Before matcha, coffee was all the rage in New York. Many people, including me, have already known about matcha before any of the matcha trends. 

Matcha is known for having many health benefits and it contains less caffeine than coffee, while also offering a good amount of energy for the day. Matcha is considered an acquired taste due to the different and complex flavor profiles. 

There’s a lot of matcha in New York but it’s pretty hard to find good ones. There are many qualities to look for before buying a cup from a shop. I think it’s important to see what milks they use. As well as the syrups, the color of the matcha and what powder they use before I accidentally pay $10 for an unsatisfactory matcha. 

Here’s a list of the tried-and-true matcha places from a matcha connoisseur. This list consists of places all over the city, including the price range. 

Sorate – 10/10

Locations: SoHo and Flatiron

Best for: traditional tea ceremonies without actually going to Japan

Price: $$$$

My Go-to Order: House Matcha Latte with whole milk and agave syrup or Matcha Coconut Water with agave syrup

Sorate is a nice tea house where you can see your matcha being whisked right in front of you. Sorate gives you this traditional experience instead of that busy and overstimulating feeling you get when you walk into a coffee shop. Sorate doesn’t offer any specialty drinks so if you like a simple matcha, this is the place for you. The best thing is that there are three types of matcha powders that you can choose from, depending on your taste. Gelato is also served in Sorate, as well as Hojicha and simple tea for people who want to try other drinks. 

Matchaful – 7/10

Locations: West Village, SoHo, Nolita, Williamsburg

Best for: specialty drinks that are high quality

Price: $$$

My Go-to Order: Double Matcha Cold Foam

Matchaful is either a hit or miss due to the amount of matcha they put in. Personally, I prefer a matcha that is very vibrant and green so I usually have to ask for extra matcha and unfortunately it’s an extra charge. Matchaful works with a Japanese tea farm where they grow plants without pesticides. Their plant milks are made in store and have their own delicious treats. They also have a bunch of specialty drinks and seasonal options so I would say it’s a good place to try something new. 

Mika’s Direction – 9/10

Location: Midtown/Koreatown 

Best for: customizing your own matcha profile 

Price: $$

My Go-to Order: Hinata Matcha Latte with Vanilla 

Mika’s direction is a Japanese owned cafe that makes amazing matcha lattes. They whisk your matcha right in front of you which is a great experience especially if you’re a beginner matcha drinker. They offer many specialty drinks and seasonal options where they use very high quality matcha. They have three matcha options that you can choose from, depending on your tastes. If you want to try something else, they also offer Hojicha lattes, regular americanos, cookies and regular teas. Besides food and drinks, they also sell materials to make matcha at home, which is a great addition to the store!

Choji – 10/10

Location: NoHo

Best for: desert-like matcha 

Price: $$

My Go-to Order: Jasmine Matcha or Vanilla Matcha

This is another store for people who like specialty drinks. The store has seating with cushions where you can get comfortable while waiting for your matcha since this store is quite popular, especially with their Fig Cream Matcha. Depending on what you get, the price can range from $7-$10. Besides matcha, they also offer bubble tea and fruit teas for something different. I love their Jasmine Matcha as it has a nice Jasmine flavor, while also not overpowering the matcha flavor. Again, Choji has hand-whisked matcha which makes it better.

Noa, a Café – 8/10

Location: Midtown/Koreatown

Best for: high quality matcha with a cozy ambiance and fresh pastries 

Price: $$

My Go-to Order: Matcha Latte with almond milk, vanilla syrup, and extra matcha

This cafe is actually in a hotel lobby which contributes to its nice cozy ambience. To top it off, their matcha is pretty nice especially because it’s hand-whisked. There’s many especially matchas such as the banana cream matcha. I like to ask for a little extra matcha since the syrup can be a little overpowering. Fortunately the baristas are very nice and accommodating so don’t be afraid to ask for a little extra!

La Cabra – 4/10

Location: SoHo, East Village, Bushwick

Best for: minimalistic scandinavian style cafe 

Price: $

My Go-to Order : Matcha Latte with Oatmilk and Simple Syrup

I would say this place is pretty average. They do use matcha from Kettl, which is another good matcha place but somehow the matcha is off. I’ve bought from here multiple times just to force myself to like it but it doesn’t work. The oatmilk somehow overpowers the matcha flavor and all you taste is the clay-like flavor from the milk which isn’t really yummy. I don’t know if it’s the matcha powder or the milk, but not for me. 

MXDIN (Mixed Ingredients) – 9/10

Location: Lower East Side 

Best for: real ingredients and clean drinks

Price: $$$

My Go-to Order: Matcha Latte with simple syrup

I think their matcha is pretty great since there’s a nice balance of the matcha and milk. I feel like MXDIN is more of a health focused cafe because they use clean ingredients. There’s not many options on the menu which are simple for people who are indecisive. There’s a few specialty drinks such as their watermelon matcha and coconut water matcha. They also have coffee options.