The family-operated Blinkie’s started in 2004. Peer inside the display case at the classic crullers, mango tajin doughnuts, and the cronut throwback, the crinkie. It’s a cross between a doughnut and a croissant.

In one of the six Southland locations, Sidecar bakes throughout the day, so warm fritters are likely available on every visit. The entire menu is worth trying, but the cakey huckleberry doughnut is the standout from the pack.

The owners go a bit extra at DK’s Donuts & Bakery. Open in 1980 by Khmer refugees, the younger family members upped DK’s donut game in recent years with unique and traditional donuts, pastries, breakfast croissants, and flavored coffee, and were featured in the 2020 documentary Donut King. Their Instagram page is eye-candy exemplified, but that’s by design. It makes you crave a visit.

Mochinut is perfect for Los Angeles. It’s a shop that specializes in the following: Korean rice flour hot dogs, bubble tea, soft serve, and mochi donuts. The latter originated in Hawaii by combining traditional doughnuts with mochi.

This Tony Hawk-backed Hawaiian doughnut chain began in Hanalei, Kauai selling taro doughnuts out of a tiny trailer. Now a Pacific coast phenomenon, the 2018-born Holey Grail has two Los Angeles outposts in Larchmont and Santa Monica, with more on the way. The most popular item remains the original taro donut.

Though a daytime spot for breakfast, lunch, focaccia, and baguettes, Bub & Grandma’s makes fantastic doughnuts. The flavors can change varying with cinnamon sugar, blueberry, strawberry, or cherry doughnut.

This longtime La Crescenta donut shop towers over Foothill Boulevard as one of the area’s best morning destinations. Foster’s serves a wide array of plush, well-fried donuts and also somehow manages to be open 24/7. The glazed twists are fried perfection, while the maple bars are so light and easy to eat that one is never enough.

Generations of families have Amigos Donuts on their radar. That’s due to the friendly service, mango boba, cafe de olla, ham and cheese croissants, and classic doughnuts.

A Compton staple, Dale’s Donuts houses another one of LA’s giant donuts on its rooftop. Owners split doughnut-making shifts into two. They’re open from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m., then 3:30 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Long Beach’s donut options are plentiful, but Sweet Retreat also keeps selections for those avoiding dairy, with both vegan raised and cake donuts. Sweet Retreat often experiments, so it’s worth returning to see what the bakers are up to.

The Knead team’s thoughtful doughnuts are available for takeout. Menu standbys like the blueberry, plain glazed, Thai iced tea donut, and creme brûlée are something to behold. The shops — both in Cerritos and Long Beach — are closed on Mondays.

It’s all about the Donut Man’s seasonal strawberry and peach doughnuts that are sliced in half and stuffed to the brim with fruit. Other offerings, like the arm-length tiger tail, are very well made and more than worth dropping by on the way to Las Vegas or Big Bear. Or better yet, swing into the outlet inside Grand Central Market.