I went to Japan in June and did a matcha tour, which was enough to make me insufferable about it. These are the three places I go to in London now.
No shade to Jenki and Blank Street, both of which I still drink. This is for when you want something different. All three are independent, and all three are opening new sites across London, which tells you something.
For a fun but elevated matcha
Matchado
My easy go-to. Founded by Hiromi Matsunobu, using high-quality Japanese matcha, and the ratio of matcha to milk is the thing they get right.
Alongside the unsweetened one, which comes hot or iced, my favourite is the iced blueberry. There's also peach, strawberry, banana and mango. If Jenki and Blank Street are your reference points this will land, but it’s less watery and there’s more to it.
Mostly takeaway, with a few window seats at some locations.
📍 Bloomsbury, Chiswick, Acton, Herne Hill and Coal Drops Yard
For a Korean matcha house
Tokkia
The name means “hey bunny” in Korean, after the owner Sooji’s rabbit Hazelnut, who turns up on their socials if you scroll far enough. They make the matcha in front of you, and it's a bit of a show. Both locations are gorgeous inside, with the counter at the centre of everything.
The Injeolmi Vanilla Matcha Latte is the one. They top the matcha with an injeolmi cream, which is roasted soybean powder blended into a heavy cream, nutty and toasted and gently sweet, after the traditional Korean rice cake. Thick in the best way. The cream comes dairy or non-dairy.
Mostly takeaway, with a few window seats.
📍 Covent Garden and Soho
For when you want matcha and they want coffee
Nagare
Not everyone likes matcha, and I do understand. It's a specific taste, and let's be honest, most of us were marketed into this. So this is the one for when you’re with someone who just wants a good coffee.
The matcha is good, with a more bitter profile than the other two. It comes from Sayuri Teas, a high-quality London supplier working with multi-generational family farms in Kagoshima and Uji. Get the matcha brownie.
Carnaby and Spitalfields have a handful of seats. Bankside is the bigger one and has a bakery, so it’s the one to pick if you’re staying.
📍 Carnaby, Spitalfields and Bankside
Amazing to get this list before my next trip! I’m immediately adding them to my map. I also had pinned Misora Yamamoto as I have heard about it recently - have you tried it?