MATCHA. It’s a type of specially grown and processed green tea with a bright green color, mostly produced in Japan and sold in finely ground powder form. Tea leaves used for matcha are shade-grown before harvest. Afterward, the stems and veins are removed, and the leaves are steamed, dried without kneading, and ground into powder using a tea millstone.

People all over the world, including Filipinos, have come to love matcha for its rich aroma and “grassy” taste. This powdered green tea is used to flavor cakes, pastries, cookies, hot and cold drinks, and chilled desserts, such as ice cream and shaved ice. New applications for matcha are constantly being developed and “discovered” every day, offering endless possibilities.

The taste of matcha is so unique and refreshing that more and more people are falling in love with it. They are always on the lookout for good matcha items in cafés, milk tea shops, restaurants, bakeshops and online food stores.

In recent years, it has become easier to find good matcha eats and drinks due to the growing demand. One of the most significant developments that matcha lovers welcomed with open arms was the opening of The Matcha Tokyo in 2018. Founded in Japan, The Matcha Tokyo brings 100-percent organic matcha to the world. The brand is dedicated to creating delicious matcha products, introducing new ways to enjoy matcha while elevating and spreading the love for it globally.

The brand arrived in the Philippines in November 2022 with a flagship store at Mitsukoshi Mall, BGC. Seasoned restaurateur Charles Paw brought it to Manila under Tasteless Food Group and serves as chief executive officer, working alongside head pastry chef Sonny Mariano and beverage master Genevie Velasquez. Other branches have since opened at Gateway Mall and Opus Mall. The recent opening of a new store at Ayala Malls Vertis North in Quezon City introduces a new matcha lifestyle and café concept, seamlessly blending 100-percent organic matcha into modern life.

This new branch offers a unique combination of minimalist elegance and cozy comfort, enhancing the experience to match its premium location. With more tables and chairs, perfect for dining in and savoring the new drinks and desserts menu, the space invites guests to “Stay and Enjoy” rather than simply “Grab and Go.”

After all, several new dine-in desserts are being introduced in this branch, including Matcha Carrot Lava Cake (carrot cake with matcha cream cheese sauce), Matcha Panna Cotta (vanilla pudding with matcha mochi, whipped cream, sable cookie and matcha ganache), Hojicha Panna Cotta (vanilla pudding with kinako mochi, whipped cream, sable cookie and Hojicha ganache), Matcha Red Bean Kakigori (shaved frozen milk with red bean, matcha jelly, matcha basque cheesecake, matcha mochi, whipped cream, sable cookie and matcha syrup), Hojicha Brownie Kakigori (shaved frozen milk with coffee jelly, brownie, Hojicha basque cheesecake, kinako mochi, whipped cream, sable cookie and Hojicha syrup), Matcha Parfait (layers of almond dacquoise, matcha jelly, yuzu jelly, red beans, matcha mochi, matcha soft cream, matcha stracciatella, cotton candy, meringue and sable cookie), Hojicha Parfait (layers of almond dacquoise, coffee jelly, red beans, kinako mochi, Hojicha soft cream, Hojicha stracciatella, cotton candy, meringue and sable cookie), Ube Ice Cream Cone (ube ice cream with matcha jelly, pinipig streusel, gold-dusted organic rice puff and red bean) and Matcha Cotton Candy (a fluffy candy floss whipped from spun sugar).

These new desserts perfectly complement the classic signature desserts -- and drinks! -- that made The Matcha Tokyo a matcha-made heaven, the happy place for matcha lovers.