We’re All Obsessed with Matcha

Graphic by Claire Revier

In a world that is obsessed with drinks, one popular drink these days is a matcha latte. Everyone is obsessed with matcha (except for the people who say it “tastes like grass”).

My opinion is that the rise of the clean girl aesthetic, the it-girl aesthetic and the healing era has played some part in its booming popularity. 

Although these aesthetics might not be the trendiest today, the matcha latte has outlived them and is still going strong. 

History of Matcha

Matcha is often associated with Japanese culture, but it’s not totally exclusive to Japanese culture and is partly inspired by Chinese powdered tea culture. That being said, it has evolved to embody Japanese tradition and culture. 

Let’s get into a little history about matcha. 

According to Britannica, matcha was introduced to Japan by a Zen Buddhist monk who returned to Japan from China in the 1100s with tea seeds. Here, they established the practice of preparing matcha, which was called “the way of tea.” The tea would be grown for ceremony, powdered, put into boiling water and then whisked with a bamboo brush. 

Throughout the years, matcha has closely intertwined with Japanese culture instead of being a drink to simply consume. It became an activity for people to come together and socialize. 

Why Are We Obsessed With Matcha

With matcha’s rising popularity, one might wonder, “why?” There can be many reasons whether it's the health benefits, the taste, the aesthetic or the culture.

Personally, I wasn’t a fan of matcha at first. When it started getting popular in the U.S., my best friend indulged in it and became obsessed. She’s probably the biggest matcha fan I know and every time she would get a matcha, I would try a sip and was never fond. 

This put me off of matcha for three years and I never wanted to try it again because I thought I just didn’t like it. Now, I am a frequent matcha drinker and have become quite fond of it. 

Hailey Yang, the best friend who is obsessed with matcha, said she didn’t like coffee much so she started getting matcha when she would go to coffee shops, which she enjoys a lot more. Now it’s her go-to. She also likes how you can adjust its sweetness and she enjoys it at multiple sweetness levels, as well as hot or iced. 

Reviews & Recommendations

Here, I have created a list of matcha lattes around the Twin Cities for you to try. 

Happy Monday- Iced Green Grandma

The first recommendation I have is the place that started my matcha obsession, Happy Monday. Their secret menu iced matcha latte with the grandma’s house syrup is my go-to drink. I get it multiple times a week. It’s slightly sweet, but not too much and weirdly cozy. 

Happy Monday is also very spacious and great for catching up with friends, so I would recommend this place if you want to chat with a tasty matcha latte in hand. 

Thirty Six Cafe- Banana Pudding Matcha Latte

This matcha latte was slightly too sweet for me. It’s a bit too much banana pudding and too little matcha. 

That being said, it is one of the only places I know that makes a banana pudding matcha latte in the Twin Cities. One important note though is that they have limited milk substitutions to their matcha lattes, so you might not be able to try the banana pudding matcha latte if you go. 

The place is also super cute and has many more tasty treats. I say for the experience, you should try it out at least once. Make sure you go early though as they are a small space and always busy. 

Càphin mpls- Mango Matcha Latte

The mango matcha latte from càphin mpls is what I would consider a refreshing matcha latte. It tastes like a mango lassi with a touch of earthiness. Caphin has more unique matcha latte flavors too like an ube matcha latte and a strawberry matcha latte. I would recommend this place if you want to branch out and try new matcha flavors. 

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Seasonal Specialty Matcha Lattes

Hailey’s favorite matcha she’s had in the Twin Cities was this special, seasonal pumpkin matcha latte from Backstory Coffee Roasters. This was also really tasty to me who was not yet obsessed with matcha back then. 

Right now, Backstory has an angel mint matcha latte for their seasonal specialties drink. I haven’t tried it yet, but I am intrigued and plan to make a trip there soon to try it out. 

Apart from matcha tea lattes at coffee shops around the Twin Cities, you can make your own at home too. I am still a beginner matcha drinker and so, I don’t do this but I see myself participating in this activity very soon. It seems almost therapeutic. 

Hailey’s favorite at-home matcha brand is Jade Leaf. It’s a good beginning brand and just the powder itself with nothing added so you can adjust the sweetness. 

Matcha is only increasing in popularity and with its unique flavors and benefits, it’s no wonder we’re all obsessed. Even if you didn’t like it from a chain, you might like it from one of the places I listed instead.

Go treat yourself to some matcha, you deserve it!