10 Chains That Serve the Best Matcha

You've scrolled past the aesthetically pleasing lattes on Instagram. You've walked by the powders at the health food store. It's no secret that matcha has exploded in popularity over the years, as coffee shops and bakeries continue to roll out various drinks and desserts featuring the eye-catching powdered green tea.

Traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies, matcha is widely celebrated for its range of health benefits, including boosted brain, heart, and liver health. Additionally, many enjoy this popular powder because it has a higher caffeine content than other green teas but less caffeine than a cup of coffee.

This vibrant green tea has an earthy, umami flavor that has earned it a spot on numerous menus, with matcha cafés popping up across the country. Whether you're craving a simple matcha latte or something a bit more elaborate, there are plenty of spots that can satisfy this hankering. Here are 10 chains that offer some of the best matcha options.

Matcha Café Maiko

Since opening its first store in Hawaii, Matcha Café Maiko has expanded to 21 locations across 14 states, plus two additional cafés in Canada and China. The matcha chain sources its products from the matcha-producing region of Uji, Japan, and serves matcha in multiple forms. These options include shaved iced, soft serve, parfaits, teas, lattes, frappés, and floats.

The shaved ice is flavored with matcha syrup and comes with adzuki beans and shiratama (mochi balls). Depending on the variety you choose, you can get this topped with condensed milk or a choice of matcha or vanilla cream—or both. As a bonus, you can order the soft serve in a waffle cone, which the chain makes fresh daily.

"Maiko Matcha Cafe is one of the best cups of matcha that I've ever had," one Yelp reviewer wrote. "I really like how smooth it is while also being not too bitter or vegetal tasting like other matcha can be."

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Tatte Bakery & Café

Since opening in 2007, this bakery and café chain has expanded to have 25 locations in Boston and 12 locations in the Washington, D.C., area. Offered alongside sandwiches, salads, and shakshuka is a variety of coffee and tea beverages, matcha included.

First, there's the sparkling matcha lemonade, which is made with matcha concentrate, simple syrup, and lemon juice topped with sparkling water. One Yelp reviewer called this drink "fantastic," adding, "The lemonade was refreshing, with a strong matcha flavor."

And you can't forget about the iced and hot matcha lattes, which are both made with premium grade matcha powder from the brand Mem Tea.

Peet's Coffee

Among the various drinks at Peet's Coffee are a couple of beverages that can help you get your matcha fix. First, there's the standard matcha latte made with organic ceremonial matcha. This can be ordered iced or hot.

For those in the mood for something a bit more decadent, there's also the matcha frappé, which is topped with whipped cream. Additionally, you can further customize these drinks by incorporating different syrups, sauces, and toppings, such as vanilla syrup, chocolate sauce, or a caramel drizzle.

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Caribou Coffee

This coffee chain has locations all over the U.S. but is particularly concentrated in the Midwest and the Dakotas. If you're in the mood for a latte, Caribou offers a matcha vanilla tea latte, as well as the lavender matcha tea latte. There's also a frozen matcha tea with bubbles, which features matcha tea powder blended with ice, vanilla or lavender, half and half, and the chain's signature shake mix. It's then poured over coconut coffee jellies.

Cha Cha Matcha

Cha Cha Matcha began as "an alternative to artisanal coffee culture and the extreme, hyperbolic world of energy drinks," according to the chain's website. First opened in 2016, Cha Cha Matcha now has 10 locations across New York City and Los Angeles, with one Beverly Hills café coming soon.

This chain offers various drinks made with ceremonial-grade matcha sourced from Uji, Japan. A few beverage options include the matcha latte, matcha chai, matcha lemonade, and strawberry matcha.

"By far my favorite matcha place! I love the variety of flavors and creations," one Yelp reviewer wrote. "The ceremonial grade matcha is smooth and delish. Every location has been very consistent thus far!"

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Matchaful

This six-unit New York City matcha brand aims to deliver "the ultimate farm-to-whisk experience" and works directly with a "sustainably-operated" Japanese tea farm in Shizuoka, Japan. Matchaful also emphasizes botanical nutrition and focuses on leveraging the functional health benefits of plant-based ingredients in its food and drinks.

Peruse the menu and you'll encounter a plethora of matcha beverages, such as the Vanilla Zen. This features Hikari ceremonial matcha, vanilla extract, ashwagandha, cinnamon, MCT, maple syrup, and oat milk. Another option is the Indigo Glow, which has matcha, taro root, maqui berry, maple syrup, and oat milk. But, if you're looking for something simpler, there's always the tried-and-true matcha latte.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

"The best matcha latte I ever had in the city," one Yelp reviewer raved. "The matcha is perfectly smooth, earthy, and rich."

Blue Bottle Coffee

Blue Bottle Coffee has locations in New York, California, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., and Japan. While it may be best known for its coffee, the chain also serves a few beverages made with ceremonial-grade matcha from the Uji tea fields of Kyoto, Japan.

There's the matcha Americano, which is simply matcha tea with hot water. Then, there's the matcha latte, which is sweetened with cane sugar sugar and served with your choice of steamed milk. You can order both of these drinks iced, too. One Yelp reviewer gave this simple beverage high praise, writing, "The matcha latte tasted incredible – definitely amongst the best ones I've had."

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Bluestone Lane

This Australian café chain boasts 65 locations across the country and aims to bring "Aussie café culture (and better coffee) to the USA." In addition to serving coffee, avocado toast, pastries, and other brunch favorites, Bluestone Lane offers hot and iced matcha lattes. These are made with ceremonial-grade matcha green tea powder.

Starbucks

No beverage chain roundup would be complete without mentioning the biggest player in the game. In addition to its expansive selection of coffee drinks, Starbucks offers multiple matcha options, including a matcha tea latte, matcha crème frappuccino, and an iced matcha lemonade.

If you're just looking for some matcha flavor without it being the the star of your drink, Starbucks also offers a matcha-flavored cold foam that you can add to any drink.

Additionally, this week, Starbucks dropped its brand-new Iced Lavender Cream Oat Milk Latte and earned high marks in an Eat This, Not That! taste test. The new limited-time drink features matcha blended with oat milk and blanketed in a layer of lavender cream cold foam.

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Dunkin'

If Dunkin' is your go-to spot, you're in luck. The second-largest coffee chain in the U.S. has a few matcha options and currently offers hot and iced matcha lattes, along with a frozen matcha latte. As with its coffee options, Dunkin' lets you customize this green beverage and has several flavor add-ins, such as caramel or French vanilla syrup.