The Donut Man

The inspiration

Jim and Miyoko Nakano opened the shop in May 1972 as part of a Foster's Donuts franchise, chasing their own version of the American dream through a small business¹ . The strawberry donut that made the shop's name came a couple of years later, when a local farmer with an overabundant strawberry crop suggested Jim find a use for the surplus, and he spent time perfecting the balance of sweetness^1,2 .

Who's behind it

Jim Nakano co-founded the shop with Miyoko Nakano and has run it since 1972, an East LA native who went on to make his life in donuts^1,2 . He credits his longevity to refusing to compromise on quality and customer service, and he still has every donut cut, shaped, fried and frosted by hand on site in front of customers¹ .

What to order

• Fresh Peach Donut: the warm-months companion to the strawberry version, fruit-stuffed and glazed .^4,5
• Tiger Tail: an enormous twisted braid of devil's food and glazed cinnamon dough, praised by Time Out Los Angeles as a favorite year-round pick .⁵
• Classic glazed Bavarian creme: part of the lineup Eater LA suggests for a road-trip dozen .⁶
• Devil's food cake and maple bar: standards that hold up well if you order extra for the next morning, according to Eater LA .⁶

What people are saying

Critics at Eater LA say the unassuming roadside shop fries up some of the finest doughnuts in Los Angeles⁶ . Time Out Los Angeles calls the fruit-filled glazed doughnut one of the city's finest desserts and praises the consistently high-quality, ultra-fresh doughnuts⁵ .

Why you should try it

This is the originator of the fresh fruit-stuffed donut, a Route 66 landmark turning out handmade classics since 1972^1,7 . If you're staying anywhere in the San Gabriel Valley, it's a short drive for a taste of Southern California donut history^4,6 .