This list was compiled through personal experience and online research, as well as through commentary from food critics and expert restaurant reviewers.

Grumpy Donuts is the creation of Scott Clark and Elise Honeybrook, who decided to start making their own doughnuts after travelling across Canada and America. Doughnuts here are made US-style with fluffy, light dough and sweet glossy glazes. Here there are no readymade toppings, the owners believe a good doughnut should be more unique and involve some real effort. Some favourites here are Gin & Juice, The Buttered Toast. As well as The Apple Fritter and many more flavorers are also available.

At Shortstop Coffee & Donuts everything is made from scratch, using some of the best ingredients available. It’s no surprise that their Melbourne shop thrived and now they’ve come to Sydney. The menu here offers three different dough recipe types with the classic style, the cake style doughnut and finally the French cruller. And if you weren’t spoiled for choice already, here you’ll find many elaborate flavours such as burnt caramel, fennel and sea salt, triple matcha and even an Earl Grey doughnut filled with lemon-myrtle gel and dipped in rose-water icing.

Best for: Wide Selection

Best for: Dietary Restictions/Preferences

Owners Cherie Bevan and Tassie Tauroa wanted to capture the essence of the bakeries of their childhood. This led them to create The Cook & Baker. The food here is made from scratch using their family recipes and the best ingredients they can find. They’re known for their range of different doughnut flavours and mixes that available daily. But they are also known for a number of New Zealand-style treats like custard tarts and lamingtons as well as Louise Cakes, which are a thin layer of cake that’s topped with raspberry jam and coconut meringue.

The Pig and Pastry is owned by Katherine and Iain Smart, both of which share a passion for baked goods. All the cakes, cookies and tarts available here are baked in-house and served with housemade ice cream. Doughnuts are also baked in-house, coming in a variety of tasty flavours like lemon curd, jam-filled and more. Iain’s passion for baking his own bread also shines through, with fruit bread and brioche also available.

Flour and Stone is a tiny bakery, that’s bursting with classic treats and pastries. The menu here includes lamingtons, brownies, and scones dressed in jam and cream. As well as iced gingerbreads and amazing tasty doughnuts including Jam and more flavours. There even healthy options like beetroot and seed cake and spelt carrot cake. Gift-boxed sets are also available in an array of shapes and sizes.

Lukumades are greek style doughnuts that are made of deep-fried dough that’s traditionally soaked in sugar syrup or honey and cinnamon mixture. Here these hand-crafted Greek doughnuts are with a modern twist as well as a huge variety of toppings to chose from. At Lukumades you’re really spoiled for choice from traditional flavoured Lukumades to new favourites like Twix Fix which comes with melted milk chocolate, crushed Twix, salted caramel or  Matcha and white chocolate flavoured option available plus many more.

Comeco Foods Cafe takes gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free cakes and pastries to the next level. Comeco’s cakes and pastries are made using everything organic nothing here is processed, compared to other places gluten-free cakes and pastries that are packed with additives. With sourdough doughnuts made from brown-rice sourdough that is available with a range of different toppings and flavours. Some of these flavours include some Japanese flavours like red bean, black sesame custard and matcha custard, there also sweet-and-sour passionfruit custard that’s drizzled with fresh passionfruit pulp and even organic raspberry and organic peanut butter doughnuts too.

Best for: A Cronut

Almost everything is made from scratch and most of the produce is organic and sourced from nearby or made by the owners themselves. The Menu here is vegetarian and Mediterranean-influenced. it features daily house-made cakes and muffins, seasonal salads, sandwiches as well as bigger dishes. A favourite here is the daily house-made yeast-raised vegan doughnuts that are available in a range of different flavours and toppings.

Best for: Takeaway

The key factors to keep in mind when deciding where to go:

If you’re looking for other things to do in and around Sydney, we’ve got you covered with some of the options listed below. You can also check out our list of 23 Best Outdoor Restaurants in Sydney. If you’re looking for a more a meal, check out our list of Mexican Restaurants in Sydney or the Best Burgers in Sydney. If you’re full, we can also help you with your search for the Best Rooftop Bars in Sydney or show you the Best Sydney Museums.