The Matcha Tokyo: Plant-Based Matcha Latte in Tokyo -

Getting decent tea in Japan without going to a specific store is surprisingly difficult, especially for a nation of tea lovers. Coffee on the other hand is available everywhere but tea or Japanese-specific tea is a lot more challenging to come by in everyday cafes. So when I discovered that The Matcha Tokyo is a store that specialises in 100% organic matcha, I had to visit!

“The Matcha Tokyo” is a trendy cafe with 3 branches around the city that sells organic matcha drinks and matcha-flavoured confectionary. Enjoy the high-quality tea at a fraction of the price. Whether you want to try the drink in the traditional form or have a matcha latte using plant-based milk, you can enjoy Japanese tea and even pair it with a vegan cookie!

So, if you want to try Japanese organic tea on your next trip, make sure to add this cafe to your itinerary!

At a glance:

V/VO: Plant-based options
How to order: At the counter
Payment: Card and cash accepted- payment when you order

The space

We visited The Matcha Tokyo in Shinjuku, which is on the 1F of NEWoMan shopping mall. A small cafe with limited seating, decorated in a minimal and modern style- almost like a contemporary version of a traditional tea shop for the trendy consumer.

Although not in this store, some have charging sockets so you can do a bit of work or charge your phone whilst you enjoy a nice cup of matcha tea!

The Matcha Tokyo menu

I completely forgot to take a picture of the menu (sorry!), however, with just a quick Google, you’ll be able to find one online! They have a big focus on health and the environment and use organic tea they grow on their own farm.

When we visited, they had matcha teas, matcha lattes, coffee lattes, hojicha lattes, matcha lemonade, matcha smoothies, matcha protein drinks, as well as seasonal special items. They also had a handful of things to eat such as matcha soft cream, ice cream, matcha energy bar, castella, dorayaki, cookie and coconut float but unfortunately, not everything is vegan.

Do they have plant-based milk at The Matcha Tokyo?

Yes! The Matcha Tokyo offers three plant-based milks which means everyone no matter their dietary requirement can enjoy a lovely cup of matcha latte.

They have: Soy, almond, and oat milk

To change to plant-based milk, unless a menu item will cost an extra ¥50.

What can you get from The Matcha Tokyo as a vegan?

So planning your visit to The Matcha Tokyo, you might be wondering what you can order here, well let me tell you!

Matcha

For a traditional Japanese matcha drink, go for the matcha option. As it’s matcha powder mixed with water, (like a normal tea) you can have any of the options- have it hot or ice.

Japanese Premium, ¥550 (£2.98/ $3.68)
Kyoto Uji, ¥550 (£2.98/ $3.68)

Gold Blend, ¥700 (£3.79/ $4.69)
Goko, ¥1,000 (£5.41/ $6.70)

Matcha Latte

The modern trendier version of the traditional matcha drink, paired with your choice of plant-based milk -available hot or on ice.

Matcha soy latte, ¥670 (£3.63/$4.49)
Matcha almond latte, ¥670 (£3.63/$4.49)
Matcha oat latte, ¥670 (£3.63/$4.49)

Other

Fancy something a bit different? Try these unusual combinations of drinks (available hot or on ice), just make sure to change to a plant-based milk which will add another ¥50 to the bill.

Matcha coffee latte, ¥670 (£3.63/$4.49)
Hojicha latte ¥660 (£3.57/ $4.42)

Matcha chai (seasonal item), ¥700 (£3.79/ $4.69)
Matcha coconut latte (seasonal item), ¥700 (£3.79/ $4.69)

They also have a few other drinks such as lemonades and protein drinks but I’m not sure about the ingredients at the moment.

Food

I enjoy pairing my drink with a nice sweet confectionary whenever I go into a cafe and was so pleased that they had a vegan option at The Matcha Tokyo!

Vegan cookie, ¥380 (£2.06/ $2.55)
*Coconut ice cream

* I believe the coconut ice cream is vegan-friendly but best to double-check if you visit.

What did we order on this visit? ↓

Matcha Oat Latte

Jonny went for this iced matcha latte using oat milk. It had a lovely and refreshing taste, sweetened slightly using muscovado sugar and such a gorgeous deep colour to it. Unlike the matcha latte from Starbucks, there is a clear difference in taste and quality. I prefer this one as it’s much tastier and has a stronger, more distinct taste of the matcha.

Price: ¥670 (£3.63/$4.49)

Matcha Coffee Latte (soy)

Caffeine affects me a lot, but I also love coffee AND matcha, and this combination made me very curious. So of course I had to order it! Originally I wanted to try it with my go-to oat milk, but the lovely server said it’ll be prettier if they use soy milk as the different layers wouldn’t merge together – so I opted for that option.

This was delicious, who knew matcha and coffee would be a great mix?! The three distinct layers were so pretty and very insta-worthy too! Although I very much enjoyed this drink, I won’t lie to you, I couldn’t finish it. The double caffeine was too much for my body, I felt very shaky on it, especially as I had only eaten this vegan parfait from Wired Bonbon that day.

So a little tip, if you’re anything like me when it comes to caffeine tolerance, but still want to try this matcha coffee latte, make sure to have plenty to eat beforehand! I’ll definitely be taking my own advice next time.

Price: ¥670 (+¥50) )(£3.63/ $4.49)

Vegan cookie

I’ve seen some mixed reviews online about this cookie. What seems to be throwing a lot of people off is the fact it’s a harder and crunchier cookie. However, I thought it was great and really enjoyed it!

The cookie is sweet, with a subtle matcha taste, filled with what I presume are cranberries, which gives the cookie a great chew! It went down very well with our drinks and I had to slow myself down from eating it too quickly.

Price: ¥380 (£2.06/ $2.55)

Enjoy the matcha experience at home

Whether you want organic matcha powder to gift to a friend, try a selection of 100% organic teas or want a chasen (matcha whisk) and bowl to mix your own matcha at home, each store offers products you can buy and enjoy in your own comfort.