Mochi Doughnut Craze Coming to Convoy

A fast-growing dessert chain with line-drawing locations in Downtown LA and Koreatown is headed for San Diego where the first branch is scheduled to open this week on Convoy Street. Specializing in mochi-style doughnuts made with glutinous rice flour, Mochinut’s confections come in a cute ring shape and have a wonderfully chewy texture that’s very different from traditional yeast or cake doughnuts.

Replacing Bite Sized Bakery in the center that also houses Kura Sushi and Shanghai Saloon, Mochinut is running an opening special from Friday, April 23 to Thursday, April 29 and giving away a free doughnut to those who follow the shop’s Instagram account and tag a friend. Owner Brian Song, who also operates nearby boba cafe Tea n More, will start by offering the freshly-fried doughnuts in original, matcha, strawberry, churro, and cookies and cream flavors but says he plans to continually rotate and expand the lineup.

Song told Eater by phone that he’ll eventually add specialty coffee drinks like dalgona coffee, the viral Korean sensation, as well as Korean hot dogs fried in a rice flour batter. Convoy neighbor Chungchun Ssal Hot Dog, which brought the trend to San Diego back in 2019, is temporarily closed.

Mochinut, which is rapidly expanding across the country and the globe from Las Vegas to Thailand, is reportedly opening additional stores in Mira Mesa and Westfield UTC.

• All Openings Coverage [ESD]