This Tennessee Donut Shop Is Alton Brown's Favorite

Very few celebrity chefs are as iconic and beloved as Alton Brown. He's had so many memorable TV moments and has a seemingly endless wealth of culinary knowledge and useful cooking tips that every home cook needs to know. The only thing more interesting than his expertise is who he actually is, especially his own foodie habits — which are fortunately pretty well-documented.

Alton Brown has gone on record several times discussing his personal favorite restaurants. One of his standout favorites is Gibson's Donuts, a fixture in the Memphis scene since the '60s best known for its old fashion glazed donuts, which Alton Brown particularly recommends people try. The celebrity chef has lauded the shop many times; on "The Eater Upsell" podcast (via Action News 5), he referred to Gibson's Donuts as the makers of "the best donut in the United States" and went so far as to say that "if all the other donuts went away and I still had Gibson's, I'd be okay."

Alton Brown also showcased Gibson's Donuts on Season 9, Episode 11, of Food Network's "All Star: Best Thing I Ever Ate," further propelling the shop into the spotlight. His reach and influence as a celebrity chef definitely helped encourage out-of-towners to try the donut shop. Like Alton Brown, they were not disappointed. Visitors have praised Gibson's Donuts, recommending not only the old fashioned glazed donuts but also other treats from its menu, such as the apple fritters and New Orleans buttermilk variants. As for how Memphis locals feel, many agree with Alton Brown's sentiments that Gibson's Donuts is one of, if not the, best food joints the city has to offer.

Founded in 1967, Gibson's Donuts has a simple mission: Make great donuts. The shop features tried-and-true classics, including light-and-airy old fashioned glazed and modern flavors such as bacon-topped maple donuts, red velvet cake donuts, and New Orleans buttermilk donuts. In addition to traditional-style donuts, it also has cake and yeast donuts, plus other sweets such as fritters, donut holes, cinnamon rolls, and eclairs. On top of making great donuts, Gibson's Donuts is also very affordable, with a menu that consistently keeps prices under $10.

A big part of what makes Gibson's Donuts special is the shop's personal recipes, which have remained the same since opening day (minus a few tweaks over time). According to current owner Don DeWeese, the shop's tradition of letting the dough rise three times continues, making for a lighter, more aerated donut. It's this dedication to quality that has given Gibson's Donuts such a great reputation, and what has helped it stand the test of time.

Decades after its opening, Gibson's Donuts is small but mighty. It's still housed in the same building after all these years, and the business is kept in the DeWeese family with no intentions of franchising or expanding so the business can keep its laser focus on making great donuts. It's a strategy that continues to work well, resulting in Gibson's Donuts making the list for top 50 donut shops in the United States according to Yelp Elites in spring 2025. Today, Gibson's Donuts remains a proud Memphis institution serving up sweet treats to locals, tourists, and celebrity chefs alike.