The Best Green Lattes, Thank You Very Matcha
Our passion for matcha lattes is nothing new, but it’s been mitigated by the fact that they’ve been hard to find. Until now, as they’re popping up on more and more menus. (We’ve even stocked the goop Home Shop with a book on the subject.) Here’s the really great thing: Matcha is known for its powerful health benefits, as it’s packed with antioxidants, including the powerful, cancer-protective epigallocatechin gallate. Combine that with its gentle caffeine boost, which is nowhere near as sweat-inducing as the one associated with coffee, and it’s an obvious alternative to an afternoon espresso. Below, some of our favorite spots.
Chicago
Sawada Coffee
112 N. Green St., West Loop | 312.754.0431
Hiroshi Sawada is the world latte art champion—his work is every bit as gorgeous as you’d expect, in a shop that’s got a cool vibe.
Cindy’s, Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
12 S. Michigan Ave., The Loop | 844.312.2221
Drink it as is, or make it a “potion” (a.k.a. boozy) by adding gin and amaretto.
Real Good Juice Co.
1647 N. Wells St., Old Town | 312.846.1897
The excellently named Punky Juice-ster is really a juice (no milk involved), but it’s still creamy, minty, and wakes you right up.
Cocoa + Co.
1651 N Wells St., Old Town | 312.624.8540
This chocolate shop and café offers a lot of amazing things (think: next-level hot chocolate, fresh-baked pastries from local chefs), but their ceremonial grade matcha—which you can order in the form of tangerine lavender, mango honey, or cardamom rose flavor—is the real draw.
Los Angeles
Alfred Tea Room
705 N Alfred St., Melrose | 323.592.3465
Regulars have always loved Alfred’s coffee shops for their design-conscious interiors, but their tea room is downright indulgent, aesthetically speaking. The menu here specializes in tea; in addition to matcha (which you get at any Alfred location), there’s a lengthy list of loose leaf and several flavors of boba, which are made from scratch.
Urth Caffé
Locations in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Downtown, and Pasadena
Sure, it’s a borderline tourist trap, but these guys have been making matcha since before Vinny Chase ate here.
Love Coffee Bar
1732 Ocean Park Blvd. | 310.392.3604
They have a lightly-sweetened, iced almond milk and coconut matcha situation that is so good.
Shuhari Matcha Café
1522 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice | 424.238.8324
The matcha lattes here are some of the best in town, and there’s also matcha, ginger, and black sesame ice cream if you’ve already been caffeinated for the day.
The Butcher's Daughter
1205 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice | 310.981.3004
Just down the street from Shuhari at The Butcher’s Daughter, you can get a Matcha Monster—matcha green tea powder, raw honey, and steamed almond milk (which is just as great as their coconut milk cardamom chai).
New York
Nourish Kitchen + Table
95 Greenwich Ave., West Village | 212.242.6115
At Nourish, they serve matcha two ways: one iced, straight up with no milk, or as a latte served with their homemade almond milk. They source their matcha from a small, family-owned company in Japan, meaning it’s the real deal.
Jack’s Stir Brew
222 Front St., South Street Seaport | 212.227.7631
Jack’s version is generous when it comes to honey and creamy milk—which is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.
Cha Cha Matcha
373 Broome St., Nolita | 646.895.9484
This is truly a place for the matcha-obsessed: in addition to standard fare like a coconut matcha latte (made, of course, with Japanese ceremonial matcha), you can order their Tokyo Mule (apple cider vinegar, ginger beer, and matcha), plus matcha pastries, and matcha soft-serve.
MatchaBar
256 W 15th St., Chelsea | 212.627.1058
The OG Williamsburg location may have recently closed, but this Chelsea location offers the same seriously good matcha, sourced from an independent farm in Nishio. (There’s a MatchBar outpost in Silver Lake now, too).
London
Farm Girl Café
59a Portobello Rd., Notting Hill | +44.20.7536.2108
Every kind of milk, from almond to coconut and beyond, is on tap.
Modern Pantry
Locations in Shoreditch and Farringdon
Anna Hansen’s restaurants boast one of the very best breakfasts in town with a luscious, creamy, honey-sweetened matcha latte to match.
Tombo
Locations in South Kensington and Soho
Essentially, if it’s not a poke bowl, its a matcha based sweet treat—soft serve and Sundaes included—or drink at this cutesy Japanese spot.
The Mae Deli
Locations in Mayfair and Marylebone
Ella Woodward, the queen of clean eating’s growing chain of cafés serves up slighly sweet matcha lattes made with rice milk and a touch of honey.
Monocle Café
18 Chiltern St., Marylebone | +44.20.7135.2040
For a cafe (and a Paddington kiosk) that serves up the best in international snack fare, a solid matcha latte is a must. They do it well, plus they also do a chocolate version. #balance.
Good Life Eatery
Locations in Chelsea and Belgravia
The matcha almond mylk is always stocked in the fridge for easy grab-and-go, but you can also order a hot latté at the counter.
Sawada Coffee
112 N. Green St., West Loop | 312.754.0431
Hiroshi Sawada is the world latte art champion—his work is every bit as gorgeous as you’d expect, in a shop that’s got a cool vibe.
Cindy’s, Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
12 S. Michigan Ave., The Loop | 844.312.2221
Drink it as is, or make it a “potion” (a.k.a. boozy) by adding gin and amaretto.
Real Good Juice Co.
1647 N. Wells St., Old Town | 312.846.1897
The excellently named Punky Juice-ster is really a juice (no milk involved), but it’s still creamy, minty, and wakes you right up.
Cocoa + Co.
1651 N Wells St., Old Town | 312.624.8540
This chocolate shop and café offers a lot of amazing things (think: next-level hot chocolate, fresh-baked pastries from local chefs), but their ceremonial grade matcha—which you can order in the form of tangerine lavender, mango honey, or cardamom rose flavor—is the real draw.
Alfred Tea Room
705 N Alfred St., Melrose | 323.592.3465
Regulars have always loved Alfred’s coffee shops for their design-conscious interiors, but their tea room is downright indulgent, aesthetically speaking. The menu here specializes in tea; in addition to matcha (which you get at any Alfred location), there’s a lengthy list of loose leaf and several flavors of boba, which are made from scratch.
Urth Caffé
Locations in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Downtown, and Pasadena
Sure, it’s a borderline tourist trap, but these guys have been making matcha since before Vinny Chase ate here.
Love Coffee Bar
1732 Ocean Park Blvd. | 310.392.3604
They have a lightly-sweetened, iced almond milk and coconut matcha situation that is so good.
Shuhari Matcha Café
1522 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice | 424.238.8324
The matcha lattes here are some of the best in town, and there’s also matcha, ginger, and black sesame ice cream if you’ve already been caffeinated for the day.
The Butcher's Daughter
1205 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice | 310.981.3004
Just down the street from Shuhari at The Butcher’s Daughter, you can get a Matcha Monster—matcha green tea powder, raw honey, and steamed almond milk (which is just as great as their coconut milk cardamom chai).
New YorkNourish Kitchen + Table
95 Greenwich Ave., West Village | 212.242.6115
At Nourish, they serve matcha two ways: one iced, straight up with no milk, or as a latte served with their homemade almond milk. They source their matcha from a small, family-owned company in Japan, meaning it’s the real deal.
Jack’s Stir Brew
222 Front St., South Street Seaport | 212.227.7631
Jack’s version is generous when it comes to honey and creamy milk—which is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.
Cha Cha Matcha
373 Broome St., Nolita | 646.895.9484
This is truly a place for the matcha-obsessed: in addition to standard fare like a coconut matcha latte (made, of course, with Japanese ceremonial matcha), you can order their Tokyo Mule (apple cider vinegar, ginger beer, and matcha), plus matcha pastries, and matcha soft-serve.
MatchaBar
256 W 15th St., Chelsea | 212.627.1058
The OG Williamsburg location may have recently closed, but this Chelsea location offers the same seriously good matcha, sourced from an independent farm in Nishio. (There’s a MatchBar outpost in Silver Lake now, too).
LondonFarm Girl Café
59a Portobello Rd., Notting Hill | +44.20.7536.2108
Every kind of milk, from almond to coconut and beyond, is on tap.
Modern Pantry
Locations in Shoreditch and Farringdon
Anna Hansen’s restaurants boast one of the very best breakfasts in town with a luscious, creamy, honey-sweetened matcha latte to match.
Tombo
Locations in South Kensington and Soho
Essentially, if it’s not a poke bowl, its a matcha based sweet treat—soft serve and Sundaes included—or drink at this cutesy Japanese spot.
The Mae Deli
Locations in Mayfair and Marylebone
Ella Woodward, the queen of clean eating’s growing chain of cafés serves up slighly sweet matcha lattes made with rice milk and a touch of honey.
Monocle Café
18 Chiltern St., Marylebone | +44.20.7135.2040
For a cafe (and a Paddington kiosk) that serves up the best in international snack fare, a solid matcha latte is a must. They do it well, plus they also do a chocolate version. #balance.
Good Life Eatery
Locations in Chelsea and Belgravia
The matcha almond mylk is always stocked in the fridge for easy grab-and-go, but you can also order a hot latté at the counter.
Nourish Kitchen + Table
95 Greenwich Ave., West Village | 212.242.6115
At Nourish, they serve matcha two ways: one iced, straight up with no milk, or as a latte served with their homemade almond milk. They source their matcha from a small, family-owned company in Japan, meaning it’s the real deal.
Jack’s Stir Brew
222 Front St., South Street Seaport | 212.227.7631
Jack’s version is generous when it comes to honey and creamy milk—which is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.
Cha Cha Matcha
373 Broome St., Nolita | 646.895.9484
This is truly a place for the matcha-obsessed: in addition to standard fare like a coconut matcha latte (made, of course, with Japanese ceremonial matcha), you can order their Tokyo Mule (apple cider vinegar, ginger beer, and matcha), plus matcha pastries, and matcha soft-serve.
MatchaBar
256 W 15th St., Chelsea | 212.627.1058
The OG Williamsburg location may have recently closed, but this Chelsea location offers the same seriously good matcha, sourced from an independent farm in Nishio. (There’s a MatchBar outpost in Silver Lake now, too).
Farm Girl Café
59a Portobello Rd., Notting Hill | +44.20.7536.2108
Every kind of milk, from almond to coconut and beyond, is on tap.
Modern Pantry
Locations in Shoreditch and Farringdon
Anna Hansen’s restaurants boast one of the very best breakfasts in town with a luscious, creamy, honey-sweetened matcha latte to match.
Tombo
Locations in South Kensington and Soho
Essentially, if it’s not a poke bowl, its a matcha based sweet treat—soft serve and Sundaes included—or drink at this cutesy Japanese spot.
The Mae Deli
Locations in Mayfair and Marylebone
Ella Woodward, the queen of clean eating’s growing chain of cafés serves up slighly sweet matcha lattes made with rice milk and a touch of honey.
Monocle Café
18 Chiltern St., Marylebone | +44.20.7135.2040
For a cafe (and a Paddington kiosk) that serves up the best in international snack fare, a solid matcha latte is a must. They do it well, plus they also do a chocolate version. #balance.
Good Life Eatery
Locations in Chelsea and Belgravia
The matcha almond mylk is always stocked in the fridge for easy grab-and-go, but you can also order a hot latté at the counter.
