The Best Matcha in London, From Matcha Clouds to Creamy Floats
The Best Matcha in London, From Matcha Clouds to Creamy Floats
The best matcha in London, tried, tasted and ranked
Finding the best matcha in London to drink has become a full time project, requiring cafe crawls across the city. It’s been fun.
Once upon a time, you ordered a flat white and got on with your life. Now, there’s ceremonial grade matcha, strawberry matcha, mango matcha, matcha clouds, matcha floats, matcha tiramisu drinks and enough green foam on TikTok to suggest we’ve all been whisked into submission.
I’m not complaining. Because the best matcha drinks in London can be gorgeous: earthy but not muddy, creamy but not claggy, sweet but not overly, with enough edge to remind you this is still tea.
So I’ve been drinking my way through London’s matcha scene, from Japanese tea rooms and Korean matcha houses to viral Soho counters and quiet neighbourhood cafes.
Some were beautiful. Some were fine.
Here’s where I’d go back.
Quick info on the best matcha in London
- Best overall matcha drink: Tokkia
- Best matcha for cream-top lovers: Abuelo
- Best matcha dessert pairing: Katsute 100
- Best matcha float: Moko Made Cafe & Japonica
- Best Central London matcha: Cup + Lid
- Best viral matcha: Frothee
- Best fruity matcha: Macatia & Coffee
- Best matcha if you like drama: Jujuhome Store
- Best matcha cafe for kids: Toconoco
- Best classic matcha latte: Uchi Bake
- Most interesting idea: Matchado
Map of the best matcha in London
Planning your own London matcha crawl? I’ve popped all the best matcha cafes in London onto the map below so you can plan your own mini-crawls.
What actually makes good matcha?
Proper matcha starts with green tea leaves that are shaded before harvest, which encourages a smoother, sweeter flavour and helps create that deep green colour. The best versions have earthiness, but not bitterness. They feel rounded, a little grassy and herbaceous, and when mixed with milk, cream or fruit, they should still taste unmistakably like matcha.
We’re here to find the best matcha drinks in London: the ones that taste good, feel balanced, and make you want another sip.
Every drink in this guide was ordered and tasted by me, and I’ve ranked the places based on what I’d genuinely go back for.
1. Tokkia, Covent Garden
Best overall matcha in London
Rating – 5/5
Tokkia serve some of the best matcha in London.
This Korean matcha house serves thoughtful seasonal combinations, and the rhubarb cream matcha is absolutely delicious. The matcha itself is earthy and comforting, with just enough edge, while the rhubarb cream is thick, sweet and bright with that unmistakable rhubarb tang.
What pushes Tokkia above the others is that the flavouring never buries the tea. Even with thick rhubarb cream, the matcha still tastes unmistakably earthy and present.
And if you’re hungry, then there’s the matcha salt bun, which is outrageous in the best way. A slightly thickened crust gives way to an inside filled generously with matcha cream. I take one home to hubby, for extra brownie points.
2. Moko Made Cafe, Hoxton
Best matcha float in London
Rating – 5/5
Moko Made Cafe understands the pleasure of a matcha float, which is why it’s undeniably one of the best spots for matcha in London.
The iced matcha arrives frothy and balanced, topped with ice cream that slowly melts into the drink, making it thicker, creamier and more like dessert with every minute. You get a spoon too, which is correct, because this is part drink, part pudding.
The tuna mayo onigiri is also excellent: warm, chubby, ricey and deeply satisfying. Skip the hojicha tiramisu, which is pleasant but too subtle. Come for the matcha float and onigiri.
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Matcha Floats & Onigiri at Moko Made Cafe, Hoxton
3. Katsute 100, Angel
Best matcha dessert pairing
Rating – 4.5/5
Katsute 100 is one of the loveliest places to drink matcha in London, especially on a weekday when the room is calm and you can actually choose where to sit.
The iced matcha chai latte is tall, cold and refreshing, with grounding matcha flavour and gentle spice running through it. Pair it with the matcha crepe cake and you’ve got a matcha made in heaven. Sorry, not sorry.
We like the Islington branch best, but you can also head to a Katsute 100 in Brick Lane, Covent Garden, or Broadway Market.
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4. Cup + Lid, Oxford Street
Best matcha in Central London for walking around
Rating – 4.5/5
Cup + Lid’s Matchamisu (their matcha drink based on a tiramisu) sounds like it might be too much, which obviously means I order it.
Made with matcha, white chocolate and tiramisu cream, it’s less actual tiramisu and more thick, creamy, frothy-topped drink. But it works. The mouthfeel is excellent, being plush, smooth and indulgent while still maintaining that matcha edge.
This is the best matcha in Central London if you want something fun to wander around with near Oxford Street. I drink the whole thing, which is usually the most honest review.
5. Frothee
Best viral matcha drink
Rating – 4/5
Frothee does the kind of matcha TikTok was built for. It’s called the salted vanilla einspanner, and it’s as satisfying to drink as it is to say. Einspanner.
Think: cold, layered, creamy and very photogenic.
The salted vanilla einspanner matcha has a cloud-like top with a matcha latte underneath. Stirred together, it becomes delicate, creamy and not too sweet.
But – plot twist – the most viral matcha drink isn’t always the best. The better drink is the orange blossom and vanilla matcha, where the floral lift works beautifully with the matcha underneath.
6. Jujuhome Store, Hackney Wick
Best matcha for drama
Rating – 4/5
Jujuhome Store is where matcha becomes a performance.
The matcha cloud with brown sugar is thick, layered and almost spoonable, with sweetness at the bottom, fluffy matcha in the middle and creamy cloud on top. It’s tactile and indulgent, but not sickly.
There’s also a green coconut matcha, which is lighter and sharper, more refresher than dessert.
Depending on your mood, Jujuhome can do both ends of the matcha spectrum, which makes it one of the more interesting spots on this list.
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7. Macatia & Coffee, Herne Hill
Best fruity matcha
Rating – 4/5
Macatia & Coffee does one of my favourite matcha combinations: strawberry and matcha.
Before stirring, the strawberry sits jammy and bright at the bottom of the cup, with green matcha layered above. Once mixed, the fruit cuts through the earthiness and gives the whole thing a sunny, refreshing lift.
It’s simple, but works brilliantly, and is among the best matcha in London.
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8. Kaiho, King’s Cross
Best mango matcha
Rating – 4/5
Kaiho is a Japanese cafe and listening bar in King’s Cross with a lovely first-floor terrace, which is a fab summer day spot.
The iced mango matcha is delicate and refreshing, with fruitiness that softens the matcha without overwhelming it. I usually gravitate towards strawberry matcha, but mango makes total sense here.
The onigiri are also worth ordering, especially the ebi tempura version with its fat prawn and warm, soft rice. Matcha, rice, terrace. What could be better?
9. Toconoco, Haggerston
Best matcha cafe with kids
Rating – 4/5
Toconoco is a Japanese cafe by the canal with a small play area, which makes it useful if you have children and still want to drink something nice.
The matcha latte is smooth, velvety and frothy, with a natural sweetness and thick mouthfeel. It’s just a lovely, well made matcha latte.
Order the prawn mayo onigiri too, which is basically the Japanese rice-triangle version of a prawn mayo sandwich, and therefore perfect.
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10. Abuelo, Marylebone
Best dessert-style matcha
Rating – 4/5
Abuelo’s iced vanilla maple cream matcha makes you understand why people queue for pretty cafes.
The matcha itself is clean and neutral, without bitterness or muddy grassiness, while the vanilla maple cream on top makes it one of the richer and more indulgent matcha drinks in London. It borders on dessert, but in a controlled way.
I still think Abuelo is better for drinks than food, but this matcha is absolutely one of the reasons to go.
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11. Japonica, Hackney Wick
Best summer matcha float
Rating – 4/5
Japonica is a tiny Hackney Wick matcha spot, and the matcha ice float is the reason to visit.
Whisked matcha is poured over milk, then topped with matcha ice cream. It’s creamy, cold and playful, without being too sweet. Very much a summer drink, ideally consumed when you have nowhere urgent to be.
If you arrive early enough, there may also be homemade onigiri, which makes the whole thing even better.
12. Uchi Bake, Islington
Best simple matcha latte
Rating – 3.5/5
Uchi Bake is a calm, minimalist cafe that serves delicious Japanese drinks and treats.
The matcha latte is smooth, strong and nicely made. Not the wildest or most adventurous drink on this list, but dependable in the best sense.
This is not where I’d go for matcha theatre – but the space is calming and the rice burger looks like it might be worth an order.
13. Matchado, Chiswick
Most interesting idea, uneven execution
Rating – 3/5
Matchado’s brown sugar sesame matcha latte sounds brilliant on paper.
And flavour-wise, I like the idea: nutty black sesame, smooth matcha, brown sugar sweetness. But the texture is where it goes a bit wrong. The sesame makes the drink slightly gritty, and the bitterness builds as you keep drinking.
I’m glad this flavour combo exists, but this spot loses points on overall execution.
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So where is the best matcha in London?
If I’m choosing one overall winner for the best matcha in London, it has to be Tokkia.
The matcha is balanced, the seasonal flavours are fun, and the matcha salt buns make the whole thing feel worth a special trip.
But this is not a one-cup city.
- For matcha floats, go to Moko Made Cafe or Japonica
- For a Central London wander, go to Cup + Lid
- For something fruity, go to Macatia & Coffee or Kaiho
- For drama, go to Jujuhome Store
- And for a calm matcha-and-cake afternoon, Katsute 100 is still a lovely answer
Finding the best matcha in London is less about one perfect drink and more about what kind of green mood you are in. Creamy? Fruity? Frothy? Floral?
London has all of it. For now, Tokkia is the one I’d cross London for. The rest depend entirely on what kind of green mood you’re in.
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