Hook, Line, and Sinkers

The Evolution of Seattle Doughnuts

From minis to mochi to Mighty-O.

By Allecia Vermillion Photography by Amber Fouts January 16, 2024

Dahlia Lounge (1990s)

The seminal restaurant opened in 1989; mini doughnuts arrived a few years later, when owner Tom Douglas wanted to use up extra scraps of brioche dough. Dahlia is gone, but its signature desserts—square, sugar-dusted, daubed with jam or vanilla mascarpone—remain. Find them at Dahlia Bakery and Lola.

Mighty-O (2000)

As America discovered mindful eating, a farmers market cart set out to make doughnuts that were organic and free of trans fats. Their vegan status was a happy byproduct.

Top Pot (2002)

Krispy Kreme obsession was at its peak, but in 2002 Top Pot gave Seattle its own toehold in the fancy doughnut game.

General Porpoise (2015)

Renee Erickson channeled British and French sensibilities for these brioche rounds, filled with chef-caliber doses of vanilla custard lemon curd and chocolate marshmallow.

Raised Doughnuts (2018)

Baker Mi Kim was an early voice singing the praises of the mochi doughnut. Her shop (and before that, her popup) gathers flavors that range from pandan to everything bagel seasoning to freeze-dried raspberry powder.

Good Day Donuts (2018)

As nostalgia overtook our desserts, it seemed only fitting to recast Americana doughnuts with scratch-made pink glaze, the occasional touch of sea salt, and updated vintage styles like the cruller and the Pershing.

Ninth and Hennepin (2018)

What began as a farmers market stall treats doughnuts like dinner. Seasonal produce drives the weekly flavors; classic combinations like fennel, apple, and lemon would work on a salad just as well as a fritter. And just like with entrees at a restaurant, owner Justin Newstrum fries every doughnut to order.

Zuri’s Donutz (2019)

Novelty doughnuts aren’t necessarily good doughnuts (cough, Voodoo). Then there’s baker Davis Vincent, an endless font of tasty creativity whose doughnuts take inspiration from anything from a margarita to fried chicken.

The Flour Box (2020)

That line down the block in Hillman City? The one you see reliably four days a week? That’s the phenomenon wrought by Pamela Vuong’s ethereal brioche doughnuts, piped with worldly flavors like jasmine milk tea, misugaru spice, and horchata. Yes, they’re worth the wait.

Temple Pastries (2020)

Christina Wood reminds us why the Cronut (laminated croissant dough, fried like a doughnut) and its gonzo spinoffs became a whopping big fad in the late 2010s. But her versions—meticulous and elegant—rise above the trend.

Doce Donut Co. (2023)

Our most American of desserts gets more worldly by the year. At this new shop on Stone Way, a family with roots in Venezuela and Argentina makes brioche doughnuts that reflect pastries from across Latin America, from tres leches cake to churros to pastelitos de guayaba.

As long as Seattle’s had early-morning factory shifts and hungry college students, we’ve had doughnut shops. Places like Aurora Donuts and Pike Place Market’s Daily Dozen Doughnut carry on that legacy. But around the late ’80s, things started to get interesting. Here, a look at the business openings that pushed our city’s relationship with doughnuts forward over the years.

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The Evolution of Seattle Doughnuts

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