Best matcha in Melbourne
Plenty of cafés in Melbourne now sell matcha, but only some treat it with the same care as their coffee. This guide covers the grades, the preparation and the menu cues that separate ceremonial-grade matcha from a sweetened powder. The guide draws on the 254 specialty cafés and roasters the community has mapped in Melbourne.
The matcha grade tells you everything. Ceremonial-grade is the bright, vivid green powder you'll see in the best specialty cafés — first-harvest leaves, stone-ground, vegetal and sweet. Culinary-grade is duller, bitter, and meant for cooking. The cafés the Roasters community ranks highest in Melbourne only use ceremonial.
How this guide compares
This “Matcha” guide sits at #14 of 144 by café count, in the upper half of the cities that have one.
Zooming out, 254 cafés put Melbourne at #1 in Oceania and #14 worldwide on Roasters.
9 cities in Oceania have enough specialty cafés (30 or more) for a “Matcha” guide, Melbourne among them.
The same guide exists for Sydney, Perth and Brisbane and 3 more cities in Australia.
Also on Roasters for Melbourne: WiFi & laptops, Brunch, Open late, Quiet cafés, Cycling, Surf, Running, Espresso, Filter coffee and Cold brew.
Find matcha cafés
in Melbourne.
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About matcha in Melbourne
Why does matcha quality matter so much?
The flavour gap between a poorly made matcha and a properly prepared ceremonial-grade one is enormous. Good matcha is sweet, grassy, and umami; bad matcha is bitter, chalky, and dull. The cafés in Melbourne the Roasters community trusts source carefully and prepare it correctly.
What's the difference between a matcha latte and a regular matcha?
A regular (straight) matcha is matcha powder whisked with hot water in a bowl — bright, vegetal, unsweetened. A matcha latte is matcha mixed with steamed or cold milk, served in a cup or over ice. Best cafés use ceremonial-grade matcha for both.
Which cities rank next to Melbourne for matcha?
Out of 144 cities with this guide, Berlin (261 cafés) ranks just above and Sydney (223) just below.
How much specialty coffee is there in Melbourne?
The community has mapped 254 cafés and roasters there, 30% of all listings in Australia.
Which other cities in Australia have a “Matcha” guide?
Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Newcastle and Canberra. Each has its own page on Roasters.
