Nomsters, when enough of you tell me a spot has the best donuts in Maryland, you already know I have to go see for myself. Newberry Café in Bel Air had been on my list for a while, and I finally made the drive out to downtown Harford County on a Saturday morning.
There was already a pretty long line by 10am, which honestly felt like a good sign before I even got to the counter. I grabbed a half dozen, and the toasted coconut donut alone was worth the wait, so light and fluffy I wanted to turn right back around for another. If you love a classic, fresh-made donut, Newberry’s a must, and it’s an easy one to fold into a day around downtown Bel Air. Here’s everything I got, what I’d grab next time, and the one thing I’m still kicking myself for missing.
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What Makes Newberry Café a Must Visit Donut Shop
Newberry’s the kind of bakery that earns a line the old-fashioned way, by making everything fresh and keeping the classics on point. It actually carries on recipes from the old Bel Air Bakery, so there’s real history behind that case. Beyond donuts, it’s a full café and bakery: breakfast sandwiches, quiche, scones, muffins, apple fritters, homemade pop tarts, and cupcakes all share the counter.
They’re probably best known for their donuts and cronuts, but the range means you can roll in for a quick coffee and a pastry or build a whole weekend breakfast. They’ve even got a proper coffee menu, chai lattes and frappes included, so it works as a café stop and not just a donut run.
What to Order at Newberry Café
I thought about going savory, but a half dozen donuts was always the move. Regular donuts run $1.80 and filled ones are $2.15, which is a steal for how fresh they are. Here’s what I got and how I’d order next time.
Toasted Coconut Donut ($1.80)
This yeast donut was my FAVE of the whole box, hands down. It’s so light and fluffy, and genuinely so yum. It’s the one I’d tell a first-timer to grab before anything else, so if they have it the day you go, get it!
Filled Buttercream Donut ($2.15)
Another winner! If you’re a filled-donut person, it’s an easy add to the box at $2.15.
Apple Cider Donut ($1.80)
I also enjoyed their apple cider donut, which is a perfect fall pick while it’s around (it’s a seasonal one, so don’t expect it year-round). If you’re going in the cooler months, grab it alongside the coconut.
The Cronuts (the one I missed)
My one regret from this visit? I didn’t get to try the cronuts, and they’re one of the things Newberry’s known for. So if a cronut’s your goal, get there early to be safe. Consider this my official reason to go back.
A few more things worth knowing. Newberry’s also a full breakfast-and-lunch café, so there’s a savory side I didn’t dig into this time, think breakfast sandwiches and quiche, plus a case full of scones, muffins, apple fritters, homemade pop tarts, and cupcakes. Plenty to work through on a return trip.
What’s a Cronut?
If you’ve never had one, a cronut’s a croissant-donut hybrid, basically laminated, flaky croissant dough that’s fried like a donut and then often glazed or filled. You get those buttery, laminated layers with the crispy-fried edges of a donut, which is exactly why people lose their minds over them. They take more work than a standard donut, so a lot of shops make them in limited batches, which is part of why I missed out this time. Now you know why I’m already planning a round two, lol.
The Vibe and Experience
Newberry sits right in the heart of downtown Bel Air, so it’s an easy stop whether you’re running errands or making a morning of it. The line can get long on a weekend (I waited a bit on a Saturday), but it moves, and the space inside is bright and modern, with a grab-and-go layout that works whether you’re eating in or taking your box to go.
There’s a little outdoor seating too, plus street parking out front and a lot around back, which is clutch for a busy downtown. It’s a grab-a-box-and-go kind of place, but you can absolutely post up with a coffee. And if you want to keep the Harford County bakery tour going, Jaime Bakes in Havre de Grace is another local favorite, known for their cookie pies.
Good to Know
- Location: 📍 140 N Bond St, Bel Air, MD 21014, right in downtown Bel Air.
- Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 7AM to 5PM (closed Monday and Tuesday).
- Prices: Regular donuts $1.80, filled $2.15. Budget-friendly and worth it.
- Get there early: Weekend lines build fast and the donuts you want can go, so morning’s your best bet.
- Beyond donuts: Full café with breakfast sandwiches, quiche, scones, muffins, apple fritters, pop tarts, cupcakes, and custom cakes.
- Seasonal: The apple cider donut is a fall offering, so grab it while it’s around.
- Parking: Street parking on N Bond St plus a lot behind the building.
- Delivery: Available through DoorDash and Grubhub, and they take cards.
- Website: Check the menu and order info on the Newberry Café website.
Is Newberry Café Worth The Hype?
Yes. The hype you guys gave it was real, at least on the strength of that toasted coconut donut, and I get why there’s a line on a Saturday morning. It’s not fancy, it’s just a really solid, fresh-made donut shop doing the classics right at a budget-friendly price, and that’s exactly what I want in a donut run. I’d happily make the drive to Bel Air again, if only to finally settle the cronut situation. If you want even more spots to feed the habit, I rounded up the best donuts in Maryland too.
So there you have it, Nomsters. Newberry Café lived up to the hype, and I’ll definitely be back for those cronuts and whatever else is calling my name in that case. Have you guys been yet? Let me know your go-to donut in the comments, and send this to the biggest donut lover you know!