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It seems fitting that the hometown of Simpsons creator Matt Groening is best known for his star character’s favorite food: the small but mighty donut. Even though neighborhood mom-and-pop shops have been satisfying sweet tooths in Portland, OR, since the 1980s, it was Voodoo Doughnut’s pink boxes and left-field flavors—which started with wild, now-discontinued varieties like a much-mythologized NyQuil donut, and have become only slightly tamer with time—that put Portland on the map as a donut destination in the early aughts. At Voodoo, the simple donut was reimagined as a canvas for experimentation. These “nonconformist doughnuts,” as Anthony Bourdain once called them, struck a chord in this capital of all things quirky, and have been our city’s most recognizable culinary marker ever since.
While the much-talked-and-written-about Voodoo may have been many people’s intro to the Portland donut scene, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. These days, locals and visitors alike have a wide variety of donut shops and styles to choose from. The best donuts in the city include made-to-order minis, vegan-friendly donuts that rival the best milk-and-egg-based options out there, and pillowy brioche.
Donuts largely fit into two categories: yeast-raised and cake donuts. The classic yeast-raised donut, which you’ll find glazed and stuffed throughout Portland, is known for its soft, fluffy texture and delicate, golden fry. Cake donuts, like the old-fashioned with its tapered ridges and cracks, are made with sweet cake dough and baking soda or baking powder, then oil-fried or baked for a crunchy shell; they boast a denser, chewier, and more crumbly texture. But as you eat your way through Portland, you’ll see these are far from the only two styles on offer.
The last few years of the pandemic have not been easy for Portland’s donut shops, with some truly beloved spots closing (we miss you, NOLA Doughnuts, and your flaky, laminated la’ssants). But a new set of shops are bringing exciting options to the city. A donut-tasting odyssey should encompass it all, from humble, neighborhood shops that have been quietly churning out delicious fried-dough treats for years, to innovative new entrants to Portland’s donut scene, like springy mochi donuts that pay tribute to the city’s diverse food culture.
Here are the eight best spots in Portland to grab a donut—or a dozen.
Pip’s Original Doughnuts & Chai
4759 NE Fremont St, Portland, OR
There’s nearly always a line outside this cozy, two-room doughnut shop on NE Fremont Street in Northeast Portland—You’ll understand why as soon as you pop one of the bite-sized donuts into your mouth. Husband-wife duo Nate and Jamie Snell opened the shop in 2013, and their take on the fried-dough staple comes in the form of compact state fair-style cake donuts that are made to order.
The donuts at Pip’s are fried hot and fast for a slightly crunchy exterior and chewy interior. Some are rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture, others drizzled with raw honey or Nutella and sprinkled with sea salt. My favorite is the Candied Bacon Maple, which features a sugary, chewy mound of maple syrup-candied bacon bits piled into a donut’s center and dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Another menu mainstay is the Reggie Lee, named after the actor who played a significant role in the Portland-based fantasy series Grimm. Bringing together three of Pip’s signature flavors, the donut is rolled in cinnamon sugar and then drizzled with Nutella and honey for the best of all worlds.