Temptingly green, refreshing, even slightly bitter—matcha is all this, plus more. Usually after a busy day of work, I’m heavily craving matcha. It’s the perfect balance between sweet and savoury. If you’re driven nuts by matcha but don’t know where to find matcha around Melbourne University, no worries. Let me help you.
1. Dr. Dax Kitchen, Melbourne Brain Centre
Dr. Dax Kitchen is located in the elaborate Melbourne Brain Centre on Royal Parade. Their matcha drink menu includes Japanese matcha lattes and vanilla matcha lattes (I recommend getting it with soy milk). I love the smooth texture and the just-all-right sweetness of their matcha latte. And the serving size is huge!
Relax at either an indoor or an outdoor table under the sunlight streaming through the glass walls. Dr. Dax Kitchen is a great spot for catching up on work.
2. Choya Bar, Union House
Located next to the popular Egg Sake Bistro in Union House is Choya Bar. They have a massive variety of matcha drinks to satisfy you all year round, from warm matcha lattes to the cool matcha affogato. The authentic Japanese matcha powder is finely blended into your choice of milk, giving you the perfect mix of a little bitterness and a little sweetness.
3. Bubble Cup, Union House
If you’re after something sweeter and creamier than a matcha latte, try Bubble Cup. This is a bubble tea shop with a large collection of matcha drinks: matcha milk tea, green tea with oolong milk foam, matcha lattes, and taro green milk tea. They also have matcha ice cream in a waffle cone—thank me later.
4. Vertue Coffee, Raffa Place
Vertue is an awesome café in a hidden place just two blocks off campus on Raffa Place in Carlton. The matcha latte here is specially sourced by Vertue and served with very pretty latte art. If you’re craving matcha and you need a quick escape from the hustle of the Parkville campus, this is the place to go.
5. Ho Ho’s Canteen
There’s no doubt that Ho Ho’s Canteen has great food and coffee (with an awesome selection for vegetarians and vegans!). But did you know that they also offer matcha from time to time? Keep an eye out at their sweets and you might get a pleasant surprise. Hint: Mondays are their cookie days.
Warm or cold, sweet or bitter, creamy or refreshing, bustling or quiet—there’s a matcha for every mood. What’s your favourite place to get matcha around Melbourne University?