ziggy's has access to a secret ingredient called "magic." maybe you've heard of it. it's what keeps all their baked goods feeling/tasting fresh the next day, and it's what makes me actually want to eat donuts (which i'd prefer to spell "doughnuts" but am lazy). i gave up donuts awhile ago, but absolutely cannot resist them from ziggy's. everything they bake is great. nothing is slimy. i've even seen (read: eaten) a hot dog-shaped donut treat. around the holidays the sign says to place your order for bapka bread, much to the delight of "seinfeld" (and bapka bread) fans. the apple dumplings are a huge hit, too. how about i just read you the entire menu and go, "oh man, you have to try this" after every item? the best part about the good taste and the freshness and the slime-free factor? everyone here is super nice and clean. i know that the coffee makers are cleaned super regularly because the owner told me so. she wants to make sure the coffee tastes as good as can be. the place is totally a haven for regulars, but it's extremely welcoming, unlike some tiny local places can be. i love that family feeling. it's like a kind hug. here's the thing, though. the absolute best thing they offer is their whoopie pies (which they do on wednesdays). they're SO GOOD. both the cake and the frosting have a great flavor, and they're lighter than some whoopie pies i've had in the past. they even rival my aunt's whoopies. i can't believe i just said that. i know i already mentioned this, but ziggy's made a non-donut lover a donut enthusiast. that's powerful stuff. the streets are crazy around ziggy's, considering essex street changes one-way direction a couple times, but it's worth the slightly confusing trip. p.s. i had to come back and edit this review. i wrote "slim-free" instead of "slime-free." ah, the irony. read more

This is the kind of neighborhood coffee shop that you didn't even think existed anymore. The owners seem like kindly grandparents and the interior looks like it hasn't been updated since the mid 50s. There are always a bunch of neighborhood folks hanging out and chatting. The donuts and pastries are good, although the selection might be limited if you don't get there early enough. I'd like to believe this place will go on forever, but I'm not sure how much time it has left. Instead of the same old bland, stale Dunkin' Donuts, why not try Ziggy's sometime and help keep them around a little longer? read more

What a lovely little gem, right in my neighborhood. I have to admit that this place often looks closed, and it is nothing fancy inside of out. Everything is fresh and very delicious. I got a toasted coconut and a blueberry donut, they were sooo good. I also ordered an apple turnover that was fesh from the oven and too hot to eat. I also got a chocolate milk produced in the next town over. The owner was very nice. The handwritten menu includes coffee and all types of pastries, but they go fast and early. They have 5 or 6 stools at a counter, but if it's a nice day I suggest you cross the street with your goodies and eat on one of the benches or rocks looking out over Collins Cove. read more

I'm addicted to these donuts. My waistline hates this place. Family that works there is friendly and warm. I still hate them though. LOL!

So delicious they'll probably kill you, but among the best chocolate glazed, chocolate frosted, and jelly sticks out there. Great coffee too. This place is a trip back in time, in the best possible way. I think the donuts are like 75 cents, too. read more

What a great place. Next time I'm in Mass I'll go out of my way to make it back. The doughnuts were great and service was even better, if that's possible. The kids all loved it too. If your in Salem it's a must. Great neighborhood place. Thanks for the hospitality. read more

Nostalgia ! Old tiny donut shop w fresh coffee and fresh cut donuts and pastries. Go on Wednesday and have awoopee pie to die for . It's like back to when everyone knew your name, donuts were fresh and sized to eat and not be a meal. Order a fresh pie to be ready for pick up the next day. No greasy heavy taste like the big chain store. Blueberry filled are heaven. It's as soft as fried dough at the fair. read more

Great doughnuts, good coffee and some of the kindest staff you can find. I didn't have cash, so they didn't charge and I came back and paid that afternoon. Amazing service! read more

Very disappointed with Ziggy's. Ordered a dozen Whoopi's pies on Tuesday to be picked up on Friday at 12 pm. Got a call on Friday morning that they messed up they order and made a dozen assorted pastries instead of my Whoopi pies. Nothing was offered, figured that if they made a mistake they would go above and beyond to fix It and didn't. I was told I would be given a call back to let me know if they could fulfill the order by close (3 p.m) no one called to let me know whether they could or couldn't. Very upsetting as this has been a Christmas tradition for our family the past decade and now we won't have them because of mistake that was not ours. read more

You got the best damn donuts in town thanks 1 million! Thanks to the locals for pointing this place out! Dunkin' Donuts has nothing on these guys!another hidden gem in Salem! read more

Best donuts in MA! I don't usually eat sweets for breakfast, but when I do, this is the place! Love the cozy, old fashioned feel and the owners couldn't be nicer! Highly recommend!!! read more

Amazing. Just as good as everyone here has said! Every donut I've tried has been delicious, fairly priced and the staff is incredibly friendly. Half a dozen donuts is $5. Cash only! read more

Jelly donuts are the best I've ever had in my LIFE. The nicest family owns it and I smile every time I see them. Sweet little boy and family, God I love them! The donuts are soooooo good. read more

This TINY donuts shop is a combination of a hole in the wall, dive, local institution ,hidden and secret jewel. But once you step inside it is a nostalgic yet classic little donuts shop offering the tastiest treats ever. Just to warm you they sell out quick as there are many regulars every morning. The service is friendly yet quick. Closed Saturdays . A must visit when you can find them open and stocked with products. As for coffee they serve basic New England Breakfast blend and Pure Country milk to wash down the treats. This is the kind of place you want to be around forever as they stand still with time. read more

Totally worth the calories! I stopped in here on a random Tuesday for a birthday treat. The place was empty and it looked like most of the donuts had been picked over (it was 8:30 a.m.) Luckily there were enough for me. I tried the jelly donut with powdered sugar crystals and crack (Not 100% sure). But wow. Those little guys were DELISH. I also had a GIANT chocolate frosted donut that was thick and crunchy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. I was in a sugar coma the rest of the day but TOTALLY worth it. If you live in the area or are visiting you must stop here for some sugary goodness. read more

Ziggy's donuts are made from scratch and hand cut. These donuts are the real deal !!!! Not only do they have donuts but they sell muffins and pastry. I wouldn't think of getting donuts any place else. They also just opened a new one on Lowell Street in Peabody. Same baker, same quality !!!! read more

First time visited, they had ether sold out and closed or were only open in the Peabody location... That was a little irritating, but today that was forgiven and forgotten as the chocolate frosted melted in my mouth. The lemon filled very good too. Chocolate glazed was a little dry though. Will return for sure... :) read more

We went about half an hour after closing time and they were still happy to serve us...and gave us an extra complimentary donut! Donuts super fluffy and substantial. Enjoyed old fashioned and glazed donuts. Such a great place with homemade treats. A gem in Salem read more

Simply Scrumptious! We got a birthday cake from Ziggy's TODAY and it was fresh, rich and delicious. Thank you for putting love into your work. It truly shows! read more

I began my early morning journey in Peabody but my patience wore thin after sitting in the Ziggy's parking lot until 7:10 and realized they don't keep strict hours (how do they prep?). So I made my way to Salem. The choices were limited but I chose the honey dipped, chocolate honey dipped, pumpkin, plain and jelly which was basically the extent of their variety. The honey dipped was by far and away the best. Airy and delicate - maybe the best of that kind I've had. However, the others had a crispy outside which is great but not thick enough to render a fluffy inside. In other words the whole donut was crispy. Too much filling in the jelly donut for my liking. It's a nice neighborhood donut shop and I hope they remain in business for another 50 years but if you're not from the neighborhood it's not worth traveling. And as for the Peabody location is it too much to ask that you open on time? read more

when was the last time you said to yourself, "man, i need a jelly stick." having made the pilgrimage to ziggy's on a monthly basis, i, my friends, have heartily proclaimed this on a reoccuring basis. you may ask yourselves, why would anyone ever want a breakfast item, or a dessert treat which largely resembles that of a dangerous weapon. this delectable edible, readily available at any number of institutions, can be lethal, depending upon where you purchase the item. yes. it's bad for you. it's heavy. it's disgustingly sprawled with empty calories, and sweetness. it's the size of your ulna (your forearm bone, foo'). it'll leave you with a shiner if assaulted by it, or give you the nasty feeling of having a stone in your stomach for a period of five hours. you know, the same one you recall from the incident where you spoke these words: "oh, there's a random jelly stick left over from the donuts that bubba brought to that meeting this morning." this is all true, unless you have made the 6:30 am visit to ziggy's donuts, the home of the perfect jelly stick. these pastries are experienced in the following way: still warm, a crunch from proper frying is produced on the outside. the sugary sweet sprinkle with said crunch awakens ones palate. the fluffy cake interior is irresistable, and the bite is only completed by the ooze of one of the most delicious jelly filling i've ever known. crunch, fluffy cake, undeniably balanced cloppy jelly. and fresh. i don't know if there's any better way to secure yourself a raise than coming in with a dozen to the office and saying, oh, i've just visited ziggy's after they opened for a fresh batch of their jelly sticks. for you, dear office coworkers. now the trick to all this is that ziggy's is not easy to find. in fact it is the ultimate realization of a local hidden gem. with hardly a sign on the exterior, the interior resembles the messy kitchen of a hoarder (recent show featured on a&e, methinks). a few random fridges, a pile of paper work, a counter that looks like a family member put it together. locals and regulars stand around this counter, drinking coffee, and the wonderful lady at the counter occasionally ventures into the back, beckoning to her customers that they can go ahead and pour the coffee for themselves when it's ready. when you ask her to go grab a dozen jelly sticks, she knowingly ducks in the back, and when she reappears, you know you're getting a perfect product. i love visiting this little donut shop. i don't know if they make the best of every kind of donut known to man, which in previous posts, i have highlighted that donuts have become something of a sick socially unacceptable sin. but again, let's bring it back, and let's heartily support a correctly prepared jelly stick, and recognize that we're all lucky that such a wonderful donut was ever made. i salute you, ziggy's of salem. read more

I love, love, love this place! From the outside it may not look like much but Ziggy's makes some of the best sugary treats I've ever had. I recommend the Polish doughnuts only made around Easter, and the whoopie pies. I've NEVER had a whoopie pie as amazing as Ziggy's in my life! It was not overly sweet, or heavy- it was just so yummy it tasted like more! read more

BEST DONUTS EVER EVER EVER. It is a gem! No bathrooms, not the cleanest but AMAZING donuts. They make donuts shaped like hotdogs and hamburgers on order read more

I honestly can't tell people enough about this place. By far the best donuts on the North Shore. The Jelly Donuts (done with real, proper jam) in particular are simply an amazing combination of sweetness, fluffiness, and proper, sugary grit. Add in their tasty coffee, and you have one of those rare hidden-gems that you almost don't want to talk about for fear that you'll turn up on a Sunday morning to find a line around the block. But honestly, if you live in the area and you haven't been here yet you should really treat yourself. Tomorrow if possible. read more

This little family run shop turns out the best donuts. Their jelly donuts are magic little balls of sugar and fat that make all the happy bits of my brain do cartwheels on a Sunday morning. The lemon cream donuts are my husband's favorite. They also do a "hamburger donut" which is a unique bit of donut artistry, and also amazingly delicious. They are easily the best donuts in the area. Go there. Smile at the nice lady that wakes up at 3am to make the donuts. Then, eat a donut and smile some more. read more

I opened a shop on Pickering Wharf and saw killer reviews for Ziggy's. Yelp did NOT steer me wrong on this one. During our 1st week, I made it a point to head into town early to grab our renovation crew some breakfast. After getting a run-down of what they had for the day, I decided that EVERYTHING sounded awesome and asked them to "surprise me with 1/2dozen of whatever is good". Everything was a HUGE hit with my crew- best donuts I've ever had the pleasure of stuffing into my facemouth. I thought I didn't like donuts...turns out I just don't like gross donuts. These were AMAZING. A+ Would nom again. read more

The best donuts I've had on the north shore (I haven't tried lanes yet, but I hear I should)! Jelly is my fav here, but all are delish! Get the biz marks when they have them, they are out of is world! read more

Best donuts in Salem, and they hold their own against all other fine bakery's in the area.

Simple and good. This is Cheers as a hole in the wall blast from the past coffee shop. I grew up going to the church next door but never went to Ziggy's until the last few years. My dad has been coming here most Sundays for nearly 30 years and it's awesome to join him at the counter and chat it up with the owner and locals at the counter in my Sunday best. The pastries are amazing and the coffee is just right. read more

I have been going to Ziggy's with a friend nearly every Sunday for over 20 years. It's a tiny family-owned place with wonderful people, great donuts and excellent coffee. We walk in, sit down and they always remember how we like our coffee. I feel like a member of the family. It's always a highlight of my week to visit Ziggy's on Sunday. If you are a fan of small quirky donut shops, it is worth a trip to Ziggy's. read more

Get there early because they have the BEST donuts around especially the honey dips and the lemon filled.

The best donuts anywhere! The first time I ever ate a Ziggy's donut was over 30 years ago. Rediscovered them a few years ago and they are now a 3rd generation favorite. Fresh, made every morning. Jelly stick my fave, bit you can't go wrong with any donut or pastry. read more