Matcha Grows Up: The Classic Tea Making a Comeback Across the Country Here's a more natural and concise version that keeps the original meaning while improving flow and readability. The revised version:

Matcha Mania: From Trendy Drink to Authentic Experience

Matcha has taken over—it’s everywhere, from fashion influencers and millennials to Gen Z and even boomers. Nearly every café serves it alongside coffee, and some spots focus entirely on matcha. Chains like Cha Cha Matcha, Matcha Café Maiko, and Kyo Matcha have popped up nationwide, while even Starbucks, Blue Bottle, and Dunkin’ offer matcha lattes. Clearly, matcha is here to stay.

Originating in China and Japan thousands of years ago, matcha is made by grinding green tea leaves into a fine powder, then whisking it with hot water to create a frothy drink. In most U.S. cafés, it’s mixed with milk for a latte—but is it the real deal?

Probably not. Dunkin’s version, for example, blends green tea powder with sugar, milk, and fruit pectin. Even at dedicated matcha spots, drinks are often sweetened or diluted to mask the bitterness of lower-quality matcha. Over the past decade, matcha in the U.S. has strayed far from its roots, becoming more of a coffee substitute or social media trend than an authentic experience.

But now, a new wave of cafés is bringing back high-quality, unadulterated matcha. Unlike big chains that source from corporate distributors, these boutique shops partner directly with farms in Japan or Korea for premium leaves.

So, what’s the difference between a Starbucks matcha latte and the real thing?

“It’s like comparing small-batch, estate-grown wine to mass-produced house wine,” says Darla Murray, co-founder of premium matcha brand Make. “Premium matcha is vibrant green, smooth, and rich in umami. Commercial matcha is often dull, coarse, and bitter. The best comes from young, shade-grown leaves hand-picked in early spring and stone-ground in small batches. Lower-grade matcha uses older, machine-harvested leaves, sacrificing flavor and nutrition.”

The region matters too. “Matcha from places like Uji or Nishio in Japan—where soil, climate, and craftsmanship have been perfected over centuries—is worlds apart from generic-grade matcha,” Murray explains.

In New York, spots like 12 Matcha on Bond Street are drawing crowds with their authentic approach. Opened in April, the café serves drinks made from first-harvest, hand-picked Uji matcha—no sweeteners needed. Instead of quick service, each order is prepared with care: a trained barista whisks the matcha by hand in a ritual that feels more like a ballet than a coffee routine.

For matcha purists, the search for the real thing might finally be over.12 Matcha: A Modern Take on Traditional Tea

While serving authentic matcha, 12 Matcha breaks from traditional tea-house aesthetics with a sleek, contemporary design by Ciguë (the studio behind Aesop’s stores). The space features dark reclaimed wood and curved glass, with details like an enameled lava stone bar counter and a striking charcoal water filtration system suspended above it—each element reflecting the artistry and natural essence of tea.

Alan Jiang, founder and co-owner of 12 Matcha, explains their approach: “We wanted the preparation process to be deliberate and thoughtful, yet we also wanted guests to feel at ease and connect with the person making their matcha. Tea has always been about building relationships. Even in a quick two-to-three-minute interaction at the counter, we hope people sense the care we put into every cup.”

Originally from Hong Kong, Jiang studied at Cornell University and initially planned to pursue data science. But during his final year, he took a food science class with Dr. Christopher Loss—learning to make ice cream and sparking a career shift. He later partnered with Dr. Loss and sourced premium green tea directly from Uji’s 180-year-old Hotta family, working with their tea master, Haruhide Morita (a top Japanese tea appraiser). Morita ensures every leaf is first-harvest, hand-picked, and expertly roasted to highlight its natural sweetness. 12 Matcha also collaborates with chef Francisco Migoya (formerly of Noma) to craft matcha and hojicha ice cream and Basque cheesecake.

Industry expert Murray notes that while matcha cafes are trending now, quality wasn’t always a priority: “Fifteen years ago, if a café offered matcha, it was likely high-quality—made by true enthusiasts. But as matcha became mainstream, many places just added it to their menu without expertise. Now, places like 12 are bringing back authenticity.”

12 Matcha isn’t alone in this movement. Nearby in Soho, Sōrate—opened in late 2023—offers a slightly more traditional tea-house vibe while still feeling distinctly New York. Their matcha is also sourced from Uji’s first-harvest leaves, and though they encourage trying it unsweetened, matcha lattes remain a popular choice. The back of the café hosts reserved tastings with ceramic utensils.

Sōrate’s founder, Silvia Mella, an Italian expat, fell in love with Japan’s serene tea culture during a visit. She started by selling Japanese matcha and accessories online before opening the café. “In Japan, tea houses blend seamlessly with nature, creating such peace,” she says. “I wanted to bring that experience to the U.S.”

Now, both 12 Matcha and Sōrate are redefining how New Yorkers enjoy this centuries-old tradition.After returning to the U.S., she met Keiko Kitazawa, a tea master based in New Jersey who became her mentor. Guests can book tastings with Kitazawa on select days, where she wears a kimono and guides them through a traditional matcha tasting paired with Japanese snacks. Kitazawa has helped Mello and her partner Nicola Zanatta ensure every detail of their work stays true to Japanese tradition.

Photo: Tommy Park

“These four seats at the bar help us educate customers that a matcha latte isn’t pure matcha—real matcha should be enjoyed with just water, no sugar,” Mella explains. For those who prefer sweetness, they offer a small sugar candy to enjoy before sipping the matcha.

These small touches are gradually teaching more Americans about authentic matcha. “People are starting to see matcha as more than just a trendy drink or caffeine substitute—it’s a cultural practice with deep roots in Japan,” says Murray. “The new wave of matcha drinkers values the ritual, the mindfulness, and the connection to tradition.”

But there’s still room for creativity. 12 serves matcha ice cream and cheesecake, while Jin Jin Matcha in Tacoma offers both traditional water-based matcha and a strawberry matcha latte (made without artificial coloring, just fruit extract). This summer, Make is collaborating with restaurants on a matcha martini and matcha ice cream sandwich. “Flavor experiments like these have been common in Japan for years,” Murray notes. “On my last trip, I tried matcha beer and matcha KitKats.”

The West Coast is also embracing authentic matcha. Kettl, a Brooklyn-based tea shop specializing in premium Japanese teas, recently expanded to Los Angeles. Rocky’s Matcha, an online brand from L.A., sells first-harvest tea and ceramics, hosting pop-ups in cities like Chicago, New York, and Miami. Tea Master of Little Tokyo in L.A. focuses on Japanese green teas and matcha sourced directly from family farms in Yame, Shizuoka, and Mei.

San Francisco’s Stonemill Matcha, founded in 2018 by Yoshihiro Sakaguchi, emphasizes meticulous craftsmanship and omotenashi (Japanese hospitality) from harvest to brewing. “We meet guests where they are—offering both hand-whisked matcha and lattes,” Sakaguchi says.

Quality sourcing is key. “Many people have only tasted matcha with sour or bitter notes,” Sakaguchi explains. “We want them to experience the umami, freshness, and earthiness of true high-grade matcha. In the U.S., standards vary, so we aim to set the bar.”

Jin Jin Matcha is opening a second location in Seattle. Owner Sarah Oh, a former Kettl regular in New York, returned to Washington during the pandemic and noticed the lack of authentic Asian tea shops. With Seattle’s coffee dominance, she opened her own matcha café, prioritizing sustainable sourcing and traditional preparation.

“From the start, I wanted to work directly with single-cultivar tea farmers,” Oh says. “Every drink is hand-whisked with bamboo, using four grams of first-harvest matcha.” When she began contacting farmers in Japan and Korea in 2021, few on the West Coast had done the same. She visited producers to ensure the highest quality for her café.She visits her supplier farms twice a year to personally know everyone involved in producing her tea. By 2025, after returning from Japan, she reports a “matcha war” due to this year’s harvest shortage.

“Tourism in Japan is booming right now, and matcha is a big part of that because it’s become trendy,” says Oh. “For me—someone who opened this café before it was popular—it’s a little scary. Business has grown a lot, but I didn’t start this to follow a trend. I avoided bright colors and Instagram-focused designs for a reason. To me, it’s about heritage and legacy.”

Marc Ooika, owner of New Jersey-based Ooika—possibly the most traditional matcha café in the U.S.—has a different take on the shortage. “The future of traditional matcha depends on the West,” he writes from Japan, where he was visiting during harvest season. “Without international demand, many traditional cultivation techniques could disappear. There just isn’t enough domestic interest in Japan for high-quality matcha.”

Ooika operates the most Ishi Usu (Japanese stone mills) in the U.S. Customers sip carefully whisked matcha while listening to the hum of stone mills grinding tea in the back. The café serves Japan’s rarest matcha, Tencha, exclusively in unsweetened drinks made from tea ground within the last 24 hours. While some beverages allow sweeteners, traditional bowls like Usucha or Koicha—similar to single-origin pour-over coffee—must be enjoyed as-is.

“Like fine wine, matcha connects us to generations of craftsmanship, terroir, and flavors that can’t be replicated with low-quality ingredients,” says Ooika.

As Japan’s matcha industry adapts to rising demand for premium powder, more authentic cafés will likely open abroad. “We’re moving past the novelty phase into real appreciation,” says Murray. “While it might feel new here, matcha has been part of Japanese culture and diet for over a thousand years. What’s trending in the U.S. has been timeless elsewhere.”