Are savory doughnuts a new food trend? Parlor thinks so

🍩 For years, doughnuts have politely stayed in their lane: sweet, sugary, and unapologetically breakfast-adjacent. But 2026 may be the year they finally rebel.

Parlor Doughnuts, a fast-growing chain known for its laminated, flaky “Famous Layered Doughnuts,” launches its first-ever lineup of savory doughnuts today.

Parlor’s only current Valley location is on the southeast corner of Chandler and 40th Street in Ahwatukee.  A downtown Tempe location temporarily closed earlier this month but is expected to reopen soon.

Available daily starting at 11 a.m., the savory doughnuts are clearly aimed at lunch or snack time.

The base is Parlor’s signature layered dough, but with a crucial twist: it isn’t sweet. That allows the dough itself – crispy on the outside, airy on the inside – to act more like a croissant-meets-flatbread canvas.

Parlor also is rolling out Savory Minis, served in boxes with dipping sauces like beer cheese and ranch, which feels like a subtle hint that these are meant for sharing … or not.

So is this a one-off curiosity, or the start of a bigger trend? Savory pastries have been creeping onto menus for years – think croissant sandwiches, etc. – but doughnuts have mostly resisted the shift.

That resistance may be over.