Cover These are 13 of the best matcha cafés in Metro Manila (Photo: Olena Bohovyk / Unsplash)
These are 13 of the best matcha cafés in Metro Manila (Photo: Olena Bohovyk / Unsplash)
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Not all matcha is created equal. From ceremonial-grade slow bars in Poblacion to Tokyo-pedigreed teahouses in BGC, here are the Metro Manila matcha cafés worth seeking out
Matcha has gone from niche curiosity to cultural fixture. You’ll find it on nearly every café menu in Metro Manila — but not all cups are the same. The difference between a forgettable green latte and a genuinely great bowl of matcha comes down to three things: the quality of the powder, the precision of the preparation, and the care behind the counter. Ceremonial-grade sourcing, single-origin cultivars, hand-whisking, slow bars — these are the markers of a café that takes the tea seriously. Here, thirteen spots across the metro that do exactly that.
This list is in alphabetical order.
In case you missed it: Is hōjicha the new matcha? The rise of Japan’s roasted green tea, explained
1. Chotto Matcha
Location: Little Tokyo, Makati City; Forbes Town, BGC, Taguig City; Park Triangle, BGC, Taguig City; Arcovia, Pasig City
Chotto Matcha is a gentle play on the phrase chotto matte, serving as an invitation: wait a moment, slow down. The brand was founded in the Philippines by two Japanese sisters who left Japan at 13, driven by a desire to share the stories of tea farmers with the world and to support an industry they saw quietly disappearing. Chotto Matcha sources its matcha from family-run farms in Shizuoka, and every detail of the experience—the spatial design, the ceramics, the way the drink is served—is considered not to impress, but to feel right. What began as a small café with only a few seats has grown to five locations, including a flagship that opened in Asakusa, Tokyo, in November 2025, a homegrown brand that found its way back to Japan.
2. Flora Tea Bar
Location: Scout Rallos, Quezon City
Primarily a botanical gin and tea bar by night, Flora Tea Bar (which goes by Bar Flora come sundown) transforms on weekend afternoons into a proper tea house, guided by sommeliers who move through a curated Tea Book with knowledge and genuine passion. Their matcha programme is serious: high-quality powder sourced from Uji, Kyoto, served in drinks that reflect both craft and creativity, with tea ceremonies and tasting workshops on offer for those who wish to deepen their appreciation of the Japanese green tea. They also retail their own matcha. Worth noting: hours are limited, so check before you go.
Tatler Tip: The Flora team are opening up shop at 27 Annapolis, Greenhills very, very soon. Stay tuned for updates.
Related: The women of Bar Flora are changing the way Quezon City drinks
3. Matcha Bar
Location: Legazpi Village, Makati City; Assembly Grounds, Makati City
Matcha Bar began in Davao in 2018, quietly building a devoted following before making its Metro Manila debut. Founded by Sahara Lara Casteel, a Le Cordon Bleu alumna with a diploma in plant-based cuisine, the café is defined by a belief in ingredient integrity and purposeful preparation. Everything is made in-house: purées, syrups, pastes, breads, and pastries, each designed to complement rather than compete with the tea. The matcha signature—a classic latte paired with house-made nama chocolate—is the ideal introduction, though the matcha London fog, blending Earl Grey with matcha in a layered, citrus-bright cup, rewards the more adventurous.
4. Matcha Later
Location: Poblacion, Makati City
This intimate slow bar seats only a handful at a time, but what it lacks in size it more than compensates for in ceremony. At Matcha Later, ceremonial-grade matcha is sourced from Kyoto and whisked in front of you; milk is frothed into delicate clouds; the pour is deliberate, the result architectural. Looking for something more modern? Try the genmaicha cream soda, evocative of buttered popcorn or toasted brown rice, with lower caffeine levels too. Their Kyoto-Style tiramisu, available in hojicha and matcha variants, has also earned devoted followings. Come early, or expect to queue.
See also: Inside the matcha mania: Why is your favourite green tea powder facing a global shortage?
5. Matchanese PH
Location: SM North EDSA, Quezon City; The Podium, Mandaluyong City
Matchanese imports its matcha from Kyoto every week, promising freshness in every delicious cup. What began as an online matcha purveyor has grown into one of the metro’s most beloved matcha bars, with a menu that balances accessibility with seriousness: the signature latte is customisable by strength (levels 1 to 3) and sweetness, with dairy-free alternatives available. Standouts include the Matchanese einspänner—a tea-forward riff on the Viennese coffee drink—and the Matchanese dalandan or coconut for tropical twists.
6. The Matcha Tokyo
Location: various around Metro Manila
Operating across Japan and multiple Asian cities, The Matcha Tokyo’s Philippine branches serve 100 per cent organic matcha that the brand grows itself. Manila-exclusive offerings include the matcha ube latte topped with ube cream foam and the newly launched matcha mango frozen latte, whilst the SM MOA flagship features a karesansui zen rock garden and a DIY matcha experience where guests whisk their own cup. Looking for some desserts? The Matcha Tokyo also offers ensaymada, sweets to take home, and even a Dubai chocolate cookie with matcha soft serve. For those new to ceremonial matcha, this is an excellent and widely accessible entry point.
Read more: Decode your daily brew: must-know coffee terms for coffee lovers
7. Niseko Coffee
Location: Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City; Greenhills Promenade, San Juan City
Named after Japan’s premier ski destination and founded during the pandemic, Niseko Coffee has become one of Metro Manila’s most trusted matcha destinations. The café celebrates prized Kyoto matcha like the Gokou & Samidori Blend from Wazuka (bold and complex), and the Ujihikari cultivar from Uji (clean and savoury), served with the precision and discipline of Japanese speciality brewing. Whilst the coffee menu is equally strong—locally sourced Benguet beans, taiyaki on the side—the matcha programme is what keeps devotees returning, and the powder is available for retail for those who want to recreate the experience at home.
8. Oh Hey There Matcha
Location: BF Homes, Parañaque City
Co-founded by creatives CJ Magalit and Alexsandria Lalog, Oh Hey There has grown from a neighbourhood favourite into one of the metro’s most recognisable matcha brands—built on good drinks and a genuine sense of community. It is a queer-safe certified space, proudly non-conforming, and as welcoming as the name suggests. Purists, beware—the menu has personality, and is not afraid to delve into the audacious. Expect items like watermelon matcha, matcha iskrambol, and matcha taho.
See also: Can a business survive on happiness alone? The Fat Seed’s Bryant Dee thinks so
9. Oolah Manila
Location: Legazpi Village, Makati City
A small, art-filled café tucked into a quieter stretch of Legazpi Village, Oolah sits at a charming intersection of gallery, boutique, and matcha bar. The space is characterful: plants potted in repurposed matcha tins, pop art on the walls, jewellery and clothing for browsing. The drinks match the energy—their Matcha My Freak! menu spans classics like matcha latte and strawberry matcha, as well as wilder picks like matcha beer and matcha guava cloud. Baristas are genuinely knowledgeable about the different matcha blends on offer, and the brown sugar miso matcha latte is particularly well-regarded.
10. Shizu Matcha Bar
Location: General Tinio, Caloocan City; Scout Rallos, Quezon City
Shizu describes itself as a contemporary tea house, and the menu bears that out. All drinks are made with premium first flush matcha—ichibancha, the first and finest harvest of the tea season—whisked to order, a commitment to quality that runs through the entire menu. Signatures include the cold whisk dango, matcha whisked in cold milk with a skewer of sticky-rice dumplings, the matcha tonic with yuzu and soda water, a lavender matcha, and the playful matcha Yakult. The food menu extends well beyond café snacks, with small bites, sandwiches, pastas, and mains rounding out the experience. A QC branch has since joined the original Caloocan location, whilst regular workshops and pop-ups keep the community close.
Read more: Best work-friendly cafés in Legazpi Village & Salcedo Village
11. Tsujiri
Location: various around Metro Manila
Founded in Uji, Kyoto in 1860, Tsujiri is the oldest name on this list. The brand’s lineage traces back to Riemon Tsuji, who refined the cultivation of gyokuro using a method that remains an industry standard to this day. In Manila, that heritage translates to ceremonial-grade matcha drinks and desserts that remain benchmarks for the city’s rapidly growing matcha scene. Stick with familiar favourites like the yuzu O-Matcha and Tsujiri latte, or venture out and try sweet creations like the Tsujiri Sundae layered with soft serve, azuki beans, and shiratama dango. Seeking something cold to help you beat the heat? Order the Tsujiri kakigori with nata de coco, ube halaya, leche flan, and other toppings.
12. Ujisan
Location: White Plains, Quezon City; Legazpi Village, Makati City
Ujisan’s menu treats matcha as a canvas rather than a fixed point. Drinks span from traditional usucha and koicha preparations to inventive creations, including Hokkaido butter caramel and salted maple alongside limited seasonal specials like their banana bread or cereal milk series that keep regulars returning. The White Plains flagship is spacious and WiFi-friendly; the Makati branch is more intimate, with both carrying the same commitment to quality sourcing and skilled preparation.
Tatler Tip: Ujisan is currently popping up at Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City, until June 1.
13. Wasachi
Location: Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City
Founded in Tokyo’s Roppongi district in 2024 by Kyoto native Takuma Yamanaka, Wasachi earned remarkable early recognition in Japan before opening its first international branch at Power Plant Mall. The Tokyo original quickly became a favourite among the world's creatives: chef Daniel Calvert of Sézanne named it the best matcha latte in Tokyo, whilst actress Anna Sawai—Golden Globe and Emmy winner for FX’s Shōgun—cited it as her favourite café. The Manila location seats around 36 guests, with bar seating offering a direct view of the whisking ritual. The menu is deliberately restrained: the pure matcha, the matcha latte, a Philippine-exclusive mango matcha latte, and a small selection of matcha desserts. The name is worth knowing: 'wa' refers to Japan, 'sachi' means happiness—happiness from Japan, served one carefully whisked cup at a time.
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About
Lauren’s love for food came much later in life than one would expect— an obsession awakened in the streets of Melbourne’s multicultural dining scene. Armed with this newfound passion, she returned to the Philippines determined to discover the best eats in her home country, with a personal advocacy to champion local cuisines and homegrown talent. Nothing is off-limits; if it’s delicious, it’s worth celebrating.
Work
As Tatler Dining associate editor, Lauren covers all things food and drink, from listing the latest openings in our monthly Dining Radar to interviewing chefs and bartenders about the biggest obstacles crippling the industry today. Beyond the digital space, she also organises Tatler Dining’s tentpole events, including Off Menu and Tatler Dining Kitchen, as well as the annual Tatler Best Philippines awards night and guide launch, detailing the best restaurants in the country.
For leads and event invites, contact her via lauren@tatlerphilippines.com or follow her on Instagram at @laurengolangco.
Photo: Ralph Mendo
