Mack and Renee McGaugh’s namesake doughnut shop used to be Madison’s location of Shipley Do-Nuts, but the quality of both the cake and yeast doughnuts remains the same despite the name change. The tiny, no-frills dining room and drive-thru window open daily at 4 a.m. for bear claws, apple fritters, and all sorts of other classic glazed, coconut-iced, and cinnamon sugar doughnuts.

Gourmet Donuts, a family-owned spot in Mt. Juliet, offers fritters, giant cinnamon rolls, and fresh, pillowy soft doughnuts from old-fashioned to eye-catching, adorned with vibrant frosting and sprinkles. It’s open every day from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Serving both yeast and cake doughnuts plus a flaky doughnut-croissant hybrid called a “doughssant” (not a Cronut, mind you), this Hermitage shop is a go-to for many locals. Donut Palace’s other popular offerings include espresso eclairs and lemon twists.

Order online from East Park Donuts & Coffee, a cute, modern shop that specializes in brioche and cake donuts alongside good espresso and coffee near East Nashville’s East Park. Several unique flavors await, from salted brown butter brioche to a vegan pumpkin spice cake doughnut with maple glaze. You can even find paleo and keto doughnut options along with sandwiches like a turkey club or grilled cheese on doughnuts instead of bread.

Texans in Tennessee know Shipley Do-Nuts well — the company has been around since the 1930s when the original Houston shop started selling a dozen doughnuts for just five cents. Popular for yeasted doughnuts, cake doughnuts, filled doughnuts, and kolaches, the chain now has over 300 franchised stores throughout the South and beyond, including this unassuming Donelson location and another in nearby Hendersonville.

Over in Wedgewood Houston, the recently opened Hero Doughnuts and Buns holds court with its brioche-style yeast doughnuts that take two full days to make before they hit the bakery’s shelves. Hero originally started out as a pop-up in Birmingham, Alabama before spreading its wings throughout the South with its “OG” vanilla glazed, pistachio, and cereal milk doughnuts. Keep an eye out for the bread pudding doughnuts and apple fritters — they’re on a limited run and sell out fast.

Franklin-based Five Daughters Bakery opened its standalone counter-service store in 12 South a few years back and since then crowds have gone absolutely wild for a taste of its famous 100-layer doughnuts — a croissant hybrid in flavors like chocolate sea salt and maple glaze. You can also get vegan and paleo doughnuts free of common allergens like gluten. Isaac and Stephanie Meek’s company has since added a shop in East Nashville and a counter in Sylvan Park’s L&L Market.

Fox’s Donut Den in Green Hills is Nashville doughnut OG, a go-to for well over 30 years. Offering all the classics, the shop opens early (5 a.m. during the week and 6 a.m. on weekends) and closes late, making it a great place to grab a quick breakfast or tasty dessert on the go.