14 Best Donut Shops In Los Angeles
Los Angeles is known for being a healthy-food paradise, but it is also home to some delicious donut shops. From old-school shops to new creative and wacky creations, this classic sweet fried treat is available at a number of places around town. If you are looking to bite into a warm soft centered freshly baked donut in the morning to satisfy your sweet tooth, here is a list of the top 14 top donut shops in Los Angeles.
Birdies
314 W Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
(213) 536-5720
www.birdiesla.com
The fast casual eatery created by partners Keith Bae and chef Jason Harley Birdies features artisanal donuts freshly made every 20 minutes along with their free-range fried chicken. They feature a rotating series of sous chefs that are training and creating signature menu items as part of the chef incubator lab that produce rotating specials. Along with coffee from Intelligentsia and a mural created by LA mural artist Jonah Never, the main attraction at Birdies is a vanilla glaze donut covered with edible 24K gold leaves and topped with champagne. Their normal donuts are in the $3 range but this eye-catching donut costs $100 for 1, and $1k for a dozen!
Blue Star Donuts
1142 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90291
(310) 450-5630
www.bluestardonuts.com
After tremendous success in Portland, Blue Star Donuts opened its shop on Abbot Kinney in October of 2015. Since then, the shop has ballooned in popularity. Each day starting at 3 a.m., Blue Star's team makes its specialty brioche dough fresh from scratch for its donuts. Using local, seasonal ingredients in their glazes and toppings, Blue Star creates unique flavors that truly define the Blue Star Donut. Their most popular donuts are the Blueberry Bourbon Basil, the Orxata Glaze, and the Apple-Cider Fritter. Additionally, there is always a seasonal surprise in the mix, which is currently the Rosé Hibiscus.
California Donuts
3540 W 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 385-3318
www.cadonuts.com
Since 1982 California Donuts has served the city of Los Angeles with quality donuts, muffins croissants and more 24 hours a day. The mid-century throwback stand draw customers in with their neon "hot donuts" sign as well as their donuts displayed through the big window wall. From their classic options to their signature Panda donut, to their cereal-encrusted, candy-topped and cronut-style donut options, they use only fresh ingredients to serve customers donuts starting at $1 per donut.
Cofax
440 N Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 424-7485
www.cofaxcoffee.com
Located in Fairfax Village, Cofax is a casual coffeehouse that serves Stumptown java plus fresh donuts made in house since 2015. Leading the kitchen is pastry chef Nicole Rucker, who is an award winning baker who makes donuts from real eggs and butter from scratch. Their most popular flavors are Honey Sea Salt, Chocolate Chocolate Cake and Spiced Crumb. Cofax also makes donuts for Shake Shack West Hollywood's Rainbow Connection concrete.
DK's Donuts & Bakery
1614 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(310) 829-2512
www.dksdonuts.com
Opened in 1981, DK's Donuts & Bakery is a mom-and-pop shop that was started by two Khmer refugees, and now run by my brother and sister Sean and Mayly Tao. Serving over 120 types of donuts, including their special hybrid donuts - a half croissant, half donut, a deep fried half waffle, half donut, donuts with cereal and many more - DK's is open 24 hours a day. Some of their most popular items include the Strawberry Creamsickle #ONUT and the Nutella Banana waffle and donut lovechild. Creative concoctions are their motto as they also have the world's first ube, a purple yam root indigenous to Filipino culture, donut and allow guests to choose any donut in the store and stuff it with gourmet ice cream, and many more options. They also have options for everyone including vegan donuts and protein donuts.
Donut Farm
2609 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 788-7549
www.pepplesdonuts.com
Donut Farm is an organic vegan bakery and coffee bar founded by owner Josh Levine, the self-proclaimed donut aficionado whose love affair with the tasty treat began in 2006 making donuts from scratch in a small pot of oil on his kitchen stove. Originally founded in the Bay Area, Levine developed his vegan donut recipe and recently opened Donut Farm's first Southern California location in Silver Lake in February 2016. Donut Farm's menu features classic favorites and seasonal flavors that rotate with local farmers market produce and are made with 100% vegan organic ingredients. Favorites include Matcha Green Tea, Salted Caramel, Lavender Earl Grey, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Blueberry and Lemon Poppy Seed.
Donut Friend
5107 York Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(213) 995-6191
www.donutfriend.com
The do it yourself donut shop in Highland Park opened in September of 2013 and offers a variety of sweet and savory flavor options. Donut Friend allows guests to choose from a large selection of readymade Signature Compilations, or to create their own unique masterpieces using the fresh fruit, artisan jams, homemade creams, nuts and candy found in their DIY Donut Bar. Along with featuring dairy free donuts and ice cream, their most popular donuts are their Strawberrylab, X-Ray Speculoos and Polar Berry Club.
Dunkin' Donuts
1132 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 576-9200
www.dunkindonuts.com
Dunkin' Donuts, the long running donut, breakfast sandwich and coffee chain which was founded in 1950 opened their first Los Angeles location on September 2, 2014 in Santa Monica. Since then they have opened 11 more stores in Los Angeles county. Throughout the United States their five most popular donuts are: Glazed Donut, Chocolate Glazed Cake Donut, Chocolate Frosted Donut, Boston Kreme Donut and Jelly-Filled Donut. They are constantly serving new donuts though, like their Blueberry Cobbler Croissant Donut and Caramel Latte Square, which can be served with their signature coffee, made with 100% Arabica coffee beans.
Primo's Donuts
2918 Sawtelle Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 478-6930
www.primosdonuts.com
Serving hot and fresh donuts since 1956, Primo's prides itself on making quality cake donuts, raised donuts and their renowned buttermilk donuts every day. Started by husband and wife Ralph and Celia Primo, this shop remains one of the few old-time, independent donut shops in LA. Ralph and Celia still warmly greet each customer that comes through their doors and as they come in, they can look through a window to watch the donut making process before ordering. By buying the top of the line ingredients, Primo's serves top notch donuts like their Buttermilk Bars, Cinnamon Butterflies, Long Johns and their Old Fashioned.
Randy's Donuts
805 W Manchester Blvd.
Inglewood, CA 90301
(310) 645-4707
www.randysdonuts.com
Since 1962, Randy's Donuts been a staple of Los Angeles and has attracted visitors from around the world to take pictures of the giant rooftop donut. Just within reach of the huge iconic donut, patrons enjoy homemade classic donuts, bagels and muffins 24/7. Donuts are made by hand using only the finest baking ingredients coupled with expert bakers and their secret mixes, to produce a donut that is fluffier, airier, larger, and stays fresh longer. Guests can enjoy their famous huge glazed donut, twists, chocolate raised donuts, cinnamon rolls, apple fritters, or any of their 35 other donuts, which include as much chocolate, maple, cream filling, or other toppings as the donuts can possibly handle.
Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee
631 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 587-0022
www.sidecardoughnuts.com
Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee serves up hand-crafted doughnuts and their very own exclusive Stumptown Coffee Roasters blend coffees. Made daily from scratch, Sidecar uses only the freshest seasonal products. They make everything in house from real ingredients, using no preservatives, and fry in small batches every hour, guaranteeing each customer a fresh and warm treat. Sidecar offers a selection of daily flavors, as well as monthly seasonal ones that change on the first of each month. Their most popular flavors are Huckleberry, Maple Bacon, and Butter & Salt.
Stan's Donuts
10948 Weyburn Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 208-8660
www.stansdoughnuts.com
From their tiny shop in Westwood, which resembles more of a stand., Stan's Donuts has been a delicious neighborhood donut shop since 1965. Originally opened as The Corner Shoppe, generations of UCLA students and locals have enjoyed these treats and keep coming back to try out over 75 varieties of Stan's Donuts. Run by the ever-friendly Stan Berman, a third generation baker, the shop only uses high quality, fresh ingredients and features your run of the mill donuts like a warm glazed pretzel as well as favorites like the Cinnamon Chocolate Cheese Danish, to an Apple Fritter, to a Reese's Peanut Butter Pocket with fresh bananas.
The Donut Man
915 E Rte 66
Glendora, CA
(626) 335-9111
www.thedonutmanca.com
The Donut Man makes handmade donuts daily using a potato mix, which gives them a unique flavor. Their most popular donut is the fresh Strawberry as they hand wash, cut and stuff every single donut with fresh strawberries. Other seasonal stuffed donuts include: Peach, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin and Cream Puff. Another one of their popular donuts is the foot long Tiger Tail, which is a chocolate glazed twist.
The Donut Snob
Copa Vida 70 S Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
(323) 284-8013
www.donutsnob.com
Opened on National Donut Day several years ago, which is celebrated on the first Friday of June each year, Donut Snob has built it's ever growing reputation on it's innovative flavor profiles, a strict adherence to using only the freshest ingredients and a dash of snobiness (hence the name). When it comes to putting out visually captivating donuts, Donut Snob has you covered. They specialize in taking the classic raised donut to new heights by focusing on balanced flavor combinations and are known for their fresh fruit donuts like the seasonal favorite Passion Fruit Raspberry, the bright Razzy Lemon Lulu and the Berry Best.
