Longtime Merced shop makes the county’s best doughnuts, Sun-Star readers say
A Merced institution for nearly 75 years, Rollen Donuts won the prize for making the “best doughnuts in Merced County” in a recent poll by Sun-Star readers.
Rollen Donuts won with 39% of the 268 votes cast. J-R Donuts of Atwater finished in second place with 19%. Sunshine Donuts of Livingston finished in third at 11%, and Donut King’s in Merced was fourth at 9%. Six other spots received at least one vote.
According to its Yelp page, Rollen Donuts opened in 1953. Current owner Jason Kong took over the business in 2005.
Rollen Donuts has a five-star rating on Yelp, with 136 reviews. “These donuts are epic!” one reviewer said.
Rollen Donuts’ maple bars are especially popular, Kong said. The shop also serves coffee and some sandwiches, including a ham and cheese croissant sandwich.
“Ham and cheese sandwiches are really popular right now,” Kong said Monday.
Rollen Donuts, at 2010 G St. in Merced, is open every day at 5 a.m. and is open until 2 p.m. weekdays and 1 p.m. weekends.
The doughnut shop may owe some of its success to nostalgia. It was perfectly located next to Merced High’s East Campus for many years, making it a popular spot for hungry teens.
How did Rollen Donuts get its name?
Rollen Donuts got its name from longtime owner Roland Bowler. So why is it called Rollen Donuts and not Roland Donuts?
Bowler’s daughter, Jennifer Berry, said that when her dad ordered the sign for the business, the sign company misspelled the name.
Her dad just went with it, Berry said. “He was an easygoing guy,” said Berry, who now lives in Ripon. “He was just like, ‘Whatever.’ “
Rowland Bowler took over the doughnut shop from his father, Berry said. He owned and operated it for 48 years, since he was 16, before he died in 2004, Berry said. Her mother sold the shop in 2005.
“I grew up in that doughnut shop, in that back room,” Berry said. “I slept there, did homework there.”
Berry now has her own business, making custom cakes and treats through her cottage food business called Berry Sweet Shoppe.
There are plenty of other good choices in Merced County
Second-place finisher J-R Donuts of Atwater has been making doughnuts since 1998, according to its Facebook page. Located at 1838 Bellevue Road in Atwater, it has a 4.5-star rating on Yelp.
Third-place Sunshine Donuts, at 242 N. Main St. in Livingston, was opened in 1996 by Tommy and Lorchi Lao, according to its Facebook page. It also has a 4.5-star rating on Yelp, and serves boba drinks as well.
Fourth-place finisher Donut King’s, at 260 W. Main St., Suite A, in Merced, is another popular spot with a 4.5-star Yelp rating. It also serves banh mi, popular Viatnamese sandwiches.
This story was originally published February 24, 2026 at 6:00 AM.
