“Talk to me again when my matcha kicks in” – the wall painting at Happy Matcha (courtesy of artist Esra Gülmen) is both the motto and the centerpiece of this leafy green cafe on Torstraße. Inspired by the matcha shops of Los Angeles, the two owners and matchaholics Julia and Nina opened what is officially Berlin’s first cafe dedicated to the green tea drink. The pair tried more than 50 different varieties before arriving at the perfect drink: high quality, “ceremonial grade” matcha which is harvested on a small organic tea farm in the Kagoshima mountains in Japan. Two grams of matcha, some water and vegetable milk are what goes into the classic matcha latte. There’s also a whole load of variations: the Sweet and Cosy matchas (with cocoa and chai, respectively), the Detox Matcha with spirulina, the creamy Nitro Matcha and the Dirty Matcha, which is served with an espresso shot.
For the perfect summer alternative to the iced latte there’s the Summertime Forever Matcha which includes coconut rice milk plus strawberry or blueberry puree and ice. The good vibes don’t stop with the drinks: for those with a sweet tooth, there are vegan matcha cookies and other NYC-style treats from neighbors Round & Edgy. Oh, and if you want to go all out, there’s a how-to guide for the perfect matcha ceremony. It turns out happiness does come in a glass after all…
Text: Alison Musch / Photos: Arundati Shenoy
Happy Matcha, Torstr.68, 10119 Berlin–Mitte; map
Mon–Sat 11–18h
