In case you need to be quickly brought up to speed, mochi has suddenly become a social media sensation, with fans on TikTok rocketing the sale of top brand Little Moons by 700%, according to The Grocer.
These sweet Japanese treats aren’t exactly new though, having thought to have been around since the Heian period – which runs from between 794 to 1185. They’re traditionally found at the heart of New Year festivities in Japan, with long rows of them perceived to symbolise long-life and well-being. Now though they’ve transcended their ancestral home to become a mainstay of our appetite for Insta-friendly treats here in UK.
These soft, gluttonous rice balls have a distinctly chewy texture and can be flavoured in nearly unlimited ways. The traditional kind typically has a sweet bean filling, but it’s a new kind that the kids are coveting these days. Enter: Little Moons. These mochi balls are made up of two parts – the traditional chewy rice jacket and a soft, smooth gelato filling. It’s these that caused a stir over the past few months, with keen TikTokers (that’s a word, yes?) queueing round the block at Selfridges to get themselves a selection of these little treats. In fact, many fans were left disappointed when following the spike in popularity their favourite sweet treat sold out across Amazon and big name supermarkets like Tesco.
But what if you can’t make it Selfridges, where can you buy mochi in the UK? Well, the good news is that Japan Centre has just opened a dedicated mochi counter in London, and there are places all across Britain where you can get your hands on a few mochi balls if you look hard enough.
Where to buy Little Moons in London
You’ll find regular mochi balls in all sorts of Asian supermarkets and corner shops, but if you’re after a dedicated experience then you might want to head to one of the below destinations. Here’s where to buy mochi in London.
Japan Centre mochi bar
For devoted fans of mochi balls, there’s surely no higher peak than visiting the Japan Centre in central London. This hallowed ground now plays host to a dedicated area centred around every iteration of these treats you could image. There are fried mochi doughnuts made from the chewy rice dough, there are mochi cookies, mochi bread and mochi dango (a sort of sunde of mochi balls covered in sauces and toppings) and of course the now-infamous mochi ice cream balls.
Tian Tian Aldgate
Large Asian supermarket Tian Tian opened in Aldgate to queues of dedicate mochi fans when they announced they had a huge stock list of Little Moons. Here you’ll find mochi stashed away in the freezer section, with plenty of flavours to choose from. A word of warning though, these treats regularly sell out, so make sure to check with the team at Tian Tian before you make a trip across town to get some.
Little Moons mochi bar at Selfridges
The MVP of the Little Moons experience has to be the counter at Selfridges. This is where the original TikTok craze started. Here you can choose between all sorts of flavours – from mango through to cookies and cream – and fill a little tub to takeaway (which you then promptly upload to social media if you’re doing it right).
Where to buy Little Moons in the UK
Outside of London there are loads of places you can find mochi in the UK. There are of course traditional mochi balls to be found in Asian supermarkets, and if you prefer the ice cream kind then you can pick these up at big brand names. Little Moons are stocked at Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons and more. There’s a handy tool on the Little Moons website which helps you locate your nearest mochi balls for all those emergency moments when you need sugar at speed.
How to order mochi for delivery
If you simply want a snack without having to give up scrolling on your phone, we get it. Part of the joy of modern life is the convenience factor, and in this instance that means ordering mochi from somewhere near you, to have it dropped right to your door.
Little Moons on Deliveroo
Rejoice, mochi balls are available on Deliveroo. As long as you’re withing the delivery zone for a mochi stockist then you’re onto a good thing. Simply log on to the app, search for Little Moons, make your selection, then sit back and relax knowing a sugar high is on its way to you in mere minutes.
Little Moons on Ocado
Online supermarket Ocado also stock a selection of Little Moons mochi balls for nationwide delivery. You’ll have to meet the minimum spend – which can be made up of other groceries of course, but if it’s entirely mochi balls we get ya – but other than that there’s no catch. If you see Little Moons on Ocado we suggest acting fast, this is another place where they sell like hot (em, cold?) cakes.
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