Once a donut desert, Shanghai is now drowning in artisanal donuts. Baked or fried, glazed or dusted, Italian bombolini or sugar-bombed rings — the city’s obsession has gone full tilt. The filled variety seem to be particularly popular, brimming with pistachio cream, black sesame, and even curry beef (what!?).
So who’s doing it best? After eating my way through the hype, here are the best donuts in Shanghai.
Madre
Madre is an Italian bakery in Changning District, run by the same parent company behind Da Vittorio Shanghai and Scilla (located right behind Madre). Specializing in authentic Italian pastries, they serve up cornetto (a jumbo-sized cousin of the croissant), festive panettone, and an array of breads and cupcake-sized sweets.
Their bomboloni (¥28/each) — Italian donuts stuffed with jam or creamy custard— are amazing. If you’re going to indulge in jelly or custard-filled donuts, this is the spot. These things are fluffy, massive, and ridiculously sinful, with an airy texture so perfect it feels divinely engineered.
Each one is packed with an absurd amount of filling — one will satisfy you for a month, and two might demand a double espresso just to keep you awake afterward. My #1 pick.
Madre
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TonTon
TonTon has been serving up delicious baked goods and belt-busting sandwiches since first opening on Yongkang Lu in September 2023. While they’ve since expanded to Cloud Nine Mall in Changning and Pudong, the original location remains to be my go-to for proximity.
Alongside creative twists on egg tarts, wanghong worthy cinnamon rolls and fresh breads, a star of TonTon’s pastry case is their Berliner-style donuts. These pillowy-soft globes are baked, then lightly fried, and filled with luscious creams and custards before getting dusted in sugar.
Even a year after first trying them, I can confirm they’ve maintained their decadent quality — especially the intensely rich chocolate ganache version that walks a fine line between indulgence and overkill. The pistachio is slightly less rich but just as indulgent. Other filling options include passion fruit-lemon and classic vanilla custard, with prices ranging from ¥18 to ¥26.
TonTon
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Bresca Bomboloni
Bresca Bombolini, located in the newly opened PAC development, a shop dedicated entirely to bombolini. These Italian-style donuts come stuffed with a wide range of fillings – some with Asian flavors like yuzu, matcha and injeolmi, others sticking to classics like chocolate, strawberry, hazelnut and tiramisu. They frequently introduce new varieties, recently expanding into savory territory with one that includes fig, cheese and ham.
The bomboloni deliver – fluffy without being heavy, priced at ¥22-26 each. They may not reach Madre’s legendary status, but they stand strong on their own merits. Absolutely worth popping in to try a couple.
Bresca Bomboloni
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Sloppy Gin
Sloppy Gin might sound like a gin bar, but this cozy café and bakery in Jing’an is anything but. Opened in January 2023 (originally on Nanchang Lu) by barista and self-taught baker Gin, the spot has quickly gained a following for its artisanal donuts and relaxed vibe. In addition to the hyper-fermented donuts, they do other baked goods like hot cross buns and laminated pastries.
Donuts include Boston-style and rings with a constant rotation of experimental and bold flavors, including mint chocolate, amaretto sour, dulce de leche, and crème brûlée. These are fluffy yet slightly bready with a satisfying chew. The donuts are generously sized — substantial but not overwhelming. Donuts are priced from ¥18 to ¥26.
Sloppy Gin
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Burning Donut
Burning Donut is the newest entry, opening in February on Wuding Lu. They are the rebels of the donut world, combining some really unexpected flavors. They do mostly filled donuts, which include classics like pistachio cream, but also wild mashups like black sesame-red bean, horseradish-mango, and the one that raises eyebrows, curry M5 wagyu.
On the topic of the curry M5 wagyu…it works surprisingly well and tastes like a fancy curry puff. It’s also their bestseller. Seasonal twists like matcha-whiskey chestnut, cherry blossom guava, and even qingtuan matcha keep things interesting.
The dough treads middle ground — denser than TonTon’s and more bready than Madre’s, but still fluffy and airy. Depending on what flavor you get, fillings can be oozy (pistachio) or thick (chocolate-orange). Donuts are priced at ¥16 to ¥26 a piece. They also have eye-catching to-go boxes for four to six pieces, starting from ¥94. Great for flavor exploration or for snack bombing the office.
Burning Donut
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Nunu Donut
Nunu Donut joined the Yongkang Lu dessert scene late 2024, adding to the area’s growing collection of specialty vendors of ice cream, bagels, and coffee. The tiny shop makes no attempt at ambiance — it’s strictly a grab-and-go operation with a self-service donut case and a counter for specialty items.
At first glance, their donuts don’t inspire much confidence, appearing slightly misshapen and dense compared to others in the city. But these humble-looking donuts deliver where it counts. Though smaller than most, they boast a uniquely satisfying texture — fluffy yet substantial with a pleasant chewiness that suggests eggs in the dough (I could be wrong but the golden hue hints at it).
Their signature strawberry cream Berliner-style donut stands out with generous chunks of fruit within. The dark chocolate glazed version falls a bit flat flavor-wise. However, classic glazed donut makes for a reliable everyday treat. They also do a few savory donuts, including a tuna and mayo one, sans sugar coating. Apparently this one has its fans, including one of the store managers. To each their own!
Nunu Donut
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Egg
Every weekend, Egg café jumps into the donut game with their “Donut Drop,” where they either debut seasonal flavors or let “friends of Egg” take over the kitchen for special collabs. Egg uses a cake dough base that fries up slightly denser than typical yeast donuts, FYI. Previous flavors include kinako-sugar, peach-shiso cream, pink lemonade pistachio, and miso chocolate, priced between ¥20 to ¥28 a piece.
More than just a sugar fix, these limited drops have turned into a weekend social scene. Good for potentially meeting new friends while indulging in some sugary treats. Donuts on Sat & Sun from 9pm until sold out.
Egg
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Opotti
Opotti is a hole-in-the-wall donut shop at 211 Yongjia Road doing cutesy, decorated rings. The donuts themselves? Just alright — denser than ideal and only mildly sugary. The flavor mostly comes from the decorative chocolate coatings. Donuts range from ¥11 to ¥16.
What’s it good for? Exactly what it looks like — a low-stakes treat for kids who care more about fun shapes than fancy flavors. The modest sugar level means you won’t deal with a hyperactive meltdown afterward. As for donut purists, there are plenty others on this list for you.
Editor’s Note: While Tim Horton’s donuts have been known to be good in its home country, the ones at Shanghai’s Tim’s are pretty dismal.
