Happy Lemon Kiwi Matcha Slushie: I didn't expect to enjoy the mango matcha slush I had a few months ago at the Happy Lemon in Berkeley, so I decided to try the kiwi version in New York (I'm pretty sure this wasn't an option in California). Alas, despite the similar green color, this is not a match that's meant to be. If it were just a kiwi slushie, it would be pretty good because it had kiwi seeds for texture and was remarkably tart. But the addition of matcha threw it off balance. At Happy Lemon, I would stick to just ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks slushie happylemon kiwi matcha 3.0
Trader Joe's Matcha Almond Beverage: I was really excited to see this Matcha-flavored almond milk at Trader Joe's because I've recently become accustomed to making chia-seed pudding at home, which requires the use of non-dariy milk. As a beverage on its own, it's just ok - the matcha doesn't have the distinct bitterness of a quality matcha drink, but it does taste familiar. They're like the Trader Joe's Matcha Joe Joes - they're perfectly enjoyable as a snack but the matcha flavor is not very good if you really judge it solel... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks greentea nondairy traderjoes matcha almond beverage 3.0
Kirin Rich Green Tea: If you can believe it, I have a months-worth of backlog for snack reviews. I purchased this bottle of green tea back when I was doing a retreat at the Recurse Center. I liked buying large bottles of green tea to drink at work for cost-effectiveness, and I found that the best selection could be found at Hong Kong Supermarket in NYC's Chinatown. I typically purchased Ito-En teas, but I decided to give this slightly less expensive bottle of green tea a try. It was decent, but more bitter th... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks matcha chinatown kirin rich green tea 3.0
Nohohon Iced Matcha: I was really excited to finally try this small matcha shop on St Marks, where matcha beverages are whisked by hand to order. To judge the quality of the matcha alone, I opted for the iced matcha instead of their lattes. While I enjoyed the experience of entering the small storefront through their traditional Japanese Noren curtain and watching my beverage made, with hot water poured into the whisked matcha with a wooden ladle, the positives end there. The matcha was bitter with no complex... (read more) 1.0/5.0
drinks matcha nyc manhattan nohohon iced 1.0 avoid
Cha Cha Matcha Matcha lemonade with mint: More mint than matcha, this chilled lemonade is refreshing but doesn’t quite hit the mark as far as green tea flavor. It has a slight bitterness that sets it apart from a normal lemonade, but it would be hard to guess it contains matcha if you were to drink it without first seeing its identifying dark green color. Purchased from the ultra trendy matcha shop Cha Cha Matcha, a cafe seemingly built for Instagram, replete with a faux living wall and lifestyle neon signage. 3.0/5.0
drinks nyc chachamatcha matcha lemonade mint 3.0
Matchabar Rose matcha milk tea: I really enjoyed a bottled Fuji ginger matcha drink from Matchabar a few months ago and decided to try a freshly-made beverage from their small to-go window in Soho. This rose matcha milk tea, while colorful, was actually quite bad - very sweet, and quickly diluted. Hardly any green tea flavor, and tasted like watery milk after only a few minutes. Definitely $5 wasted. 1.5/5.0
avoid drinks nyc matchabar rose matcha milk tea 1.5