San Francisco's Fave Doughnuts Come from This Truck

San Francisco locals are all loving this doughnut truck, and far-flung celebs like Kanye, Kim, and Denzel seem to agree.

When Craig Blum noticed savory food trucks were in great supply in the San Francisco Bay Area but seldom offered sweet, dessert-worthy treats, he realized there was an opening in the marketplace for his vision of mouth-watering, locally-made doughnuts. "I didn't know much about doughnuts, except that I really loved good ones," Blum says of the early days of 2012 when the very first Johnny Doughnuts truck hit the road.

"I spent countless hours researching recipes and stumbled across one from the 1920s that incorporated mashed potatoes. I was immediately intrigued and used that recipe as an inspiration," Blum told us. "I added my own spin and taught myself to make doughnuts in my garage until I perfected what you see on the menu today."

Johnny Doughnuts

What started in 2012 with a single truck as since evolved into an operation ripe with three trucks, three doughnut shops, and one on the way. Johnny Doughnuts also has a business ripe with outdoor events, festivals, weddings, and corporate gatherings and serves the entire San Francisco Bay area, including both North Bay and South Bay. Now lines of adoring celebrity fans and noteworthy locals line up for the sweet treats, and yes -- that includes Kanye West, Kim, and even Denzel Washington.

An Instagram story posted by Kim Kardashian showing then-husband Kanye West ordering Johnny Doughnuts in early 2019

Johnny Doughnuts currently offers a mouth-watering vegan doughnut recipe that includes roasted sweet potato and a vegan butter glaze. Daily truck and store staples also boast classic glaze and chocolate ring doughnuts, as well as a "spectacular" vegan cinnamon roll offering that locals rave about. For those with gluten sensitivites or are just trying to cut it from their diets, the truck's wheat-free "Frittah Thang" is served daily and made with a blend of rice flours, real fruit, and vanilla glaze.

We actually make homemade mashed potatoes and add them into our dough making process. This is why the doughnuts have a little more bite and fry up really nicely. We top them with unique flavors and glazes, which vary seasonally and made right here in all of our shops. In addition, Johnny’s artisanal doughnuts are handcrafted with the finest organic cool-milled wheat flour and ingredients from locally sourced vendors. Cool-milled means the wheat is ground at room temperature which helps maintain the structural integrity of the wheat and allows it to stay fresh longer.

Prices range from around three to five dollars per hand-crafted treat, and Johnny Doughnuts promises all their doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, frittahs, and other offerings come from a nut-free facility, a welcome bit of peace for many area residents who battle the constant fear of peanut and tree-nut reactions.

The Sprinkley Guy, Johnny Doughnuts

If you need another sweet reason to get enthusiastic about this famous local treat purveyor, they stood behind the greater San Francisco community when the pandemic was at its worst -- and locals haven't forgotten.

"We decided to offer people the opportunity to purchase doughnuts and coffee for frontline hospital workers and we called this Project Comfort. We were so touched to see how many people bought breakfast for hospital employees. In just a few weeks the community came together and purchased over $30,000 in doughnuts and coffee for essential workers across the San Francisco Bay Area, North Bay and South Bay."

The Fittah Thang, Johnny Doughnuts

Johnny Doughnuts brick-and-mortar locations operate seven days a week from early morning till early evening in Hayes Valley and Larkspur, while the San Rafael shop has a more limited daily run of 7 a.m. though 2 p.m. Food trucks tend to roam all over the bay area and can frequently be found at Off the Grid, farmers markets, and community events and large-scale gatherings.

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