Places to get doughnuts in Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Southport, NC
The Wilmington area has many doughnut shops. Here’s what we tried at some of them.
- Four doughnut shops were reviewed: Lil Bitty Donut Co., Beach Break Donuts & Ice Cream, Brooklyn Cafe, and Bagel King & Donuts.
- Each shop offers unique doughnut styles, from miniature cake doughnuts to large yeasted doughnuts.
- Specialty flavors and customizable options are available at some locations.
The Wilmington area knows doughnuts. We’ve been blessed with Britt’s Donuts since 1939 for simple, classic fried dough. And close by in Carolina Beach, but on the other end of the doughnut spectrum, are the creative concoctions from Wake n Bake. Other favorites — like the hand cut pastries at The Donut Inn and the roaming Donut Bus — are scattered around New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties.
There are also some newer additions to the local doughnut scene and some hidden gems here and there. We thought we’d give a few of them a try. At each of these four doughnut shops, we sampled a simple doughnut as well as a specialty option. Here’s a look. And let us know if you have a favorite doughnut we should try next.
Lil Bitty Donut Co., Southport
This doughnut shop has a unique, miniature take on the treat. The menu also includes ice cream, sundaes, milkshakes, coffee drinks and hot chocolates. They opened at 4961 Old Long Beach Road S.E. in Southport earlier in 2025. (There is also a Wilmington location of this shop at 260 Racine Drive, but it is temporarily closed.)
The doughnuts are cake-based, rather than made with yeasted dough. Because they’re served fresh and warm, they are soft and pillowy. The owners said a few people complain that they only come in miniature size, but they have been a hit — especially in orders of three or six mix-and-match flavors. There 20 regular flavors, as well as a handful of seasonal options.
The most popular are Boston Cream, which comes with a small custardy dollop in the center, and the French Toast, with a maple glaze. But even the plain was sweet and lovely — and my favorite of the bunch.
Beach Break Donuts & Ice Cream, Carolina Beach
This spot at 1009 N. Lake Park Blvd. is new to the Carolina Beach food scene as of April 2025. Those in Brunswick County, though, have been enjoying them much longer at the sister business, OKI Scoop Shop & Donuts in Oak Island. The menu includes made-to-order doughnuts, ice cream and coffee.
The base at Beach Break is a cake-style batter. For those used to a fluffier doughnut, the flatter shape may seem odd. But when it comes fresh from the fryer, it does mean there is a good ratio of crispy, fried exterior to enjoy. Think of it as thin and crispy. Ordering is done by filling out a ticket. There are 21 choices for specialty doughnuts like the S’mores or the Beach Break Strawberry.
But the menu also allows for customizing doughnuts with glazes, toppings and swizzles. In addition to the Plain Jane, I ordered one with peanuts, chocolate chips and a chocolate swizzle. It was my favorite of the day.
Brooklyn Cafe, Wilmington
This coffee shop at 706 N. Fourth St. in Wilmington’s Brooklyn Arts District isn’t new. But the owners, Tara English and Rodney and Marilyn Robbins, are planning to open a new location in the Skyline Center. The Skyline Cafe will host a ribbon cutting on June 17 at 929 N. Front St.
It will likely introduce a new audience to head baker Brenda Davis’ house-made goodies, such as beignets, biscotti and kolaches. The Ollie’s Donuts on the menu are an old-fashioned style made enhanced with mashed potato, and subtle flavors.
The size is thick and small, with a dense interior. It’s a good size for the heartiness of the doughnut — satisfying and substantial. They make several versions daily. The vanilla, with a sweet glaze, is the standard. My favorite, though, was the lemon made with a tart glaze studded with zest.
Bagel King & Donuts, Wilmington
This breakfast restaurant isn’t new, but has developed a following at its north Wilmington location for the bagels, sandwiches muffins and other baked goods, including the churro cheesecake. But, yes, the doughnuts are popular, too.
There’s a larger selection on the weekends, but even during a weekday service you’ll likely see a few glazed varieties, jelly filled, and the cinnamon sugar (which is a favorite at the shop). There are also a few doughnut adjacent treats like oversized apple fritters. cinnamon rolls, and fruit-topped pastries.
I tried a couple that were large and fluffy made with a yeasted dough. They’re not typically served hot from the fryer but were obviously fresh. And tasty. I also liked that they weren’t too sweet.
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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.
