Where to get Down with Donuts

Christchurch’s favourite bakery, and with the tagline ‘take no shortcuts’, you’ll start to understand why. Grizzly’s doughnuts are made in the bombolini style with free range eggs and their sourdough starter before being filled with homemade custards and curds. Vanilla Cheesecake and Lemon Curd flavours are the year round stalwarts while seasonal flavours like Spiced Blueberry add to the fun.

The only decent cafe on the industrial side of Invercargill, Industry serves top notch brunch and lunch menus Monday to Friday, but it’s Fridays we’re here to talk about, as that’s Industry’s much loved Donut Day of the South. Each week they feature a new flavour to fill their fresh homemade donuts with. But be quick, as they don’t hang around for long.

A must visit for any trip to or through Oamaru, Tees Street is a local institution and with good reason. Everything is made from scratch including their bombolino doughnuts. Made the traditional way, without cutting corners, they are filled with sweet concoctions like dulce de leche. One of these delicious dough balls paired with a flat white is a combination you’ll struggle to go past.

BABCO, which stands for Brick Artisan Bread Company, should be on everyone's Palmerston North itinerary. Their next-level cabinet contains fresh daily breads, croissants, danishes, pastries, sandwiches and much more, including our doughy friend in the form of a custard filled beignet. Whilst there you may as well fill a box. 

If you’ve eaten out in Wānaka you’ve likely tasted some of Pembroke Pâtisserie’s products already, but you might not have visited their well-established patisserie in Albert Town. Amongst this spectacular display of baked goods you’ll find a selection of donut flavours that change regularly, including the odd throw-back to a classic like the long cream donut.

Frying dough and supplying select cafes in Wellington from Thursdays to Sundays is Little Dough Co. They release two much anticipated flavours each week. Head to Customs or Franks Newtown to see what all the fuss is about, but don’t muck around as they sell out weekly.

Located out in the burbs of New Plymouth is Knead Artisan Donuts. There’s new flavours each week that are so popular they do two releases each day - both usually sell out! Pop in anytime, but aim for the early side, between 7am and 1.30pm, Thursday to Saturday, to see what all the commotion is about. 

A bit of an institution of the Auckland baking scene, Scratch Bakers selection of three regulars, chocolate espresso, lemon curd, salted caramel, plus the weekly rotating concoction flavour, are enough to make any savoury tooth turn.