The best donuts in Minneapolis depend on the style you want: Mel-O-Glaze for a classic glazed shell, Bogart’s for brioche yeast donuts, Cardigan for cake donuts, and Angel Food for gourmet.
Picture a box that has to please someone who wants a plain glazed ring and someone who wants a filled, topped showpiece. No single shop wins both jobs, so this guide gives one plain pick per style. For dessert stops beyond donuts, see the best desserts in minneapolis guide.
Classic glazed and yeast donuts
A classic yeast donut is the right choice when you want a light, glossy ring and nothing complicated on top. Two shops in the local press coverage stand out for this, and a third is worth a drive if you are celebrating.
Mel-O-Glaze: the pick for a glazed shell
Mel-O-Glaze, a Nokomis bakery with a 28th Avenue storefront, is known for glazed doughnuts with a crackly sugar shell. The same roundup mentions oversized glazed holes called Legal Crack Balls, sold alongside classic rings and fritters. Choose this shop when the glaze is the point. Order the holes if you are feeding a group, and a ring if you want to judge the glaze on its own.
Bogart’s: the pick for a richer yeast donut
Bogart’s makes its doughnuts from brioche dough, which the roundup credits with a tender crumb and a crisp exterior. That makes it the pick for someone who finds a standard glazed ring too airy. The shop’s directory address is in St Louis Park, so it suits a short trip out of the city rather than a walk from downtown. Its brown butter glaze is the flavor the Star Tribune highlighted, as summarized in the roundup.
Uffda Donuts: yeast-raised and celebration-sized
Uffda Donuts, whose original shop is in Maple Grove, makes fresh yeast-raised doughnuts, including celebration-sized creations. It sits well outside the city, so it makes sense only if you are already in the northwest suburbs or planning an oversized party donut.
Yeast donuts versus cake donuts
Yeast donuts and cake donuts differ in how they are made and how they eat. Yeast-raised donuts, which shop descriptions often call raised donuts, start from a yeast dough. Bogart’s brioche version shows how far that style can go, with a tender crumb under a crisp exterior. Cake donuts are the other main style, named for their cake-like crumb, and they are the option to choose when you want something sturdier to dunk or carry.
The practical difference is the order. If you want a light, glossy ring, go to a yeast specialist such as Mel-O-Glaze or Bogart’s. If you want a cake donut, go to a shop that clearly lists both styles instead of assuming every glazed-donut shop makes one.
Cake donuts and mixed boxes
Cardigan Donuts is the pick for cake donuts and for a mixed box. The downtown City Center shop pairs familiar raised and cake doughnuts with rotating seasonal flavors. That mix makes it the safest single stop when your group splits between the two styles, and the rotating flavors give regulars something new to try.
For a smaller, snackable alternative, Hopper’s Mini Donuts has a Minneapolis listing in the Washington Avenue North area. Mini donuts suit a casual treat more than a box to share at the office.
Matching a shop to your problem
| Your problem | Shop | Location | Planning use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Want a classic glazed shell | Mel-O-Glaze | Nokomis, 28th Avenue storefront | Go for glazed rings and the oversized glazed holes. |
| Want a richer brioche donut | Bogart’s Donuts | 5003 Excelsior Blvd, St Louis Park, MN 55416 | Plan a trip outside Minneapolis. |
| Need cake and raised in one stop | Cardigan Donuts | Downtown City Center | Best for mixed boxes and seasonal flavors. |
| Want a small, quick snack | Hopper’s Mini Donuts | 701 Washington Ave N, #111, Minneapolis, MN 55401 | Good for a light treat, not a shared box. |
| Want a pastry case with donuts | A Baker’s Wife | 4200 S 28th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406 | Choose it when the group also wants pastry. |
| Want a wide chain menu | Dunkin | 60 East Broadway, #E280, Minneapolis, MN 55425 | Its listing cites 50+ varieties, so it suits groups who cannot agree. |
Addresses come from the Yahoo Local donut shop directory, and the styles from the Twin Cities donut roundup. Check the shop’s own page for hours, which this guide does not list.
Gourmet and specialty donuts
Gourmet donuts minneapolis shoppers search for are the ones with a filling, a custom shape or a distinctive glaze. Angel Food Bakery + Donut Bar is the pick for this style. Its official site says everything is made from scratch in small batches, and it quotes the Star Tribune saying the bakery arrived on the Minneapolis dining scene in 2012. The site also quotes an airport-concession award naming Angel Food Bakery the clear winner at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
The menu names specific specialty items, including “Dough-Naparts” croissant donuts, so you can choose by concept rather than by guessing at flavors. Pick Angel Food when you want a donut to be an occasion, not a quick snack.
Filled and flavored alternatives
So Yen in Lowertown sells filled brioche doughnuts that change by flavor and season, so it fits people who want a different filling each visit. Bogart’s also belongs here for its cinnamon-sugar donut filled with Nutella, noted in the same press roundup. If your priority is a polished look and a clear menu, start with Angel Food. If you want variety, choose So Yen or Bogart’s.
Celebration orders
For birthdays and gatherings, Angel Food’s menu lists “Happy Birthday” message donuts. Uffda’s celebration-sized creations are the other route if you are in the northwest suburbs. Place these orders ahead and confirm the pickup details with the shop itself.
Vegan donuts
Vegan donuts minneapolis shoppers want are best treated as a call-ahead question. Availability varies by shop and by day, so do not travel on the assumption that a plant-based donut is waiting. Ask whether the donut itself, not just the glaze or filling, is plant-based, and check the shop’s menu or social posts for the day’s flavors.
The rotating shops are where the lineup is most likely to differ from visit to visit. Cardigan changes its seasonal flavors and So Yen changes its fillings, so ask there before you go. People avoiding gluten should start with the gluten free bakery minneapolis guide rather than assume a donut shop can accommodate them.
Troubleshooting a donut run
- The shop is not where the directory says. Directory entries go stale. Yahoo Local lists Chef Shack at 704 S 2nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55401, but shows its status as closed, so confirm any listing on the shop’s own site before you go.
- The donut is not what you pictured. Styles overlap between shops. A brioche donut at Bogart’s is not the same experience as a glazed ring at Mel-O-Glaze, so choose by style first and shop second.
- The group cannot agree. Go to Cardigan for raised and cake donuts together, or to Dunkin, whose listing cites a wide range of varieties.
- You want something sweet after the donuts. Move on to the best ice cream in minneapolis guide for a second stop.
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does Angel Food ship donuts? | Its official site says the bakery now has two locations and nationwide shipping. Items such as the message donuts are also listed for local pickup. |
| Does a high directory rating mean the best donuts? | No. A Baker’s Wife shows a 4.0 rating from 546 reviews in the Yahoo Local directory, but that rates a pastry shop with donut listings, not donut quality alone. Use ratings for orientation and the style guide above to choose. |
| How do I find a shop’s current flavors? | Check the shop’s own website or social posts before you leave. Shops such as Cardigan and So Yen rotate flavors by season, so the lineup changes. |
