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A tray of brioche doughnuts topped with a swirl of vanilla cream frosting.
Classic vanilla cream doughnuts from Five Daughters Bakery.
Amber Ulmer/Official

Where to Eat Doughnuts in Nashville

From classic cake varieties to colorful confections filled with cream

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Classic vanilla cream doughnuts from Five Daughters Bakery.
| Amber Ulmer/Official

Whether traditionally glazed from a mom-and-pop operation or fluffy layers piled high with vibrant frosting from a gourmet bakery, or even random elusive gems, there’s now a place for every doughnut lover in Nashville. With several places around town to get that sweet, doughy fix — one just might need a handy guide to help.

Since services/hours shift often now, call ahead or check social media to make sure each bakery is still open as listed.

Missed your favorite doughnut spot? Drop it in the comments below.

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McGaugh's Do-Nuts

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McGaugh’s was formerly known as Madison’s Shipley outpost, but people say the quality of both the cake and yeast doughnuts remains the same despite the name change. The no-frills dining room is open daily beginning at 4 a.m. with a drive-thru window for convenient distribution of its glazed, coconut iced, and cinnamon sugar doughnuts.

Gourmet Donuts

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The family-owned spot in Mt. Juliet offers fritters, giant cinnamon rolls, and pillowy soft, fresh doughnuts — from old fashioned classics to eye-catching varieties adorned with vibrant frosting and sprinkles. Open every day from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Donut Palace

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Serving both yeast and cake doughnuts plus a croissant-doughnut hybrid they call the “doughssant” (not a cronut, they say), this Hermitage shop is a go-to for many locals. Other popular offerings include espresso eclairs and lemon twists.

Donut Palace/Facebook

Donut Distillery

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Once a truck and now offering a convenient drive-thru and one-stop shop for mini doughnuts, to-go mimosas, coffee cocktails and spiked shakes. It’s not open daily until 3 p.m. and late on Saturday when the shop also hosts live music. On Sundays, it hosts local vendors and bottomless mimosas. Signature flavors like strawberry lemonade, dreamsicle, and whiskey glaze come in packs of up to 25.

East Park Donuts & Coffee

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Download the East Park app for pick-up or order online from the new-ish doughnut and coffee shop, specializing in brioche and cake donuts, while also conveniently serving good espresso and coffee. Several unique flavors await — like margarita brioche or an everything doughnut with cream cheese icing and everything bagel seasoning.

Shipley Do-Nuts

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Texans in Tennessee know well regional chain Shipley Do-Nuts — they’ve been around since the 1930s, when they first opened in Houston selling a dozen doughnuts for just five cents. Now with over 300 franchised stores in the south, the chain is best known for its yeast doughnuts, cake doughnuts, filled doughnuts, and kolaches.

Five Daughters Bakery 12 South

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Five Daughters Bakery opened its stand-alone store in 12 South a few years back and since then, crowds have absolutely gone bonkers for a taste of its highly-Instagrammable digs and 100-layer doughnuts. In the Nashville area, they’ve expanded to locations in East Nashville and the Factory at Franklin and can be found at all Barista Parlor locations.

Official/Five Daughters Bakery

Fox's Donut Den

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

McGaugh's Do-Nuts

McGaugh’s was formerly known as Madison’s Shipley outpost, but people say the quality of both the cake and yeast doughnuts remains the same despite the name change. The no-frills dining room is open daily beginning at 4 a.m. with a drive-thru window for convenient distribution of its glazed, coconut iced, and cinnamon sugar doughnuts.

Gourmet Donuts

The family-owned spot in Mt. Juliet offers fritters, giant cinnamon rolls, and pillowy soft, fresh doughnuts — from old fashioned classics to eye-catching varieties adorned with vibrant frosting and sprinkles. Open every day from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Donut Palace

Serving both yeast and cake doughnuts plus a croissant-doughnut hybrid they call the “doughssant” (not a cronut, they say), this Hermitage shop is a go-to for many locals. Other popular offerings include espresso eclairs and lemon twists.

Donut Palace/Facebook

Donut Distillery

Once a truck and now offering a convenient drive-thru and one-stop shop for mini doughnuts, to-go mimosas, coffee cocktails and spiked shakes. It’s not open daily until 3 p.m. and late on Saturday when the shop also hosts live music. On Sundays, it hosts local vendors and bottomless mimosas. Signature flavors like strawberry lemonade, dreamsicle, and whiskey glaze come in packs of up to 25.

East Park Donuts & Coffee

Download the East Park app for pick-up or order online from the new-ish doughnut and coffee shop, specializing in brioche and cake donuts, while also conveniently serving good espresso and coffee. Several unique flavors await — like margarita brioche or an everything doughnut with cream cheese icing and everything bagel seasoning.

Shipley Do-Nuts

Texans in Tennessee know well regional chain Shipley Do-Nuts — they’ve been around since the 1930s, when they first opened in Houston selling a dozen doughnuts for just five cents. Now with over 300 franchised stores in the south, the chain is best known for its yeast doughnuts, cake doughnuts, filled doughnuts, and kolaches.

Five Daughters Bakery 12 South

Five Daughters Bakery opened its stand-alone store in 12 South a few years back and since then, crowds have absolutely gone bonkers for a taste of its highly-Instagrammable digs and 100-layer doughnuts. In the Nashville area, they’ve expanded to locations in East Nashville and the Factory at Franklin and can be found at all Barista Parlor locations.

Official/Five Daughters Bakery

Fox's Donut Den

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

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