Donut Time

My alarm just went off & it's DONUT TIME..no but really, it's always time for Donut Time in El Cerrito.

Located conveniently next to Marshalls, Donut Time may be called a hidden gem to most, but they actually have been servicing the local community for 38 years and is now a gathering spot for locals!

Owners May & Johnny took over the business in 1985 from Johnnys parents and he's now coined El Cerrito's Donut King!

From the most fresh and classic donut and coffee pairings you crave, to hot off the grill fried egg breakfast sandwiches, you truly can't go wrong.
Don't sleep on the massive apple fritter, their most instagramable item, and don't be ashamed if you miss the alarm because their mid day cheeseburger & tuna melt most definitely hits the mark.

Fun fact: If you happen to make it at 7am you can see Johnny and the crew making the donuts & glazing them fresh, which is really a fun experience! They also sponsor on the second Sunday of every month a classic car show for hungry & local car enthusiasts.

For great value, service and all the cozy donut shop feels, be sure to bookmark this spot in El Cerrito.

This spot is so local that I heard about it on Nextdoor. The post was about Marshalls, Donut Time's neighbor, closing and asked what would become of this small family shop when it closed.

We came here for their famous breakfast sandwich, which was better than expected. I especially liked their "Bagel" sandwich. I put bagel in quotes because they call it a bagel, but it tasted more like a Kaiser roll, which just so happens to be my favorite NYC breakfast sandwich.

To contribute to their survival, I will continue to patronize this business. Service is a bit slow, so be prepared to wait, but it is worth it.
BB

Who knew this place was here in El Cerrito this whole time? Friendly owner, delicious donuts, great prices!

My dad had a craving for a plain old fashioned. We stopped by Donut Time which is literally blocks away from their house, where I grew up. What? I cannot believe this El Cerrito treasure was so close by and so good.

I am definitely adding this to my rounds every month when I visit my folks!
Can't wait to introduce my dad to a buttermilk bar which is a bigger and more delicious version of the old fashioned.

Fresh and fluffy donuts. They are also very sweet. I typically don't like things that are overly sweet, so it took me some time to finish my donut. Got the glazed and chocolate long John. Will be coming back to try the apple fritter!
Side note, be ready for a little wait. 5 to 15 mins.

Very nice establishment. I walked in and ordered 2 dozen donuts to take to an event in school. They packed it in 2 spears boxes and doubled the bag per my request as I am riding BART. Super friendly staff and their price is $$ very reasonable. I would recommend this place. Ample parking outside. Thank you for the good service!

Such an unexpected little gem. I was in the neighborhood shopping and came across this little hole in the wall donut shop. Now I know what you're thinking, burgers at a donut shop....and I was skeptical. I went in and was surprised to see they had hot food as well. Open grill and all. So I told myself, when in Rome!

I tried a cheeseburger topped with condiments and onions and it was so good! Freshly grilled, flavored well and cooked nicely. I doubled down and got a milk tea flavored with honeydew and it was amazing too! Perfect amount of sweetness. Prices were very very reasonable and much less than a fast food joint.

This mom and pop donut shop is where you can find fresh delicious old school donuts without all the frills. Service is great! May always greets us with a smile and remembers my kids favorite. Surprisingly, because I'm a boba fan, I never thought to try it here; but it turns out they have delicious brown sugar boba (the only ones we've tried so far). My daughter and her best friends favorite drink to get here. The boba is soft and sweet and the brown sugar have a toasty taste and the milk is fresh (not powdered milk).

Really fresh donuts every single time, even if you arrive a little later in the day. Pretty sure they're open all the way till 7pm. Perfect fluffiness and friendly service. Cash only, but that's most donut shops.

No foul grease taste and it's nice that the door is open for Covid safety.

A++

I just had the BEST EGG SALAD sandwich EVER! I wanted to eat half now and half later. It didn't happen. I ate the whole thing. The service was amazing too. I felt like family placing my order for my sandwich and picking up a few donuts. I can't wait to come back.

Best Bear Claws In The Bay! Also, don't sleep on the Fresh Made Breakfast Sandwiches(my favorite is anything on a croissant)!