The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Spoon University.
I’ve always been a lover of matcha. So, since moving to Boston for college, I made it my mission to try as many matcha spots as possible. For each tasting, I kept my order consistent: an iced matcha latte with oat milk. Additionally, I judged based on three main criteria: service/atmosphere, price and taste. After visiting several locations ranging from chains to small businesses, these are the top five places that keep me coming back for more:
5. Ogawa Coffee
Located in the heart of downtown Boston, this upscale coffee shop offers a wide variety of unique drinks and a great selection of pastries. Inside, the cafe was clean and chic creating a modern aesthetic. Although the location is small with limited seating, they make great use of their space with a wall of stair-like seating. After a short wait for my drink, I tasted the matcha and was instantly blown away. The matcha flavor punched through the creamy oat milk, and there was a note of sweetness to balance it all out. The flavors of Ogawa’s matcha tasted carefully and masterfully crafted, making it hard to place it in fifth place. However, with a price of $8, going back for more of this smaller sized drink too often would be cruel to my bank account. For that reason, I’m placing Ogawa toward the bottom of my list.
4. Phinista Cafe
Only a five minute walk from Fenway Park, you’ll find this quaint Vietnamese coffee shop located on a more quiet street. Phinista offers a cozy atmosphere for customers to study, socialize, and enjoy one of the many drinks or authentic dishes their menu has to offer. Not to mention, the service at this location was impeccable. Although I ordered ahead, the friendly barista whisked the matcha fresh upon my arrival so as not to spoil the frothiness and flavor. I must say, I think it did the trick because my drink was delicious. This latte has a uniquely pungent flavor profile that isn’t too bitter, but still tastes strongly of matcha. Helping enhance the drink’s depth of flavor is this spot’s house-made sweetener. With a fair price, I’m definitely drawn back to Phinista’s matcha often, but still there are other places that claim my top three.
3. Tatte Bakery
With its many locations, this cafe is notorious around the Boston area and usually a starting point for any tourist. In my opinion, they’ve certainly earned their spot as the first stop! Their bakery selection is extensive with top-notch pastries and breads. Plus, they serve breakfast all-day, and have several delicious lunch options on their menu. What more could you ask for? Well, Tatte also delivers on a spacious, european-esque atmosphere to accommodate its many fans who often occupy its indoor and outdoor tables. Even though it is usually pretty busy, Tatte always serves up its orders swiftly and fresh. When I tasted my drink order, the first thing I noticed was that familiar bitter matcha flavor. As someone who craves more of that earthy taste, the undertones of this matcha do just the trick. In addition to its fair price, Tatte is probably my go-to option for a lower priced matcha latte.
2. Pavement Coffeehouse
Another chain, though more underrated, is Pavement. You can’t miss this shop with its iconic bird logo, sprinkled throughout the streets of Boston. However, you might want to be prepared to wait because with lines just as long as Tatte’s and matcha even better, this location tends to take a little more time. As you wait you can try to search for a good study nook (because, yes, if you can get one, this place has the best) but Pavement does admittedly also have limited seating. Trust me when I say it’s worth the lines though, because this shop offers up some of the best matcha in Boston. Providing a similar, yet more sweet flavor (and more expensive price) than Tatte, my matcha latte was rejuvenating, creamy and delicious. Having one of the best matcha flavors in the city, this shop has an added bonus of some wonderfully fluffy and tasty bagels! There aren’t too many flavors, but what they do have is done incredibly well. With its matcha and bagels paired together, this comfort breakfast at Pavement puts it near the top of my list.
1. Maruichi Select
There is no place that does matcha quite as well as Brookline’s Maruichi Select. From start to finish, your experience at this cafe will be perfect. Entering the shop, there’s plenty of space and seating, a contemporary Japanese vibe, and a mini market for all your matcha (and other Japanese treat) needs. Also, as customers wait in line, they can view the many other traditional desserts, snacks, and melas the shop has for purchase. They won’t get the chance to see them for long though, because the service here puts people to the front of the line briefly after their arrival. Waiting for my drink, I admired the vibrant green color of the lattes they seem to churn out one right after another. Because of the drinks popularity, I was curious to see if my expectations would be met. As you can probably guess, they most certainly were. Maruichi offers the most forward matcha taste by far with a depth of flavor that transports its customers right back to Japan. With a fair price too, there’s no question in my mind that this spot does iced matcha lattes best in Boston!
