Competing with coffee and bubble tea for the drink of choice in Hong Kong, matcha has taken the city’s F&B scene by storm, with matcha lattes and matcha soft-serve ice cream proving particularly sought after.
What is it about this Japanese green tea powder that’s seen its popularity soar in recent decades? Some people attribute matcha’s success to its low caffeine quotient and high cancer-fighting antioxidants, whilst others rave about its bright, sweet, vegetal flavour.
Whatever the reason, we’ve hunted down the best matcha-focused cafés in Hong Kong, where to go whether you prefer your matcha in beverage or dessert form.
Hong Kong’s top matcha cafés
nana’s green tea
Debuting at AIRSIDE mall in Kai Tak in September 2023, nana’s green tea, Japan’s largest matcha-branded café chain, has quickly expanded in Hong Kong with a second outpost at new mall THE SOUTHSIDE in Wong Chuk Hang. The café’s specialities run the gamut from hot or iced matcha latte (HKD45), to matcha chocolate parfait (HKD98), to matcha cheesecake (HKD48), to matcha adzuki roll cake (HKD52).
nana’s green tea, Shop B128, B1/F, AIRSIDE, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, 2117 1309
nana’s green tea, Shop 206–207, 2/F, THE SOUTHSIDE, 11 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 2117 0639
Via Tokyo
Open for over a decade, Via Tokyo remains a dependable spot dishing out a myriad of matcha-flavoured desserts made with matcha imported from Kyoto. The café’s creamy and intensely flavoured Uji matcha soft serve (HKD43/HKD45) is the most popular sweet treat of them all. The brand has also recently unveiled a whole Basque cheesecake series, and we have our eyes on the Uji matcha and black sugar warabi Basque cheesecake (HKD460/18cm) for our next celebratory event.
Via Tokyo, Shop 1A–1B, G/F, Lei Shun Court, 106–126 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, 2895 1116, WhatsApp 9850 3656
Matchali
Home-grown matcha brand Matchali, founded by cousins Cara and Laura Li, sources the finest ceremonial-grade matcha powder from a fifth-generation tea farm in Uji, Kyoto, to craft its health-conscious matcha beverages made without refined sugar. For a classic drink, it’s difficult to beat Matchali’s matcha latte (HKD42/HKD50/HKD55), but we also love the colourful starburst iced matcha (HKD60) with the fruity additions of mango, raspberry, and butterfly-pea flower and seasonal offerings like the matcha chai latte (HKD55/HKD60).
Matchali, G/F, 5 Moon Street, Wan Chai, 9880 7661, book here
THE MATCHA TOKYO
Based in its namesake Japanese city, THE MATCHA TOKYO currently boasts nine shops in Hong Kong showcasing matcha creations made with organic premium matcha. This brand’s matcha is light and delicate without even a hint of bitterness. Our go-tos here include the silky-smooth Tokyo Rich (HKD38) matcha latte, coffee-tea hybrid matcha espresso latte parfait (HKD68), and, for snacking, the matcha mochi croffle (HKD42).
THE MATCHA TOKYO, multiple locations across Hong Kong
caflex by the coffeeology
This comfortable and cosy café in Causeway Bay serves up several matcha-flavoured items that rock our world. The Uji matcha latte (HKD52/HKD60) at caflex features a hefty layer of foam that we dig, and the matcha cheesecake (HKD58) is an excellent accompaniment to double your matcha ante.
caflex by the coffeeology, G/F, 15A Matheson Street, Causeway Bay, 2898 8805
A CUP THING.
Another cute café, this time in Jordan, A CUP THING. delivers a solid Uji matcha latte (HKD44/HKD46) that’s more reasonably priced than many around town. We also highly recommend the matcha warabi mochi (HKD46), a traditional, deliciously chewy Japanese confection dusted in matcha powder, and matcha waffle (HKD118), topped with a delightful assortment of warabi mochi, shiratama (rice-flour dumpling), adzuki, matcha ice cream, matcha sauce, and whipped cream.
A CUP THING., Shop B, G/F, 28 Man Yuen Street, Jordan, 9637 0015
BASAO tea
BASAO has zen teahouses both in Mainland China and Hong Kong that provide an immersive and peaceful tea-drinking experience. Along with the brand’s signature seaside honey oolong and rock oolong lattes is its cracking matcha latte (HKD52), prepared traditionally with a bamboo whisk known as a chasen. On the food front, the tofu mousse matcha cube (HKD60) is a light-as-air matcha-infused chiffon cake wrapped in velvety tofu mousse.
BASAO tea, G/F, 17 Moon Street, Wan Chai, 2952 3313
Matsuya’s
A humble neighbourhood spot in Sai Ying Pun, Matsuya’s specialises in sweets made with top-of-the-line matcha from tea grower Marukyu Koyamaen in Uji, Kyoto, which has been in business since the 17th century. The matcha lava cake (HKD75) at this dessert shop is a must-order, as are the matcha roll cake with adzuki (HKD58) and matcha warabi mochi (HKD58).
Matsuya’s, Shop F, G/F, Yen Shun Mansion, 142–150 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun, 2512 2620
Sundazed Matcha
Purveying matcha goodies to those on the go, Sundazed is the newest member of Hong Kong’s matcha pack, a cheerful, green-hued spot at the foot of the Central–Mid-Levels Escalators on Queen’s Road Central. The Sundazed matcha latte (HKD45) is the signature for purists, though we’re keen to try the playful matcha float (HKD45), matcha latte jelly (HKD42), and matcha yuzu (HKD38) too. They also serve up an Uji matcha sundae (HKD58) topped with honeycomb!
Sundazed Matcha, Shop A, G/F, 100 Queen’s Road Central, Central
