Every few months, a coffee shop or influencer goes viral for a trendy take on matcha that sends people into a frenzy to get their hands on the finely ground green tea powder.
“I definitely think there’s such a big community of matcha lovers out there, especially in Boston,” said Leah Magno, a social media influencer. “I think it’s booming more than ever.”
Magno got into matcha in 2019, when it was gaining popularity in her college community. She said that while it was popular then, it’s everywhere now.
Matcha has long been touted for its health benefits, including high antioxidant content and potential ability to boost brain function. Others love it for its high caffeine content, which makes it a great coffee alternative.
Matcha’s continuous hold on the cultural zeitgeist raises the question of when the emerald green treasure will stop being considered a trend and claim new territory as a coffee shop classic, especially because it has been around for centuries.
Sarah Mason, a social media influencer and New York native, said she’s glad matcha’s trending, but hopes people acknowledge the “beautiful background” behind it.
Introduced to Japan by a Zen Buddhist monk around the 12th century, matcha was originally used in the classical art of tea ceremonies. Tea masters would prepare it in a chawan tea bowl with a bamboo scoop and a bamboo tea whisk. Similar tools are used today when preparing the drink.
In tea farms in Uji, Japan, matcha is harvested from shaded Camellia sinensis plants before being steamed, sifted, and stone-ground into what’s found inside the small aluminum tins sitting on grocery store shelves, including the ones at H Mart, where Mason acquires hers.
A staunch matcha enthusiast since she was first allowed to drink caffeine at around age 14, Mason moved to Boston for college and was adamant about finding the best matcha spots the area had to offer.
She began with familiar chains, including Blank Street Coffee, before exploring local establishments. After two years of taste testing, she compiled a ranked list of 40 places, both within and outside of New England.
Many cafes offer a variety of matcha products, but Mason and Magno both preferred the matcha latte, which is matcha poured over milk with a preferred syrup.
At the top of Mason’s list sat Greystone, a cafe in the South End with a walk-up window and homemade almond milk that, she said, pairs well with matcha.
Magno said her favorite location was Phinista Cafe, a French-Vietnamese cafe. There, she could get a well-balanced matcha latte along with one of her favorite drinks: the Pandan matcha latte, which reminded Magno of her favorite Filipino dessert growing up, Buko Pandan.
When it comes to matcha, it’s all about preference.
Mason didn’t care whether her matcha was unsweetened or sweetened; she just preferred a good matcha-to-milk ratio. She said it should be a brighter green color — or else risk it tasting too much like milk.
When making it at home, Magno’s perfect recipe is whole milk and a little bit of agave nectar over two tablespoons of matcha, because the sweetness helps highlight the matcha’s umami flavor.
At home, many choose their matcha based on whether it’s ceremonial grade, a “higher quality” matcha deemed better for drinking, or culinary grade, a “lower quality” matcha that’s better as an ingredient because of its bitterness.
Ceremonial grade matcha is usually a deeper, vibrant shade of green, denoting its younger harvesting age and sweeter flavor, while culinary grade is a more subdued shade of green, older and has a bolder, “bitter” taste.
Magno said you could usually taste the biggest difference in ceremonial and culinary grade matcha when you’re drinking it without milk, but with milk and other sweeteners, the difference isn’t that significant.
“I’m honestly so OK with just drinking culinary matcha,” she said, noting that since ceremonial grade is slightly more expensive, culinary grade wasn’t a bad place to start.
Besides grades, there’s also a difference in how it’s prepared.
Usually, matcha is sifted through a small fine mesh strainer into a bowl to get rid of clumps, then whisked together with a small amount of hot water by a bamboo whisk until frothy. Once frothing and smooth, the matcha is mixed with more hot water or your preferred milk, and syrups, such as honey or agave, for sweetening.
Some have taken to pre-preparing it in tubes, but while there’s nothing particularly bad about that method, Magno said, traditionally made matcha tastes better.
If you’re looking to forgo the matcha latte’s richness, there are plenty of matcha options without milk. Matcha lemonades, seltzers, sparkling waters, and more offer a refreshing alternative with the same flavor and caffeinated boost.
There’s also an assortment of matcha desserts to try, such as matcha mochi, soft serve, cheesecake, and cookies, that showcase matcha’s flexibility. Mason likes using matcha to make Rice Krispies Treats.
Yet, with so many matcha products hitting the market, Mason and Magno both noticed some places faltering on quality.
“I think it’s good when things become more accessible for people, and new inventions are always nice, but also not every coffee shop should have a matcha, especially if they’re not preparing it in a way that’s good,” Mason said. “I’ve had a bunch that have been very subpar, and some I’ve had to throw out after a few sips.”
Magno said she’s often found herself paying $7 for a latte that ended up tasting just like milk.
“There’s very few places that I actually do think make a perfect matcha latte,” she said.
Matcha’s popularity is actually causing supply issues in Japan. According to a BBC article, Uji, Japan’s matcha capital, is having trouble keeping it in stock. Some stores have had to set purchase limits on the number of matcha tins visitors can buy at a time.
Despite the pitfalls of its popularity, Mason and Mango are glad the tea is getting the attention it deserves.
Mason, who is Filipino, said it’s nice to see a part of Asian culture spreading on social media.
Magno said she’s also glad more people are getting into matcha and talking about the proper way to prepare it.
“I’m a firm believer, if you’re going to honor a culture, honor it correctly,” she said. “It all comes back to the whisk, in my opinion.”
Correction: Because of a reporting error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly listed a menu item at Phinista Cafe. Phinista doesn’t serve matcha Einspänners. The Globe regrets the error.