The mochi donut that took Toronto's food social media by storm — Isabella's makes pon de ring–style mochi donuts in rotating flavours that are chewy, light, and coated in glazes that look as good as they taste. A staple at Toronto's weekend food markets and a permanent fixture in the city's dessert conversation.
Neighbourhood: Scarborough / GTA Markets · Address: Available at Toronto food markets — check Instagram for weekly locations · Hours: Weekend markets — hours vary by market location · Price Range: $ · Editorial status: Not yet verified
Isabella's Mochi Donuts flips the donut script with chewy, Japanese-inspired treats in inventive, photogenic glazes. If you hunt for standout sweets at Toronto's weekend markets, this is an unskippable stop.
Unlike typical donuts, Isabella's are crafted with rice flour for a chewy, airy texture—think bouncy inside, crisp outside. They rotate through limited-edition flavours (ube, yuzu, matcha, miso caramel) that appeal to dessert nerds and Instagrammers alike, plus their market-only approach adds a 'chase it down' thrill.
Mochi donuts — called pon de ring in Japan, where the format originated at Mister Donut — are made from a dough that incorporates glutinous rice flour (mochiko or shiratamako), producing a texture that is fundamentally different from wheat-based donuts. The chew is elastic and yielding without being gummy; the interior is lighter than a yeast donut because the gluten structure that makes bread doughs dense is absent. The shape — individual round blobs connected in a ring rather than a single solid ring — increases the surface area for glaze adhesion and creates a characteristic pull-apart eating experience.
Isabella's Mochi Donuts emerged from Toronto's growing mochi donut market in the early 2020s and distinguished themselves through consistent quality and a flavour rotation that covers both the expected (matcha, ube, strawberry, black sesame, taro) and the unexpected (seasonal specials that change quarterly). The glazes are applied thickly enough to be a genuine flavour contribution rather than decorative — the matcha glaze is bitter enough to balance the sweetness of the donut; the ube glaze has the specific earthy sweetness of real ube rather than the artificial purple-vanilla that ube-flavoured products often default to.
The market-vendor model — Isabella's operates primarily through Toronto's weekend market circuit rather than a permanent storefront — means the product is always made fresh and in quantities calibrated to the expected day's traffic. It also means that showing up at 2pm to a busy market often means the popular flavours are sold out. The flexibility of the market model has allowed Isabella's to appear at events and markets across the GTA, building a broader audience than a single storefront would.
The mochi donut has a specific appeal for people who don't eat regular wheat-based donuts: the glutinous rice flour base makes them naturally gluten-free when made with care (though cross-contamination should be confirmed directly). This has expanded Isabella's audience beyond the dessert-curious into people who actively need or prefer gluten-free sweets.
A mochi donut (also called pon de ring, originating from Mister Donut in Japan) is made with glutinous rice flour, which gives it a chewy, elastic texture fundamentally different from regular wheat-based donuts. They're lighter than yeast donuts, naturally chewier, and typically ring-shaped with a cluster of small balls rather than a solid ring — which increases glaze coverage and creates a pull-apart eating experience.
Isabella's Mochi Donuts operates primarily through Toronto's weekend market circuit — they don't have a permanent storefront. Check their Instagram (@isabellasmochi) for the weekly market schedule and locations. They appear at markets across the GTA on a rotating basis.
The core flavours include matcha, ube, strawberry, black sesame, and taro. Seasonal specials rotate quarterly and are announced on Instagram. The popular flavours sell out at most markets — arrive early for full selection. A box of 6 (one of each flavour) is the recommended approach for a first visit.
Mochi donuts made with glutinous rice flour are naturally free of wheat gluten. However, cross-contamination with wheat products is possible depending on the kitchen setup. Confirm directly with Isabella's for specific allergen and cross-contamination information if you have celiac disease or a severe gluten intolerance.
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