In our March/April 2026 issue, writer Oset Babür-Winter explores the booming modern market for matcha green tea. It’s an ingredient that has broken well beyond the teahouse and can now be found contributing its signature verdant hue to everything from smoothies to ice cream to skincare. But with meteoric popularity comes pitfalls, particularly as demand outpaces supply and the market becomes flooded with subpar products in a category still lacking consumer education.
To find the good stuff, we tapped matcha educators, retailers, and café owners to offer their recommendations, with options for anyone looking to explore the category further, from the newcomer to the connoisseur.
Kettl Ousui Matcha
The Shogyokuen tea company has been operating in Kyotanabe since 1827. And Level 10 chashi (master tea blender) Hiroshi Kobayashi currently leads production. “Kobayashi san quietly produces some of the most stunning Matcha from Uji, specifically the region of Kyotanabe,” says Zach Mangan, founder of Kettl Tea. “With a smaller team, and much smaller marketing budget, his tea is not always on people’s radar. But after tasting his stunning blends, it’s a name people should know and Matcha people should be drinking.” The Ousui blend leans on the rich side, with notes of crème fraîche and sea kelp and the brightness of fresh clover. $80/20 grams
Rocky’s Matcha Single Cultivar Narino Matcha
Favored for its rich aroma and mellow taste, this single cultivar matcha tea from Horii Shichimeien has an oomph of umami and almost no bitterness. “Rocky’s sourced a wonderful tea from Horii Schichimeien, one of Uji’s oldest and most storied producers. They always find a way to reinvent themselves, and this stunner is proof of that,” says Mangan. “If you like thick, rich, umami-laden matcha, this is for you.” $88/20 grams
Monami Matcha
At Maru Coffee in Los Angeles, co-founder Joonmo Kim has worked to build direct relationships with farmers and producers in Japan, and is now carrying this matcha tea from Higashisonogi, Nagasaki. “Knowing who cultivates the tea, how it’s grown, and the care taken at every step allows us to share a matcha that feels honest and intentional,” says Kim. The Monami is a blend of Tsuyuhikari and Saemidori leaves for a gentle umami character and smooth, sweet flavor. $92/100 grams
Ippodo Sayaka or Ummon
Kyoto-based Ippodo Tea has been selling matcha tea since 1717, and their offerings span the spectrum of styles. “The Sayaka is a good introduction for someone new to the category because its flavor profile is very gentle and leans toward sweetness and umami,” says Tomoko Honda, Ippodo’s head of global operations. “It has a smooth taste with just a hint of astringency, which makes it especially approachable for first-time drinkers.” For those looking for a bigger, bolder option, Ippodo’s Ummon has long been one of their richest blends and is a favorite of Joonmo Kim at Maru Coffee. A pleasant astringency balances the fragrant tea’s bright umami. Sayaka: $50/ 40 grams, Ummon: $82/40 grams
Matchaful Tsuyuhikari Limited Reserve
Grown in Shizuoka, Japan, on a 4th-generation farm, this single-cultivar matcha tea is prized for its exceptionally smooth character, ideal for straight serves or a silky latte. “Its namesake cultivar is rare, accounting for a very small percentage of all tea harvested in Japan,” says Matchaful’s Tea Education Manager Alex Robateau, explaining that the tea’s high L-theanine content and low tannins give it a “naturally robust flavor profile with extremely low bitterness, sporting flavor notes of snap pea, cashew, and grapefruit.” $110/100 grams
Horii Shichimeien Agata no Shiro
This blended option from Uji producer Horii Schichimeien is a go-to favorite among both home drinkers and ceremonial practitioners. “Agata no Shiro is a matcha blend that is used by the Urasenke tea school for their ceremony practice. With a smooth, buttery body featuring a pleasant nuttiness and very low bitterness, it’s great as a latte and also works well straight up,” says Robateau. “It’s a great choice for people looking to graduate from grocery store fare and explore authentic flavors typically enjoyed by tea ceremony practitioners.” $43/30 grams
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