Santa Monica: Donut Food Tour & Beach Walk with Local Stops

4.95

(110 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We were already halfway through our first glazed at Randy’s Donuts before I realized how much I’d missed that warm, slightly yeasty smell you only get in old-school bakeries. Our guide, Jamie, waved us over to snap a photo under the giant donut sign—yeah, the one from all those movies. It was busier than I expected for a weekday morning, but people seemed happy to wait. The coffee wasn’t fancy but it hit just right with the sugar rush.

I didn’t think I’d care about “donut culture” (is that even a thing?) but Jamie started telling us about how these places are woven into LA’s history—immigrant families, late-night cravings, even some wild celebrity stories. By the time we got to Sidecar Doughnuts, I was actually excited to try something new. Their brown butter flavor was weirdly rich and salty-sweet; my friend tried to pronounce one of the fillings in Spanish and the staff laughed with her, not at her. Felt like everyone was in on some local joke.

And then came churros at Papi Churros & Tacos—hot from the fryer, dusted in cinnamon sugar so fine it stuck to my fingers for ages. Someone ordered birria tacos (not part of the donut tour but honestly smelled too good), so we ended up sharing bites on a curb while watching skateboarders zip past toward Santa Monica Beach and Pier. The ocean breeze mixed with fried dough is… hard to describe. Maybe you just have to be there.

The last stop changed because Jamie checked if we wanted more sweets or just a walk along Third Street Promenade. We picked both—somehow still hungry—and wandered past street performers and neon shop signs until my legs felt wobbly from sugar and walking. I still think about that view of the Pacific as we finished up; it’s not really about donuts by then, you know?