MATCHA GARDEN — Restaurant in Kyoto

While exploring the Higashiyama ward, we stumbled upon a hidden gem—a charming matcha shop that truly impressed us. Their matcha latte was exceptionally smooth, rich, and full of flavor, easily one of the best we've ever had. We couldn't resist picking up some beautiful accessories and, of course, ceremonial-grade matcha powder. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming; one of them even shared fascinating insights about matcha production. She candidly explained the current shortage of matcha powder, noting that farmers are struggling to meet both local and especially international demand. We were surprised to learn that producing just 40 grams of matcha takes about more than an hour of careful grinding. This visit turned into an educational and memorable experience—highly recommended for any...

Amazing service and even better matcha! Beat the long lines and ridiculous waiting times at other matcha shops nearby by going to Matcha Garden, a small and quaint take-out-only matcha cafe. We had an awesome experience here and had the opportunity to try the matcha powder they sell for free! The owner is super knowledgeable, kind, and went out of his way to explain how to properly prepare our matcha at home. In addition to buying a big bag of powder, we also tried the iced matcha and hojicha lattes which were amazing and had a perfect balance of sweetness. After traveling to Japan for the second time and trying matcha all over the country, I can confidently say that this is one of the best places...

I had a delicious matcha latte here, my second in Kyoto. The only other place I have had a matcha is up the road at Gokago and they are as good as each other. The price here is much better though. They provide soy milk as a dairy alternative and the service was so lovely. I had a wonderful chat with the worker behind the counter as we discussed travel. I purchased a matcha bowl, whisk and matcha powder and he gave me helpful instructions on how to make my own match at home. I think when in Kyoto, it is good to visit Gokago for the experience of watching them make it in the traditional way, but on other days, save your money and have the exceptional matcha from...