Tea is something that many of us enjoy, whether it’s chai from our favorite local coffee shop or boba from Teacupful’s in downtown Bend. Globally appreciated, tea holds an incredible amount of cultural significance in many places around the world. In England, high tea is held every afternoon, while a tea ceremony is performed in a designated ‘tea’ house in Japan, according to this article by Britannica.
One specific type of tea that has become increasingly popular is matcha. According to this article on Pureleaf, matcha is made from ground green tea leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. It is traditionally made in a very specific way, but today it can be made or enjoyed in many different ways. Matcha has become something you can get at mostly any coffee shop, whether you enjoy it iced or hot.
I love matcha. I wouldn’t say I’m a matcha expert, or even a connoisseur, but I drink it multiple times a week. Generally, I make my own matcha, due to the fact that I’m cheap and would rather save money wherever I can. However, sometimes a matcha latte is what I need to get me through the day, because I don’t like coffee. Due to my love for this earthy drink, I decided I would try matcha lattes at three different coffee house locations around Central Oregon and review them for you.
(A little disclaimer: first, these aren’t pure matcha, they’re matcha lattes, meaning they’ve been combined with frothed milk. This changes the flavor a bit and makes it a lot less powerful and traditional.)
Junction Roastery’s matcha latte
Located: Redmond
This matcha had a really pretty presentation. They use Metolius matcha powder, so it is naturally a bit sweet, although I didn’t get any extra sweetener in it. It has a great flavor, and I personally like all Metolius tea, including their matcha.
Normally, I get oat milk in my matcha, because I believe matcha tastes better with plant milk than regular milk, but this time I forgot to ask so I’ll just order the other few with regular milk so they’re all on a level playing field.)
Overall, I’d give it four out of five stars. I liked it, but something that is big for me is sweetness. I really appreciate matcha when it is less sweet.
Starbucks matcha latte
Located: Bend
This didn’t have any pretty latte art like the last one, and it was naturally very sweet and really foamy, but not as strong of a matcha flavor as the metolius one.
As it cooled down, it began to taste mostly of milk, not much of matcha. However, the green color was quite vibrant. Three out of five stars for this one.
Foundry Four’s matcha latte
Located: Prineville
This is my go-to stop for matcha. They use Metolius matcha powder, so it tasted very similar to Junctions.
This one was definitely the prettiest out of all of them. It was naturally a bit sweet and foamier. It was almost the same price as well, so I’d give it four out of five stars.
Conclusively, I suggest trying a matcha latte the next time you go to your favorite coffee shop! It’s worth it, and it is a great way to switch it up.
