Donuts are an American treat, and the Salem area is a great place to experience a wide array of them. Whether you’re looking for a traditional glazed, a plant-based gluten-free donut hole or a Korean-style mochi donut, Salem offers something sweet at local donut shops.
Classic Donut Shops
Dude Donut City
3997 Carson Drive SE, Suite 110, Salem
525 Taggart Drove NW Suite 130, Salem
With two locations in Salem, Dude Donut City is a solid traditional donut store. From glazed and maple bars to a wide variety of classic frosted donuts with different colors and sprinkles, Dude Donut City is a crowd-pleaser for those who appreciate tried-and-true flavors.
In addition to donuts, they serve a solid array of other breakfast baked goods, from biscuits to bagels. They are open 24 hours, so you can always get that donut fix!
Daynight Donuts
2234 Fairgrounds Road NE, Salem
1980 Commercial Street SE, Salem
Another classic-style donut stop with two locations, Daynight Donuts, has an enormous number of doughnuts to choose from. Daynight is particularly strong in filled donuts and many flavors of donut holes. Frosted donuts of all kinds, twists, donuts with sprinkles, bar-shaped donuts – if you can’t find a donut here that suits you, you must not like donuts! They are also open daily from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m., so any time you require a donut, it’s likely that Daynight will be open.
King Donuts
1695 State Street, Salem
In a funky old hut-style building, King Donuts sits at the corner of State and 17th in Northeast Salem. It’s a fairly small store with all of the classic donut styles, from glazed and sprinkles to maple bars and fritters. Everything is very fresh, and the donuts are tasty and at a great price.
To get a donut here, you need to plan ahead. They close when the donuts are sold, which means that you’re probably out of luck after 10 a.m. on a weekend. Closed on Mondays, they are open at 5 a.m. during the week and Saturdays and at 6 a.m. on Sundays.
More Adventurous Donut Offerings in Salem
Dough Hook Bake Shop
1970 Lancaster Drive NE, Salem
Located in a strip mall on Lancaster, Dough Hook Bake Shop is an outstanding choice for oversized donuts. Dough Hook is the best stop for vegan and giant donuts, featuring impressive flavors. From the classic Boston cream and apple fritter to the more adventurous passion fruit with poppyseed and Oreo cheesecake, there truly is a new donut to experience for almost anyone. Giant donuts are available in 10, 12, and 14-inch sizes and can be made in any flavor.
In addition to the main site, Dough Hook is one of the most popular stands at the Salem Saturday Market during its March through October run, and there’s another store in Corvallis for those living farther down the valley. Wednesday through Friday, the bake shop is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Monday and Tuesday.
Bobadochi
945 Lancaster Drive NE Suite 150, Salem
One of the newest additions to the Salem donut scene, Bobadochi is the place for Korean treats. This store in the Willamette Town Center features hot dogs, mochi donuts, and boba tea. For those who haven’t tried mochi donuts, they are much chewier than traditional cake-style donuts and are made to look like balls of dough in a circle.
There are traditional flavors like glazed or cinnamon sugar, but most of the donuts tend toward the unusual – ube, matcha, and many candy-topped flavors. Keep in mind that these donuts are also substantially more expensive than other donuts, but if you love that taste and chewiness, it’s totally worth it. Bobadochi is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Big Wig Donuts
111 Liberty Street NE, Salem
If you’re looking for plant-based donut holes, you cannot beat Big Wig Donuts. All of the donut holes (and that’s all they make) are gluten-free and vegan and usually made to order as soon as you tell them what you’d like. The warm fresh donut holes are so delicious, most people don’t make it out of the store without eating them.
The flavors change weekly and feature traditional ones like maple, cinnamon sugar and other more adventurous ones like matcha chocolate and chocolate raspberry. Big Wig is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A fun and affordable treat for all ages, any family would have a great time visiting any of these Salem donut stores. So, the next time you crave a sweet treat, stop by one of these fantastic donut shops and try something new!
