This is the kind of shop that seems too good to be true, which undoubtedly was a factor in deciding on such a straight-forward, unpretentious name. Yes, it's all vegan and yes, they've got all your sweet cravings covered. The classics are present of course, simple glazed and sprinkled little numbers that live up to the highest standards of childhood nostalgia, to more inventive flavors like matcha, blueberry, maple "bacon," or cookies and cream. Don't get me started on the apple fritters, which are the size of a dinner plate and loaded with soft, spiced apple chunks. It's hard to restrain yourself from ordering one of everything, especially because they really are cheaper by the dozen. Besides, when was the last time you had a bear claw? Or a maple bar? Or a Boston cream doughnut? Further complicating the final order is the incredibly kind owner, always at the counter, who's liable to throw in a free doughnut hole or two to reward such enthusiasm. Though it's impossible to resist the colorful magnetism of the front display, don't gloss over the other half of the shop's name. Soy-based gelato is made in house with rotating seasonal flavors, offered by the scoop or wedged into an outrageous doughnut sandwich assembly. I can only speak for the eggnog flavor which is of course long gone at this point, but I truly hope it makes an early come back. The flawlessly smooth, creamy texture is better than almost all prepacked options scooped out of a carton, and possibly one of the best in the bay. It may get overshadowed by the deep fried delights, but you won't regret topping off your treats with an extra frozen spoonful... Well, unless you've already eaten your weight in cinnamon twists. Not that I'd know anything about that. read more

I know this place is called donut and gelato but this review is about their banh mi and summer rolls. Tried the char siu and ham combo banh mi ($12) and the shredded pork summer rolls ($7). Everything is vegan. First, the servings are big. And at these prices! And it's not just big but delish. Second, it's good food. Banh mi bread had a crisp crust and a satisfying chew. The fillings were generous, and flavors were well balanced. The pickles had a nice crunch, and the "meaty" parts were savory goodness. Would def get again. The summer rolls come 2 per order; using a bit of lettuce of separate them was a nice touch. Slightly preferred the savory "fish sauce" especially after I soaked the jalapeños in it. The peanut sauce was a little sweet for me so prolly would have enjoyed more with some chili sauce. The shredded pork was a fun, slightly bouncy texture. Also bought a lemongrass beef banh mi but didn't have room, so looking forward ti lunch tomorrow. read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - shredded pork summer rolls (the photo makes them look really uneven but they were about the same size). - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

I really enjoyed this place. I attempted to go to their SF Dove Donuts location the day prior, but failed to double check it was open (they are temporarily closed). Vegan Donut Gelato is the same folks as Dove Donuts Cafe, and I was in awe with their vegan options, not only from a sweets perspective, but also with their various Báhn Mì & drink options. Not pictured is the bear claw I shared with friends later (SO so good). When in Oakland, this is a must try for all the plant-based (+ veg curious) folks out there. I enjoyed hearing more about the options from the kind people who work here, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the seating and storefront made for a nice mealtime surrounded by fellow animal and planet lovers.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I will be telling my friends about this place! read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - Glazed bar donut - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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I was there for some donuts. The 3 stars are only for the donuts. I don't know why such high ratings. They were all stale and nothing out of the ordinary. The were two other patrons ordering Vietnamese food they were very specific with their orders and the staff were patient and accommodating. 5 star for the service! read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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This place is very dangerous and it should come with a full disclosure warning. It is vegan crack for me, I love every donut that they sell but my favorite are the classic - old fashion and glazed. The donuts are just so perfect in every way - size, texture & of course flavor. read more

Been coming for years. Delicious donuts - they don't taste vegan. Good, strong lattes. (hope tofu bahn mi gets added to the menu)

They were nice people. This is my first time eating vegan donuts. I bought them for a group gathering. I will say it was a conversation piece. I got a bunch of mid reviews about the donuts. So said it was dry, other people say they can taste a different, but it is a different alternative if you want something sweet and healthy. read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - A dozen donuts but I provided the box for it to look good in the picture - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

I'm not a vegan but this banh mi was pretty damn good! Don't eat donuts so I'm glad they have sandwiches as well since I work close by. read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - Combination - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

I ordered on DoorDash and the food was really good! I liked the char siu banh mi a lot. The prices for the rolls and sandwiches are excellent in my opinion. The fresh rolls were also huge and well priced with many protein options. I should definitely try the donuts next time. I love to see fully vegan restaurants! Definitely try this place!! read more

Too Good To Go: vibe check! AND IT'S A GO FOR ME! If you haven't heard of TGTG the app, please do yourself a favor and download it. Vegan Donut/Gelato is a part of that community, and I loved that I could pick up a full bag of day-old donuts around their closing time for an extremely discounted price. Through the TGTG app, I got to taste their donut holes, regular sugar donut, blueberry icing donut, and maple old fashioned donut which were all SO DIVINE. Definitely on the sweeter side, but so melt-in-your-mouth decadent. The service was quick, pickup no issues, and street parking ONLY. They're located on a busy street, so I wonder how most people park if they're not from the neighborhood. Sweet service with a smile, and cute, clean interior. Def a local favorite with quick and easy to-go/takeout process. They also serve drinks like Vietnamese coffee and apparently gelato, but I didn't walk farther into the shop to explore since they were closing up. Highly recommend supporting your local and POC-owned small biz. Will def be back and look into the gelato as well. read more

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Kids got some donuts I got a vegan banh mi with charsu. Great experience all around. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very clean and super nice people running the shop :)[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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This donut shop has always been incredible and now that they have vegan banh-mis and spring rolls, it is even better. The banh-mi is on a delicious bread with fresh ingredients and complex and complementary flavors! So good! great price! friendly folks! read more

this place is BOMB. very reasonably priced banh mi that are big and so flavorful. the viet iced coffee is delicious. the donuts are delicious. no notes! this place deserves more hype! read more

Delicious doughnuts, coffee, fresh rolls, & banh mi + great service! The staff were kind and helpful, my two kids bounding about with energy. The woman making sandwiches even offered my kids some apples I don't live in the area, but if I did, I'd definitely become a regular. read more

I knew it was National Donut Day today so I made a plan to make sure I could get a donut today. Went out to the lake for a run with a friend and made our way over to VeganDonutGelato (although I think they are changing the name to DoveDonuts...does that mean DO VEgan?!?!). The shop was very clean and there were a few tables for us to sit down and dig-in! The clerk at the counter was very friendly and was happy to tell us the names of all of the pretty frosting colors we asked about. Blueberry, Guava, Matcha, Mango, and more. Maple is my FAV though so I went with the classic, then saw there was a maple with sprinkles! Bonus and extra-fun! My donut was delicious! My friend really enjoyed her donut as well. So many raised donut options, which I think are not as easy to find as the cake options. Looking forward to a return visit to try the guava, or the chocolate, or the coconut... read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - a vegan raised, maple-glazed, rainbow sprinkle donut + a vegan chocolate cake, chocolate glazed, rainbow sprinkle donut - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

VEGAN BANH MI !!!!! I know this shop is famous for its donuts, but I was excited to hear that they've added banh mi. I had the char siu version and it was amazing! The crunch and give of the bread roll, then the crunch (carrot and cucumber, jalapeño) and smoothness (paté, mayo, char siu) of the filling offers the classic banh mi experience. The umami bomb of the mushroom paté really raises the level. Most vegan banh mi just omits the paté. Absolutely delicious! read more

Vegan Donut Gelato. Now those are three words you don't often see together. Why, I believe it would be an oxymoron were it not for the fact that somehow they do go together. It's been around for at least five years, and I have to admit the concept of sustainable donuts didn't strike me as a must-try. But hey, I admit I am somewhat donut obsessive, not in terms of quantity (thank goodness) but I'm always on the lookout for a new one. After circling Lake Merritt by foot, I convinced Jamie W. to walk the three short blocks on East 18th Street to come to the unassuming store. We were immediately entranced by the wide array of vegan donuts in the display case. So much choice but no pressure from the woman behind the counter who was friendly and basically said all of them were delicious. Settling on three to share, we went with the Green Tea (an obvious choice for me but probably the least of the trio), the Blueberry Cake (a glazed old-fashioned, quite tasty), and the Chocolate with Peanuts (the hands-down winner). Each was $3.50 and worth the calories (photo: https://bit.ly/3ApYSMy). Excuse us while we go around the lake a dozen more times. DONUTS - 4 stars...tasty guilty pleasures even though no animal was sacrificed for my hips AMBIANCE - 4 stars...it's all about the donuts...didn't even ask about the gelato SERVICE - 4 stars...very friendly TOTAL - 4 stars...a yumminess alert to donut obsessives in Oakland RELATED - Want a donut? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2uuXEPg read more

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Seems like there has been a change in ownership of the Vegan Donut Gelato I used to know and love so well. Let me elaborate... THE GOOD: Nice, knowledgeable staff. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Clean locale.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Many choices of donuts, including some unusual flavors, like matcha and mango-Tajin, and nearly all are of the yeast-raised variety, which I adore. THE BAD: Went in this morning, much too early for stale donuts and yet I walked out with a whole box of them. I should have been suspicious when the friendly woman behind the counter recommended microwaving them to soften them up. Nearly all the donuts--but especially the donut holes, which she threw in as an extra--were a bit too dry and chewy to have been fresh. The lemon jelly and Bavarian cream were pretty good, but fillings don't carry a donut. THE UGLY: The apple fritter--normally one of my faves--to my great disappointment, tasted like old, overused oil. Not good. For the love of fried dough, y'all, please make these fresh every day! Last note: They did not have gelato...not sure if they typically have it later in the day or if it is off the menu. read more

The food is so good here. I just got two giant banh mi and realized, these are new to the menu, so I should write about it Apparently they added fresh rolls with tofu/ vegan chicken/veggies/peanut sauce etc. I want to try those next Love an all vegan local spot, and the people are always so nice. if they had later hours I'd be in a lot more, but I understand it's coffee and donuts primarily I just demolished my sandwiches. So good! read more

Donuts have always been so fresh and tasty - both cake and fluffy style. My new favorite thing here is the spring rolls and bahn mi! Big portions and sooooooo good! All the staff is also super friendly. read more

Do I recommend this business? H to the ECK NO!!! Got a dozen donuts, a sandwich, and a juice. BILL WAS 64 ACTUAL DOLLARS. Like, dollars. Not only that, these are the worst facsimile of donuts that I have ever put near my mouth. To even call them, "donuts" should be an actual crime. You cannot bite into them without your teeth getting stuck halfway through the bite. They are cardboard shaped like a donut with pink frosting and sprinkles. Donuts are supposed to be sweet, and have a pull and a bounce back to the dough. Then, after you bite into them, you can chew them and swallow them. Like food. You cannot do any of that with these. I legitimately took that one single attempt at a bite, and stopped forever. The next time I opened this $64 mystery box, I discovered that all of the "frosting" on the cardboard donuts had melted off of them into a sticky, gooey, slimy mess. So I had 12 naked, brown cardboard donuts, sitting in a glob of neon green and pink swirled sparkly, sticky, sprinkled, plasticky, slimy gunk. All for $64. For the life of me, I could not inform as to what that "frosted" substance is. It most closely resembles kiddie slime. I was also told that the sandwich was ordinary. No idea how this place has stayed in business serving stuff like that, especially when you can get a dozen superb donuts elsewhere for 10 bucks. The "donuts" might be pretty to look at here, but all that glitters isn't gold. read more

Big, delicious doughnuts. My coworkers who are not vegan loved these doughnuts and said they wouldn't mind doing the drive again from San Jose to Oakland to get these doughnuts again. read more

This was my first time trying vegan donuts and they tasted EXACTLY like regular donuts. Staff was very friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a small shop with limited hours in Oakland.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I got lucky this time and found parking. read more

This place is fireeeee. The donut holes omg vegan donut holes i never found them anywhere and the cinnamon roll is now my number 1 of top cinnamon rolls as well as the "bearclaw" apple pie donut. Cant go wrong with the chocolate twists and the guava donut and the oreo donut was an impulse buy but it was good. Definitely worth the 7 hour drive lmao read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - Yummyyyyy - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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Staff is super friendly and welcoming. Maple icing, delicious. Walking distance from where I'm staying, amazing. Super fresh donuts with a variety of flavors and some specialty options (apple pie donut, fritters, cinnamon roll donut). Have already been back for a second visit! read more

I have been meaning to write a review for this place for such a long time but haven't gotten around to it but today's review is actually inspired by my doggies who very much enjoyed the doggie donut treat that the staff offered. 10/10 every time for me (and my doggies!) -- The service never disappoints, the donuts are always fresh and super fluffy and the banh mis are so good and actually really affordable considering the higher than average quality of the ingredients that they use. This multi-generational donut shop is a total gem and has been a staple in the vegan community for such a long time. It's great to see them offering new menu items and I hope everyone in the community comes through to try this delicious spot. read more

As we go thru life, we encounter things that make us wonder....."what's this?" That's what I thought when I saw the business, "Vegan Donut Gelato" listed on my Caviar App. Caviar offered me a promo discount to try this place. So I ordered some donuts via Caviar, which is risky because most likely your picks won't be available. The app prices are the same as the actual store prices. $3.50 for a regular donut is a little high, but hey everything is more expensive now. So I get a phonecall from the store saying they sold out of some of what I ordered. I tell the store to give me what they have of equal or better value (no cheapees). So instead of 5 donuts, they sent me 6 donuts (including a jelly filled) and load of donut holes. So the store was pretty cool about compensating for my missing donuts. BTW, forget the vegan gelato. I already have tried plant-based ice cream, and it can't be much different. So how were the donuts? There's no significant difference between vegan* donuts and regular donuts. Maybe they're not as sweet. The soft textures are the same. I bet in a blind taste test, most people wouldn't know the difference. So have a vegan donut and a cup of coffee, it's as good as it gets! Service, Grade (5/5) Great customer service, thanks for calling! Donuts, Grade (5/5), Good product! Vegan Donut Gelato is located near E18th St x 4th Ave, in Oakland near Lake Merritt. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Vegan: What's a vegan donut? A vegan donut would be a donut made without the use of animal products. Non-vegan ingredients include: eggs, milk, butter, and honey. So they're made with alternative ingredients like Almond milk. read more

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I love this place! The girl that works here is super helpful and nice, she lets you try the coffee before purchasing! She also gave us some recommendations for sightseeing in SF. The donuts are probably the best vegan donuts I've had in 7 years tbh. The strawberry jelly filled one paired with the Vietnamese coffee is soooo good. The coffee itself has a nice kick to it, and made with soy milk I believe she said. The matcha donut is also delicious and tastes like there's actually matcha in the glaze, not just green for fun. The dough is fluffy and held together well. Half a dozen ~$21 (a little pricier than I'm used to, but they are delicious and more gourmet than the average shop) read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - Half a dozen: Matcha Blueberry Glaze Strawberry jelly filled Cinnamon crunch Oreo Maple custard filled Vietnamese coffee - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

We picked up a few doughnuts from here the other morning and they were delicious. We got glazed raised jelly-yummy & my personal fav, chocolate sprinkles which were also really good-I can see myself with a hot cup of coffee eating one of those, unfortunately I only got one bite and my daughter ate the rest..lol. We also got a maple doughnut that was really good & a bunch of delicious doughnut holes. I'm not vegan, but I love good tasting food & this place delivers. read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - Doughnut sampler, delicious! - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

Came to pick up too early , felt really bad for the cashier it was my fault. Owner made cashier come out and knock on my car window ( so inappropriate) and check my order , he then proceeded to scold her in front of me. Also asked for the donuts back after I was in my car with them. Donuts are decent but they lost me as a customer with this behavior. For context I picked up my order 30 mins before I was able too. read more

Fiancé Ryan got vegan donuts for a Valentine's Day treat. I can only judge by their taste since I didn't have the pick up/order experience- Ryan mentioned they were a bit on the steeper price end and spent $16 for 4 donuts. They were pretty good, although the frosting on the old-fashioned donuts was a bit heavy and a smidge too sweet for me. We shared it with the future in-laws so everyone had a taste of each - I was partial to the Oreo raised donut. Would I get it again? I'd be open to trying the good old glazed and other offerings in the future but I'm still swooning over Donut Savant. read more

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Oh my god I love this place. Not gonna lie I usually don't like vegan tasting things but their donuts are so fluffy and not too sweet you wouldn't think they're vegan. I personally always get the blueberry donut, some donut holes, and MANDO is the Vietnamese coffee. I feel like Vietnamese coffees usually make my stomach hurt but theirs is so creamy and yummy AND Ha* is such a sweetheart I love her. I don't usually hang around here just because there isn't too much seating but it's nice inside! read more

First time here and I really enjoyed it! The ambience has a nice modern chic but warm/inviting with the wood benches and the menu with movable type, even the fonts feel modern. But the donuts are the real deal. Thoroughly enjoyable as a non vegan. I tried: cinnamon crumb- very tasty, lots of textural contrast, even better than they look Donut holes: soft and fluffy, lightly glazed Guava: you know they're not messing around when they use guava frosting!!! Very surprising, I thought it was strawberry at first but delighted to taste guava. Chocolate glazed: as good as it looked Also special shoutout to Victoria the worker, she was super nice and friendly! My only wish would be if this place had more content on Instagram, even something simple and fun and relatable like the workers making lattes, I think it could be a lot more popular. So glad to find this gem! read more

I've had vegan donuts from a few different states and just happened upon this one while visiting dollar tree. So I'm a bit disappointed because they've doubled their prices. They're charging $3.75 for a regular donut when it use to be $2. I didn't notice anyone on here reporting it via menu pictures, I'll have to report the old prices as out of date. It makes sense because it has been 5 years- I'm just broke and a bit bitter. It seems like they're trying to go for an upscale Donut Bar- esque look and turned upscale because of the fame they got from being affordable. Kudos to them though, I'm glad they're succeeding. I decided to splurge since I had my mind set on it since the night before. It does look out of place from its surroundings, hopefully it won't gentrify the area more, it may be beneficial for them to move to a new location with more pricier foot traffic. The most unique donut here is the Cinnamon Crunch. I didn't know if I would like it, but I love it. It's definitely a fancy donut that I haven't seen at other vegan donut places, and I'll remember it. Important: they no longer serve bear claws, and they only serve glazed old fashioned (and maybe unglazed?) on the weekends so those sell out quick if you're into the crunch. Boston cremes are also fast to go she told me. The coconut and peanut chocolate ones are apparently not popular so I paused on that impulse buy today. The green tea kind of just tasted like vanilla to me? Maybe it's just me, or maybe this batch didn't have enough matcha. The Boston crème was spot on. This definitely tastes like the stuff Dunkin Donuts made when I worked there a decade ago and had to throw out dozens at the end of the night. Way less guilt inducing than Dunkin Donuts though! I was damn near sick by the time I got to the chocolate Oreo, but I bucked up for a full review lol! It was pretty nice, about what you'd expect. My favorite part is that the fancy topped donuts don't actually have holes! This reduces a ton of mess and makes for more toppings. If I were to do it over again, I would probably just get the cinnamon crunch & Boston crème. Overall, this is a really nice place. It's pretty typically priced for an upscale vegan donut place. Just have that expectation before you get here and everything should be dandy! I didn't notice any deals on dozen or half dozen but perhaps that's more of an if you ask thing. Be sure to check in here for a free donut hole! Didn't see my offer until after I left read more

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Delish donuts! Great service too! I'll have to come back earlier next time as they sell out towards end of the day

Buy donuts for my family and don't bother to tell them they're vegan. They are none the wiser.

I am wondering if the ownership has changed recently because the quality is not the same as it was 6 months back. Donuts used to be bigger and fresher. The last two times I ordered matcha it was really clumpy and unpleasant. read more

10/10! The fluffiest vegan donuts we've ever had. A lot of other shops offer vegan options, but they're more cake like and dense. We love the fluffy traditional donuts and this place delivers. Cannot recommend enough! read more

Vegan Donut Gelato - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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What a GEM!! And they have Banh mi sandwiches now with house made vegan meats!!! I'm still dreaming about the crisp crunch of the bread, pickle, and so so soooo good filling. The donuts and coffee are exceptionally good!!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place is welcoming, bright, beautiful![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We will be back again and again. read more

My sister in law visited my wife this weekend. She's vegan so we tried to cater to her dietary restrictions during her visit. Truth be told, I'm a huge animal lover and would love to be vegan or better yet vegetarian, but I just know I can't do it long-term for a number of reasons. That being said, if your reason to be vegan is to be healthy and slim, this vegan donut shop is proof that being vegan won't make you skinny. I ordered a bear claw, cinnamon roll, and a couple other donuts. How were they? Good. I really liked the bear claw, even though $5 dollars sounds a little pricey, it was awesome. It's just as good as regular donuts, if not better. The guy that works here is a cool dude and very friendly. I'd totally come back whether I'm vegan or not. read more

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