From beloved classics to modern twists, these are the spots locals flock to for the best and most crave-worthy donuts and malasadas in Honolulu.
Donuts are our weakness — and with so many tempting spots in Honolulu, who could possibly resist? We say treat yourself, especially when it comes to Hawaiʻi’s famous malasadas!
From classic glazed rings and warm, custard-filled Portuguese-style delights to inventive new flavors, Honolulu’s bakeries serve up fresh, fried goodness to satisfy every craving.
In this post, we share our local recommendations for the best donuts and malasadas in Honolulu.
Table of Contents
1. Purvé Donut Stop
One-of-a-kind donuts made fresh to order right before your eyes.
📍 Kahala & Honolulu
🕒 Open: Daily for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🚚 Delivery: Uber Eats & DoorDash
Founded in 2018 by two former bartenders, Purvé Donut Stop reimagines the donut experience in Hawaiʻi with never-seen-before flavors, hilarious names and undeniable Instagram appeal.
With choices like Unicorn Butt Sneeze, Smurf Balls and Sunburnt Haole, picking just one is a challenge. Thankfully, the more you buy, the cheaper they get — from $3.25-2.75 per donut.
Located at ʻIolani Center in Honolulu and Kuʻono Marketplace in Kahala, Purvé serves up made-to-order donuts in a colorful shop filled with wall art — freshly fried, decorated and served hot.
INSIDE TIP: Purvé’s Rise’n’Shine sandwiches offer a sweet-and-savory breakfast donut — but only at the Kahala store. Try The Uptuck with a donut “bun”, bacon, scrambled egg, cheese and maple glaze, or go for Slumber Lumber with a donut “bun”, sausage, egg and cheese.
2. Holey Grail
Made with taro and fried in coconut oil, these plant-based donuts are legit.
📍 1001 Queen St #101, Kakaʻako
🕒 Open: Daily for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🚚 Delivery: Uber Eats
Born on Kauaʻi, Holey Grail elevates the donut game with its plant-based creations, fried to perfection in organic coconut oil. They even landed on Forbes’ 12 Best Donuts in America list.
Made with taro — a starchy root long central to the Hawaiian diet — these donuts are a culturally rooted indulgence. With a rotating menu, each bite showcases seasonal, local ingredients.
With its flagship store in Honolulu, Holey Grail pairs its donuts with expertly crafted Coava Coffee. Whether you’re after a healthier donut or a bold brew, these are must-try donuts in Hawaiʻi.
INSIDE TIP: Want to skip the wait and unlock exclusive perks? Order ahead with the Holey Grail app and earn loyalty points — plus access to the secret Flavor Vault. Just remember, points are earned through the app or online orders, not in-store.
3. Donut King Waikiki
A local donut chain crafting classic donuts that truly hit the spot.
📍 Waikīkī, Kaimukī, Kailua & Kāneʻohe
🕒 Open: Daily for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🚚 Delivery: Uber Eats
Family-owned Donut King has been serving handcrafted donuts on Oʻahu for nine years, with four locations across the island. It’s a convenient grab-and-go snack stop on an island road trip.
Their yeast-based donuts are light, fluffy and airy. Options range from classic glazed and twists to custard, lemon, or raspberry filled varieties, plus deluxe toppings like M&Ms, Biscoff and Oreo.
For something different, try their chewy mochi donuts, cronuts (croissant-donut hybrids), custard-filled long johns, maple bacon donuts, or bite-sized croissant bites and donut holes.
4. Liliha Bakery
An Oʻahu institution since 1950, serving up beloved donuts and malasadas.
📍 Waikīkī, Ala Moana, Honolulu, Aeia & Nimitz
🕒 Open: Daily for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🚚 Delivery: None
Liliha Bakery, a family-owned Oʻahu staple for seven decades, pairs a scratch-made bakery offering 150 baked items with a coffee shop — all in a nostalgic setting locals and visitors love.
Poi mochi donuts are their signature, alongside malasadas filled with apple, lilikoi (passionfruit), or haupia (coconut). Other gems include maple bacon donuts and croissant custard donuts.
While not technically donuts, Liliha Bakery is best known for its puffs — especially the iconic Coco Puff, a choux pastry ball filled with chocolate custard and topped with rich Chantilly frosting.
INSIDE TIP: Renting a car in Honolulu? Liliha Bakery’s Nimitz location is perfectly positioned between the airport and Waikīkī — making it a quick (and tasty) stop for donuts on your way in or out.
5. Napoleon’s Bakery
Part of the Zippy’s Restaurants chain, a go-to spot for traditional-style donuts.
📍 Zippy’s Locator
🕒 Open: Daily for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🚚 Delivery: Uber Eats & DoorDash
Napoleon’s Bakery says they’ve been “making Hawaiʻi sweeter since 1983” and it’s absolutely true. Found inside Zippy’s across Oʻahu, this in-house bakery whips up sugar-loaded treats daily.
Their rotating, seasonal selection includes decorated donuts and fan favorites like the Chantilly Long John, bite-sized donut holes and mochizadas — chewy mochi-style malasadas.
They’re also known for inventing the Napples — a buttery, flaky pastry turnover filled with apple, coconut, or blueberry cream cheese — that’s become one of Hawaiʻi’s must-try baked goods.
INSIDE TIP: Looking for a custom cake in Honolulu? Whatever the occasion, Napoleon Bakery has got you covered. Pick from a variety of designs or work with them to create something uniquely yours.
6. Leonard’s Bakery
Hawaiʻi’s must-try malasada spot — hot, sugar-dusted, and often custard-filled.
📍 Kapahulu & Malasadamobiles
🕒 Open: Daily for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🚚 Delivery: DoorDash
Locals and visitors flock to Leonard’s Bakery for freshly made malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts), served hot since 1952 at their Kapahulu shop — and now from Malasadamobiles across Oʻahu.
Their golden-fried, holeless malasadas come dusted in plain, cinnamon, or li hing sugar, or filled with custard, dobash (chocolate), haupia (coconut), mac nut, guava, or a monthly flavor.
Beyond malasadas, Leonard’s Bakery offers an impressive selection of cakes, pies, cupcakes, muffins, pastries, cookies, bars, danishes and pao doce (Portuguese sweet bread).
INSIDE TIP: Don’t leave without checking out Leonard’s Bakery branded merch — think vintage-style tees and the cutest malasada plush toys.
7. Penny’s Malasadas
Waikīkī’s hidden gem for hot, fluffy malasadas and rare island beignets.
📍 2233 Kalākaua Ave #326, Waikīkī
🕒 Open: Daily for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🚚 Delivery: Uber Eats, DoorDash & Grubhub
If you’re after malasadas in Waikīkī, Penny’s is the go-to. Tucked away in the Paʻina Lanai Food Court at Royal Hawaiian Center, this vendor serves hot, fluffy bites that rival the island’s best.
Choose traditional malasadas with your pick of sugar — Hawaiian cane, cinnamon, or a specialty blend. Or opt for filled varieties only found here like coconut crème, ube, Nutella and custard.
Penny’s is one of the few places on the island serving beignets — light, pillowy, square-shaped French doughnuts dusted with powdered sugar — and they’re a must-try for any sweet tooth.
In summary, these establishments each bring a unique flavor to Honolulu’s donut scene, making them must-visit spots for any donut enthusiast.
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Honolulu’s donut scene offers unique local flavors worth seeking out. Try Liliha Bakery’s chewy poi mochi donut made with taro, Penny’s ube crème-filled malasada featuring a sweet purple yam flavor, or the maple bacon donut — a sweet-savory combo topped with crispy American bacon — found at Donut King and Liliha Bakery.
At Han Kang Ramen in the STIX Asia food court, located in the basement of Waikīkī Shopping Plaza, you’ll find fresh Korean donuts made daily with a gluten-free, vegan batter and offered with a variety of fillings and toppings.
A malasada is a Portuguese doughnut brought to Hawaiʻi by immigrants in the late 1800s. These yeast-based, deep-fried treats are golden, sugar-dusted and holeless — soft, fluffy and slightly chewy. Traditionally plain, modern versions are often filled with custards like vanilla, haupia (coconut), or chocolate. Made famous by Leonard’s Bakery, malasadas are now a beloved local staple found at many places across the islands.
