Flakey Cream Do-Nuts

The artisan/gourmet culture of California’s wine country is pervasive. It’s uncommon to find an old-fashioned down-home dive around these parts, especially in ultra-gourmet Healdsburg. So we were delighted to discover Flakey Cream Do-Nuts, a place that has served donuts and diner breakfasts to a local audience since 1960. We love old lunch counter digs, so we were already sold before the food arrived. Here’s even better news: The food is good!

Mexican influences add zesty flair to diner breakfast classics. For Mexican Benedict, Canadian bacon is replaced by avocado, grilled onions, chorizo and jalapeños. Pepperjack cheese is draped over the eggs before the hollandaise sauce is applied. The spicy stack is a flavorful revision the butter-soaked dish. Hash browns alongside are grilled blonde and taste more like potato than oil. Otherwise average breakfast burritos are much improved by excellent hash browns inside. Fresh pico de gallo, a grilled tortilla, and piping hot delivery bump up the burrito to a B+.

Breakfast aside, Flakey Cream would be recommended if only for donuts. They aren’t fancy or inventive, and because they’re made early in the morning, they aren’t quite fresh by midday, but the recipes are time-tested. From raised to cake to cruller, Flakey Cream lives up to its name with donuts that are crisp on the outside and creamy soft in the middle.

This place is popular, so if you are coming for donuts we recommend coming as early as possible, while they still are fresh and there’s a full selection. Our favorite donut is the plain raised glazed, an ideal version of the classic.