Los Angeles may have more donut shops per capita than any other city in the United States, but rarely are the deep-fried rings actually worth the oil-soaked calories. Thankfully, some of the city’s leading pastry chefs have entered the fray, offering destination donuts at bakery/cafes like Huckleberry, Republique, and my recent favorite, The Sycamore Kitchen.

At The Sycamore Kitchen, chef Karen Hatfield co-owns the industrial chic Mid-City café with chef/husband Quinn. She’s a vaunted pastry chef who previously worked at restaurants like Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio in San Francisco and her previous family venture, Hatfield’s. At The Sycamore Kitchen, Karen Hatfield fills a counter with a sweet cornucopia of glorious pastries. Depending on the time of day, glass-shielded trays may host raised donuts in basic flavors like chocolate, or if you’re really lucky, rosemary caramel.

The Rosemary Caramel Donut ($2.75) is downright pillowy. A sticky glaze that surrounds the ring, which resembles a delicious inner tube. The donut also delivers a savory hit from the light dusting of sea salt and bits of fragrant torn herb. Hopefully the Los Angeles café culture continues this enticing donut trend. As we know, there’s no need to limit leading specimens like these to donut shops.