8 Delaware bakeshops serving great doughnuts, according to report
The website Family Destinations Guide highlights eight bakeshops with "outrageously delicious donuts'' in the First State.
These Delaware spots are known for their crave-worthy treats, whether traditional temptations like old-school doughnuts and cupcakes, or trendy bites like you might salivate over on TikTok.
Here are the places that made the radar of author William Phillips.
Which ones have you tried? And what would you add?
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Serpe & Sons Bakery, Elsmere
1411 Kirkwood Highway. 302-994-1868; www.serpesbakery.com
Don't look for Dubai chocolate doughnuts here. "What makes Serpe's special is their unwavering commitment to quality over trendiness,'' writes Phillips.
Generations have queued up at Serpe & Sons to stock up on their tried-and-true favorites, such as old-fashioned glazed or jelly doughnuts.
It's not a well-kept secret, as the bakery known for Italian specialties has been named in Delaware Online's Readers Choice Awards.
Sleeping Bird Doughnuts, Talleyville
4001 Concord Pike. sleepingbirddoughnuts.com
"Sleeping Bird takes a 'quality over quantity' approach that pays off in every single bite,'' writes Phillips.
When Sleeping Bird opened, we sent an eager Matthew Korfhage to see what all the fuss was about.
"Those early crowds were all there to secure scratch-made doughnuts that some called the best in Delaware even before Sleeping Bird had a dedicated doughnut shop,'' he observed, indicating that the doughnuts were first sold by husband-and-wife owners Zach DeLong and Leigh Ann Tona at the their Wilmington coffee shop.
As Phillips points out, here, the owners let "the donuts be the true stars of the show,'' adding that they aren't just doughnuts but "joy rings that make your day better.''
According to Korfhage, "Sleeping Bird's doughnuts ... are made with sweet and buttery brioche dough – a Rhode Island specialty but a unicorn-caliber rarity in these parts.
'The doughnuts are painstakingly scratch-made, rested and proofed for hours until the dough is just right, kneaded and rolled out into sheets and then stamped into doughnut shapes. The remaining dough, the holes and scraps, are then worked and rolled out yet again.''
Look for rapidly rotating, inventive flavors and a dedication to freshness.
Now, more about that coffee shop ...
Sleeping Bird Coffee, Wilmington
3111 Miller Road, Wilmington. sleepingbirdcoffee.com
This is the OG doughnut destination for Sleeping Bird.
Phillips was struck by the building's aesthetics: "The Spanish-influenced architecture with its distinctive stucco walls and arched entryways adds character before you even step inside. The moment you enter, your senses are greeted by the heavenly combination of fresh coffee and sweet dough.''
In addition to your morning joe, you'll also find biscuits, brownies, scones and more.
Hill Donut Co. & Pancake House, Brandywine Hundred
1845 Marsh Road.302 308-3182; hilldonuts.com
This is the place to go to get over a hangover. I mean, pancakes, french toast and doughnuts under the same roof, served all day?
The company also has a location in Mullica Hill in South Jersey, and offers brunch and catering.
What did Phillips have to say? "Hill Donut Co has mastered the classics without any need for flashy gimmicks or trends. Their donuts represent everything great about traditional American donut-making.''
Brioche doughnuts range from traditional glazed to flavors like banana brulé or candied bacon.
Mochinut Delaware, Newark
133 E. Main St, Newark.(302) 525-6217; mochinut.com
This is a chain so if you fall in love, you can also find them elsewhere.
These doughnuts are available in a wide assortment of flavors like mango, matcha, banana milk, churro and yogurt. There are 25 options in total, according to Mochinut's website.
Mochinut doughnuts are known to be stretchy and chewy as they're made with rice flour. The mochi doughnut originated in Hawaii and is a mix of American doughnuts and Japanese mochi.
"It's a perfect example of how food can bridge cultures and create something entirely new and wonderful,'' Phillips says.
Sandy Pony Donuts & Acai Bowls, various locations
Dewey Beach: 1905 Coastal Highway 5, Dewey Beach; (301) 325-8783
Bethany Beach: 115 Garfield Parkway Unit 2; Bethany Beach
Bethany Beach Drive-Thru: 32919 Coastal Highway, Bethany Beach; visit sandyponydonuts.com/bethany-beach; (302) 829-1002.
Phillips distinguished the Dewey Beach location: "What makes Sandy Pony special is their made-to-order approach that guarantees maximum freshness,'' writes Phillips. "Each donut is fried on the spot and then customized with your choice of toppings and glazes.''
More doughnut options: 'Redneck Nachos': Look at wild food for Delaware State Fair 2025, plus mac burritos
Sink your teeth into one of 24 doughnuts such as the blueberry pie (blueberry glaze, powdered sugar and graham crackers), Yabba Dabba Doo-Nut (Fruity Pebbles with glazed honey), cookies and cream (Oreo crumbles) and Strawberry Stallion (strawberry glazed with powdered sugar).
Sandy Pony Donuts are handmade to order, and customers can also order ahead for pickup.
A & R Bakery, Middletown
701 N. Broad St.; 302 285-0863; delawarefarmersmarket.com/ar-bakery/
This Dutch Country Farmers Market find is a destination for Amish baked treats.
"Their donuts follow traditional Amish baking methods, creating treats with depth of flavor that's increasingly rare,'' Phillips writes.
You will find a wide variety of fruit and other flavors, as well as baked goods such as fritters, cakes and cream pies.
Pasqualini's Bakery, Rehoboth Beach
37560 Atlantic Ave., Rehoboth Beach; (302) 227-2111, pasqualinisbakery.net
Yelp folks rave about the ice cream cakes and sticky buns at this beach town bakery.
So, what about the doughnuts?
Think traditional. "The classic varieties shine brightest here – each one executed with precision and care,'' Phillips writes.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: In Delaware, get great doughnuts at these 8 bakeries, shops: Report
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