Taylor Moore
Editor-in-Chief
Kelli Makenna Kuttruff
Arts Editor
There are many sweet and hidden donut stores near La Verne that hit the spot when searching for that much needed “sweet treat.” No time has to be wasted scrolling through Yelp and delaying driving to one of these delicious spots, we ranked and reviewed them for you. Here are our honest reviews of four donut shops near La Verne based on price, hours, taste and atmosphere.
Although we did not stop there, we have to mention a local hot spot – Miss Donuts and Bagel, located at 2082 Bonita Ave. and less than a mile from the University of La Verne.
The shop is open 6 a.m. to noon seven days a week.
This beloved local spot offers a wide menu range, from their signature bagels and donuts to classic breakfast sandwiches. The breakfast sandwiches range from $7.25 to $8.45 and the lunch sandwiches are $8.95 each.
The shop is a five minute walk from the University, perfect for students, staff and faculty looking to take an easy snack break.
Second closest to the University, at only 1.8 miles away and about a six minute drive, is Tastees Donut & Bagels, located at 1449 Foothill Blvd. in La Verne.
This donut and bagel shop is closed on Monday’s, and open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday’s from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There is a $15 minimum for credit card purchases and offers selections of classic donut and bagel flavors. With classic drinks to kick off mornings like coffee, hot tea, orange and pineapple juice and more, their drinks range from $1.75 to $4.00 depending on the size and drink selection.
The shop offers classic donut selections – glaze, twist bars, jelly, and more – starting at $1.50 for a single. There are a wide variety of pastries to choose from, such as croissants, bagels, scones and muffins, that can range from $1.75 to $4.50. A dozen mixed items can be purchased for $16 and a dozen donut holes are $2.50.
The shop has a classic, sweet but simple look. To match the retro atmosphere of this shop, we decided to try some popular favorites by ordering powdered donut holes and a maple bar. The powdered donut holes are a customer-favorite for a reason, with their rich flavor bringing us back to childhood Hostess donuts.
We rated these donuts a seven out of 10 based on taste, texture and freshness.
Next on our list was Donut Club at 861 W. Arrow Hwy., in San Dimas. This store is 3.4 miles away from ULV and took about ten minutes to drive to. This shop is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Wednesday’s through Sunday’s, 5 a.m to 6 p.m on Monday’s and closed on Tuesday’s.
The shop offers a wide range of drinks to choose from, such as three flavors of Vietnamese coffee, 16 flavors of smoothies, five flavors of cappuccino smoothies and four different ice covered teas, with options to add boba or jelly to the latter.
A sweet tooth’s dream, this shop offers almost every flavor of donut imaginable. Their impressive range of classic donut flavors are $1.70 each with a half dozen at $9.99 and a dozen at $18.99. Their premium donuts include Apple Fritters, Cinnamon Rolls and Bear Claws which cost $3.49 each. Their specialty donuts such as chocolate chip, peanut butter and tiger tail are $4.49 each.
We were instantly impressed with the adorable atmosphere of this shop with a row of pink tables and chairs, two neon signs and a bright colored menu on display.
We ordered a dozen of their classic flavors and rated them an 8 out of 10 overall based on freshness, taste and variety offered.
Next, Mochinut in Pomona which was an easy 2.4 mile drive that took about seven minutes. It is located at 101 E. Foothill Blvd. suite 33 in Pomona.
The store’s motto is that their mochinuts are “more than donuts,” and the unique flavors dazzled both of us.
Their unique shape and flavors of donuts make them stand out from other donut shops. Flavors include churro with caramel or chocolate, original with rainbow sprinkles, funnel cake with a strawberry, chocolate or caramel drizzle, strawberry with white chocolate, matcha with strawberry or oreo, mango with fruit loops, nutella with pocky stick and peanut butter with strawberry.
The shop is conveniently open every day from 10:30 a.m to 9 p.m.
They offer simple prices with three donuts at $9.75, six at $17.75 and a dozen for $33.50. They also serve rice hotdogs, a Korean inspired take on the standard hotdog, with unique flavors such as potato, potato mozzarella, crispy ramen, crunch cereal and hot cheetos ranging from $5.25 to $6.99.
The shop immersed us into a world of color, with vibrant orange, blue, yellow and pink walls, as well as playful neon signs on the walls, one of which quoted Bobby McFerrin’s hit song, “Don’t Worry Be Happy.”
How could we not be happy when we tried the churro with chocolate drizzle and funnel cake with chocolate mochinuts? Each was a standout treat, with the mochi inside the donut melting in our mouths with each bite. We rated the churro and chocolate mochinut an 8.5 out of 10 and the funnel cake with chocolate a nine out of 10.
Our favorite spot of the day was The Donut Man at 915 E Route 66 in Glendora.
The 6.2 mile drive from ULV took about 14 minutes and was worth every second.
They are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is an incredible feat for any establishment. Day or night, donut-lovers can satisfy their cravings with their affordable and delectable selections, including the signature seasonal donuts like strawberry, peach and creme puff, ranging from $3.25 to $6.25.
The seasonal donuts are an all-time favorite since customers get their money’s worth. The strawberry-filled donut is what it sounds like, filled to the brim with fresh, juicy strawberries sandwiched between soft donuts. More fan favorites include the filled donuts in flavors of apple, lemon and raspberry. These gooey and delicious donuts cost $3.
For sweet and simple lovers, flavors like glaze twists, chocolate and an old fashioned range between $2 to $3.30.
This shop is unique since it has the same retro vibe from its 1972 opening, keeping its walk-up window for guests to order and glass windows so guests can peek inside to see their sweet treats being made. Shelves of freshly made donuts greet guests upon arrival when they walk up to order, and when the window opens, the sweet aroma immediately fills the outside.
We went with our flavor favorites and cravings and ordered an old fashioned and a sugar crumb donut.
The sugar crumb was doused in cinnamon and sugar and was out of this world. It was each our favorite that we have had to date, and we rated it a whopping 11 out 10. The old fashioned donut did not disappoint either, incredibly rich in flavor, and tasted exactly how it was meant to. We rated it a 9.5 out of 10.
That being said, each donut shop offers savory snacks with a fun atmosphere and is worth a try for La Verne locals.
Kelli Kuttruff can be reached at kelli.kutruff@laverne.edu.
Taylor Moore can be reached at taylor.moore@laverne.edu.
Kelli Makenna Kuttruff is a senior communications major with an emphasis in public relations. She is the arts editor of the Campus Times, and is in her second semester as a staff writer.
Taylor Moore is a senior broadcast journalism major and Campus Times editor-in-chief for Spring 2024. In her sixth semester on Campus Times, she has served as the LV Life editor and social media editor twice, as well as a staff writer. She’s also worked on the University’s television news broadcast Foothill Community News as an anchor and reporter, and was a on-air personality for the University’s radio station 107.9 LeoFM.
Abelina J. Nuñez, senior journalism major, is a photography editor for Campus Times and staff photographer for La Verne Magazine. She previously served as LV Life editor, arts editor social media editor and staff writer. In Fall 2023, Nuñez was La Verne Magazine's editor-in-chief and was previously a staff writer as well. Her work can be found on Instagram @abelinajnunezphoto.
