Drool-worthy Donut Spots You Need to Devour in Christchurch

Tucked down an alleyway in Church Corner Mall, Panadero Filipino Bakery is no short of a hidden gem. With a nod to bakeries in the Philippines, Panadero has an array of delicious donuts glistening in the cabinet. A popular choice is the eye-catching Ube Mousse donut which is made with purple yams, a traditional Filipino ingredient. You’ll find flavours like salted caramel and mango cream daily, while the donut of the month is forever changing. To top it off, the precise presentation makes them look almost too good to eat.

Warning: the donuts at Original Foods Baking Co’s onsite café, The Donut Destination, are dangerously good, making Wigram’s bustling industrial area well worth a sweet visit. The light-filled cafe is attached to the commercial bakery so you know your donuts haven’t travelled far. For those short on time, it’s hard to look past the six dollar coffee and donut combo. Flavours include classic pink sprinkle ring donuts, daily filled donut specials and best-sellers like Chocolate/Caramel and Chocolate/Raspberry. All of which look oh-so-good in the cabinet. Rest assured, you’ve got to be quick around here. 

Grizzly has become a household name around Christchurch, for everything from sourdoughs to hot cross buns—don’t discount them for a delicious donut either. Made from an enriched bombolini-style dough with a sourdough base, the donuts have a light-as-air finish and are packed with flavour. The most popular donuts are Vanilla Cheesecake and Lemon Curd, which is made with freshly squeezed lemon juice! Grizzly also has seasonal donut flavours that change approximately monthly, so frequent visits are a must to ensure you get to try all the flavours on offer. 

It’s not hard to be wowed by Glamour Cake’s huge array of donuts which cover the counter at the Lyttelton Bakery on Norwich Quay. Each donut is creatively decorated with a range of toppings, sauce-filled syringes, brandy snaps, marshmallows and more. Glamour Cake’s donuts taste as impressive as they look, taking this simple treat to a whole new level. Selected daily flavours are available every day of the week, with the full range ready to go for the weekend rush. If you’re a chocolate lover, you won’t want to miss trying the wide range of chocolate bar inspired flavours. Regularly selling out before eleven each day, the early bird catches the worm.