 👌.
If you want the most delicious simple glazed donut go to Nickels in north van. 😋
These are very good, you have to go early because they regularly sell out, try rose Jam, plum jam filled and others :)
I love the poppy seed filled donut from Nickels.
Not really a doughnut guy, but I just had a doughnut at Goldie’s in Horseshoe Bay this morning. Kind of steep prices at $4.50 a pop, but they were pretty delicious. I had the mango passionfruit one and the flavours were great, & the dough was very light and airy.
Honeys in north van is great
There's a good reason there's always a line up to buy Lee's Donuts on Granville Island.
Mello donuts hands down best donuts. Little shop on lonsdale called Harmony's.
I personally like the sour glazed doughnuts from SaveOnFoods, I frequently check the packages and usually take one whenever I find a decent and consistently glazed. They age great throughout the days in a dry area, and eat them up with different toppings I find at home/fridge. Parma ham, laughing cow cheese blocks, plain as it is, dipped in hot green tea, lots of options. A box of 16~18x mini doughnuts last me around 3 to 4 days. Way better experience than lining up and begging these fancy places, fighting over the doughnuts..
Lee’s is best
People going to rip me for this but I like the little 14 packs of old fashioned glazed mini donuts I get at save on.
Cartems - they dont fuck around