The only bad donut is a stale donut.
First and foremost, it’s important to understand the one universal rule of good donut hunting: You’ve gotta get up early if you want the best donuts because the people who make these things, for some odd reason, don’t keep normal hours.
I’m not a morning person, but for the past several months I’ve been setting my alarm and stalking donut shops around Orange County. And after sampling more donuts than Homer Simpson could ever dream of, I have come to realize that most donuts are decidedly run-of-the-mill. But as long as they’re fresh and served with a good cup of coffee or perhaps a glass of milk, most run-of-the-mill donuts are, in fact, extremely satisfying.
I find it hard to get mad at a fresh donut, especially one that’s still warm, even when it appears that donut has been crafted from the exact same recipe as 90% of the others out there. Plain glazed, old-fashioned, jelly-filled or topped with sprinkles, donuts are the quintessential American comfort food.
All that said, I should now add that some donuts do break the mold. Nobody makes a lighter, fluffier yeast donut than Oliboli in Tustin. Top it with a Meyer lemon glaze, and, oh my.
Try as you might, you won’t find a more decadent chocolate cake donut than the rich, gooey, heavy-as-a-brick s’mores creation at Sidecar in Costa Mesa.
And when it comes to pure, glorious artistry, Good Town at The Lab in Costa Mesa plays in a league all its own.
There are well over a hundred donut shops in Orange County, and admittedly I might have missed a few. But after a marathon tasting spree that’s filled my kitchen counter with enough sugar to last a lifetime, I’m calling it: These are the 10 best donut shops in OC.
1. Oliboli, Tustin
What to order: Plain glazed or Meyer lemon glazed yeast donuts, or bumbleberry (a mix of raspberry, blackberry and blueberry), strawberry and vanilla glazed cake donuts. 135 W. 1st St., Tustin, 714-760-4876, oliboli.com
2. Sidecar Doughnuts, Costa Mesa
What to order: Chocolate s’mores, blueberry glazed corncake, vanilla glazed yeast or the signature huckleberry glazed cake donuts. 270 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, 949-873-5424, sidecardoughnuts.com
3. Good Town Doughnuts, Costa Mesa
What to order: Yeast donuts with strawberry, triple berry, chocolate or green tea matcha glaze. The Lab, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-486-1870, goodtowndoughnuts.com
4. JD Flannel, San Juan Capistrano
What to order: Blueberry-lemon, brown-butter-sea-salt, boysenberry glazed and old-fashion cake donuts. 31878 Del Obispo St., San Juan Capistrano, 949-218-4483, jdflannel.com
5. Glee Donuts & Burgers, Fountain Valley
What to order: Blueberry cake with blueberry icing, sugar glazed red velvet, or vanilla, matcha or chocolate glazed yeast donuts. 9475 Heil Ave., Fountain Valley, 714-531-0288, gleednb.com
6. City Donuts, Newport Beach
What to order: The best cronuts in OC and plain glazed donuts. 2727 Newport Blvd., Newport Beach, 949-723-8215
7. Rose Cafe, San Clemente
What to order: Strawberry jelly filled donuts and strawberry or orange glazed crullers. Also, wacky but delicious over-the-top celebration donuts. 624 Camino De Los Mares, San Clemente, 949-493-9200, rosecafesanclemente.com
8. Fill Bakeshop & Creamery, Costa Mesa
What to order: And now for something completely different. These donuts are made with mochi dough, so they are chewy and unusually good, especially the matcha crunch, taro glaze and milk and cereal. 1767 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, 949-873-5075, eatfill.com
9. Janny’s Donuts, Irvine
What to order: Plain and maple glazed crullers, cronuts and enormous apple fritters. 92 Corporate Park, Irvine, 949-660-1807
10. Station Donuts, Yorba Linda
What to order: Super light plain glazed donuts or strawberry glazed cake. 18316 Imperial Highway, Yorba Linda, 714-996-7151