12 fantastic Bay Area doughnut shops that will knock your socks off

For Bay Area fans of fried sweet dough — and who isn’t? — there’s a wide world of doughnuts out there. Malasadas from the Portuguese and Hawaiian traditions. American-Japanese mochi delights. Vegan creations that taste just as good as their counterparts. And what may soon become a trend, sourdough doughnuts.

Here are a dozen of our favorite shops — some innovative, some rooted in tradition, some with pop-up hours and some open 24/7. Read, try some, then tell us about your go-to spot in the form at the bottom of the article. We’ll share those with readers.

Founders Donuts, Lafayette

The best-kept secret in Lamorinda is this pandemic-era pop-up, which specializes in handmade old-fashioned and milk bread doughnuts. Don’t expect glazed, raised, fluffy carb clouds. (For those, head a couple of blocks away to the classic Johnny’s on Mt. Diablo Boulevard, makers of doughnut holes so addictive, a dozen feeds … um … me.)

Founders has the fancy doughnuts you bring to brunch, where you hope no one notices that the bakery’s signature doughnut holes, perched atop their torus partners, might possibly have gone awol en route (nom nom).

Order ahead — a six-pack sampler ($25), perhaps, or a pair of threesies that showcase flavors such as vividly violet blueberry, classic vanilla and bittersweet chocolate. Then roll up to the Lafayette Kitchen, a commercial kitchen space, on Saturday morning and text your name to a super secret number (it’s on your receipt) to pick up your treats, each topped with a matching doughnut hole.

Japanese milk bread is, as you might expect, given the name, bready which gives those doughnuts a texture you don’t often find in the doughnut genre. The old-fashioned doughnuts are classics, with a square raised edge on the top, all the better for holding those doughnut holes.

The bite: The glaze on the blueberry is gorgeous, but the tangy, citrusy, lemon-poppy seed old-fashioned is our fave.

Good to know: No walk-ups! The pre-order window runs from Monday noon to Thursday evening.

The details: Pickup is 7 to 10 a.m. Saturdays at the Lafayette Kitchen, 271 Lafayette Circle in Lafayette; www.foundersdonuts.com.

Stan’s Donut Shop, Santa Clara

How can you tell a fabulous doughnut shop from a good one?

First, you’ll find the crowd-control instructions posted outside telling customers how and where to line up and limiting the number allowed inside to order at any time (six). When you get in the door, you’ll see a wall of framed reviews and accolades. Generations’ worth of raves. Next, you will discover that this doughnut shop is so revered that it has its own line of merch.

And finally, the taste test. Stan’s warm, fresh, glazed doughnuts ($1.50) — pillowy and perfect — have been ranking among the Bay Area’s very best since 1959. They’re the stars of a full lineup that includes maple bars, old-fashioneds, buttermilk doughnuts and more.

The nostalgic setting is a bonus. Founded by Stan Wittmayer and run by son Rick after his father’s retirement, the shop remains in the family’s hands. The Wittmayer daughters have wisely maintained the classic diner look, from the vintage signs to the old-school counter seating.

The bite: Besides the popular glazed doughnuts, Stan’s makes a terrific buttermilk doughnut du jour ($2). Wednesday, for example, is the day for strawberry flavored, and Saturday is lemon. From now until Thanksgiving, pumpkin buttermilks will be baked every Friday. The cinnamon rolls ($3) are also a big hit.

Good to know: No weak diner coffee here. Stan’s serves the “Moka Java” blend from Peerless Coffee, a top Oakland roaster.

The details: Open from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 2628 Homestead Road, Santa Clara. Place phone orders at least 24 hours in advance at 408-296-5982. Stan’s accepts cash, checks only. (If downtown San Jose is closer for you, the owners of Academic Coffee, 499 S. Second St., pick up Stan’s doughnuts to sell every day at their shop.)

Ocean Malasada Co., San Mateo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek and other locations

Biting into these fluffy malasadas is like sinking your teeth into a cloud, if that cumulus were coated in sugar crystals and lined with custard. Randy and Dee Santos first started making the Portuguese confections, which are so popular in Hawaii, in 2016.

Today, Randy co-owns San Francisco’s 5-month-old Far from Paradise cafe, which offers Hawaiian desserts, including malasadas and shave ice. You can pick up Ocean Malasada’s irresistible doughnuts there and at other locations around the Bay each week.

The bite: The Nutella malasada is wonderfully decadent, and the haupia version is filled with Hawaiian coconut pudding.

Good to know: No need to go to San Francisco. You can pick up your sugary treats at the San Ramon or Walnut Creek farmers markets or at the pop-up held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday-Friday inside San Mateo’s Takahashi Market.

The details: The San Francisco shop is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday-Monday at 296 Ocean Ave.; farfromparadise.square.site.

Donut Wheel, Livermore

Pick up some nostalgia alongside some old-fashioned, maple-glazed perfection at Livermore’s Donut Wheel. Walking through the doors of this retro doughnut parlor feels like taking a step back in time to a cash-only era, where you can buy a doughnut hole for a quarter.

Manager Savanna Taing says she learned the art of doughnut baking at the shop from her parents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Cambodia in the 1980s. They picked up the craft themselves from relatives who worked at Bob’s Donuts in Palo Alto before taking ownership of the Donut Wheel. Today, Taing trains all the bakers and employees at the shop.

The bite: Check out the maple old-fashioned with its thick maple glaze and crispy exterior. Another customer fave is the enormous apple fritter, with cinnamon spice and glaze infused into each bubbly bite. The apple bits are clumped mostly toward the center of the pastry.

Good to know: This doughnut shop is cash-only – raised, cake and old-fashioned doughnuts are $1.65 each while fancier cinnamon rolls, apple fritters and cream-filled doughnuts come in at $2.35.

The details: Open daily at 2017 First St., Livermore.

Psycho Donuts, Campbell, Santa Clara and other locations