Fresh sushi, chirashi bowls, Japanese groceries & more

























"There are several Asian grocers in LIC, but Japanese market Mogmog is our favorite because of their kitchen, which turns out incredible maki and rainbow chirashi bowls, hot food specials, and giant shaved ices. If you don't mind eating sushi out of a pre-packaged plastic container on their outdoor cafe tables, you can have a lunch that rivals many upscale sushiyas." - neha talreja, bryan kim, hannah albertine, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick
"This gourmet Japanese market in LIC isn't just a great stop to replenish your stores of sake and kombu. Their sushi is excellent—and there are a wide variety of options, replenished regularly all day. For $8, you can get a salmon avocado roll you'll be more than happy with, but even the mildest of bad days is a great excuse to splurge on a luxurious $26 (small) or $41 (large) chirashi bowl, with creamy Hokkaido uni, ikura, tuna, hamachi, and crab." - bryan kim, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah
"This gourmet Japanese market in LIC claims to be the first market in America to sell yubari king melons: the luxury Japanese melon that costs more than $100, even in Japan. At Mogmog, they cost $120, but if that’s outside your budget, you can still get excellent jewel-toned sushi, as well as fried chicken sandwiches, and whatever other hot food specials they feel like making in the back kitchen. Take your food to the cafe tables outside." - will hartman, neha talreja, bryan kim, willa moore
"Mogmog is LIC’s best, barely-kept secret for a sushi lunch that rivals upscale sushiyas—as long as you don’t mind eating your sushi out of a pre-packaged plastic container at an outdoor cafe table. This gourmet Japanese market sells things like $19 bottles of soy sauce, but they also have a kitchen that turns out incredible maki and rainbow chirashi bowls, hot food specials, and giant shaved ices. They bring out sushi every half hour or so, so everything is fresh. Hot food specials appear more at whim, and they're pricey, but worth it. Keep an eye on their Instagram, and find an excuse to restock on kombu so you can try a hot bowl of tonjiru, or an unagi bento box that looks like it belongs in a high-fashion magazine." - Neha Talreja

"A Japanese market at 5-35 51st Avenue, near Vernon Boulevard, MogMog sells premium fish, seasonings, fuyu persimmons, fresh bamboo shoots and other hard-to-find Japanese pantry staples; the shop connected with Ogawa during her time at Kajitsu, encouraged her to make confections for them, and sells individual wagashi (presented in plastic containers like luxe gemstones) mostly for under $10 with flavors that change monthly — on a recent visit she was selling sakura mochi filled with sweet red bean paste and wrapped in preserved cherry blossom leaf and blossom." - Emma Orlow