Doughnuts are one of the trickier sweets to get a handle on in Japan.
While chains such as Mister Donut stand tall and foreign imports like Krispy Kreme have enjoyed some time in the spotlight, the circular snack has proven quite tough for just any restaurant to try out. Even Seven-Eleven Japan, when it tried to pair its successful coffee with doughnuts a couple years back, flopped.
Accordingly, all of the places in Tokyo that do serve doughnuts focus on making the finest version they can. Some keep it simple, with offerings that emphasize basic flavors and freshness. Others get fancy, creating treats with Instagram in mind and experimenting with flavors. Some even manage to make fried dough healthier — well, a little bit, at least.