Doughnuts, what’s not to love about them? Sweet, moreish and with a dough so pillowy that you might want to sleep on them, doughnuts are an elite treat and luckily Manchester has a fair few spots with some dreamy, doughy delights on their counters. From the classic jam or custard-filled varieties to the stunningly-decorated that are almost too pretty to eat, we’ve rounded up the best places to get doughnuts in and around Manchester to suit your taste. Whether these delicious treats manage to make the journey home is another thing…
1. Gooey
Gooey has become a Manchester institution thanks to its tasty, New-York inspired treats such as their warm and gooey cookies to sugar doughnuts stuffed with a variety of fillings. Their sugar coated stuffed brioche doughnuts are made fresh daily at their Northern Quarter bakery (you can even watch them baking through the window). Ranging from traditional doughnut fillings such as raspberry jam, chocolate custard and vanilla custard– there’s a little something for everyone, alongside constantly revolving and super creative specials. Plus, they have more than one location in the city where you can get your sweet fix, with a kiosk at Ducie Street Warehouse for when you fancy a doughnut on the go.
📍Gooey, 103 High St, M4 1HQ | Ducie Street Warehouse, M1 2TP.
2. Siop Shop
For those who love getting a cup of coffee with their doughnuts then Northern Quarter gem Siop Shop is the place to visit in Manchester. With a bright green façade its hard to miss and you don’t want to miss out either. Grab a pew in this colourful cafe and enjoy a brew alongside one of their freshly-baked doughnuts that come in a multitude of flavours, shapes and sizes. The coffee shop is known for their specials with previous ones such as a turkey-shaped one with apple compote ‘gizzards’ for the festive season and a vibrant green one with mango crème diplomat and a lime glaze to celebrate the release of Charli XCX’s album, brat.
📍 Siop Shop, 53 Tib St, M4 1LS.
3. DGHNT
Starting life in lockdown, DGHNT was created after the owner’s friend announced her craving for doughnuts – a craving which, of course, turned into something pretty damn delicious. Now housed inside Manchester food hall, Mackie Mayor, you can enjoy these stunning and moreish doughnuts when dining there or simply take a box away for the road. These artisan brioche doughnuts come in a range of vibrant flavours to suit the seasons such as lemon poppyseed, vanilla fig, dark chocolate sumac, baklava, and even a raspberry pistachio pavlova, all of which are decorated to perfection.
📍DGHNT, Mackie Mayor, 1 Eagle St, Manchester, M4 5BU.
4. Sticky Fingers
For those after doughnuts in the Greater Manchester area of Stockport look no further than Sticky Fingers. Currently found at a stall at Stockport Market Hall, this bakery has even bigger plans with their very own shop at Stockport’s Underbank in the works. As well as producing dreamy tarts, freshly baked bread, beautiful buns, pretty pastries and more, Sticky Fingers specialise in sourdough doughnuts with some simply coated in sugar and others with a glorious glaze on top and various creams and custards inside. Sticky Fingers are also known for making pączki (Polish doughnuts) for Fat Thursday, with previous flavours including rose marmalade, apple, bilberry, custard, toffee and plum.
📍Sticky Fingers, Indoor Market, Stockport, SK1 1UN.
5. Baby Mayhem
Taking over the hatch on Ancoats‘ Radium Street that was once home to the likes of Lazy Tony’s and Bada Bing, Baby Mayhem is now serving up delicious doughnuts from it. Here, you can get ice creams, vanilla cheesecake iced lattes and doughnuts inspired by the viral Dubai pistachio chocolate. Even your pooch can get in on the sweet treats as Baby Mayhem is offering pup ice cream as well.
📍Baby Mayhem, 23 Radium St, Ancoats, M4 6AY.
6. Po Boys
Offering one of the more unusual types of doughnuts in Manchester is Po Boys, who serve up New Orleans-style beignets from a hatch inside Joshua Brooks. What’s a beignet you may ask? It’s essentially a type of doughnut completely covered in a healthy dose of powdered sugar. The Po Boys team fry the beignets to perfection for a crispy outside and fluffy centre then toss in a bag which you shake up to get an even yet generous coating of powdered sugar in every bite. Whilst they aren’t as airy as the brioche and sourdough varieties of doughnuts, there’s no place in the city serving beignets other than these guys. And if you fancy something savoury too, be sure to order their other speciality – a po boy – a Louisiana-style sandwich.
📍Po Boys, Joshua Brooks, 106 Princess St, Manchester, M1 6NG.