Cover Get more of your matcha and hōjicha fix with these eight desserts around Metro Manila (Photo: Anh Nguyen / Pexels)
Get more of your matcha and hōjicha fix with these eight desserts around Metro Manila (Photo: Anh Nguyen / Pexels)
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From kakigori and warabimochi to tres leches, pies and mochi doughnuts—here are eight matcha and hōjicha desserts to try in Metro Manila
The matcha hype shows no signs of abating—and hōjicha is right behind it. Beyond the typical lattes and usucha (which translates to “thin tea” and is the most common traditional preparation of matcha), things get genuinely interesting: the grassy, umami-driven intensity of matcha and the deep, roasted warmth of hōjicha make both exceptional bases for desserts, holding their own in a way few other flavours can.
Below, Tatler Dining rounds up the best matcha and hōjicha desserts in Metro Manila, drawn from our editors’ picks and enthusiastic recommendations from our readers.
In case you missed it: Matcha is having a moment: 13 matcha cafés in Metro Manila you should visit
Azukitoyo
Location: The Alley at Karrivin, Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City
Brought to you by Toyo Eatery and Tokyo’s Florilège, Azukitoyo bridges the flavours of the Philippines and Japan through carefully crafted kakigori. While the menu is anchored by a handful of signatures, the dessert shop consistently generates buzz with its seasonal offerings. Currently on the menu is the matcha at makapuno: matcha, grilled macapuno, meringue cream, shiratama and polvoron—complexity in both flavour and texture.
Tatler Tip: Follow them on Instagram and turn on notifications so you know when reservations open for the following month—seats go fast.
Related: Azukitoyo by Toyo Eatery and Florilège present an 8-seater kakigori wonderland
Yardstick
Location: SM North Edsa, Quezon City
Yardstick has opened its first dedicated coffee and doughnut shop, with up to 15 flavours rotating through the lineup at any given time. Among them: two delightfully chewy mochi doughnuts in Japanese-inspired flavours—matcha and hōjicha. Stay tuned for limited-edition flavours and collaborations to come.
Tatler Tip: Yardstick’s doughnuts are currently exclusive to SM North EDSA.
See also: The risks have paid off: We talk to co-founder Andre Chanco about Yardstick Coffee’s growth
The Matcha Tokyo x Half Saints
Location: Various around Metro Manila and beyond
The Matcha Tokyo has built a strong reputation for its matcha desserts—canelés, macarons, cookies and many more—and its latest collaboration with Half Saints is among its most decadent yet. Three items are available until July 31 only: matcha tres leches, hōjicha tres leches and a hōjicha and 64 per cent dark chocolate tart with Himalayan pink salt, the latter being a Japanese-inflected riff on one of Half Saints’s signature desserts. Get yours at The Matcha Tokyo stores across Luzon or at Half Saints in Quezon City and BGC.
Read more: Is hōjicha the new matcha? The rise of Japan’s roasted green tea, explained
Warabimochi Kamakura
Location: SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City; SM Aura Premier, BGC, Taguig City; Mitsukoshi, BGC, Taguig City
Unlike the more common mochi made from glutinous rice, warabimochi is made from bracken starch—resulting in a silkier, jelly-like chew that melts on the tongue. While traditionally dusted with kinako (roasted soybean flour), Warabimochi Kamakura also offers variants in black sesame and matcha, each served with kuromitsu, a sweet, molasses-like syrup.
Read more: Kiwot honey is the Filipino ingredient you’ve never heard of—Kaya Kusina is here to change that
Your Pie Friend
Online-only; dispatch from Pasig City
Helmed by Cecille Juan, a Toyo Eatery alum, Your Pie Friend has earned its following through golden, flaky pies in an assortment of inventive sweet and savoury flavours. The standout for this list is the Miso Monkey: Juan’s riff on the banoffee pie, with fresh banana slices on a layer of miso caramel, topped with banana pudding, a hōjicha whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings. Catch Your Pie Friend at their next pop-up, or order directly online.
Tatler Tip: Beyond the 9” and 4” formats, the Miso Monkey is also available in a convenient pie pint.
See also: Foodie Finds: where does Bea Ledesma like to eat and drink, and what does she order?
A Tea Kiosk
Location: MGM Complex, Marikina City
A sister concept to Poblacion’s Matcha Later, A Tea Kiosk opened in Marikina City in April 2026, bringing matcha and hōjicha soft serve to the northeast of the metro. The offering goes further than most: alongside the two staple tea flavours, the menu extends to wakoucha (Japanese black tea) and kuromamecha (black soybean tea) soft serve, available as is or on top of a latte. Flavours rotate day to day, so it’s worth checking ahead before you visit.
Read more: What are the different types of truffles? 9 culinary truffles every food lover should know
Bubu Bars
Location: One Maridien, BGC High Street South, Taguig City
Bubu Bars turns the matcha-and-strawberry pairing into a frozen, dairy-free bar: a 50-50 blend of matcha ice cream and roasted strawberry ice cream, dipped in an Auro white chocolate shell and finished with freeze-dried strawberries for crunch. Get it exclusively at their flagship store in BGC.
Related: What are the types of milk? A simple guide to dairy and plant-based options
Tsujiri
Locations: various around Metro Manila and Clark
With 166 years behind it, Tsujiri is among the most storied names in Japanese matcha, and its Philippine presence—now spanning eight locations across Metro Manila and Clark since arriving in 2017—has done nothing to diminish that reputation. The dessert range has grown steadily with matcha and hōjicha soft serves, parfaits and cakes remaining as their anchors, now joined by a matcha tres leches and the return of their shaved ice topped with mochi balls, chestnut, red bean and matcha soft serve too.
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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
