Donuts with a Difference

As a Level 7 Google Local Guide, I must say take the trip to visit this place. They offer arguably the best donuts in the Boston Metro area. We visited Boston and went in a donut spree trying several places. Donuts with a Different stood above all others. We traveled from Cambridge to taste these treats and it was worth it. We went again the next day. The cost of the Uber was more than the donuts, but it was definitely with the fees 😋

Some of the best donuts around. Small batch production with fresh donuts coming out throughout the morning. They sell out quick so prepare to be flexible on the selection/availability. Worth it for how fresh they are!

With such glowing reviews, I came in with high expectations. Truthfully though? These donuts are fine. They're $2 each, which feels about right. If I lived within walking distance, I'd go here. But they're not worth a drive.

Donuts are some of the best sub $5 donuts around. But they are consistently running out and cannot manage stocking the front. It’s a no frills donut shop that has great donuts … if they are available. The place needs a revamp and could probably be very successful.

ABNORMALLY DELICIOUSSSSSS!!!!!!! HANDS DOWN BEST DONUTS MY FAMILY HAS EVER HAD. ALL CAPS BECAUSE YOU NEED TO COME HERE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF! GET THE TOASTED COCONUT COFFEE ROLL (tastes like a cinnamon bun) just 10/10 for us.

Great staff great selection good coffee prices. Definitely a place worth visiting. If you are near. We were a little late in the day, but they kept baking and bringing up more donuts while we were there

This place is an absolute JOKE. First things first, the donuts aren’t all that great. They’re decent but only because they’re cheap but definitely not to die for. Secondly, why open your business when you dont even have donuts ready to serve? Its deceiving to customers to drive all the way there just to find out that a donut shop doesnt have donuts but are still somehow open ? I went in the morning on 2 separate occasions. I went this past Thursday around 7:45 and when I walked in, I was told donuts wont be ready till 8 in an extremely unfriendly manner by the blonde haired lady wearing glasses. I went back a few min later around 8:05 and yet also she told me they’re not ready and to come back later (again in an extremely unfriendly and condescending way) I thought whatever, maybe this is just an isolated occasion. But I went back again the next morning around 8 am and yet again. I was told to come back in 2 HOURS because the donuts wont be ready till 10 am ? CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS HOURS AND STOP DECEIVING CUSTOMERS AND WASTING THEIR TIME!!!!! Ive had these donuts once in the past before & they are not all that glamorous. Not worth it for the type of service that this joke of an establishment provides. STAY AWAY.

Really awesome donuts, some of the best we’ve ever had! Whatever they are doing they are doing it so right. Such a cute little spot with friendly service.

I need to learn my lesson and not come here right at opening expecting donuts to be ready. I believe that although they open at 7 on Sundays the donuts are being dipped at that time, and will not be ready until around 8:30. Bring your patience and your compassion for this small business because you may be waiting a bit for the fresh donuts IF you come right at opening. The service is nice and they do take credit card but like I said, you will be waiting a bit for the donuts if you get here too early. Still the best donuts around! Happy to support this small business.

Like most of the write ups that I viewed, this place is a throw back. I absolutely love throwbacks! This place is worth the wait. I visited on a weekday so it was very quiet. Lucky for me, they had plenty of doughnuts and they were just out of the oven! Cocounut, jelly, chocolate covered, glazed, plain and cinnamon. All of my favorites! My son ordered a boston creme and we added 3 glazed to the total order of 4. We did not get a drink. For some reason, I don't think there are drinks (other than coffee) available. I did not see milk, chocolate milk or orange juice for sale. We devoured the 4 doughnuts when we got back to our car. Boy, were they delicious! My son asked me why the owner doesn't make more and why he only makes so many? I explained that sometimes business owners do it exactly the way they want to.....and this is the certainly the case here! No rush....the doughnuts come out when they are ready! If you have to wait, it could be a bit until a fresh batch comes out! This is what makes the place so special! A great stop and a place that I would visit quite a bit, if I could! 5-star doughnuts....for sure! If you decide to visit, parking is available on Riverside Ave but be careful of the heavy MBTA bus traffic....there are a lot of bus routes through Medford Square

BEST DONUTS IN BOSTON!!!! Not a ton of variety compared to the bigger chains but who needs variety when their honey dipped are the best around! Better than a hot Krispy Kreme, and more addictive than candy! Will say it's a crap shoot whether they have donuts, but they are pretty fast to refill. Either way worth the wait!!!

My favorite donuts around! If you're a yeast donut lover, you have to try it. The donuts are so perfectly light, soft, and fluffy. It can be hard to get the timing right here, but imo it's worth it for the most perfect donuts. The service/vibes are very old school Boston, a bit rough around the edges but friendly at its core. It's endearing and it's nice to support a local shop that is part of the fabric of the neighborhood.

Doughnuts with a difference has quickly become my favorite doughnut place around. It is a small local shop that serves an incredible variety of freshly made and delicious doughnuts. My favorite are the honey dipped and maple, but enjoy all of the goodies this place has to offer. They are made fresh each day and even taste great after a day, but typically don't last long at my place. The staff are friendly and the prices are great I highly recommend this place to anyone nearby. It will become your go to spot once you try them!

Old school donuts of the highest possible quality. Others might use more expensive/cheffy ingredients, but NO other place serves a better or fresher donut. For a long while they did not allow indoor dining, but the stools are now available. They don't have donuts right at opening but for someone who appreciates a hot one and is willing to wait a bit, it's a dream come true. Grab a coffee, pay for a couple of (or a few) donuts, sit on a stool, and watch as the parade of donuts comes out of the kitchen in small batches every few minutes or so. Then opt for what looks good, eating while still warm. My last 5 items (not all on the same visit): warm, hot, hot, warm, warm. Honey Dipped: Melts in your mouth. You taste the glaze but taste the donut more, and it's delicious. Sweet but not a sugar bomb. Chocolate Honey Dipped: A little on the red tinted side, but still chocolatey enough. Thick, shiny glaze. Hot and melty. Chocolate Glazed: This is the classic raised donut, with the ring of chocolate frosting. Now this had LOTS of flavor, similar to brownie batter. Thick and wet. Maple: Similar to the chocolate glazed, only maple. No bacon needed; this is about the fresh donut underneath. Coffee Roll: Big. Soft. Fresh. There's that word again. Notice a trend? Boston Cream: Nothing fancy about the pudding in the center, but a bouncy fresh vessel with a thick coating of still-wet chocolate frosting. Great bite, great flavor. Admittedly I give Union Square Donuts an edge for Boston Cream flavor, but for overall donut quality and especially freshness, Donuts With A Difference has them beat by a mile. One last word about freshness: by donut shop standards, 11am is very late in the day, but I've received warm donuts sometimes even at that hour.

Tried this place in a whim and man they didn't disappoint. Pillowy soft donuts absolutely delicious. Perfect texture on the glazed, the chocolate frosting tasted light and fresh, and the cream in the Boston cream was light and not overly sweet! *my daughter's tip was that they are a bit too "squishy" for her liking. There are lots of options but get there early before they are gone! A no frills place that serves an outstanding product. Also note small discount when paying cash

These donuts are simple, yet delicious. Donuts With A Difference carries the very standard donut shop varieties, and they do them well. I stopped in on a Thursday morning, and there was a line to the door, which I took as a good sign given that they only serve donuts and coffee. The place itself has a small donut case at the front with several counter seats for customers to sit and enjoy their breakfast. I like that they accept credit cards here, as I rarely carry cash these days, so they earned an extra point in my book for this. Donuts With A Difference is definitely a no-frills kind of place, but they sell delicious donuts, so I'll definitely be back.

These are the BEST DONUTS I've ever had! This simple donut and coffee shop is awesome! Stop in soon

Tried this establishment for first time today and the doughnuts were amazing. Service was great and quick. Everything was light and fluffy and made with care. A true throwback to a mom and pop establishment that takes pride in what they produce. Only downside was at 8 am on a Sunday the selection was limited. Wish they had all doughnuts out so we could try numerous ones.

Please hire some help and get in there to make donuts earlier. Every time I go, they have 3-4 varieties only. Someone is back there sloooooowly making donuts. Even on weekends when you should be ready to open with a full case, they barely have any donuts. Come on!

Donuts with a difference... The difference is fresh made donuts that are warm in the morning! Get there before 11 AM and you will not be disappointed. The best times to go, honestly are early weekend mornings. They make the most donuts on the weekends for the larger crowd. When I first went on a weekday, the donuts were somewhat hard or stale since I came at the end of the day and got the leftovers. I gave them another try during my pregnancy days and was so impressed. I came back again on an early weekend morning, and brought a dozen donuts to my family, and they were all very impressed at how warm and fresh they were! timing is everything in life they say! The maple glaze, the original glazed, the Gracie crueller are my favorite! The pumpkin, and double chocolate were also good. The chocolate frosted tasted like fresh rich chocolate ganache if you like a dark chocolate taste like I do!

Omg these are the best donuts ever! This is a no frills donut place. So if you are looking for those creative flavors, this is not the places. But if you are really into the basic donuts aroma and texture without the crazy flavor distractions, this is your place! I love plain glazed donut, the yeast raised dough is so fluffy and I love the chewy texture after the dough get moisturized in your mouse. The other reason I love this place is because they sell no glazed plain cruller! I usually don't enjoy the hyper sweet glaze, so a no glaze fried cake dough def caught my heart! Super soft and only has the aroma of a fried sweet cake dough! Will def come back again just for those!

Hands down the BEST donuts. Flavors are spot on, the texture of the donuts cannot be beat they truly melt in your mouth. You cant go wrong with a classic glazed here, I've tried the other popular donut shops around and none come close to this.

Ok, here is the deal, you can't actually get donuts until like 8. And plan to stand in line for at least 15 minutes. Just get the honey dipped (glazed) this is by far and away the best donut in Boston, and it's not even close. Just plan to wait, it's worth it. Sorry about no pictures, we ate them all too quickly.

I have no clue how anyone who has bought doughnuts at Doughnuts with a Difference in Medford could not give them 5 stars. I've been told to try different places and everyone I've tried doesn't even come close. Their doughnuts are by far the best in the area if not anywhere! Always wondered why the owner never franchised. Only negative is the line and that they sell so fast that you sometimes have to wait while they "special" make the ones you're looking for, which they don't mind doing. Give them a try and I guarantee you'll be a regular customer after just one visit.

I love donuts, but I had no idea they could be this good. A spiritual experience. We shared an assortment, but the real dream was the plain ol' honey dipped. Fluffy melt in your mouth bread texture with perfectly light sweet glaze. I ordered two more immediately. You could hunt down local donuts with hit-or-miss whimsical toppings, or you could come here and weep with delight at the simple perfection.

Donuts are amazing! You may not have a chance to try them depending on when you get there. As many reviews have said. They might have donuts. But when they do the Difference is real!

So good!!! My Boston cream was still warm. 1 minor complaint I promised my co-workers I would bring these donuts in and show them the greatness but they don't have any until 7:30-8:00 am

If you haven't been, go now. One of those places where you go and realize "ohhh this is what it's supposed to taste like." Can't recommend highly enough.

I stopped by this donut shop passing through Medford. The coffee here is New England coffee and premade in giant carafes. Not the end of the world, but there are some reviews here raving about the coffee. That is miss. The donuts were good, not out of this world. I paid $6.00 for 4 donuts which isn't a bad price. The girls working there were not very friendly or welcoming, which is frustrating when you're in there picking out donuts. Overall, I probably wouldn't stop here again, but wasn't mad that I did.

One of my favorite donut shops usually a great jelly stick. The two jelly sticks were having a bad day . I called to let them know, as a favor. The kind offer to bring them back was too late as we were already on our way. An off day we will be back. Tiny dab of jelly in one, tiny dab on other in only half of the other completely void of jelly.

These donuts are on point and delicious. They're light and fluffy and not too sweet. The only reason they don't get a 5/5 is because the employee was incredibly rude and impatient with us and it wasn't great experience. The donuts are reasonably priced and as someone who's tried A LOT of donut places in the Boston and Greater Boston (and all over the world) - this place definitely is in the Top 10. I got the Chocolate Cake Donut, Glazed, Kelly and Old Fashion and I honestly ate 2 shortly after I got home, and ate another 2 later that night...the last two were reserved for my boyfriend who also ate them both in the same day. One of these days I'll have to go back and try more donuts when it's a bit earlier, but hopefully I have a nice person be helped by.

I was recommended to go into this doughnut shop this morning because rumour has it, It is the best donuts ever. I was a little sceptical when I was approaching the front door. i walked in and the decor was a bit old school with a L shape counter with little barstools this place is quaint and inviting. I took my coat off and made myself comfy I sat there I watch people come in "the regulars" they new what there favourites was the lady placed parchment paper in the box and what wasn't visible she went in the back to see if they were ready...I played it safe and ordered a glaze/honey dipper and old fashion, with a hot cup of tea. I started out with a glaze first and can I tell you it was absolutely delish it melted in my mouth the best glazed doughnut I've ever had fresh warm delish yum. then I went onto the old fashion, nice and cakie if thats even a word delicious and moist. Oh my goodness my day was made. I started chatting with the employees, they're very pleasant very nice and then I see this person's hands in the back room picking up a doughnut and dipping chocolate take another look at it, making sure the consistency is there and putting it on the wirer tray I only saw their hands but this person was very meticulous with every doughnut it was awesome so much pride so then I asked the woman so these doughnuts are made fresh every day. She said yes he comes in around 4:30 she said then i asked is he the owner, she said yes And he's been doing it for about 40 years, he'll come in and hand make and dips stuffs twist every donut that is produced and put them in the cutest little wire trays with parchment paper. Some are hand dipped in sprinkled, toasted coconut jelly filled. These donuts are warm and delicious if you have never tried or still in search of the best donut this is the place to go. I went first thing in the morning when they are still warm....this little place gave me so much joy today....thank you I forgot to mention, I also left out with a half a dozen.... Yum

We tried Donuts with a Difference after seeing all the positive reviews. This is a no frills donut place with your more standard/basic options. The interior brings you back to a simpler time with bar seating and a plain design. The donuts are on the cheaper side relative to the broader Boston area, and they are excellent. They do not disappoint if you are looking for a classic, delicious, and fluffy donut. I prefer their donuts to some of the more flashy, trendy spots in the broader Boston area. They are also a reasonable size and price. Definitely give them a try!

3rd time in the past 2 month I've been here...... "donuts will be ready at 8am" and that's them being optimistic. Why bother opening the doors if you don't have donuts or anything to sell. I am not going there for coffee. All I can say is you might get donuts. Donut Villa or Demet's isn't too far away.... While I'd prefer DWAD at least I can go to either place and get a DONUT Can I suggest changing your hours to when the donuts are ready

Wow, these people don't mess around. Amazing, fresh donuts in classic flavors. Even the plain old fashioned blew me away. Crisp on the outside and warm, fluffy cake inside. Also, the price is a steal compared to the shops with more uppity donut flavors you'll find in Boston. So far this is my favorite spot for donuts!

Went out of my way to give them my business after seeing them on a list of best donuts and read the reviews that they sometimes don't have all donuts available or run out of certain kinds but thought that meant later in the day which is understandable. What is unacceptable is to open your doors at the scheduled time of 7am with people showing up and have COMPLETELY BARE SHELVES OF DONUTS. THATS RIGHT THEY OPENED WITH NO DONUTS READY. It's a donut shop?! No donuts! The girl said it would be 30 MINUTES before any donuts would be ready. How does this place stay in business?! You have to just wait all morning and go back and MAYBE something will be there?? Sorry no. Not going back! 0 stars but have to click one to post! Unbelievable!

They fry up some pretty good donuts here, but note that there are some quirks that come with the place. Although their opening time as listed online is 6AM, both times I've stopped in around 7:45AM, there were no donuts because they weren't ready yet. I've actually never been able to enjoy their donuts in the morning because they never seem to be ready before I have to go to work. I was about to give up until one day when I noticed they still had donuts at 4:30PM. Their yeasted donuts, including their honey dip are the real highlight. They're light, airy, and soft with the perfect amount of glaze on them. The cake donuts can be more hit or miss. I had an excellent apple cider donut around Halloween, but at other times, the coconut cake donuts and regular glazed cake donuts have been a little dry. Stick with the honey dip and you can't go wrong. The other quirk about this place is the complete lack of any ambiance. The lights are always half-off, the shelves are sometimes completely empty even though there are donuts available behind the counter in boxes(?), and the decor is very old and dated, but at least the young ladies that man the cash register are always pleasant and polite. Not to mention, the donuts are priced well at about $1 per donut. I'm glad this little donut shop exists in Medford, even if they have odd hours.

Best donuts around. Worst operation I've seen. You can't come here and expect a donut . Stop in when you go by. Don't make a trip - highly likely they sold 20 boxes to a church and have no donuts

The very best donuts period the end. Cannot say enough about the chocolate and honey dip bow ties (or jelly)

These donuts are not those fancy Maple Bacon $3.00 donuts, they are the old standards that are just amazing.

BE PREPARED TO WAIT ON LINE.... and know that the wait will be well worth it. I arrived at 9am sharp on a Sunday, and despite the ongoing pandemic, there was already a line of about 7-8 ppl in front of me. At around 9:05am, the line started moving quickly and only 1 customer was allowed to enter at a time with a maximum of 4 customers in the shop itself (not including the 3 workers at the counter). By the time I entered the shop, I'd say there were a good 10-15 people behind me. This was my first time visiting, and I was surprised to see that a lot of the donut flavors were already "out of stock" when I entered, but when I asked if there would be any more of the Boston Creme and other types I wanted, the worker was quick to head to the back kitchen and let me know when donuts would be ready or just grabbed extras from the ask. Seems like the system here is: when in doubt, just ask! Customer service was excellent as the workers were patient, professional, and willing to suggest other flavors if the one you wanted was not available. I did not feel rushed despite the large number of people waiting. Plus, it was only 8 bucks for half dozen donuts, which is such a good deal!! It was not until 9:25am that I left ecstatic, hugging my box of donuts, but trust me, these are worth the wait because I don't even LIKE donuts all that much but these were by far the best I've tasted in my entire life.

When you just have to have the real McCoy, this is the place to go. No brag. Fact. I dig 'em. Dear old Dad dug 'em. Even Papa ate 'em. And now my grandkids give their stamp of approval. Thanks for keeping it real, DWAD. (Wish I could still run in and buy a card, at Murray's stationary, and run into Devlin's, while I'm there)

A small, old donut shop in Medford that bring out freshly baked donuts each day. We came here on a Saturday mid-morning and got a dozen of assorted donuts. No lines, just a couple of other people in front of us, but service was quick. The shelves were half empty, but we came at a great time as they were restocking a few donut flavors that we ended up waiting 5-10 minutes for. In our box, we got honey-dipped, chocolate sprinkles, chocolate glazed, cinnamon, powdered, Boston cream, lemon filled, glazed stick, and a Gracie bar. The Boston cream was fresh out of the oven and the chocolate was freshly dipped, so a bit of chocolate got smudged on the side cover of our box. My favorites from the box are definitely the classic honey dip and the two filled ones (Boston cream & lemon). The donuts are a perfect size, not too big, but also filling. The brioche donuts are so soft and subtle and have that melt in your mouth feeling when you bite into them. Even the cake donuts are great because they aren't too dense to bite into, so you still get the flavor of the donut. The lemon donut is filled with a beautiful lemon curd that packs lots of flavor into the donut. This place is definitely worth a try if you love donuts as I do!

Amazing donuts but not always sure when they'll be ready or sold out. Nice, Friendly small business.

Some foods--tacos, burgers, breakfast, donuts etc.--have two main categories: old-school and fancified. If done right, there is really nothing to recommend one version over the other, they're just different. This place is the perfect example of old-school donuts. They have everything that you expect to find at a donut shop: several varieties of raised and cake donuts, good coffee and friendly staff. You're not gonna find hand-carved brioche donuts with a whiskey and reduced balsamic dressing, but you will find the best classic donuts this side of the Mystic River. Their raised are cumulus level light and fluffy and their cake donuts have just the right amount of crispy-fried shell surrounding a moist cake interior that isn't overly dense. Also awesome? Their prices; you can get half a dozen for the price of two in some other places. If you want the donut equivalent of comfort food made by your own mother, this is the place.

They have the best donuts in the Boston area! FOOD 5/5 Donuts are always fresh here! Tried most of the donuts and enjoyed all of them. $7 for a half dozen. Favorites are honey dipped, buttercrunch, and boston creme. Maple is too sweet in my opinion. OVERALL My favorite donuts! Unfortunately you never know what donuts they'll have and when. Sometimes, I'll go early in the morning and they'll still be making donuts. Other times, a person before me ordered the donuts I wanted. I've seen people come in and order 2 dozen donuts on the spot, leaving no donuts for everyone else in line. Would be 5 stars if they were able to keep up with the demand. PARKING Metered street parking

#1 donut spot in the Greater Boston area. I bought a couple dozen mixed donuts for my work. I warned everyone how good these donuts are. Within 10 minutes multiple co-workers came up to thank and and get the name of the place where I got them. Great food should be shared. I recommend the plain glazed. My daughter is a fan of the Boston Cream.

Dropped in on a Sunday around 11am, and got a Boston creme donut, and it was delish! A little crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. It was also stuffed with the perfect amount of tasty Boston creme. Would recommend! I will not the selection of donuts at this time was a bit skimpy, but in terms of quality, top notch!

Well it didn't take much to see what all of the hype is about. These are distinctly fresher and tastier donuts than dd. Wonderful staff. The glazed and jelly donuts were amazing. Reasonable prices too. Super friendly staff. Oh will I be back!

You can see why this place is so busy - I'm only 29, and this shop reminds me of the local places of my childhood. Nothing fancy - but a great counter with regulars, pulled up with their newspapers and coffee. I went for their buttercrunch (awesome) but was dying to try their cinnamon raisin old fashioned stick. I guess I'll have to come back to catch those! Be prepared for a long line - but it moves pretty quickly.

They sell out their donuts so quickly!! I came here on a Saturday morning at 8 am and there was already a line out the door. I was really hoping to try their Boston kreme donut but sadly the last one was swiped right before I got to the counter!! I opted for the half dozen donuts for 7.00 and chose from their dwindling selection. I tried the lemon filled glazed, maple, chocolate frosted (with/without sprinkles), and regular glazed. The donuts def do not disappoint! The chocolate frosted had a crispy texture to the donut while the glazed ones were soft and fluffy. Very good and well priced. Didn't try the coffee but it looks pretty standard. I will need to go back and get the Boston kreme... next time I will call ahead..

I stand by my original donut review because their dough is something to be rivalled. However, my main concern also remains in their customer service. Nothing gets better about their attitudes and can in fact get worse. My sister went to purchase a few donuts and the cashier was throwing F bombs left and right in front of her. How uncomfortable and disrespectful to run a business with such nasty attitudes. I'll be going to Modern Pastry across the road who have the most exceptional baked goods and I advise you all to do the same. What a shame.

If you're looking for fancy donuts topped with everything including the kitchen sink then this is not the spot for you. Donuts With A Difference has basic donuts that are done well, good dough and not disgustingly over sweetened. Small family shop so don't expect shelves to be fully stocked all the time, but that forces me to get something that I usually wouldn't and have yet to be disappointed. Glaze and Boston cremes are our go to if available.

Best donuts I've EVER had!!!! This is worth the drive--just get there early and you can get warm donuts!!

Got the deli glazed donut, it was delicious! And the employees were helpful and kind. Thank you

Freshly baked and so good with morning coffee. Unfortunately it's true what they say" the early bird gets the worm" they finish so quickly. That sometimes before noon there is none! But worth it and will always buy from them.

If you want donuts in the morning - don't bother coming here. I've stopped 2x, both after 8a (they open at 6:30a) and they don't have donuts out. I'd heard good things, but I'm certainly not wasting my time 3x.

If you're not into the new designer donut trend, Donuts With A Difference is your place. They have all the classic donut flavors at affordable prices. We got 1/2 dozen and it came out to 6.50. I love Kane's the most but for basic donuts, you can't go wrong here. The outside is so crispy and the inside is moist. What more could you want?! My favorite was the lemon and the crueller stick!