New Tampa Mochinut To Be Replaced By Box Of Cubans!

As much as most of our readers say they want them, it’s just never easy to be successful with unique concept restaurants in our distribution areas — there is always just too much competition from other chain restaurants — so you need all of the little factors to come together to “make it,” including location, quality, demand for the product, management and more. 

That’s why it wasn’t much of a shock to me that the Mochinut “More Than Just A Donut” location on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. just north of I-75 (in the small plaza located north of Glory Days Grill) made the announcement shown lower left on Instagram a week or so before we went to press with this issue that the New Tampa location had closed, even though the Mochinut locations in Citrus Park, Temple Terrace and on the north S.R. 56 (near Mellow Mushroom) were staying open. 

Whether or not Mochinut’s light-and-airy Korean-style donuts were a hard sell for folks raised on Krispy Kreme and/or Dunkin’ Donuts, the location of the New Tampa Mochinut (the second eatery to fail there; Mahana Fresh was the first) is extremely difficult to find and get to for a lot of people, even though it is visible from BBD. 

I happened to stop by the already-closed Mochinut location to take the exterior photo to your left when I was able to see two people sitting inside the vacant eatery. They were Marcos and his wife Onelia (“Oni”) Silverio — the owners of the Box of Cubans restaurant in Riverview, who were waiting for contractors to come in to help them get the former Mochinut location ready to become their second fast-casual Cuban eatery. 

“Our Riverview location was named the Best Restaurant to Eat At in Tampa Bay by Yelp for 2023,” Marcos told me. “We’re famous for our authentic Cuban sandwiches and empanadas.” 

Marcos and Oni said that in addition to those popular Cubans and empanadas, Box of Cubans also receives high marks for its outstanding breakfast items — including Cuban-style French toast (also known as Torrejas) and egg, meat (choice of bacon, ham, sausage, turkey or chorizo) and cheese and “Pipo’s Breakfast” (tender, juicy roast pork, aka lechon, sautéed onions and Swiss cheese inside a pressed fluffy egg omelet) sandwiches and more. 

For lunch, try the restaurant’s signature Mojito Pork Sandwich with lechon, Swiss, sautéed onions and pickled jalapenos, the Pan Con Bistec (grilled palomilla steak marinated in mojo with Swiss, sauteed onions, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, crispy potato sticks, house cilantro sauce and mayo) sandwich or the ham croquette sandwich. 

The empanadas come with a variety of fillings, from traditional chicken or beef and cheese to bacon, ham or sausage, egg & cheese, Empanada Cuban and even cheeseburger and lasagna options and more. 

The “anatomy” of a Box of Cubans Cuban sandwich. (Source: BoxofCubans.com)

There also are black or red bean & rice Cuban bowls with one of four house proteins (Lechon, Palomilla Steak, Chicken, or Picadillo), served with three pieces of Cuban bread garlic toast made and three sweet plantains. 

Bakery items will range from savory ham croquettes to cream cheese churros, flan, tres leches and even cheesecake and key lime pie. “We’re also famous for our specialty Cuban coffee drinks,” Marcos says, including café con leche and cold brew ice coffee. 

He says Box of Cubans also has a cool story to tell. Marcos, who is Cuban and a lifelong Tampa native, and Oni both left other jobs to open the original Box of Cubans together in a BP gas station in Brandon in 2017. They were able to stay open and continue serving their community during Covid because the gas station was considered to be an “essential” business. Their son “MJ” (Marcos, Jr.) joined the team as COO and GM in Jan. 2023 and were looking to open a second location when the Mochinut spot became available. “We hope to be open by the end of October or the first week of November,” Marcos says. “We know the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area will love our food! 

For more info, visit BoxofCubans.com

Nibbles & Bites: Mochinut Is Now Open On S.R. 56 & On BBD Blvd. In New Tampa! 

Last issue, I told you that Mochinut — which says on its website that its unique donuts are Hawaiian-inspired combinations of American donuts and Japanese mochi — was getting ready to open two locations in our area. The Lutz/Wesley Chapel Mochinut is located on the north side of S.R. 56 (in the former location of Pho 54, next to Astro Craft Ice Cream and Mellow Mushroom; right photo), while the New Tampa location is in the space previously occupied by Mahana Fresh on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just north of I-75. 

Well, both Mochinut locations are now open and yes, the donuts — which are now served at more than 130 locations around the country, and are available in a rotating variety of flavors (see left photo for just a few of them), from biscoff creme to ube (purple sweet potato) frosted — are light, airy and definitely taste nothing like Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’ Donuts. 

I still haven’t sampled Mochinut’s rice flour hot dogs, but definitely plan to soon. All Mochinut locations also serve a variety of boba teas. 

The two locations are different from each other inside, to suit their individual spaces. 

For more information, visit or call the Lutz/Wesley Chapel location (25704 Sierra Center Blvd.), call (813) 949-5877. We could not find a phone number for the New Tampa location (17512 Doña Michelle Dr.), but you can visit Mochinut.com for more info about all of the Mochinut locations. — GN 

Playa Bowls Is Open On BBD

We first told you about it months ago when it was “Opening Soon.” And we updated the story when that original opening date didn’t happen (as happens so often here in Pasco County. 

Well, Wesley Chapel’s Playa Bowls has finally opened, at 2653 BBD Blvd. (in the same plaza as The Hungry Greek). It offers a large variety of healthy bowls. The concept was born at the Jersey Shore but is called “Pineappleland” because of its founders Robert Giuliani and Abby Taylor’s love of the acai and pitaya bowls they encountered during their surfing trips to Hawaii and California. 

Today, the founders’ shared vision has grown to more than 200 locations nationwide, including 15 here in the Sunshine State. 

In addition to healthy plant-based bowls (including oatmeal and chia pudding bowls), Playa Bowls features fresh juices, smoothies and cold brews. For more information, visit PlayaBowls.com. — GN 

Mochinut To Open Two Area Locations! 

When I visited the Mochinut Korean-style donut and rice hot dog (not a misprint) place at 11401 N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace for the first time — to sample what has been announced as coming to the former location of Mahana Fresh on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. — I got a few surprises. 

First of all, the donuts, which are now served at more than 130 locations around the country, and are available in a rotating variety of flavors — from caramel churro (below) to lavender — are light, airy and definitely taste nothing like Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’ Donuts. The rice flour hot dogs sound…interesting…too, although I’ve yet to sample them. The bigger surprise was that not only is New Tampa getting a Mochinut store, so is the Lutz/Wesley Chapel area across from the Tampa Premium Outlets, as Mochinut also is opening soon in the former Pho 54 Vietnamese restaurant/boba tea location in the same plaza as Mellow Mushroom and Astro Craft Ice Cream.

All Mochinut locations also serve a variety of boba teas, by the way.  Best of all, both new locations are likely to open by about the first week in October. 

For more information, visit or call the Temple Terrace location at (813) 374- 5781 and please tell them that I sent you. Or, visit Mochinut.com.