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Rows of doughnuts from Cafe Dulce.
Cafe Dulce doughnuts.
Cafe Dulce

Los Angeles’s 15 Most Delectable Doughnut Shops

Old-school and new, deep-fried and delicious

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Cafe Dulce doughnuts.
| Cafe Dulce

Doughnuts may very well be Los Angeles's quintessential start to the day, thanks to the Southeast Asian immigrants who brought these sweetly glazed treats to nearly every strip mall across the Southland. The city’s dynamic doughnut scene is not only comprised of these foundational mom-and-pop doughnut shops, with their signature pink boxes, but unique flavors from operators like Colorado Donuts and DK Donuts on the Westside. Given Angelenos’ tremendous appetites for all that’s deep-fried and delightful, there’s room for fritters of all stripes. Here now are the 15 most delectable doughnut shops in Los Angeles.

Added: Holey Grail, Cafe Dulce, The Donut Hole

Removed: Tony’s, Primo’s, The Donut

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Earl's Donuts

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This classic neighborhood doughnut shop serves the good people of Chatsworth 24 hours a day. The devil’s food old-fashioned — dense, rich, and enrobed in smooth milk chocolate — is a sugary powerhouse.

Foster's Donuts

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This longtime La Crescenta donut shop towers over Foothill Boulevard as one of the area’s best morning destinations, serving a wide array of plush, well-fried donuts. It 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.

Colorado Donuts

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Eagle Rock’s beloved Colorado Donuts crams doughnuts with candy bars and cookies for an ultra-decadent mash-up. Keep an eye out for the newly decorated items paired with a film release or holiday. The shop is open for takeout and delivery daily from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Superhero options from Colorado Donuts
Superhero options from Colorado Donuts
Mona Holmes

The Donut Man

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It’s all about the Donut Man’s seasonal strawberry and peach doughnuts, raised doughnuts sliced in half and stuffed chock-full of 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.

A white box of doughnuts shown from the top down from the Donut Man in Los Angeles, California.
A box of donuts from the Donut Man.
Wonho Frank Lee

Dot & Dough

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The malasadas at Dot & Dough are nothing short of fantastic. Filled with flavored custards like matcha green tea, ube, and vanilla, these beloved Portuguese confections are worth seeking out at the original Monterey Park location or at the second outlet near Pasadena City College.

Cafe Dulce

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This Little Tokyo shop bakes up racks and racks of green tea, cinnamon toast crunch, and fruity pebble doughnuts. Open since 2011, James Choi’s shop is well-known for its quality coffee and bubble tea, too. The dinosaur egg doughnut, with all the goodies on the inside, is worth trying.

Cafe Dolce Donuts
Fruity pebble doughnut from Cafe Dolce.
Cafe Dulce

The Donut Hole

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A La Puente staple and a timeless LA icon, the huge donut arches born in 1963 also house, unsurprisingly, high-quality doughnuts. This shop is cash only, but worth it given the cheap candy-topped doughnuts (and breakfast sandwiches, too).

Wikipedia

Holey Grail Donuts

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This 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, with two more on the way. The Tony Hawk-backed chain’s most popular item remains the original taro donut.

A selection of doughnuts from Holey Grail Donuts.
Taro doughnuts from Holey Grail.
Holey Grail Donuts

DK's Donuts & Bakery

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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. Their Instagram page is eye-candy exemplified, but that’s by design to make you crave a visit.

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee

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Sidecar makes doughnuts fresh throughout the day, which means warm fritters are likely available on every visit. The entire menu is worth trying, but it’s the huckleberry that separates this cake doughnut paradise from the pack.

The Huckleberry from Sidecar Doughnuts in Santa Monica, California.
The huckleberry from Sidecar Doughnuts.
Sidecar Doughnuts [official photo]

Randy's Donuts

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Even though there are multiple locations for Randy’s Donuts, the Inglewood original is a true LA landmark. The highly visible shop also sports a drive-thru, making Randy’s one of the region’s most popular spots to nab a donut.

Outside Randy’s Donuts, Inglewood.
The iconic exterior of Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood.
Thomas Hawk

Dale's Donuts

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A Compton staple, Dale’s Donuts houses another one of LA’s giant donuts on its rooftop. If you can get there early, fresh is always the way to go for a solid selection of traditional old-school donuts.

Moon Donuts

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The custard-filled doughnuts at Moon Donuts have a cult-like following in the South Bay. Swing into the shop on the corner of Prospect and Torrance early to make sure you get one before they sell out for the day.

Sweet Retreat Donuts

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Long Beach’s donut options are plentiful, but Sweet Retreat also keeps selections for those avoiding dairy, with both vegan raised and cake donuts.

Knead Donuts & Tea

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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 shop is closed on Mondays.

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Earl's Donuts

This classic neighborhood doughnut shop serves the good people of Chatsworth 24 hours a day. The devil’s food old-fashioned — dense, rich, and enrobed in smooth milk chocolate — is a sugary powerhouse.

Foster's Donuts

This longtime La Crescenta donut shop towers over Foothill Boulevard as one of the area’s best morning destinations, serving a wide array of plush, well-fried donuts. It 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.

Colorado Donuts

Eagle Rock’s beloved Colorado Donuts crams doughnuts with candy bars and cookies for an ultra-decadent mash-up. Keep an eye out for the newly decorated items paired with a film release or holiday. The shop is open for takeout and delivery daily from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Superhero options from Colorado Donuts
Superhero options from Colorado Donuts
Mona Holmes

The Donut Man

It’s all about the Donut Man’s seasonal strawberry and peach doughnuts, raised doughnuts sliced in half and stuffed chock-full of 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.

A white box of doughnuts shown from the top down from the Donut Man in Los Angeles, California.
A box of donuts from the Donut Man.
Wonho Frank Lee

Dot & Dough

The malasadas at Dot & Dough are nothing short of fantastic. Filled with flavored custards like matcha green tea, ube, and vanilla, these beloved Portuguese confections are worth seeking out at the original Monterey Park location or at the second outlet near Pasadena City College.

Cafe Dulce

This Little Tokyo shop bakes up racks and racks of green tea, cinnamon toast crunch, and fruity pebble doughnuts. Open since 2011, James Choi’s shop is well-known for its quality coffee and bubble tea, too. The dinosaur egg doughnut, with all the goodies on the inside, is worth trying.

Cafe Dolce Donuts
Fruity pebble doughnut from Cafe Dolce.
Cafe Dulce

The Donut Hole

A La Puente staple and a timeless LA icon, the huge donut arches born in 1963 also house, unsurprisingly, high-quality doughnuts. This shop is cash only, but worth it given the cheap candy-topped doughnuts (and breakfast sandwiches, too).

Wikipedia

Holey Grail Donuts

This 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, with two more on the way. The Tony Hawk-backed chain’s most popular item remains the original taro donut.

A selection of doughnuts from Holey Grail Donuts.
Taro doughnuts from Holey Grail.
Holey Grail Donuts

DK's Donuts & Bakery

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. Their Instagram page is eye-candy exemplified, but that’s by design to make you crave a visit.

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee

Sidecar makes doughnuts fresh throughout the day, which means warm fritters are likely available on every visit. The entire menu is worth trying, but it’s the huckleberry that separates this cake doughnut paradise from the pack.

The Huckleberry from Sidecar Doughnuts in Santa Monica, California.
The huckleberry from Sidecar Doughnuts.
Sidecar Doughnuts [official photo]

Randy's Donuts

Even though there are multiple locations for Randy’s Donuts, the Inglewood original is a true LA landmark. The highly visible shop also sports a drive-thru, making Randy’s one of the region’s most popular spots to nab a donut.

Outside Randy’s Donuts, Inglewood.
The iconic exterior of Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood.
Thomas Hawk

Dale's Donuts

A Compton staple, Dale’s Donuts houses another one of LA’s giant donuts on its rooftop. If you can get there early, fresh is always the way to go for a solid selection of traditional old-school donuts.

Moon Donuts

The custard-filled doughnuts at Moon Donuts have a cult-like following in the South Bay. Swing into the shop on the corner of Prospect and Torrance early to make sure you get one before they sell out for the day.

Sweet Retreat Donuts

Long Beach’s donut options are plentiful, but Sweet Retreat also keeps selections for those avoiding dairy, with both vegan raised and cake donuts.

Knead Donuts & Tea

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 shop is closed on Mondays.

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