As a break from my regularly-scheduled sad/nostalgic blog posts, I decided to write this month’s post about my favorite beverage, matcha, and where to get it on and around campus. I have tried matcha at most of the places around Princeton, with a staple being Coffee Club, where they also have seasonal variations of the beverage—the current (Spring 2024) variation is the mango matcha lemonade. So here are my favorite places to have matcha!
- Junbi
- Admittedly, Junbi is not my favorite place to get plain matcha, in part because I like sweeter drinks and Junbi’s matcha is not the sweetest. However, getting the strawberry matcha latte with boba is an unparalleled experience, where you can indulge in a light dose of strawberry, the sweet chewiness of tapioca pearls, and the freshness of Junbi’s matcha all at once.
- Wawa
- This might be an unconventional take, especially since Wawa and matcha does not seem to make that much sense. However, the vanilla matcha at wawa, while certainly with a bit of an artificial flavoring, is the perfect mix of sweetness with a hint of matcha flavor that makes it a perfect afternoon treat. I tried the matcha at Wawa on a complete whim, and honestly, I haven’t been able to stop going.
- Sakrid
- Truth be told, I have only had Sakrid matcha once. But the one time that I did, it was SO good. It had the lightness of Coffee Club, the sweetness of Wawa, and the freshness of Junbi, all in one. I would highly recommend it.
- Coffee Club (our student-run on-campus coffee shops)
- Coffee Club at both locations, while might not deliver the sweetest matcha you have ever had (sad news for someone with a large sweet tooth such as myself), gives you the flexibility to customize your own drinks (I love getting the strawberry and/or raspberry matcha, or if they have it, the honey matcha). Also, the matcha here is very consistent. I always know what I'm getting into when I am getting Coffee Club matcha, and it is also very light, which is perfect when I don’t want a particularly strong dose of matcha powder in my drink. (And the baristas are always so lovely to chat with!)
- Small World
- If I am being honest, the oat-y flavor of Small World does not speak to me that much, and I think the matcha is a bit overpriced for what you are getting. I would honestly recommend the coffee at Small World over the matcha there. However, this is also a personal preference, and the matcha does not have the artificial taste that some of the alternatives on this list may have.
Even if you asked me to, I would not be able to give a definitive ranking of all of the matcha spots around campus, in part because I seek them all out for different reasons. I hope you are able to look at my comments and make a decision for the matcha you want to have for the day!