Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee

"Sidecar is a fancy donut mini-chain that started in Costa Mesa and has since grown to seven locations around LA. If you’re looking for the upscale donut trend's patient zero, you'll find it here: Sidebar started putting things like salted malt cookie dough and huckleberry jam on dough rings back in 2013, and they’re still the best at it. We’re not sure their signature claim of making fresh donuts every hour is true at all locations these days, but regardless, eating one of their Butter & Salt donuts while warm remains a religious experience. Go with the cake donuts over the yeast ones. " - nikko duren, brant cox, sylvio martins

"Sidecar makes doughnuts throughout the day at all six LA locations, so the possibility of warm fritters is likely on every visit. The entire menu is worth trying, but the cakey huckleberry doughnut is the standout." - Mona Holmes, Eater Staff

"COVID-19 Update: Open for pickup and delivery. It used to be that you had to make a special day trip to Costa Mesa to get your hands on a Sidecar, but now that the new Santa Monica outpost is finally here, dropping by for one of their fried-fresh-on-the-hour doughnuts and a cup of famously smooth coffee has gotten almost dangerously easy. The flavors are broken up into classics (the huckleberry and vanilla twist are goop HQ favorites) and monthly specials like coconut cream pie, peanut butter & banana, and chocolate & rye. And keep an eye out for the gluten-free options, the butter & salt is worth trying even if gluten isn’t an issue. COVID-19 Disclaimer: We are working hard to keep our listings as up to date as possible (deliveries, outdoor dining, etc.), but given the evolving nature of local COVID-19 restrictions, we recommend double-checking the information in this guide with any business you plan on visiting. Also, please note that we have not vetted any businesses listed within our guides for their compliance with applicable safety regulations. "

"Sidecar has multiple locations in Southern California, but Luu calls out the Santa Monica shop for “very fresh, hot donuts with unique recipes.” The shop fries donuts in small batches all day long, and the seasonal menu includes flavors like rainbow berry pop tart and salted malted chocolate chip cookie dough. “Our favorite is their butter-and-salt cake donut—we journey out there often for this one,” Luu says." - Jean Trinh 1

"Donuts - the great, fried unifier that has brought together the likes of Homer Simpson, stoned college students, and law enforcement officers has long been a food group inaccessible to the gluten-intolerant, until now. Every week, this Santa Monica shop makes a GF version of one of their incredible donuts, like the Butter & Salt, Saigon Cinnamon Crumb, and the Violet Beauregarde-inspired Huckleberry, which comes stuffed with blueberries. Plus, if you’re the type of person that likes to plan out their donut strategy (we don’t know why you wouldn’t be), Sidecar posts their weekly gluten-free lineup on their website." - Kat Hong, Brett Keating