Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee

We live in Idaho and Sidecar is a nut stop whenever we find one! So many great flavors in the adorable shop. We are yet to try a donut we don’t like. We love the classics butter salt donut but also love to dabble with specialty donuts like the French toast! We will definitely continue to enjoy these donuts!

**4.4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨ Sidecar Doughnuts Costa Mesa: Creative Donuts in a Posh Strip Mall Setting** Tucked in a sleek Costa Mesa plaza off Newport Blvd, **Sidecar Doughnuts** is the artisanal donut shop that elevates the humble treat to gourmet status 🍩✨. The **location felt like in a posh strip mall**—modern storefronts, upscale neighbors like coffee shops and boutiques, making it feel more like a trendy foodie destination than your average bakery. The **great display** inside is a visual feast: glass cases showcasing rows of beautifully crafted donuts with glossy glazes and artistic toppings that beg for photos. The **creativity for recipes** shines through—think huckleberry cake donuts with tangy lemon curd, or maple bacon bars with real candied pork. Each one tastes thoughtfully balanced, with fresh ingredients like house-made compotes and premium chocolates elevating the experience. Service is friendly and efficient—staff let you sample flavors, box everything neatly, and keep the line moving even during morning rushes. Convenient spot near the 55 freeway, easy for quick grabs on the way to the beach or work. That said, minor deductions keep it from a full 5. **Parking** in the plaza can be a hassle—spots fill fast with other shoppers, forcing street hunts or circling. The donuts lean toward **extreme sweetness** (glazes and fillings can overpower), and while inventive, some flavors just **aren't my taste**—too avant-garde for a classic donut lover like me (the lavender honey felt more perfumey than palatable). Still, Sidecar earns a strong 4.4 for those standout creative donuts and posh mall charm in Costa Mesa. It's a fun detour for donut enthusiasts—I'll be back, sticking to the simpler options next time. Worth trying if you're nearby!

A fun and unique donut shop. Extremely fresh. They make them in small batches so they are always fresh. The latte coffees were great too.

Been wanting to come for at least a decade, but I don’t live in state. I was finally in town and close enough to stop by, and I was a bit disappointed. They were out of many flavors I wanted to try (not their fault), and the huckleberry doughnut had an aftertaste of dirty/tap water. The banana bread latte was good for an iced drink, but has the very slightest banana taste, way too subtle. Don’t think I’ll come back, but I’m sure people who love cake doughnuts will enjoy it enough.

Amazing donuts, the cake style is perfectly fluffy with a slight crisp. They have samples which is an added perk. The service is great but the store is a bit cramped. Definitely a grab and go situation!