Mochi donuts finally come to Mount Dora and Eustis

ABOVE: An assortment of some of the mochi donuts at Magic Tea market. (Mount Dora Buzz photo)

Boba tea enthusiasts were ecstatic when the first Magic Tea Market opened in the heart of downtown Mount Dora in 2021. Now a new second store on U.S. 441 just opened and upped its game to go beyond premium boba by introducing the area to popular mochi donuts.

These craveworthy fusion pastries blend the concept of traditional American donuts with Japanese mochi, resulting in a moist and chewy treat.  Magic Tea’s fresh mochi donuts are made in house daily and are artfully decorated with colorful frostings and toppings like oreo cookie crumbles, nuts, pocky sticks and more.  In addition to fun flavors like mango, tiramisu, strawberry creme brulee, and churro, Magic Tea also makes more traditional Japanese varieties like matcha and ube.   If you’ve never experienced a mochi donut, but are dying to sink your teeth into one, be prepared -- it’s almost impossible to eat just one.  

A truly modern treat, the earliest versions of mochi donuts were made in Hawaii in 1992. The innovative treat consisted of fried balls of mashed taro and mochiko, a Japanese short-grain sweet rice flour.  Today mochi donuts share the same shape of a ring of balls that form a donut and are  made from either tapioca flour or glutinous rice flour.  Magic Tea Market’s donuts are made of rice flour. 

Later in June, the new store, located at 17195 US 441 next to Office Depot,  will add made-to-order Japanese fried chicken and fries to its offerings.  Like the original downtown location, the new Magic Tea Market serves up specialty tea drinks including milk teas, oolong, matcha, brown sugar milk tea, and slushes,  as well as Magic Tea's signature boba teas like tiramisu, creme brulee and taro.  The downtown location on 4th Avenue will also be selling fresh mochi donuts made in the new store.

Those who aren’t big tea fans, but are looking for a nosh, can choose from a variety of pre-packaged savory and sweet snacks imported from the Far East.

Magic Tea's owner is a familiar local face.  Ling Jiang and her husband also own the popular Momiji Japanese and sushi restaurant in Eustis near Sorrento.  

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here.  Discover the area's online entertainment calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app. ​

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