Ask anyone who moved from Oahu or Maui what they miss most, and malasadas usually land near the top of the list. These sugar-coated Portuguese doughnuts made their way to Hawaii with immigrant families from Madeira and the Azores, and the islands have treated them like treasure ever since.
The good news for homesick islanders is that California has some solid spots frying them up. From a Torrance landmark to a vegan Filipino bakeshop in Long Beach, here are six bakeries where a fresh malasada is waiting.
1. King’s Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant, Torrance, CA
For a lot of island families in Southern California, this Sepulveda Boulevard landmark is the closest thing to a weekend trip home. The bakery counter stocks everything from malasadas to slices of paradise cake, so dessert decisions can take a while.
The restaurant side keeps the island theme going with plate lunch comfort food. Think Kalua Pork Plate, Spam Musubi, Oxtail Soup, and a Mix Plate for anyone who refuses to pick just one.
Breakfast fans should look for the King’s Hawaiian French Toast, made with the brand’s famous sweet bread. Bags of King’s Hawaiian Rolls and the colorful Specialty Bread Rainbow loaf are easy take-home souvenirs.
Hours run from 7 AM to 9 PM every day, which makes it handy for a morning malasada or an after-dinner one. Weekends draw the biggest crowds and there is usually a wait, so a weekday visit is the smarter move if you want a quieter table.
The free parking lot helps too.
2. Bob’s Donut & Pastry Shop, San Francisco, CA
Craving a malasada at 3 AM is no problem on Polk Street. Bob’s never closes, so the fryer keeps going day and night.
The menu lists a Malasada with your choice of filling, and the strawberry version comes out light and fluffy with plenty of fruit flavor. Since the crew bakes constantly, there is a decent chance your order arrives freshly made.
The room is bare-bones and the service is counter only, with no restroom. That keeps the focus on the pastry case, which also holds apple fritters, buttermilk bars, cinnamon rolls, and old fashioned donuts.
Prices stay friendly, usually under ten dollars per person. Saturday nights are the busiest stretch, while weekday mornings tend to be calm.
3. Pastelaria Adega, San Jose, CA
Hawaii’s malasadas trace back to Portugal, so heading straight to a Portuguese bakery makes perfect sense. Pastelaria Adega, on East Santa Clara Street in downtown San Jose, handles the original side of the family tree.
Fillings here go beyond plain sugar. Chocolate, hazelnut, sweet egg cream, coconut, and strawberry have all shown up, and plenty of fans rank these above the ones they grew up with in the islands.
Save room for the pastel de nata, offered in original plus flavors like blueberry and passionfruit. The case also holds pão de Deus coconut brioche, bolo de arroz rice flour muffins, almond croissants, and rustic pão Alentejano sourdough loaves.
The space is snug, with exposed brick and only a few tables. It opens Wednesday through Sunday from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, so plan around the Monday and Tuesday closures.
4. The Donuttery, Huntington Beach, CA
Guava, pineapple coconut, and Nutella are the kind of malasada flavors that make islanders do a double take. The Donuttery on Beach Boulevard rolls them out alongside a seriously huge donut lineup.
The menu stretches from churro donuts and croissant donuts to custard-filled treats, tiger tails, red velvet, and a faux bacon maple bar. Gluten-free chocolate and vanilla donuts are on offer too, which is rare.
Hungry for something savory? Breakfast burritos, bagels, sandwiches, and ham and cheese croissants round things out.
It stays open 24 hours, and there is seating plus a free lot. Expect a crowd on Friday nights and Sundays, then breeze in on a Wednesday morning when it is quietest.
5. Portuguese Tasty Desserts, Santa Clara, CA
Timing matters at this family-owned El Camino Real bakery. Malasadas and filhoses are made on set mornings rather than every day, so a quick call ahead saves disappointment.
The style leans traditional. The dough itself is not very sweet, letting the sugared coating and the custard or coconut cream filling carry the flavor.
Beyond malasadas, the shelves hold Portuguese sweet bread loaves, cinnamon sweet bread, pastel de nata, and queijadas custard. Free coffee for customers is a nice touch.
Hours run Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4 PM and Saturday until 3 PM. It is closed Sunday and Monday, with free street parking nearby.
6. San & Wolves Bakeshop, Long Beach, CA
A purple malasada is reason enough to set an alarm on a Saturday. San & Wolves, a vegan Filipino bakery on East 4th Street in Long Beach, offers malasadas on weekends only, and the ube version is a standout.
Everything is scratch-made, with ube showing up all over the menu. Ube coffee cake, ube crumb cups, ube pop tarts, and ube Spanish bread share space with bibingka, macapuno cake, blueberry cornbread, and mango sago.
It is takeout only, with no dine-in seating or restroom, so grab a box and find a nearby bench. The shop opens Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30 AM to 3 PM, and weekend mornings get busy fast.
That mix of Filipino flavors and island-style doughnuts fits right in with how Hawaii itself blends cultures. It is a sweet way to end this list of California malasada stops worth saving.
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