Amidst the bustling foodie scene in San Diego lie a few hidden gems among an often overlooked subculture: donuts. These donut joints are tried and true, with countless flavors (even seasonal ones, try the Pumpkin Cheesecake Whiskey donut at Nomad) and loyal customers who line up out the door just to get their hands on the warm, doughy goodness of these fresh donuts. Here are a few of the best donut bakeries in San Diego that I highly encourage you to go out and try!
Donut Bar SD:
2 Locations/ Hours:
631 B St, San Diego and 18011 Newhope St, Fountain Valley
Mon-Fri: 7AM – We Sell Out
Sat & Sun: 8AM – We Sell Out
This four-star rated bakery boasts over 1,00 yelp reviews; San Diego Magazine voted Donut Bar a winner of Best Restaurants, AND they’re rated in the top ten donut shops in the country by USA Today . The menu changes daily, so be sure to go online and pick your poison in advance; Donut Bar is notorious for selling out fast. To accommodate their customers, Donut Bar has even implemented a pre-order form on their website.
The Devil’s Dozen
2001 Kettner Blvd, San Diego
Tuesday-Friday 7am- “souled” out and Saturday 8am- “souled” out
This donut shop is a newcomer to the scene. Located in Little Italy, The Devil’s Dozen serves a set menu of chocolate, madagascar vanilla bean, cinnamon sugar, churro bites, donut holes, and a daily special. Reviews rave about the perfectly crispy, non-greasy, and dense donuts. Be sure to get there before the rest of San Diego gets in on this new gem!
Nomad Donuts
4505 30th Street, San Diego, CA (University Heights)
Monday: 6am-4pm, Wednesday-Friday: 6am-4pm, Saturday-Sunday: 6am-2pm
Perhaps boasting the widest range of unique flavors, Nomad Donuts are for the adventurous. While they still serve up classic favorites, like Vanilla Bean, Chocolate, and Maple, the bakers at Nomad are constantly innovating new flavors with a dynamic menu that changes every day. For our vegan readers, they also have a wide variety of vegan donut flavors, from pomegranate rose water to cranberry orange jam hibiscus. Nomad also offers coffee and biscotti to complete your experience.