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I’ve been drinking matcha for years now, and I’ll admit, nothing tastes better than the matcha you drink in Japan. BUT, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any good matcha options in Toronto! Frankly, there have always been some nice spots, but with the recent matcha craze, I felt it was only right to compile a list similar to how I did for food near Yonge & Dundas (soon to be Sanfoka Square) but specifically for matcha drinks, shakes, and desserts! I included details about the price (if I could remember), location, and my thoughts on each item to help you decide whether you live in the city or are visiting and curious to enjoy some matcha specialties! Before you read below, make sure you follow me on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook as I will be posting more food and Toronto content! For a preview of what to expect, watch below!
Matcha Lattes & Shakes
- Matcha Matcha: This spot had a very popular buzz with massive lines when it first opened on 407 Church St, Toronto. I decided to wait a few months for the hype to die down a bit and go with some coworkers. Since it was my first time there, I decided to get the regular matcha latte as is and it came up to $6.50. Although I didn’t add any extra sugar, I thought the matcha latte was really sweet and with matcha, I tend to appreciate it when it’s not too sweet and still preserves an earthy flavour to it. Frankly, this was a bit disappointing.
- Daigyo Matcha Milkshake: This also had a huge line when it first opened up at the Midland and Finch Plaza as it is located at 3278 Midland Ave D121, Scarborough (I believe they took over C+ Tea). It was $9.50, and I loved that it tasted like a milkshake but didn’t compromise the matcha flavour since it wasn’t too sweet.
- Bingz: I mentioned this in my Yonge Dundas Square post because it is in the food court of Eaton Cenre, 220 Yonge St. This is a popular spot known for it’s Chinese fast food options with a lot of different locations, but I’ve only seen the matcha cloud shake here and for $5.99 it’s not a bad milkshake but still a little too sweet.
- Kream: I posted about this recently and this is also in the Midland and Finch area but in the Scarboro Village area at 3290 Midland Ave #5, Scarborough (might have replaced Gong Cha) but I went here for two reasons, one because of their two for $7.50 Matcha lattes (they had an oat option as well for an extra $1). It wasn’t bad, especially for the deal but it wasn’t really memorable either. I preferred the dessert I got here more.
Matcha Specialty Lattes
- Daigyo: On a different occasion, I went back to Daigyo (same location at 3278 Midland Ave D121, Scarborough) and tried their strawberry matcha latte for $7.25, which wasn’t too bad but a little too watery. In terms of flavour, the mix was decent.
- Neo Coffee Bar: I tried their Matcha Berry Latte for $7 after tax at their PATH location (130 King St W, Toronto – The Exchange Tower) and on a very hot day (National Burrito Day) which was refreshing. The matcha itself was decent in terms of texture, but I really liked the berry bits at the bottom more than the matcha itself. I was also surprised to know they are owned by Kinton Ramen hence why they also did the Uniqlo Collab.
- Marry Me Mochi: This was such a wild combination, I am still confused by it… But not mad at it either. At their Scarborough Town Centre location (300 Borough Drive, Scarborough), I got their Matcha Viet Coffee for $11.29 (which is after tax and came with a mochi donut that I didn’t try since an elder lady asked me for it). Although I didn’t taste the donut, I was happy to give it to the senior and enjoy this. Viet Coffee is very strong, especially when it comes to caffeine and with Matcha I feel like its more calming but since it is a matcha foam it was a tasty mix where you got to appreciate both distinct flavours without it clashing too much but it was also a bit weird to consider the combination of matcha and coffee.
- The Brick Room: This and The Forget Me Not Cafe matcha are probably the most hyped up matcha currently in the city. I have been to The Brick Room several times since it’s easily accessible from Union Station before for coffee, but never for matcha until I saw they had a special Matcha Banana Ceremony. This is an iced matcha with a special banana pudding on top with banana/plantain chips on top with an extra crunch. They present it to you individually and advise you to eat the chips first before enjoying the rest of the matcha. It was $12 after tax, and I believe I was one of the last ones to get it that day, when I got it around 1:30 or 2 p.m.. Overall, I liked the crunch of the banana and the matcha flavour was present among the banana pudding, not bad to try at least once.
- Dark Horse Espresso Bar: This place is located at the second level of the Shops at One York building (1 York Street, Toronto) and they even had a whole Matcha Madness competition offering six different matcha options. When I went, I did ask the barista which she recommends and she mentioned the most popular is the iced ube matcha coconut and I can see why. Not only is it visually stunning but it also has a great amount of tropical flavour from the ube and coconut that elevates the rich matcha flavour, and for $7, it was worth it!
Matcha Desserts
- 18-Feet Espresso Bar & The Cheong: Another spot I posted about before and something I need to do a proper video on is this place located at 144 College Street, Toronto. I have enjoyed their seasonal drinks but unfortunately, their locations are too far for me, so the last thing I had was their stuffles (waffles and croissants mixed, but essentially looks like a croffle), which were tasty as well and something nice to try. I had both the lotus bisoff version and the matcha one and I enjoyed it both but the matcha one was a bit better because I felt like the sweetness didn’t overpower the flavour. I unfortunately forgot how much this was.
- Daigyo: I have already shared the location above, and although I forgot the exact name of this matcha parfait, for $8.95 it was so worth it! It had a nice rice cracker decorated on top to give it a nice crunch, with several other toppings inside that added more value to the matcha dessert.
- Kream: I also mentioned the address above, and this was the other reason why I went here. The flat matcha croissant was really intriguing given the size, and it was really sweet, which I am usually not a fan of but it tasted like matcha white chocolate on one half while the other half is covered in crunchy sugar. Although it was sweet, it was a nice dessert, and I recommend getting it to share.
- Arabica: Some of this footage is from 2023 when this popular brand opened at Union Station (65 Front St W, Toronto) and I will do a separate video on it later but essentially, I tried several things from them over the years, but not often since it is pricey, but premium quality. I will do a separate video about them as well. The matcha canelé was different, but not something I would get again, because the taste is like any other small cake. However, the matcha soft serve ice cream was exceptionally good. They had the perfect matcha taste and flavour blended beautifully in their soft serve ice cream, which had the right amount of consistency. I would recommend this as well, and can certainly see myself getting it again.
Overall
All in all, there are a lot of different matcha options in Toronto, and there are many more I need to try! I will say my favourite matcha drink I’ve had so far is from Dark Horse with the Iced Matcha Ube Coconut, and my favourite matcha dessert would be the soft serve from Arabica. Let me know which matcha drinks and desserts I should try next, and if you plan on trying any of these in the future! Let me know in the comments below or on social media by giving a follow on follow me on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook as I will be posting more food and Toronto content!