While new year’s resolution lists for 2024 might include goals to “eat better” or “aim to be healthier,” there’s always room for splurging and life-is-meant-to-lived notions that “moderation is key” and to “seize the day.” This points to eating doughnuts, and there’s no need to take the two-hour flight to Portland for Voodoo Doughnut to do so. San Francisco is covered when it comes to these sugary indulgences. Here’s a list of notable doughnut shops for those days when certain resolutions take a pause or warrant reassessing.
Go for a run, bike ride or walk in Golden Gate Park and the Panhandle, then head to Bob’s Donuts at Baker and Felton streets. Or take the rideshare route and open the car door outside the shop. Bob’s glazed options ($12 for half-dozen) include raised, chocolate, maple and sugar, and cake choices are chocolate with sprinkles, crumb and cinnamon. The offerings don’t end there, though. Heed the sign reading “Please do not touch the glass! Our donuts get nervous” to avoid startling the numerous jelly-filled, sugar, iced and powdered pucks, rings, cronuts, bars, holes and “specials” (topped with Fruit Loops and Oreos) on display. If feeling particularly bold, ask for “the Big One”—a massive, two-hands-required feast of a doughnut featuring a traditional topping, customer’s choice. Before leaving (with an official pink box containing however-many selections—no judgment), check out doughnut-themed art and memorabilia on the wall or mugs and T-shirts available for purchase. Bob’s San Francisco stores are at 601 Baker St. and 1621 Polk St.
Most San Franciscans have heard of Dynamo Donut + Coffee and many have eaten at least one of the establishment’s doughnuts. These considerations lean more toward facts than logical fallacies. Dynamo’s “everyday flavors” ($24 for half-dozen) include vanilla bean, maple bacon apple, passion fruit milk chocolate, caramel de sel and vanilla milk chocolate, all glazed. Vegan offerings include spiced chocolate featuring a blend of cinnamon and chipotle sugar, chocolate rosé and chocolate star anise (overriding theme: chocolate). Dynamo also has seasonal and holiday flavors such as gingerbread buckwheat molasses, pineapple sage and vegan apple cinnamon. Stand in line behind the person meticulously selecting the perfect two dozen for coworkers (and possibly not wanting to go into the office) deliberately stalling the inevitable. Then find yourself woefully unprepared once it’s your turn to order, as all of Dynamo’s flavors have a certain appeal. Dynamo Donut + Coffee shops are at 2760 24th St. in the Mission and at 110 Yacht Road in the Marina.
Nearby Dynamo’s Mission spot is The Jelly Donut, a family-run San Francisco staple. Serving jelly and custard-filled, twists, old fashioned, powdered, buttermilk, holes, cakes, bars at less than $2 per treat —The Jelly Donut far surpasses its name when it comes to types. It’s the same for fillings and toppings, which include guava, mango, strawberry and blueberry icing, maple bacon, sprinkles and cinnamon sugar. The shop’s particularly kind workers are a bonus. Look for the blue building at 24th Street and South Van Ness Avenue adorned with flags of city sports teams. Note: Credit cards are not accepted; Venmo or cash only. The Jelly Donut is at 3198 24th St.
All Star Donuts in the Richmond is another “has-every-type-and-then-some” shop. At Clement Street and 10th Avenue, it’s easy to spot with its huge vertical “DONUTS” sign at the front entrance and pink iced doughnut mural on the side. The quaint shop not only has varied offerings, it’s a great place to do some work away from home or the office. Grab a stool at the low-rise counter facing the window, scarf down a maple or chocolate glazed old fashioned (prices are $2-$3) and make progress on that project due by the week’s end or on your anticipated bestselling novel (no pressure—one sentence at a time). Or play hooky and take your selection on a stroll down Clement Street to check out the art galleries, retail shops, pubs and eateries — or a book with your San Francisco Public Library card at the Richmond/Senator Milton Marks branch on Ninth Avenue. Regardless of where you land, your All Star start is 901 Clement St.
While some local shops offer a few vegan selections, Whack Donuts! are all vegan, all of the time. Vandor Hill opened the doors in early October as one of SF New Deal’s Vacant to Vibrant pop-ups; he shares the space with York Street Café. The baked, not fried, doughnuts come in cinnamon sugar, chocolate glaze, mixed berry and the original “OG” glaze. Pop-up flavors have included vanilla with sprinkles, and, in December, Thai tea, matcha and eggnog. What will Whack Donuts! have in store flavor-wise for January and beyond? Shop at the Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on a Saturday morning, then head over to 4 Embarcadero Center, Suite 4507, to find out. (Note: Whack Donuts! is on the side of the center that faces the Embarcadero.)
With the October 2023 opening on Potrero Hill, Magic Donuts & Coffee is another recent addition to the city’s doughnut scene. The website features a San Francisco-esque illustrated rabbit wearing a bunny-eared hoodie, reading a book, holding a skateboard, riding a bike, eating a doughnut, and contemplating life in general. The store display, too, is photo worthy, with whipped cream and marshmallow toppings mounted high on supportive rings. A newcomer to the shop might ask, “Is this an art gallery?” and the answer would be yes, looking at the blueberry & lime, sugar & spice, maple pecan, double strawberry, matcha magic, lemon meringue pie, boba-topped carrot cheesecake and vanilla honey doughnuts behind the glass. Prices are $6-$7. “This is where the magic happens,” reads the Magic Donuts & Coffee slogan; “this” is the 1675 Mariposa St. address.
It’s worth a visit to Japantown to go to Mochill Mochi Donut, where $3 mochi (made with rice flour) dark chocolate, cinnamon sugar, strawberry, Nutella, salted caramel, matcha Oreo, dark chocolate Oreo and taro doughnuts are on the menu. Toppings include Fruity Pebbles cereal, gummy bears, cookie crumbles, and for peanut lovers, PB & J and Reese’s. There also are cronuts (strawberry, banana), Hawaiian “mochisadas” (mochi malasadas) and other fried treats. You can get one of each at the counter, or simply plan to keep coming back to try them all. Mochill Mochi Donut’s Japantown address is 1737 Post St.
Then there’s Trish’s Mini Donuts, Trish Conklin’s shop at Pier 39 operating for over 25 years. Customers have only two options: plain or cinnamon sugared. Another decision, involving a choice of three, concerns the vessel: bag, basket or miniature bathtub? In other words, standard, large or shameless? (Prices are $5.25 for six; $8.25 for 12; $13.25 for 24.) Regardless, it’s Fisherman’s Wharf, you’re among tourists, and you might as well join in the fun. Say hello to the sea lions hanging out on Pier 39’s docks, see their painted fiber-glass counterparts outside of Aquarium of the Bay, take in the many love padlocks affixed to the metal fence lining the pier and stop by the Boudin Bakery window to watch bakers craft animal- and crustacean-shaped sourdough bread. To fully embrace this “I live here but you wouldn’t know it” experience, ask a stranger or two to take a photo of you, entrusting them with your iPhone as you pose in front of the gargantuan Fisherman’s Wharf sign on the corner of Taylor and Jefferson streets with your tub of Trish’s minis.
After patronizing the above-mentioned shops, save room for conversation (or simply let the consumed sugar guide an enthusiastic chat) with a friend/partner/stranger about: whether it’s “doughnut” or “donut”; the history of the two spellings; which San Francisco doughnut is the best*; or how many doughnuts one can consume in a day (or week) without the treat becoming ordinary — if that’s even possible.
*entirely subjective and could potentially segue into a semi-heated debate