For some, matcha has become the latest fad. For me, it’s become a daily delight. As someone who has never been a fan of coffee or wanted to become dependent on Red Bull, finding matcha has brought loads of joy into my life. While I’ve lived in Washington practically my entire life, living on campus for my undergraduate experience has allowed me to explore the city in a new way. A big part of that was cafe hopping, and in the past two years Seattle’s matcha scene has exploded—amazing news for me. As I spend the last couple of weeks before graduation hopping between every cafe I can, here are some of my favorite spots. 

Yoka 

Yoka is a Korean and Filipino cafe in Madrona only a five-minute drive from campus. My drink of choice is an iced matcha einspanner, and I’m pretty sure most of the baristas remember that. My understanding of an einspanner is that it’s a drink with cream layered with matcha, and if I could (maybe sometimes I do), I’d get one every day. 

I’ve probably spent more time here than on campus, and I may or may not have spent the better part of the last two years gatekeeping it from everyone. But now I (regretfully) am letting you all know what’s up, so please go support them so they can keep making me matcha einspanners. Also, I may or may not have seen Macklemore there a couple of weeks ago, and I think that speaks to the kind of crowd Yoka draws in. 

Howdy Y’all 

With new matcha cafes opening up everywhere, matcha pop-ups have also been part of the craze. I had been following Howdy Y’all on Instagram for months, unable to actually attend one of their pop–ups, but then they finally announced their permanent location at the Seattle Public Library. 

Their matcha is smooth, has perfectly balanced umami flavors and can be paired with their maple cold foam. This is my second favorite matcha downtown. The Earl Grey matcha and salty maple matcha are literally fabulous for anyone who likes their drinks with more syrupy flavors. 

Phê

A 15-minute walk from campus, just a block off Broadway, Phê is a Vietnamese, family-owned cafe that opened last year. They have a cute modern vibe, with a purple entryway, cement slabbed walls and a garage door that they open when it’s sunny. The first time I tried it, I got the mango matcha, which they haven’t restocked since last summer (I’m impatiently waiting), and it was so rich. The matcha was floral and the mango puree was smooth rather than chunky. Their most popular drink is probably the banana pudding matcha and it’s a whole meal: the banana pudding is yumtastic and it leaves you completely satisfied. 

Recently, they also added breakfast sliders and other food items inspired by the LA community goods, with a halal meat option. The sliders are perfectly buttered, with eggs that are creamy, bacon that is crispy and a green (cilantro, I think) sauce that makes me cry with happiness. 

Plus84

Located in Belltown, Plus84 is a Vietnamese cafe that is open until 10 p.m. This entire spring quarter, almost every Tuesday and Thursday night, I have been studying here, as it’s the only place with good food and drinks open after 6 p.m. Special shoutout to their curly fries and iced fruit teas. 

Usually, I get a matcha with white chocolate, but about a month ago, they stopped doing that, which made me very upset. But it’s okay because if you get a vanilla matcha, it’s still totally fire. And recently I tried their macchiato cold foam, which is actually a salted cheese foam that is insanely thick and perfectly sweet and salty. 

Taz 

I feel like Taz was one of the first matcha brick-and-mortar shops to open last year that really drove the matcha frenzy in Seattle. When my roommate and I went to try it the first time, we were actually very underwhelmed; the matcha flavor was barely there, it was super milky and had no sweetener. However, every time I’ve gone since then has proved to be much more fruitful. The matcha is pretty standard and it gets your cravings out of the way. They always have fun seasonal cream tops that they rotate, with pumpkin spice being my favorite so far.  

Special Mentions 

While these are my go-to matcha spots, there are a thousand other places I love that deserve a shoutout. Moment in Fremont’s double matcha. URL was the first matcha I ever had freshman year. Offline Coffee gives you matcha in a glass cup. JinJin Matcha has a scrumptious strawberry matcha. 

Goodbye… but not really

For me, I welcome graduation and the next phase of life, but I will miss the easy access I’ve been abusing to matcha spots. Who knows where life will take me, but Seattle holds a special green place in my heart.