10 Best Donuts In Los Angeles
One thing is for sure: it's humanly impossible to feel bad biting into a donut. When it comes to a dozen, most people, male and female, would rather you skip a present and come equipped with one of those pink boxes of heaven instead. Even when they are just ok, donuts are great. However, we managed to find seven especially unique treats that are simply a must try.
The Campfire
Donut Snob at Food + Lab
7253 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA. 90046
(323) 851-7120
www.thedonutsnob.com
Offering some of the best gourmet donuts you'll find, Donut Snob in Echo Park carefully makes their donuts from raised yeast and farm-fresh ingredients. It may be tough for you to choose just one here as their concoctions are absolutely delicious and one-of-a-kind. From seasonal favorites like the "Blueberry Earl Grey" and the "Cherry Hibiscus" to standard options like the "salted caramel" or "lemon lulu," there is something for everyone. One you won't want to miss before leaving though is the "Campfire". The fluffy, raiesd donut, which is glazed with chocolate ganache, and dusted in graham cracker crumbs is absolutely amazing. Topped with a roasted handmade marshmallow, you'll wish you lived next door.
Café Dulce's Green Tea Donut
Café Dulce
Japanese Village Plaza
134 Japanese Village Plaza Mall
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 346-9910
www.cafedulce.co
This Little Tokyo gem cranks out a wide assortment delectable treats, but when it comes to donuts, the selection runs the spectrum. While you can score a fruity pebble or maple bacon donut hole, traditional flavors like red bean and green tea are standouts. Loaded with incredibly decadent custard, Café Dulce's Green Tea donut is a fried pocket of confectionary delight. Lightly dusted with sugar, the subtle sweet of the matcha green tea infused dough encasing an ooze of warm custard makes each bite the perfect combination of soft, silky, and sweet.
Oreo / Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cronut
Colorado Donuts
1578 W. Colorado BLVD #14,
Eagle Rock, CA 90041
(323) 340-1962
Not sure if there is a way to explain this properly, but you could argue that eating something visually preps you for something especially delicious. That being said, Eagle Rock's Colorado Donuts obviously has fun with their craft. How else can you explain the logic behind taking both Oreos and Reese's Peanut Butter cups and cramming them into a warm, flaky cronut. Coated with peanut butter and chocolate crumble, the pull-apart soft dough is manages to bind heaping amounts of sugary sweetness on both the outside and inside of the circle. As you can imagine, these sell out EVERY time they are available.
Blueberry Donut
Simone's Donuts
6400 E Stearns St.
Long Beach, CA 90815
(562) 493-4104
Feeding sleep weary Cal State Long Beach students for years, this neighborhood donut shop is wonderfully no frills. Simone's signature donut serves best to highlight how sometimes the simpler, the better. While lots of places chrun out blueberry donuts, Simone's perfects 'em. Radianting warmth from inside the paper slip, the glaze-crust cracks open and unveils a dense, decadent cake loaded with actual blueberry taste. A slight tart from the berries, the flake of the glaze, and the warm cake make this donut a MUST have when in the LBC.
The Tiger's Tail
Pronto Donuts
555 W Garvey Ave.
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 284-3336
Not to limit this place, but there are clearly two MVPs at Pronto Donuts that put this place on the map. While the Tiger's Tail boasts a healthy heave of chocolate drizzle atop a warm glaze twist, that still plays a distant second to the strawberry and coconut cream filled chocolate long john. Fresh California strawberries are littered across a rich spread of sweet coconut cream that fills a small valley of a massive chocolate bar. Between the chewy dough, the cool cream, and the tart berries, not only does this thing look magnificent, it tastes just as amazing.
S'Morrissey
Donut Friend
5107 York Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(213) 995-6191
www.donutfriend.com
Honestly, who doesn't like a good donut/music pun? When something is called a "S'Morrissey", of course you are going to love it! This chocolate cake donut is filled and topped with smoky, toasted marshmallow, drizzled in more chocolate and coated with graham cracker crumble. The combination is available with other flavored donuts via Donut Fiend's DIY option, where you can get your Chipotle on with donuts and toppings.
Apple Fritter
Randy's Donuts
805 W Manchester Blvd
Inglewood, CA 90301
(310) 645-4707
www.randys-donuts.com
Filled with donut shops, Los Angeles is home to some of the tastiest donuts around. But, if you've been living on earth for more than a few minutes, you've likely heard of Randy's Donuts. The iconic donut shop, which sits just south of LAX airport, is by far one of the best around and can go head to head with anyone trying to go up against it. While pretty much everything here is worth a try, a stand out is the apple fritter. With big chunks of apple, glaze and crunchy goodness, it's not your typical apple fritter. It's more than just special.
Fresh Strawberry Stuffed Donut
The Donut Man
915 E Rte 66
Glendora, CA 91740
(626) 335-9111
www.thedonutmanca.com
Glendora's Donut Man has been a local treasure for over 40 years. Featured on many national and international television stations, it's known worldwide for their huge selection of unique concoctions. But, one of the stand outs any one must try upon visiting is the fresh strawberry stuffed donuts. A popular treat no matter what time of day it is, this delicious donut comes complete with some of the tastiest strawberries you'll find. Be prepared to wait though as this donut shop and this donut are very popular!
Mocha Crumb Donut
Erin McKenna's Bakery Los Angeles
236 N Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 463-2023
www.erinmckennasbakery.com
Vegan, kosher, and refined sugar, wheat, soy, gluten-free are normally talking points that would contradict what most would imagine make a good donut. However, this is not your typical donut. Opting to sweeten their treats with pure agave, McKenna's ever-popular mocha crumb donut doesn't have the brittle consistency most gluten free/vegan desserts have. An evenhanded balance of smoky, slightly bitter coffee flavor is married with a subtle sweet from the surprisingly soft dough comprised of a mix of garbanzo bean and brown rice flour, potato starch, and applesauce. Finished off with rich chocolate, coffee crumble, and love, Erin McKenna works wonders in the kitchen.
Lard Lad Pink Sprinkle Donut
Universal Studios Hollywood
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
(800) 864-8377
www.universalstudioshollywood.com
Size definitely matters when it comes to the perfect donut. Universal Studios has something especially heavy for you. Inside the Kwik-E-Mart just outside The Simpsons' ride, you can actually eat the infamous Lard Lad pink sprinkle donut so synonymous with Homer's unending cravings. A thick lather of sweet pink frosting, rainbow sprinkles, and spongy dough come in their own individual box, like a holiday pie for one. These sell out daily. Hustle.
