50 shades of green: The most unique matcha dishes in Bengaluru and where to find them
Matcha or Japanese green tea is everywhere in menus. Way back in 2015, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, poster girl of all things healthy and trendy, posted a picture of a matcha latte on her Instagram. There was no looking back and matcha lattes became a trend globally. Chefs and restaurants in Bengaluru are taking this ingredient and giving it their own spin. Here are some of our favourite matcha creations in Bengaluru:
Matcha-aam panna at Maverick & Farmer
Artisanal coffee brand Maverick & Farmer have a seasonal matcha menu that is inspired by Indian flavours. Take the matcha aam panna for example. They define it as the recreation of a childhood summer favourite. The drink is made from scratch by slow-roasting green mangoes over charcoal to infuse the fruit with a smoky, earthy flavour. This aam panna base is prepared fresh every day using the traditional method. The drink is then topped with rock salt, smoked paprika and a vibrant matcha foam. 'The sweet-sour-salty balance of aam panna helps elevate the earthy umami notes of matcha even further,' says co-founder Ashish D'abreo.
The drinks are priced at ₹270 upwards. At all outlets of Maverick & Farmer
Matcha financier at Got Tea
Got Tea cafe in Kalyan Nagar was started by YuSung Eo. A Korean native who went to school in Mussoorie. After a stint in the US and back home in Korea, he returned to India and opened the first Got Tea in Delhi.
'We have been serving matcha from day one. In Korea, matcha has been popular for a long time. It is an acquired taste, so it took some time for our customers to take to it'. Matcha is also delicate, so if it is stored incorrectly, it is easy for it to go bitter. 'We get our matcha from Shizuoka brand in Japan.' The cafe offers a matcha financier. A financier is a small French almond cake. This cake is topped with white chocolate and matcha glaze. In their beverage section, they offer a match-misu. A tiramisu drink where instead of espresso, the ladyfingers are soaked in matcha.
The matcha financier is priced at ₹160. At Kalyan Nagar. For more details call, 9667440872
Matcha French toast at Nasi and Mee
Nasi and Mee is known for its pan Asian dishes. Ujjain Singh, the corporate development chef, explains their matcha offerings, 'We have three matcha dishes in our menu. In our 'Shiok Breakfast Club' breakfast menu we have a Matcha French toast, we have a matcha panna cotta in our desserts, and we have a drink – matcha mel boba. We source our matcha from Singapore.' He says some desserts can be too sweet and matcha helps cut through the richness. The matcha French toast is made by soaking thick slices of brioche bread in milk and matcha tea. 'This gives the dish a very unique green colour.' The bread is then cooked on a pan and served with a matcha cream and a berry compote. 'The dish is completed by sprinkling more matcha powder on top.'
₹450. For breakfast only. At Convent Road. For more details, call 971802954
Matcha bingsu at Homiga
The Korean barbecue restaurant Homiga was started by Minseong Seok. Originally from Seoul, Minseong came to India for work and started the restaurant in early 2024. Homiga serves premium Korean dishes and barbecue. Bingsu is a shaved ice dessert from Korea. Similar to ice golas in India, the bingsu is topped with many creative toppings. At Homiga, there are many flavours of bingsu, from mango to strawberry. But the matcha one is Minseong's favourite. The shaved ice itself is flavoured with matcha and condensed milk. 'We top our shaved ice with vanilla ice cream, red bean paste, rice cakes and crumbled crackers.' The whole thing is then topped with a matcha syrup. The result is a textural delight.
₹600. At Forum Rex Walk, Brigade Road. For more details, call 09611339046
Matcha and hojicha soft serve at Sakura Matcha Bar
No story about matcha in Bengaluru is complete without the mention ofSakura Matcha Bar, a cafe wholly dedicated to matcha and specialty coffee. Located in Victoria Layout, the cafe was started in 2024 by Yashika V and Neha Reddy. On the menu are the usual suspects such as strawberry matcha latte and lavender matcha latte. What caught our eye was the matcha soft serve ice cream, especially the hojicha soft serve cones. Hojicha is a roasted version of matcha that has a nuttier flavour. The ice cream is deep brown in colour and has chocolate undertones. The ice creams are only available seasonally so check before you go.
At Victoria Layout. For more details visit the brand's Instagram page
What is matcha?
Matcha is Japanese green tea. It is produced by shade growing tea leaves. By shade growing, the leaves get a distinct green colour and a vegetal, grassy and sometimes bitter taste. The leaves are then dried and powdered. The drink is prepared mixing this green powder in hot water. How is it different than other teas?
We are used to regular black tea and green tea. Matcha is different from both. Regular black tea is not grown in the shade, it oxidises in the sun and gets its distinct black colour. It also has a stronger taste and caffeine content.
When it comes to green tea, the leaves are plucked when they are young. Whereas with matcha the leaves are grown in the shade for 20 to 30 days, changing the taste. Other teas are consumed as leaves or powders that need to be strained, but matcha is had by mixing into water, no straining required.
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