Dot's Pastry Shop — Restaurant in Ocean City

5-Star Review: A Side-by-Side Test of Two Ocean City Favorites

Both Dot’s Pastry Shop (3148 Asbury Ave) and Cathy’s 14th Street Bakery (407 E 14th St) are amazing local institutions. Over the years, we’ve experienced truly perfect chocolate frosted yeast doughnuts from both places—light, fluffy, freshly made, and delicious. This review is not meant to favor one business permanently over the other, but rather to document a one-day, side-by-side comparison for fun (and flavor).

On June 26, 2025, my niece and I purchased chocolate frosted yeast doughnuts from both bakeries. We did not identify ourselves or mention we were doing a comparison. We simply stood in line and ordered as regular customers.

Dot’s Pastry Shop

Frosting: Smooth, glossy finish Perfectly balanced sweetness (5/5) Well-set glaze that stayed intact when cut Very fresh and smooth, with excellent texture

Doughnut: High-quality yeast rise with a good proof line Clearly made fresh that morning; light, springy, and elastic Perfectly fried with moderate grease absorption

Cathy’s 14th Street Bakery

Frosting: Also smooth and glossy Slightly sweeter and thicker (4/5), still very enjoyable Visually appealing but cracked and crumbled when cut Slight dryness in the frosting suggested it may not have been as fresh

Doughnut: Good rise and bounce Texture was more dense than expected; tasted heavier Possibly over-fried or absorbed too much grease

It’s worth noting that the chocolate frosted with sprinkles we also purchased from Cathy’s had much better texture and less grease absorption—so it’s likely that our sampled doughnut came from a batch that wasn’t representative of their usual quality. We’ve had many excellent doughnuts from Cathy’s in the past, and this one instance doesn’t change our overall recommendation.

Conclusion: Both bakeries remain 5-star favorites, and we encourage everyone to try both. That said, in our one-day, side-by-side taste test, Dot’s doughnut was the clear winner in terms of freshness, texture, and balance. We’ll continue to visit and enjoy both spots—Ocean City is lucky to have them.

(Photos attached show the doughnuts before and after cutting, including how the...

Dot's is a pilgrimage for the best cream-filled donuts on the planet. If you are anywhere near Ocean City, even just passing through the on Garden State Parkway (exit 25), take the trip.

Update: We stayed in OC in the late spring, and to ensure we could get a fix until our next trip, we bought 2 dozen cream donuts home and deep froze them. 30 seconds in the microwave, and they’re ready for consumption. We have to work on our son not devouring them in one bite, however. And I forgot to mention Dot’s Butter Cake… okey, gooey paradise in a tray. Make sure you get your steps in when...

Great bakery. Wonderful service and outstanding cakes. Purchased two cakes for a special celebration in honor of my wife's b-day. Purchased a vanilla cake with buttercream icing. It was beautifully decorated and the cake was so light and moist. It was fantastic. The chocolate was equally an outstanding hit with the family. The icing was simply delightful. Real ingredients and none of the waxy additives that you often get in a chocolate cake icing. My wife was so happy. Of course while I waited for my order to be boxed up I had a breakfast donut. Yummy. Highly recommend Dot's. I'll be going...