Rhode Island's Best Doughnut Found Here: New Ranking

The doughnut has been part of American culture since Dutch settlers introduced “olykoeks” — oily cakes — in the 17th century, but not all are created equally in Rhode Island.

For the best doughnut in the state, you’ll want to head to PVDonuts in Providence. That’s according to the digital food and drink news site TastingTable, which put together a list that highlights The Best Donut Shop In Each State.

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"All donuts here are handmade fresh, and they each have their own wild look," TastingTable said of PVDonuts.

"A particularly popular option seems to be the Cereal Milk donut, which is covered in Fruity Pebbles," the review said. "The place has featured on a number of national online publications as one of the best donut shops in Rhode Island, including a critic who named it Rhode Island's best donut shop in 2025."

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To arrive at its choices, TastingTable said it reviewed Reddit posts, local and national publications discussing doughnuts, and first-hand reviews regarding the taste of different pastries.

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Doughnuts have come a long way since olykoeks, which were essentially solid balls of fried dough, often filled with nuts or fruit. Captain Hanson Gregory is credited with introducing the iconic ring shape after punching a hole in the center of the dough, which made for even cooking.

The mass production of doughnuts began in the 1920s after Adolph Levi, an enterprising Russian immigrant, invented the “Wonderful Almost Human Automatic Donut Machine,” which churned out the treats at an impressive rate.

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The “Doughnut Girls” — Salvation Army volunteers who served frontline troops in World War I and World War II — solidified the popularity of doughnuts as a comfort food.

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