🍩1. Bill’s Donuts
268 N Main St., Centerville 937-433-0002 | billsdonutshop.com
Payment options: Cash, credit cards, checks
Bill’s really needs no introduction. Recognized as one of the top 50 donut shops in the U.S. by Saveur Magazine and THE best donut shop in Dayton, according to voters in the Dayton.com Best of Dayton contest. Bill’s is a Dayton institution even though it moved to its current Centerville location in 1979. Two years ago, its devil’s food cake donut’s decadence earned it a spot on the Huffington Post’s “Best Donuts in America” list.
Owners Jim Elam and Lisa Tucker strive to keep the same ambiance that they experienced working for their parents since the store opened in 1960, and work to be involved in the local Centerville community.
Must-try flavors: Classic old-fashioned sour cream
Current status: Open 24 hours a day. Open at half-capacity and some of the booths have been moved around to help ensure social distancing.
🍩2. American Classic Donuts
4214 Linden Ave., Dayton
937-252-5426 | Facebook
Payment: Cash and checks
The former “anti-Krispy Kreme” store on Linden Avenue offers a great variety of homemade donuts just off of Highway 35 and Woodman Drive, and is a well-deserved pit stop on any road trip going in and out of the city. Originally a Krispy Kreme franchise, it’s been family-owned since 1988, and offers wholesale products to several community members. You’re missing out if you don’t grab a peanut butter-filled donut or an apple fritter over a half-foot in diameter on your cheat day.
Current status: Open for carryout and delivery
🍩3. Donut Palace
Credit: Vivienne Machi, Staff Writer
Credit: Vivienne Machi, Staff Writer
5115 Old Troy Pike, Huber Heights and 5264 Salem Ave, Trotwood
937-802-5648 and 937-715-4576 | Facebook
Payments: Cash, credit cards, checks
Since 1971, the Donut Palace has combined your classic donut shop with a sit-down diner. The choices are overwhelming. Whether you’re into donut holes, peanut butter glazed and powdered buns, cream-filled eclairs or apple fritters, the Donut Palace has what you need. And at Valentine’s Day they have the perfect gift: heart-shaped donuts.
Must-try flavors: The lemon cream donut and pastries including cream horns, danishes and pecan rolls
Current status: Open and offering carryout/delivery
🍩4. Stan the Donut Man
1441 Wilmington Ave., Dayton
937-293-1080
Payment: Cash, credit (except for American Express), checks
For over 50 years, Stan the Donut Man has been serving up homemade donuts on Wilmington Ave. Their Reese’s Delight donut — with a Reese’s peanut butter cup in the center — and their maple-bacon doughnuts are particularly worth the time.
Must-try flavors: The Davy Crockett, a donut that looks like a pretzel and is rolled with cinnamon.
Current status: Carryout only from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
🍩5. Jim’s Donut Shop
122 E. National Road, Vandalia
937-898-4222 | Facebook
Payment: Cash or Checks
Open since the 1950s, Jim’s has some of the biggest apple fritters around and their blueberry cake donuts are always huge hits. Grab a large coffee, one of those bad boys and savor it while making new friends around Jim’s wrapped countertop.
There’s something for everyone at Jim’s with 22 cake donuts alone and 40 varieties in all, plus glazed croissants and cream horns.
Must-try flavors: Apple fritters and blueberry cake donuts
Current status: Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Only three customers can be in the store at a time.
🍩6. Evans Bakery
Credit: Vivienne Machi, Staff Writer
Credit: Vivienne Machi, Staff Writer
700 Troy St., Dayton
937-228-4151 | Facebook
Payment: Cash and credit cards
Co-owner Jennifer Evans’ family has run the neighborhood bakery since 1969, and since 2012 she and partner Matthew Tepper have continued to provide some of the longtime favorites, along with new products created in-house from scratch all the time. They even deliver to businesses in downtown Dayton! Try the butterscotch cake doughnuts or the glazed — not iced! — strawberry creme-filled donuts.
Must-try flavors: A classic glazed donut is always a good choice but for those looking to try something a bit more unique should taste the raspberry rosebud— a glazed donut with a raspberry swirl.
Current status: Open and masks are required. Only two customers can be in the store at the same time. The bakery recommends calling ahead for curbside pickup.
🍩7. Ashley’s Pastry Shop
Credit: Ashley's Pastry Shop Facebook
Credit: Ashley's Pastry Shop Facebook
21 Park Ave., Oakwood
937-293-1719 | ashleyspastries.com
Payment: Cash and checks
For 33 years, Theresa Hammons has been providing the Oakwood community with a full-service bakery at Ashley’s, and she knows the value of a perfectly fresh donut. Every day, donuts are the last product her bakers work on ahead of the work day, so they’re light, fluffy and delicious as soon as the store opens.
If you remember the manic “cronut” phase a few years ago when foodies around the world “discovered” the glorious merge of a donut and croissant, note that Theresa has been making them for over a dozen years in her store. Who’d have thought Dayton would be ahead of the culinary curve? That deep-fried and glazed croissant is a must-try at Ashley’s, along with the glazed pretzel donut.
Must-try donuts: The cronut, of course, as well as the red velvet donut topped with cream cheese icing and the apple fritter, fried to a golden brown and topped with sweet glaze.
Current status: Ashley's is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. with three guests in the store at a time (one family is considered one guest). Masks aren't required but staff will be wearing masks.
🍩 8. Duck Donuts
1200 Brown St., Dayton
937-951-2618 | Website
These donuts are made to order. Duck Donuts starts with their signature vanilla cake donut and then the rest is up to you. You can leave it bare or add powdered sugar, glaze, or icing in numerous flavors. Then pick your topping — maybe you like rainbow sprinkles or chopped bacon. Finally, choose your drizzle. It could be hot fudge, marshmallow, salted caramel or raspberry. There are no limits to flavor combinations.
Must-try donuts: You can't go wrong with bacon or lemon raspberry
Current status: Duck Donuts is open 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. for carry-out only. Social distancing rules apply and the store has limited capacity, so ordering online is recommended.
🍩9. Bear Creek
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
80 S. Main St., Miamisburg
937-247-5095 | Website
Get custom and classic donuts and gourmet coffee at Bear Creek, which offers fresh donuts made daily. Choose from the classics or enjoy local favorites such as the marshmallow donut, Fruity Pebbles, or s’mores.
Must-try donuts: Apple fritters and yeast rings (sprinkled with Oreo, Fruity Pebbles or maple bacon)
Current status: Thursdays and Fridays 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call-ahead orders are appreciated.
🍩10. Donut Haus
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
305 W. Central Ave., Springboro
937-748-0380 | Website
For over three decades, the Donut Haus Bakery has been an instrumental part of Springboro history. Every morning long before the sun comes up, the bakers are working away making dozens of local favorites. Ranging from a classic sour creme, glazed, to the oversized apple cinnamon fritter, people love a Donut Haus Donut.
Recently the business has switched ownership to long-time baker Ryan Tripp and family who also operates Bear Creek Donuts in Miamisburg. Offering wholesale all over southwest Dayton, employing dozens of employees, and open seven days a week. The Donut Haus Bakery extends an invitation to you to continue a tradition that has spanned over many generations.
Must-try donuts: Apple fritters and sour cream doughnuts
Current status: Thursdays and Fridays 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call ahead orders are appreciated.