Where to get your matcha fix this summer

Japanese matcha tea has taken off around the world, with devotees swearing by the feelgood qualities of the vitamin- and antioxidant-rich “superfood”. With brands and cafés finding ever more creative uses for this earthy, bitter green-tea leaf powder, the global market is set to grow from $3.48bn in 2023 to $5.78bn in 2028. Whether you like it iced, hot or dirty (with a shot of espresso), in a cocktail or sprinkled on a pudding, we’ve gone in search of the most innovative takes on the matcha trend to be found this summer.

Brooklyn-founded Blank Street Coffee’s menu features three iced matchas with choices of tropical watermelon, yuzu or mango. “We’re moving away from the classic milky base of a matcha latte and instead experimenting with new flavours and textures,” says Ignacio Llado, managing director of Blank Street UK. Its “light and refreshing” additions follow the success of last year’s iced blueberry version – so popular the brand produced a limited-edition scented candle based on the drink.

Jenki, the London-based matcha house founded by Claudia and Otto Boyer in 2020, has just launched its iced strawberry matcha latte alongside regular offerings of “natural and seasonal flavours”, including a lavender and CBD matcha latte, as well as cacao and matcha with a blend of seven organic mushrooms. With existing bars in Selfridges and Spitalfields Market, its third venue, a 175sq ft bar in Covent Garden, is set to open later this summer.

La La Land Kind Cafe serves its matcha with vibrant lavender and blue butterfly pea flower in its California- and Texas-based stores. Meanwhile Matchaful – which has seven outposts in New York – features lattes with ingredients including ashwagandha, maqui berry and camu camu, as well as jiaogulan and ginkgo plants.

Last month, Jakarta’s Matcha Bae relaunched the fan favourite ichigo latte after a five-month hiatus, made with a sticky strawberry compote-style base; and its new kinako cream iteration is produced with nutty, roasted soybean flour. In Paris’s Haut-Marais, Umami Matcha Café melts white or dark chocolate into its variation. Mallorca’s Hotel Corazón, which reopened in May under new chef Eliza Parchanska, now serves cold brew matcha with lime, tonic and fresh mint, and Elias Coffee Shop, part of the Almanac x Alcron hotel in Prague, taps into matcha made with passion-fruit purée, mango, rose and yuzu.

To get your fix at home, order matcha online from stores such as Bird & Blend Tea Co and Matcha Union, which stock easy to whisk together flavours including salted caramel, peach and birthday cake. “Matcha is also frequently used in bubble tea, which is easy to recreate at home,” says Dr Chau-Jean Lin, co-founder of Marulin, which stocks genmaicha matcha, a blend that includes ground roasted brown rice.

Matcha isn’t just being served in non-alcoholic drinks. At Yannick Alléno’s Bar Antoine at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, matcha No 3 gin is served with Muyu jasmine liqueur, almond Mancino Sakura vermouth, sharp grapefruit and sudachi, and finished with clarified rice milk. “There’s a real trend for fusion in mixology, and using matcha in cocktails reflects this. Its versatility and ability to add depth and complexity to traditional recipes results in exciting, innovative cocktails,” says the bar’s head mixologist, Michele Lombardi. 

The Phoenix Bar in Soho’s contemporary Chinese restaurant Tattu serves a Dilong Highball made with a tequila and matcha soda mixed with a homemade pino and ginger liqueur. “We cook the Kyoto and Kyushu-grown matcha powder with freshly squeezed apples to blend the bitter and earthy notes with the acidity of the fruit,” says Mario Hernandez, bar manager at The Phoenix. “This combination creates a flavour profile with umami, citrus and sweet notes. We also blend the leftover pulp with vegan butter and cornstarch, and lightly fry in a pan to create a chip.”

Simone Spagnoli, head of bars at Cahoots and Mr Fogg’s, says matcha is most effective when paired with complementary flavours such as cocoa powder, white chocolate, orange, lemon and lime: “It becomes far more approachable, especially in desserts.” Cahoots serves the cocktail Met Your Matcha (made with Bombay Sapphire gin, Nardini Acqua Di Cedro liqueur, citrus lemon essence and green apple and matcha green tea syrup), while at Mr Fogg’s City Tavern you can order the One Inch Punch (combining yuzu and matcha green tea syrup, Choya sake and pink grapefruit juice with vodka and sparkling wine). 

This is a sentiment shared by Ramneek Chugh, executive chef at Sabine Rooftop Bar, who recently added a matcha tea delice to its menu, consisting of a nutty jaconde biscuit, citrusy yuzu mousse and passion fruit. “Matcha has a refreshing and vibrant flavour that pairs well with the light and fresh ingredients often favoured in summer dishes. Its slightly bitter taste adds depth to sweet and savoury dishes alike.”

With so much choice, it shouldn’t be hard to find your perfect matcha this summer.