As the saying goes, something can be “as American as apple pie.” However, this phrase may need some updating, with donuts replacing the pie. The fact is that Americans love these sweet treats, with 10 billion donuts produced in the country every year. So, it’s no surprise that you may want to incorporate donuts into your travel plans, such as visiting the St. Louis suburb with the best donut shop in America (Old Town Donuts in Florissant). Or, if you’re heading to the Pacific Northwest, you can indulge in one of the most prominent gourmet donut purveyors, Blue Star in Portland, Oregon.
Blue Star’s story began in 2012 with a novel idea: What if donuts could be more of a gourmet dish, rather than a simple fried treat? “Donuts for grownups,” so to speak? The founders, Micah Camden and Katie Poppe, began experimenting with different ingredients and flavors, such as fruits, liquors, and various spices, to create unique and memorable desserts. Their secret, though, is the brioche dough, which is light, chewy, and fluffy. It also takes 18 hours to make, and the dedication to the craft is evident, at least when I’ve had them. Blue Star also makes buttermilk and cake-style donuts, which are equally delicious.
In fact, the donuts here are so good that the shop ranked ninth for donut shops in the 2025 USA Today’s “10 Best” list. According to the ranking, Blue Star beat out the competition for its incredible flavor options and abundance of vegan flavors, which are hard to find at most donut shops. But the quality does come at a price, with each donut averaging around $5, and a dozen going for $55 at the time of this writing.
Adding Blue Star Donuts to your next Portland vacation
High prices aside, Blue Star has been popular enough to expand its footprint in the Portland area. As of 2026, there are four locations, including one inside one of the most beautiful airports in America, PDX. So, even if you’re just visiting Portland for a quick stopover, you can still grab a donut between flights. Other locations are in downtown Portland, South Waterfront, and Southeast Portland. No matter where you’re traveling in the city, you won’t be too far from Blue Star…