Best Bay Area doughnuts: Readers share their 17 favorite shops
Apple fritters in Concord, maple custard in San Jose, passion fruit in Fremont -- just for starters
If you love doughnuts — and finding fabulous ones to recommend to others — then you’ve got your work cut out for you. Last week, we published a list of 12 great bakeries, knowing that we had only scratched the glazed surface, and asked for reader suggestions. Not surprisingly, you folks gushed like the jelly from an over-filled doughnut about your favorite shops. So here are 17 more to visit for ethereal raised doughnuts, creative cake doughnuts and awesome fruit fritters.
Chick’s Donuts & Coffee Shop, Concord: This classic spot comes in for high praise. “Chick’s has been around since the mid-1950s,” Lisa Freeman writes, “and as it has been passed down in the original owner’s family, then sold, the recipes stay the same. They make the best apple fritters and French doughnuts. Their doughnut holes melt in your mouth.” Reader Kerry also heads there for “the best doughnut holes.” Details: 1801 Willow Pass Road, Concord; www.orderchicksdonutsandcoffeeshop.com
Bun Appetit Donuts, Fremont: Reader Lindsay recommends this shop for “when I’m feeling fancy.” The flavors change seasonally, she says, but “my favorite is passion fruit — available all year round!” Orlando Cordero chimed in with his go-to order: “The ube cream and tiramisu are excellent.” Details: 37120 Fremont Blvd., Fremont; https://bunappetitdonuts.com/
Maple Leaf Donuts, San Jose: Bob Bowler’s vote goes to this traditional doughnut shop, which he says gets all of the standards just right. “My favorites? Maple custard, apple fritter, cinnamon roll, old-fashioned, buttermilk, twist, plain cake, glazed, crumble, iced, chocolate bar, just to name a few.” (Editor’s note: Uh, Bob, that’s 11, not a few.) Details: 6469 Almaden Expressway, San Jose; 408-268-5503
Donut Savant, Oakland: Lots of fans for this shop. “Their cron’ts are sophisticated and delectable,” Trish Hare writes. “Homemade lemon curd is silky and not overly sweet. Best doughnuts in the Bay Area.” Customer Allie Hackett says it’s “hard to go wrong with any of their doughnuts, but the vanilla cron’t is amazing (cronut style),” as is the Bernie (with salted maple icing). Ellen Owens makes a smart observation: “I love this doughnut shop because the sizes are small, so I can taste more flavors! Chocolate frosted cake is my favorite.” Details: 3000 38th Ave, Oakland; www.donutsavant.com
Best Donuts, Livermore: Don’t sleep on this place, customer Tessa L. writes. “They make the best apple fritter of all time — and it always sells out. They fill chocolate or maple bars with custard right when you order them, so no sogginess. And honestly, the very nicest owners. Lines out the door every morning.” Details: 859 E. Stanley Blvd., Livermore; 925-447-7708
Allstar Donuts, Walnut Creek: “Best doughnuts ever,” customer Mike Rogers declares. “The owner uses expensive flour and it makes a difference.” His favorite is the jelly doughnut. Details: 2054 Treat Blvd., Walnut Creek; 925-256-6478
Rollo’s Donuts, San Jose: You can’t beat a chocolate old-fashioned from this old-fashioned shop, Tom Rico says. “These are simply the best doughnuts.” Rollo’s, having opened in 1973, is marking 50 years in business. Details: 602 N. 13th St., San Jose; https://rollosdonuts.com/
Christy’s Donuts, Danville: “Great doughnuts,” customer Rose Tumasian says. Fans post on social media about the fluffy raised doughnuts hot from the fryer and the “ginormous” apple fritters. You’ll also find apple bear claws and maple cinnamon rolls here. Details: 436 Diablo Road, Danville; 925-820-3394
Lloyd’s Donut Kitchen, Fremont: Paul Veltman recommends this “nice, non-chain, family doughnut shop” and its “super maple bars.” Customer Tim S. is a fan too. “Great staff and service!” he writes. His go-to doughnut? The chocolate old-fashioned. Details: 5200 Mowry Ave., Fremont; https://lloydsdonutkitchen.com/
Tan’s Donuts, Santa Rosa: Ready for a road trip? Steven Lavoie says Tan’s has “amazing fritters, both apple and blueberry, with local fruit, and really nice workers,” Plus, “the jelly doughnuts are the bomb.” Details: 754 Montecito Blvd., Santa Rosa; 707-538-7687
SK Donut & Cronut, Union City: “Glazed cronut holes are my favorite,” customer Glenn Meyer writes. “Their Vietnamese iced coffee is also killer.” Details: 32102 Alvarado Blvd, Union City; 510-489-3516
Donut Petit, Alameda: “Doughnuts are amazing,” reader Ryan Schofield enthuses. A customer named Lisa agrees, noting that these beauties “dress up any brunch table.” Details: 711 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda; www.donutpetit.com
Dick’s Donuts, Oakland: A “self-proclaimed doughnut aficionado” named Aaron says “the best places are the hole in the wall places,” like Dick’s Donuts. “Fancy doughnut places, I find, are over-engineered and expensive.” Details: 3417 High St., Oakland; 510-261-2212
World’s Fare Donuts, Hayward: Mike Beggs recommends other doughnut lovers check out this longtime shop for its “wholesome, simple, classic recipe in awesome flavors.” And, he says, you can get them at “economical prices.” Customer Donald Rieker puts in a good word for the lemon-filled powdered sugar doughnuts here. This shop won our reader poll in 2019. Details: 20770 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward; 510-782-1159
Magic Donuts, San Francisco: Jacky Morales-Ferrand raves about the “airy and tender” creations at this newly opened bakery and coffeehouse that specializes in doughnuts with a sourdough base. Her favorite flavors are the cheesecake and the dark chocolate sea salt. “Yumba!” she says. Details: 1675 Maripossa St., San Francisco; www.magicdonuts.com/
Johnny’s Donuts, Lafayette: We gave a shout-out to these popular old-school favorites in our roundup, and Jeff Johnson echoes that sentiment. “Johnny’s has been around for years and is a favorite of families and youth sports teams. Top rated and always fresh.” Details: 3629 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette; 925-283-9352
BJ Cinnamon, Folsom: Are you wondering what an El Dorado County shop is doing in our Bay Area roundup? Reader Nick Mavrogenes says these doughnuts are “reminiscent of Lou’s Donut Shop that was a staple of San Jose’s downtown.” That’s all we had to hear. Those lucky enough to enjoy the cake doughnuts made by Lou Ades and the Chavira family know that Lou’s Living Donut Museum Shop was doughnut heaven. In 2006, after 51 years in business, the shop closed its doors. Meet you all in Folsom? Details: 402 E. Bidwell St., Folsom; https://bj-cinnamon.business.site/