Matcha tea arrived as a fad imported from the U.S., although it originated in Japan, but it has remained as an alternative option to coffee. Part of its success lies in the many benefits associated with it, among them that of giving energy in a more gradual way than coffee. Its strong flavor, close to that of seaweed, has led to the addition of other vegetable drinks or milk to sweeten it in the West. However, in Japan the preparation of this drink is a ritual related to Zen Buddhism, which is carried out calmly while mixing the water with a bamboo brush and specific bowls.
Teapots
Teapots is not a coffee shop, it is a tea shop and matcha tea has a special place in its menu. There is a sidereal advantage between drinking tea versus coffee, despite the fanaticism of the latter, and it is the pleasure of having a whole teapot of hot water so that you can make your own refill at your own pace. Because in tea time is a key factor and you can not go in a hurry, perhaps that is why it is less popular than coffee, taking into account the current zeitgeist.
📍Location: Calle de Postas, 26 (Downtown)
HanSo Café
There are several facts that make HanSo Café one of those coffee shops that comes up a lot. First: they are so precise with the drinks they serve that they weigh the quantities so that everything tastes like what it’s supposed to taste like, without having too much water, milk or coffee. Second: matcha is not the only Japanese green tea they serve, they also have sencha . Third: although not specifically linked to the theme, they serve brunch all the time, at any time. A bonus: their menu is also in Japanese.
📍Location: corre. baja de san pablo, 51 (Downtown) and costanilla de los Ángeles, 7 (Downtown)
Maison Matcha
It took a while, but it has arrived: the first place in Madrid where matcha is the ingredient that occupies the entire menu. Influencer Violeta Mangriñán is in charge of this coffee shop (they also serve coffee) dedicated almost exclusively to making all versions of the most internationalized Japanese tea. In addition, they collaborate with Umiko Bake and all the pastries they sell go through their workshop.
📍Location: calle del monte esquinza, 33 (Chamberí)
Pan y Pepinillos Café
In Pan y Pepinillos they achieve a balance between the matcha tradition and the latest trendy blend with this tea. If you want to try the original version they follow the step by step of this ritual, although they have added an electric handle to the traditional bamboo whisk that makes it rotate faster. At the other end is one of their greatest hits: tea with ice, milk and a topping of blueberries that promises to be one of the best matcha in Madrid.
📍Location: Calle de El Escorial, 2 (Centro)
Umiko Bake
Umiko Bake was born as an extension of the restaurant that bears the same name, but its successes in its short existence have made it almost as popular as the sushi restaurant from which it was born. The winners of the award for the best roscón in Madrid for Christmas 2024 make a very fine pastry and always referencing the Japanese country. Of course, it was to be expected that they would end up serving some of the matcha they put in their exquisite mochis (a small, cold bun of stuffed rice paste) as a drink.
📍Location: Calle de los Madrazo, 18, BAJO (Downtown)