10 Ohio’s Tastiest Donut Shops You Have To Try

Ohioans know their donuts. From Columbus to Cleveland, the Buckeye State boasts some seriously delicious fried dough that’ll make your taste buds dance with joy.

I’ve spent months (and gained several pants sizes) hunting down the most mouthwatering, decadent, and downright addictive donuts across Ohio. Grab a napkin for the drool as I reveal my top donut destinations that deserve your immediate attention.

1. Resch’s Bakery, Columbus

This old-school joint has been slinging sugar-laden circles of heaven since 1912. Resch’s Bakery maintains that perfect balance between nostalgic charm and knockout flavor that keeps Columbus residents lined up before dawn.

Family-owned for generations, their classic glazed donut might look unassuming, but one bite reveals why they’ve survived world wars, depressions, and the cupcake craze.

Their secret? Dough that’s impossibly light yet substantial enough to satisfy. Fun fact, the original recipes remain virtually unchanged after 100+ years!

2. Buckeye Donuts, Columbus

Where college legends are born alongside donut dreams. Buckeye Donuts stands proudly near Ohio State’s campus, serving bleary-eyed students and professors alike since 1969.

Their namesake Buckeye donut (chocolate-topped with peanut butter filling), deserves its own scholarship to the university. Open 24/7, this place has witnessed more late-night study sessions, post-bar munchies, and morning-after regrets than a dorm resident advisor.

The coffee might be basic, but that’s not why you’re here. You’re here for that sweet, sweet dough that tastes like college nostalgia.

3. Crispie Creme Donut Shop, Chillicothe

Though hidden in small-town Chillicothe, locals would fight you for questioning this shop’s donut supremacy. Crispie Creme has been frying up happiness since 1929, and their glazed donuts achieve that mythical texture, shattering crisp exterior giving way to a cloud-like interior.

The modest storefront belies the magic happening inside. Don’t expect fancy flavors or Instagram-baiting creations here.

What you get instead is donut perfection in its purest form, made the same way for nearly a century. Arrive early, they sell out faster than concert tickets for hometown hero Josh Logan!

4. Amy’s Donuts, Columbus

Are you ready for donut chaos? Amy’s doesn’t just break the rules, they toss the rulebook into a deep fryer and cover it with breakfast cereal.

Their display case looks like a unicorn had a food fight with a candy factory. The Cotton Candy Crush donut changed my definition of breakfast with its pink frosting and crushed candy toppings.

Every creation screams for your social media attention, but unlike most pretty foods, these actually deliver on flavor. Come hungry and bring friends, these massive sugar bombs require backup to conquer properly.

5. DK Diner, Grandview Heights

However much you think you know about donuts, DK Diner will humble you. Tucked into Grandview Heights, this unassuming diner-donut hybrid creates what they call ‘Smacaroons’, donut holes tossed in cinnamon sugar that will haunt your dreams.

The apple fritter here isn’t just good, it’s a religious experience. Massive, crisp-edged, and loaded with cinnamon-spiced apples, it weighs roughly the same as a small child but disappears mysteriously fast.

Weekends bring lines out the door, but trust me, the wait only builds character and appetite for what’s coming.

6. HoneyDip Donuts & Diner, Columbus

Did you know that sometimes the universe places perfection in strip malls? HoneyDip proves this cosmic truth daily with donuts so fresh they’re practically still warm when handed over in that familiar pink box.

Their honey-dipped donut (shocker, I know) achieves that golden ratio of glaze to dough that scientists should study. The elderly couple who’ve run this place forever move with the efficiency of people who’ve made millions of donuts and still love every single one.

Cash only, friends, but the ATM fee is worth every penny for these heavenly rings.

7. Schneider’s Bakery, Westerville

When midnight strikes in Westerville, the line outside Schneider’s begins forming like a donut cult gathering. Their after-hours fresh batch has achieved legendary status among locals who brave the cold for that first bite of warm, just-glazed perfection.

Schneider’s cinnamon rolls masquerade as donuts but are actually portals to another dimension where calories don’t exist. The maple bacon long john might make you weep with joy, the perfect balance of sweet maple with savory bacon that should be studied in culinary schools.

Bonus: The staff remembers regulars’ orders like they’re family.

8. Jack Frost Donuts, Cleveland

Though Cleveland winters might be brutal, Jack Frost delivers year-round warmth via fried dough masterpieces. Their donut display resembles an art gallery where everything is edible and nothing costs millions.

The maple bacon cream stick here isn’t just a donut, it’s a life-changing experience that makes you question why you’ve wasted time on lesser breakfast foods. Each creation features picture-perfect decoration that somehow tastes even better than it looks.

Bonus points for their seasonal offerings that keep locals coming back to see what magic they’ll conjure next.

9. Goldie’s Donuts & Bakery, Cleveland

Are you tired of donuts that don’t fill the hole in your soul? Goldie’s massive apple fritters might actually do the job.

This Cleveland institution keeps it real with no-nonsense donuts that your grandparents would recognize and approve of immediately. The chocolate-iced cake donut achieves that elusive balance between moisture and crumb that science can’t explain.

Goldie’s doesn’t care about your Instagram feed, they care about making donuts that taste like childhood memories, even if you didn’t grow up eating them. Pro tip, their plain glazed is anything but plain.

10. Biagio’s Donut Shop & Pizzeria, Eastlake

When a place combines donuts AND pizza under one roof, you know you’ve found culinary soulmates who understand the human condition. Biagio’s breaks all conventional wisdom by excelling at both breakfast and dinner comfort foods.

Their blueberry cake donut packs more berries than seems physically possible. The contrast between the crisp exterior and moist interior creates a textural symphony that makes you momentarily forget about their equally amazing pizza.

Honestly, the concept of donut for breakfast, pizza for dinner, and leftover donut for dessert might be the perfect day.