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    • 7 min read

Oahu’s Tastiest Donuts 2023


The text reads "15 Tastiest Donuts. Oahu, Hawaii." Four photos shows different types of donuts - poi donut holes, mochi donut rings in pastel colors, and ones with tropical glazes and toppings.

Oahu’s food scene is off the charts, and the donuts do not disappoint. There are so many different types of donuts here (yeast, brioche, baked, mochi, taro, poi, malasada, vegan…) with tons of inventive flavor combos. We covered everything from classic to gourmet. Sweet breakfast, midday snack, or late night dessert... it's all here.


Here are the best of the best donut shops in Oahu:

 

The text reads "Holey Grail for Instagrammable taro donuts served hot." The photo shows a box filled with 4 different kinds of donuts - chocolate, lilikoi, maple bacon, and lemon. Each is beautiful looking.

Holey Grail

For Instagrammable Taro Donuts, Served Hot


Holey Grail opened their bright yellow Oahu food truck in 2020. Most of their flavors make you think “what the heck would that actually taste like?” and then you try it and ”oh my god it’s so good.” They’re fried to order and served hot — a little like a cake donut, but with a crisp exterior. The glazes and toppings are all made in house and from Hawaiian grown ingredients like honey, cacao, pink dragon fruit, and pretty flowers for decoration. The coffee and drinks are great too. Try the Chocolate Mylk. Everything on the menu is vegan.


Tips: Their seasonal flavors rotate each week. Check their Instagram to see what’s on the menu. Expect to wait about 10-15 minutes because all the donuts are fried to order.

Fun Fact: Tony Hawk is now an investor and they just opened up a shop in Santa Monica, CA.

Locations: Kaka’ako + Waikiki (cute yellow food truck named “Goldie”)

 

The text reads "Wallflour Bakeshop for brioche doughnuts filled with tasty custards." The photo shows the close up of a big round donut with a chocolate custard and covered in sugar.

Wallflour Bakeshop

For Brioche Doughnuts Filled With Tasty Custards


This newer bakery has been showing up at the Kaka’ako Farmers Market since January 2022. You can order their Brioche Doughnuts either filled or unfilled. The flavors vary, but they’re inspired by the many cultures in Hawaii. So you might find Pandan custard one week and Chocolate Peanut Butter the next. Their Lilikoi Sticky Buns also deserve a shoutout. If you prefer pastries that are not overly sweet, this is your place.


Tip: You can find them at the Kaka’ako Farmers Market on Saturdays from 8-12 or pre order to pick up at 'ili'ili Cash and Carry on specific days.

Locations: Kaka’ako Farmers Market + Mo'ili'ili pop up

 

The text reads "Aloha Donut Co. for mochi and cake donuts." The photo shows 6 mochi donuts of different colors stacked on top of each other.

Aloha Donut Co.

For Mochi and Cake Donuts That Change Flavors Every Week


This newcomer opened its doors in February 2022, serving chewy mochi donuts shaped in those bubble donut rings. They also have excellent cake donuts that are soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. Some favorite flavors are haupia, black sesame, Dole Whip, lychee, coffee, strawberry, melon, chocolate brownie…. (I could go on). The flavors change every week, but there’s always a good chance you’ll find lilikoi, guava, or taro. They also serve nitro coffees and teas on tap.


Tip: You can order online. And lucky you, there’s lots of street parking.

Locations: McCully + Moʻiliʻili

Instagram: @alohadonutcohnl

 

The text reads "Little Vessels Donut Co. for vegan donuts in unique flavors." The photo shows 4 different donuts in square shapes sitting on a cooling rack. The one in the center is covered in pale pink frosting with colorful sprinkles on top.

Little Vessels Donut Co.

For Vegan Donuts in Unique Flavors


Little Vessels is a hidden gem, serving donuts and donut holes right out of their kitchen… like literally in the parking lot right outside. Every donut here is handmade by owner Sachi and her team in small batches. They’re 100% vegan, made with coconut milk, coconut oil, and no eggs. They always have 6 flavors at time - all unique and inspired by Sachi’s childhood - things like Mexican Hot Chocolate, Fruity Pebbles, Thai Tea Boba, Guava Cream Cheese, Watermelon Lime, Chocolate Banana Pretzel, and Mango Pie.


Tip: Check their website or Instagram to see what flavors they’re serving each day. They usually sell out between 1130 and 1, but the good flavors and daily specials tend to go within the first hour. Location: Kaimuki. They’re in the parking lot behind Mud Hen Water and Kaimuki Superette.

Instagram: @littlevesselsco

 

The text reads "Purve Donut Shop for donuts with funny names (like Unicorn Butt Sneeze)." The photo shows a box full of an assortment of different donuts in all sorts of colors.

PURVÉ Donut Stop

Cake Donuts With funny Names (Like Unicorn Butt Sneeze)


PURVÉ was started by two bartenders who taught themselves how to make donuts by watching YouTube videos. Their fun flavors and interesting toppings come together to create a menu with a sense of humor. Their donuts are called things like Smurf Balls, Unicorn Butt Squeeze, and You’re Killing Me Smalls. Everything’s made fresh to order.


Tips: They can customize flavors if you have something specific in mind. They also have online ordering for pickup and delivery.

Location: Ala Moana + Near Kaimuki

Instagram: @purvedonutstop

 

The text reads "Li'ili'i Donuts for mini vegan and gluten free donuts." The photo shows rows of little donuts, all with different colored glazes and sprinkles.

Li’ili’i Donuts & Cafe

For Mini Vegan and Gluten Free Donuts

Li’ili’i Cafe began as a donut experiment in the winter of 2018 when owners Travis & Erika began a gluten-free diet. They spent the winter testing new donut recipes every Sunday with their two young children. In the spring of 2019, they joined their local farmers market. Their donuts are made fresh to order.

Tip: Check their schedule to see what markets they’ll be at.

Location: Kailua + Diamond Head

Instagram: @liiliidonuts


 

The text reads "Mud Hen Water for brunch doughnuts served hot." The photo shows a plate with a flower print holding three large donuts and a couple donut holes.

Mud Hen Water

For Fresh Doughnuts Served Hot With Brunch


Mud Hen Water serves up Hawaiian comfort food but reinvented. Everything is seasonal, local, organic, and served family style. Their Sunday brunch menu not only features 4 different kinds of Bloody Marys, but also Warm ‘Uala Doughnuts with a coconut-rum icing. They’re baked fresh to order and served hot.


Tip: Make a reservation, especially for brunch. If you don’t mind sitting at the bar or a high top, you can probably snag a spot without a reservation.

Location: Kaimuki

Instagram: @mudhenwater

 

The text reads "Donut King for more traditional donuts." The photo shows rows of donuts, all different flavors. Some are covered in pink frosting, others topped with bacon or sprinkles.

Donut King Waikiki

For More Traditional Donuts


Donut King is a long running, family owned chain that prepares all their donuts by hand. Grab a bacon maple donut, honey glazed donut holes, croissant bites, croissant maple bar or an old fashioned. They also have some fun flavors like guava filled and Biscoff or topped with M&M, Oreos, or marshmallows. They serve both yeast and cake donuts, all freshly baked.


Location: Kaimuki + Kailua + Waikiki


 



The text reads "Leonard's for Hawaii's OG malasadas." The photo shows the close up of a malasada, covered with sugar and with yellow custard oozing out.

Leonard’s

For the OG of Hawaiian Malasadas


Malasadas are like Portuguese style donuts and Leonard’s is the original malasada maker in Hawaii. It’s like a donut hole, but the size of a tennis ball — deep fried, rolled in sugar, and at Leonard’s, always baked fresh and served warm. They also have malasada puffs which are the same thing, but filled with your choice of flavors (like custard, dobash, haupia, guava, macadamia nut, and a flavor of the month). Leonard’s is legendary in Oahu ever since they opened in 1952. If you’ve never had a malasada before, you’ve got to start here.


Tip: Eat them right away while they’re still warm. If they sit out and cool down, they get oily and kind of chewy. They’re just not as good.

Location: Kapahulu

 

The text reads "Liliha Bakery for late night poi mochi donuts." The photo shows a stack of mochi donuts with one cut in half to show the purple inside and a Liliha Bakery box in the background.

Liliha Bakery

For Late Night Poi Mochi Donuts


Liliha Bakery has been around since 1950. Their Coco Puffs get all the hype, but their poi mochi donuts are incredibly popular as well. (They make thousands of them each day.) Mochi donuts have a nice chew to them and are often served as a ring made of smaller balls that you can break apart. In all honesty, the donuts here are hit or miss. I’ve had them when they’re amazing and I’ve had them when they’re forgettable. But with 5 locations that stay open late (4 of them stay open until 10pm), this is the place to get your late night donut fix.


Tip: Expect a line for baked goods. Luckily, it moves fast.

Location: Waikiki + Ala Moana + Pearl City + Liliha

Instagram: @lilihabakery

 

The text reads "Kamehameha Bakery for late night poi mochi donuts." The photo shows the closeup of the yellow inside of a poi donut.

Kamehameha Bakery

For a Poi Glazed Donut at 3AM


Kamehameha Bakery has been around since 1978. Their menu is filled with tons of different types of donuts, fritters, sticky buns, malasadas and more, but the poi glazed are at the top of our list. It’s a glazed donut rolled in poi flavored sugar. They’re soft and fluffy on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside. They open at 2am on weekdays and 3am on the weekends and it’s not unusual to see people lining up before the doors open.


Tip: Get there early (like before 7am) to get the poi donuts. They sell out early.

Location: Kalihi-Palama

 

The text reads "Mr. Donut's for classic donuts." The photo shows several boxes filled with dozens of colorful donuts in different flavors.

Mr. Donut’s & Bakery

For Classic Donuts


This family owned hole in the wall donut shop serves traditional yeast donuts that are baked, not fried. They’ve got your classic flavors (maple, bear claw, apple fritter) as well as some more inventive ones (coconut glaze, glazed cream cheese, strawberry frosting, blueberry frosting, and peanut butter filling). They also have some fun donut hole flavors like cinnamon sugar or chocolate buttermilk.


Tip: Parking downtown is tough. If you can, have someone drop you off and circle the block while you pick up your donuts.

Location: Downtown Honolulu

Instagram: @mrdonutshawaii

 

The text reads "Kpop Donuts for choose your own filling

Kpop Donuts Hawaii

For Volcano Donuts and Choose Your Own Filling Flavors


Kpop Donuts are dipped in panko breadcrumbs before frying which gives them a crisp exterior, but a chewy interior. Pick either a volcano donut (long oval shape) or an O donut (like a big ole donut hole) and then choose up to 4 flavors to fill them with (Strawberry, Blueberry, French Cream, or Pineapple). They also have a chocolate volcano or a red bean donut. Their donuts are both gluten and dairy free (no eggs in the dough).


FYI: They’re a little pricey - around $5 per donut.

Location: Waikiki

Instagram: @kpop.donuts.hi

 

The text reads "Uncle Lani's for poi mochi donut holes." The photo shows a plate of mochi donut balls covered in haupia and poi drizzle with a pink baker's box in the background.

Uncle Lani’s Poi Mochi

For Mochi Donut Holes Served from a Bubblegum Pink Food Truck


Uncle Lani’s has been around since 1992. Their poi mochi donuts are more like donut holes but bigger. They’re chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and topped with haupia or purple poi drizzle. The bubblegum pink food truck pops up at different shopping centers.


Tips: Check their Instagram to see where they’ll be. Oh, and heads up that they only sell them by the dozen.

Location: Kapolei

Instagram: @poi_mochi



 

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