Founders Donuts In Lafayette Is 'Best-Kept Secret In Lamorinda': List

LAMORINDA, CA — Making your weekend plans? You may want to think about calling in your order to Founders Donuts in Lafayette, which specializes in handmade old-fashioned and milk-bread doughnuts.

The pop-up doughnut shop that sprang up during the pandemic is only open for pickups from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday at Lafayette Kitchen, a shared commercial kitchen at 271 Lafayette Circle. There are no walk-ups; pre-orders are taken Monday-Thursday.

Even so, the doughnut shop made such an impression it was at the top of a list published Monday by East Bay Times. According to the "12 fantastic Bay Area doughnut shops that will knock your socks off" list, Founders Donuts is "the best-kept secret in Lamorinda" and has those "fancy doughnuts you bring to brunch."

"Our old-fashioned donuts are rich and tender and our yeast milk bread donuts are pillowy soft," Founders Donuts says on its website. "Both varieties have a crisp exterior that is finished with an intensely flavored glaze. Using the best and freshest ingredients, our unique dough and glaze recipes create a great balance of textures and flavors. Every donut is topped with a donut hole as a small way of thanking you for your order."

A six-pack sampler costs $25 and the menu rotates. Current choices for the old-fashioned doughnuts are vanilla, blueberry and lemon poppyseed, while the choices for milk bread are glazed, chocolate and coconut.

According to its website, Founders Donuts is closed for the next two weeks. Preorders will be taken starting at noon Monday, Oct. 30 for the next pickup date of Saturday, Nov. 4.

It was the lone Lamorinda doughnut purveyor included in the list, although Johnny's Donut Shop, 3629 Mt. Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette, got a mention as the "makers of doughnut holes so addictive."

Two doughnut places in Walnut Creek made the list: Ocean Malasada Co. and Third Culture Bakery.

See the East Bay Times' full list here.