Sometimes the donut craving must be indulged, whatever the consequences. When longings for lighter-than-air, lightly glazed concoctions hit, Los Angeles answers with hundreds of outstanding donut shops. Five of the best purveyors of traditional and fancy donuts wow even the most experienced donut consumers.
Bob’s Coffee and Donuts has operated from a stall at the farmers market on Fairfax Avenue for more than forty years. Apple fritters, buttermilk donuts and great domestic and imported coffee blends made the shop famous, but raspberry-filled beignets have a cult following among Bob’s fans. Parking is a bear at this farmers market, but customers count battles fought in the parking lot as a necessity if they want to score the tasty donuts.
For donuts with a twist, brave the drive to Glendora for The Donut Man’s fruit-stuffed concoctions. Long lines wind around the block at peak hours for strawberry or peach-stuffed donuts. Foot-long tiger tails with stripes of rich chocolate turn a traditional glazed twist into a unique delight. The shop is open 24 hours.
Donut Friend in Highland Park takes donut creativity to an extravagant level. Palate-tempting combinations include “Jets to Basil,” with a filling of goat cheese, fresh jam, and basil on a donut. Chocoholics gush about “Fudgegazi,” with chocolate cream filling on a chocolate glazed donut topped with chocolate shavings. Fancy donut fans can even create their own donut concoction by choosing fillings, creams, sprinkles to put on the donut of their choice.
Moving from fancy to artisan, the next stop on the donut tour is Fōnuts in West Hollywood. These donuts are almost healthy, as they are steamed or baked rather than fried. The shop has a large gluten-free and vegan menu, with donuts made from almond flour. Strawberry Buttermilk and Blueberry Earl Grey Cake Donuts are hands-down customer favorites, with moist interiors and sweetly restrained fruity glazes.
Elaborate donuts delight, but sometimes the palate demands a great regular donut. No discussion of delicious donuts is complete without Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood, the iconic little shop with the giant donut on the roof. Apple fritters are enormous, coconut donuts are divine, but the overwhelming first choice of Randy’s Donut fans is the light and slightly crispy taste of heaven known as a Randy’s glazed donut.
Bob’s Coffee and Donuts has operated from a stall at the farmers market on Fairfax Avenue for more than forty years. Apple fritters, buttermilk donuts and great domestic and imported coffee blends made the shop famous, but raspberry-filled beignets have a cult following among Bob’s fans. Parking is a bear at this farmers market, but customers count battles fought in the parking lot as a necessity if they want to score the tasty donuts.
For donuts with a twist, brave the drive to Glendora for The Donut Man’s fruit-stuffed concoctions. Long lines wind around the block at peak hours for strawberry or peach-stuffed donuts. Foot-long tiger tails with stripes of rich chocolate turn a traditional glazed twist into a unique delight. The shop is open 24 hours.
Donut Friend in Highland Park takes donut creativity to an extravagant level. Palate-tempting combinations include “Jets to Basil,” with a filling of goat cheese, fresh jam, and basil on a donut. Chocoholics gush about “Fudgegazi,” with chocolate cream filling on a chocolate glazed donut topped with chocolate shavings. Fancy donut fans can even create their own donut concoction by choosing fillings, creams, sprinkles to put on the donut of their choice.
Moving from fancy to artisan, the next stop on the donut tour is Fōnuts in West Hollywood. These donuts are almost healthy, as they are steamed or baked rather than fried. The shop has a large gluten-free and vegan menu, with donuts made from almond flour. Strawberry Buttermilk and Blueberry Earl Grey Cake Donuts are hands-down customer favorites, with moist interiors and sweetly restrained fruity glazes.
Elaborate donuts delight, but sometimes the palate demands a great regular donut. No discussion of delicious donuts is complete without Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood, the iconic little shop with the giant donut on the roof. Apple fritters are enormous, coconut donuts are divine, but the overwhelming first choice of Randy’s Donut fans is the light and slightly crispy taste of heaven known as a Randy’s glazed donut.