In the last two years, you could say Los Angeles has seriously gone green. From cannabis being legalized to legislators making efforts to pass environmentally-conscious laws, and our city-wide obsession with green juices, our city is embracing the color in many ways. But there’s even another viridescent item you probably see everywhere, from your local coffee shop to the shelves at Whole Foods: matcha!
Matcha is a form of green tea from Japan—a powdered form—that utilized in many different ways. It’s a finely ground powder combined with hot water is as a hot tea, or swapped with espresso in a hot or iced latte for a bit of caffeine without the crazy buzz coffee can sometimes give you. But the green powder takes its deep yet slightly sweet flavor beyond beverages. Matcha is used as a flavor in many tasty delicacies around LA, too. Keep reading our guide to the best ways to have your matcha in Los Angeles.
Matcha-Cha
Matcha-Cha is pretty much a froyo shop but for all things matcha! This little spot is on Olympic Blvd on the west side. Try their Matcha Waffle Bowl, or switch it up with a Matcha and Strawberry Swirl. You can create a parfait with toppings such as mochi, warabi (small dumplings covered in matcha powder), or even Pocky sticks. Yum!
Midori Matcha Cafe
Midori Matcha Cafe directly imports their tea straight from Japan before its cold-brewed here in California. When you’re in Little Tokyo, you’ll find Midori inside the Weller Court center. Midori’s menu has everything from coconut-infused iced matcha to matcha-filled French-style pastries.
Paradocs Coffee & Tea
You’ve probably seen the classic Italian affogato (a gelato and coffee dessert) on the menus of various LA restaurants, but have you ever seen the treat made with matcha? Well, now you can taste it for yourself at Paradocs Coffee & Tea in Little Ethiopia, run by couple Tako and Yumiko Hirano, who both mastered the art of matcha. Along with the matcha affogato creation, you can enjoy authentically made treats like a croissant filled with matcha almond pate, and even matcha brownies. Sign us up!
Cafe Dulce
Brake for Cafe Dulce! When we say you need to try their blueberry matcha, we mean it. Served both hot or cold, this extra sweet drink is this Little Tokyo cafe’s signature. You can find them at the Japanese Village Plaza, or The Row DTLA. We also recommend their Brick Toast or custard-filled green tea donuts to go with your very green snack.
Bea Bea’s
If you’re back over the hill and in the 818 and want a hearty breakfast, check out Bea Bea’s. It’s *the* spot for some seriously over-the-top pancake and French toast creations. How is it matcha-related, you ask? Enter The Green Tea Monster (not to be confused with Wrigley Field’s “Green Monster”). If you’ve ever wanted to eat matcha instead of having it as a drink, you need to try this dish. It includes a stack of pancakes made with matcha; they’re then stuffed with white chocolate chips and green tea-infused mascarpone cheese. Move over, green eggs and ham.
Shuhari Matcha Café
Let’s be real—it’s hard to find a good ice cream sundae these days. It’s all about artisanal ice cream and wild flavors, but sometimes you want something classic. Over on Abbot Kinney, Shuhari Matcha Café is serving up some super special sundaes flavored with traditional matcha. Aside from their massive ice cream concoctions, their lengthy menu includes favorites such as hot or iced matcha lattes, or even regular green iced tea. If you’re feeling hungry and are craving something sweet, test out their Triple Matcha Waffle, it looks beyond delicious. Shuhari is also an excellent spot to stock up on matcha and tea-related products for your kitchen.
Cha Cha Matcha
Cha Cha Matcha may be the most aesthetically pleasing tea-centric cafe in LA, with two very pink and green locations, one in Venice and one on Robertson in West Hollywood. Cha Cha is your one-stop shop for an original iced or hot matcha latte, plus you’ll be able to get that perfect Insta pic while you’re there. Their menu also offers a host of colorful beverages, that include various superfoods and even CBD. Order a hot latte and get your favorite art or logo dusted atop it. We think Cha Cha Matcha may have upstaged the Beverly Hills Hotel in terms of best pink-and-green LA mainstay!
MatchaBar
Silverlake’s MatchaBar finds itself in just the right place. It’s right on Sunset Blvd near Pine & Cane, Millie’s and just a few blocks from various other hip shops. We love MatchaBar not only for their teas and lattes but also for their full breakfast menu and pastries. If you want something to go, you can also grab one of their bottled matcha drinks—perfect if you’re in a rush and need a quick hit of caffeine.
Tea Master Matcha Cafe & Green Tea Shop
Another shop in Little Tokyo worth visiting is Tea Master—a cafe that serves a creamy, deletable matcha soft serve you can’t miss. Another favorite menu item is their earthy matcha smoothie, made with amazake, a fermented brown rice drink. We’ll be stopping here next time we want to cool off with some classic soft serve.
Alfred Tea Room
Alfred Coffee may not be as big as a specific coffee chain we all know and love, but it’s certainly made its mark on LA in the last few years with their recognizable branding and cafes all around the city. A couple of years back though, the team behind Alfred opened up a new concept, Alfred Tea Room, on Melrose Place. Of course, it instantly became Instagram bait thanks to their adorable decor and highly curated menu. They serve everything from matcha bubble tea with boba to rose milk tea and everything in between. You can also pick up your very own matcha whisk set if you like making it at home.
