You work in Woodland Hills and you have 15 minutes to kill before you need to clock in for work. What do you do with that extra time? Pass by Blinkie’s and snag a black-and-white donut–the perfect donut for those who can’t choose between a chocolate or vanilla glaze—and maybe if you’re feeling generous that day grab a couple of dozen for your co-workers too. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on their faces and make their day just a little brighter!

Located in a strip mall on Topanga Boulevard, Blinkie’s Donuts has served donuts at its original location for over 50 years. A neighborhood favorite, you’ll typically see patrons who grew up on Blinkie’s take their kids there or even their grandkids. In the past 18 years, the popularity of this donut shop skyrocketed. That’s all thanks to the current owner, Teresa Ngo, who bought the business in April 2003 along with her father, Hugh.

Born in Paris, Teresa moved with her family to Anaheim where she discovered the donut business ran in the family. Ted “Doughnut King” Ngoy is her uncle who ran dozens of donut shops in the ’80s. The father and daughter duo kept the classic donuts but developed and added new recipes to steadily build new clientele. Hugh took care of the cooking and production while Teresa handled customer service, sales, and coming up with new products for this historic donut shop. A foodie at heart, Teresa gets ideas for new flavors from her favorite treats, dishes, and even drinks.

One of the first new creations they introduced was the aforementioned (and this writer’s favorite) black-and-white donut: a raised donut with chocolate (5 kinds of chocolates!) and vanilla glazes. And it was a hit! Cronuts (the intersection between a croissant and a donut) were the next big hit with flavors like Nutella, strawberry, and chocolate. Even though they run out an hour or two before closing, they still close at noon to keep the donuts fresh. As their website promises: “Our donuts are made on premises by hand fresh daily. We sell out, we sell out…We do not believe in selling day old donuts.”

Over the years, Blinkie’s following has grown immensely, thanks to their customer centered approach and the exceptional products they bake fresh daily. Increased media coverage from a variety of outlets from television to magazines as well as social media, and the patronage of local celebrities such as Jessica Simpson, Khloe Kardashian, and Chris Hemsworth also contributed to their popularity.

If you haven’t stopped by Blinkie’s, it should be on your list of places to try in the San Fernando Valley. They even do custom orders! Word of advice: Get there early, especially on the weekends where they have a wider selection of donuts and baked goods.

Location: 4884 Topnaga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA

Hours of Operation: MONDAY CLOSED; TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 6:00AM – 12:00NOON

www,blinkiesdonuts.com