Best doughnuts in Penang review
Yes, we’ll admit it: we Penang langs have the i’m donut? FOMO.
Ever since the Japanese doughnut brand opened in Kuala Lumpur, the impossibly pillowy treats have flooded our feeds – and naturally, we got hungry and a tad bit jealous. But since we’re in Penang, which is no stranger to good food, we figured that the most reasonable thing to do was to go on our own doughnut hunt.
From ethereally soft Japanese-style nama doughnuts to sugar-dusted classics, we went on a little doughnut crawl around Penang to find which we’d happily go back for. Here’s our honest review of the doughnuts we tried in Penang and the ones we’d actually order again.
1. Omo Donuts
Tucked into a tiny, rather adorable space next to Aayu Homes, Omo Donuts is a small and quirky doughnut shop in George Town that’s comfy enough to linger in.
We arrived around 10am, and were told that the morning batch was still being prepared, so we had to wait a little before getting our hands on them. We didn’t mind much at all – there’s a very affectionate resident cat who seemed more than happy to keep us entertained while we waited.
To keep things fair across our doughnut crawl, we stuck to the one-classic-one-signature rule, and ordered a Vanilla Custard (RM9) and the signature Maple Creme Brulee (RM12). They came in little boxes, although we did find the doughnuts themselves rather small for the price.
The Vanilla Custard smelled ridiculously amazing – we wanted a bite immediately. Alas, the custard was a little too sweet for us, and had a slightly artificial aftertaste. The dough, though, was genuinely lovely – light, soft and fluffy, with a distinctly yellowish tint from the kabocha used in the dough.
The Maple Creme Brulee was the one that really had us. The caramelised coat had that wonderfully brittle shell that shatters when you tear into it, giving way to a smoky maple cream within. That subtle burnt caramel flavour paired beautifully with the maple, and somehow this one was less sweet and much more balanced than the Vanilla Custard.
Considering Omo does nama-style doughnuts, we were expecting that signature melt-in-your-mouth dough that’s light enough to mingle with the cream inside. While Omo’s doughnuts do lean a little greasier and don’t quite have that almost-raw, unbelievably soft texture of Japan’s i’m donut?, they’re still a pretty solid nama-style doughnut.
Jia-Ju, have tried the OG i’m donut? in Japan itself: “Ooh la la.”
Sarah, a trained baker: “The Maple Crème Brûlée one is the best thing I’ve had all week.”
Overall rating: 4/5
OMO DONUTS
Monday 10:00 AM – 06:00 PM Show More Timings
2. NAMA Donuts
One really can’t miss NAMA Donut. Its bright orange storefront and enormous signage practically announce themselves amongst the row of shophouses, and there’s plenty of room to sit down and enjoy your haul here.
True to its name, NAMA specialises in the Japanese nama-style doughnuts, but its menu goes well beyond your standard vanilla, chocolate, and glazed options. There’s a distinctly Asian sensibility to many of its flavours, with combinations such as Taiwan Mochi Brown Sugar, Mala Chicken Floss and Japanese Matcha Coconut.
We were tempted to abandon our self-imposed rules and to try several of the more adventurous options, but decided that the humble Vanilla Custard (RM8.80) and popular Bitter Chocolate (RM10.80) would tell us much more about the quality of the doughnuts themselves.
The doughnuts arrived snugly tucked into their boxes, along with sealed plastic gloves – a very thoughtful touch that we were highly grateful for, especially when we were about to get powdered sugar and cream all over our hands.
And the moment we picked one up, we knew these were different. Instead of springing straight back into shape, the dough actually yielded under our fingers, which was exactly the soft, almost “raw” texture we had been looking for from a nama-style doughnut.
Tear one open, and the dough stretches beautifully before giving way to a soft, pillowy interior and its creamy filling. We were also happy to spot that familiar yellow hue in the brioche-like dough, which signals the use of kabocha.
Taste-wise, it was truly out of this world. Rather than being a thick, gooey custard, the filling was closer to a fresh whipped cream, which made it lighter and worked beautifully with the rich, enriched dough.
The Bitter Chocolate was even more decadent – intensely chocolatey, silky, and ridiculously moreish. The chocolate cream tasted like the good stuff too – we could genuinely imagine eating it by the spoonful.
Everything was balanced. The doughnuts had little crisp, deep-fried edges that contrasted beautifully with the soft dough, while the powdered sugar and cocoa powder dusting were restrained enough that it wasn’t cloying and didn’t make us cough our way through every bite.
Jia-Ju: “Almost criminally good. Wow.”
Sarah: “I will be back to eat through the entire menu.”
Overall rating: 5/5
NAMA DONUT
Monday 11:30 AM – 07:00 PM Show More Timings
3. 65 Ondo Bakery
Penang lang will be familiar with 65 Ondo Bakery, with its vast range of freshly baked breads, pastries, cakes, and sweet treats available across several outlets. For our doughnut hunt though, we had our eyes on its special pumpkin doughnut range, which comes in four flavours: Vanilla, Pistachio, Tiramisu, and Chocolate.
We picked up the Vanilla and Chocolate, both priced at RM7.40 each, and immediately noticed how plump and cushiony they looked. Unlike the nama-style doughnuts we had tried elsewhere, these were coated in regular granulated sugar, giving them a much more familiar, classic doughnut appearance.
And different, they were. While the pumpkin-infused dough had a lovely yellow tint, we tore one open and found a fairly thick, supple dough with a springy bite, rather than the almost collapsing softness of a nama-style doughnut we’ve been chasing.
We tried the Vanilla first, which was generously filled with custard cream, although its distinctly eggy flavour was a little more pronounced than we expected.
The Chocolate was the more dramatic-looking one, with a thick dollop of chocolate cream crowned with huge studs of chocolate chips – which we weren’t entirely sold on.
Inside was another layer of chocolate cream with a ganache-like consistency, giving us a slightly unusual combination of textures between the topping and filling. The difference wasn’t particularly noticeable once we started eating, although the overall flavour was on the sweeter side.
These probably aren’t the doughnuts we’d reach for if we were specifically craving that ultra-soft, almost raw nama-style texture, but they’re fun, familiar and generously filled – a perfectly decent pick when you’re craving a classic filled doughnut with a little pumpkin twist.
Jia-Ju: “I think…5-year-old me would love this.”
Sarah: “My teeth kinda hurt. I’m too old for this.”
Overall rating: 3/5
65 Ondo Bakery
Monday 09:00 AM – 10:00 PM Show More Timings
4. La Vie En Rose Pâtisserie
This one…hurt a little. La Vie En Rose Pâtisserie is one of Penang’s well-loved French patisseries and cafés with quite a name they’ve built over the years, and is known for its French pastries and desserts.
It’s particularly known for its filled beignets, which, with their oversized round shape and generous fillings, have always looked suspiciously like regular filled doughnuts to us anyway.
Of course, these aren’t nama-style doughnuts. These are very much classic Western-style doughnuts, dusted with powdered sugar like beignets are, and stuffed with cream. There’s quite a tempting lineup too, including Vanilla, Nutella, Coffee, Raspberry, Matcha, and Hojicha.
But for our little taste test, we kept things simple with a Vanilla and Raspberry, both RM10 each – the latter being one of their more popular flavours.
On looks alone, they were promising. Unfortunately, things took a bit of a turn once we actually dug in. The dough was noticeably dry and stale, which was disappointing because we’ve had these before and remember them being perfectly soft and delicious.
The Vanilla filling was pleasant enough, but quite sweet and not particularly memorable.
Thankfully, the Raspberry cream was still as good as we remembered. Bright, slightly tangy and sweet without becoming too much, the cream had a light texture that worked beautifully with the fruitiness.
That said, even that excellent raspberry filling couldn’t quite save the dry dough.
We left feeling a little disappointed, especially since La Vie En Rose was one of the places we had been most excited to revisit. Having had their beignets before and remembering them as delicious, we are choosing to believe we simply got a less-than-fresh batch this time around.
Jia-Ju: “What happened ah?”
Sarah: “Why like that ah?”
Overall rating: 2/5
La Vie en Rose Pâtisserie
Monday Closed Show More Timings
5. Yohun Hot Bread & Cake House
Sometimes, you just want a simple and satisfyingly fluffy ring of fried dough covered in sugar – and Yohun Hot Bread & Cake House is where you can get some really good ones.
This neighbourhood bakery is about as old-school as they come. Many Penang kias will probably recognise it from childhood. The friendly aunties and shelves filled with Asian-style breads – think sausage buns, coffee buns, and buttercream-filled rolls – as well as brightly decorated cakes and fluffy butter cakes, are all part of that uncomplicated and nostalgic charm.
Its doughnuts are equally no-frills. We found large traditional ring doughnuts, alongside doughnut holes served four on a stick – both at RM2.60 per bunch, and all coated in granulated sugar. They’re humongous, wonderfully plump – simple and perfect.
The dough is a little more doughy than the meltingly soft doughnuts we tried elsewhere, but it’s fragrant and pleasantly substantial without becoming heavy. Despite all that sugar, they aren’t excessively sweet, nor are they particularly greasy.
Sure, they aren’t particularly inventive here, and we don’t think there needs to be. If you’re looking for an affordable old-school fix rather than the latest viral creation, this is one bakery we can always rely on.
Jia-Ju: “To have something so simple that makes me so happy? Such a steal.”
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Yohun Hot Bread & Cake House
Monday 09:00 AM – 08:00 PM Show More Timings
Our verdict on our favourite doughnut shop in Penang
Now, were we cured of the i’m donut? FOMO? Absolutely – in fact, we’ve had enough doughnuts for a while.
And after trying these handful of spots, we have to give NAMA Donuts our top spot for the closest thing we found to that ultra-soft, pillowy nama-style doughnut we were initially craving. Omo Donuts is another good shout – that Maple Crème Brûlée was seriously hard to forget.
Then there’s Yohun Hot Bread & Cake House, for something much simpler, but it is also a reminder that sometimes a good doughnut is simply a good doughnut.
All in all, our biggest takeaway is that there’s no need to head all the way to KL for some viral doughnuts. Penang has its own mix of soft nama-style treats, creative flavours and nostalgic bakery classics – and honestly, that’s quite a sweet problem to have.
*One small disclaimer before you take our word for it: these reviews are based on our experience during our respective visits, and taste is, of course, subjective. Freshness and batches can vary from day to day too, so your experience may differ slightly from ours.
Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia
Photography by Jia-Ju.
The post We Hunted The Best Doughnuts In Penang To Cure Our i’m donut? FOMO, Here’s Our Honest Review appeared first on TheSmartLocal Malaysia – Travel, Lifestyle, Culture & Language Guide.