Nana’s Green Tea — Restaurant in Bellevue

If you're a matcha lover, the world of matcha treats is nothing short of a green paradise! Here’s a roundup of the best matcha treats, and let's start with a standout: the Matcha Frappe with Soft Serve Ice Cream.

Matcha Frappe with Soft Serve Ice Cream This is the ultimate treat for anyone who enjoys a rich, creamy, and indulgent dessert. The frappe combines the smoothness of matcha with the icy refreshment of a frappe, making it the perfect drink for any time of year. But the magic really happens when you top it off with velvety soft serve ice cream. The ice cream softens the bold matcha flavor just enough to give a delightful contrast, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and earthiness. It’s like a hybrid between a frozen beverage and a dessert, and it’s totally addictive. Pro tip: ask for extra matcha powder on top to take it to the next level! Matcha Mochi For a more traditional take, matcha mochi is a soft, chewy delight. The green tea flavor is subtle, but it’s enough to satisfy that matcha craving. When paired with a little sweetness from the soft rice dough, it's a comforting, bite-sized treat. If you’ve never had mochi before, matcha is a great starting flavor because it’s delicate but not too overpowering. Matcha Cheesecake A rich, creamy matcha cheesecake offers a more indulgent take on the matcha experience. With the deep flavor of matcha swirled into the dense, smooth texture of the cheesecake, it’s the perfect balance of slightly bitter and decadently creamy. Plus, the crunchy graham cracker crust adds a nice contrast in texture. Matcha Latte (Cold or Hot) A classic, but there’s a reason it’s so popular. Whether you're sipping it cold or hot, a matcha latte is a pure, earthy, and smooth indulgence. The matcha flavor is mellowed by the creaminess of milk (or plant-based alternatives), and it offers the perfect balance of flavor and texture. I’d say it's a staple in any matcha fan's lineup. Matcha Cookies These crispy yet chewy matcha cookies are an easy-to-eat treat that's perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. They’re slightly sweet, with that signature matcha bitterness that pairs so well with buttery goodness. Some versions even have white chocolate chips or red bean paste inside, adding extra layers of flavor to the mix. Overall, the best matcha treats are those that balance the bold, earthy matcha flavor with just the right amount of sweetness. Whether you're looking for something creamy, chewy, or crunchy, there's a matcha treat out there for you. But for an experience that combines the best of all worlds, the Matcha Frappe with Soft Serve Ice Cream is an unforgettable treat...

May 2023 My sister has been here before, and knowing how I love matcha, she decided to take me here. I have been warned that this place can get pretty long lines, and free street parking is very limited (there is a paid parking garage right next door). The free parking also has a 2 hour time limit except on Sundays and holidays. We got there a few minutes after they opened on Sunday, so no worrying about lines or parking for us. The staff were friendly, quick, and efficient.

The inside is very clean, open, and minimalist. The large windows let in a lot of light. There are a few small tables in the very front and the very back, and bar-like seating with high chairs in the middle and along the windows. They have a few electrical outlets around the seating area and they offer free wifi (password on little stands on the tables).

If dining in, they give you a number on a stand for your order and a staff member delivers your food, drink, and utensils to your table on a tray(s). You clean up your table yourself, and there is a busing station you bring your used trays, dishes, and utensils. There are bins in drawers to put the dishes and utensils, and the tray goes on top of the counter. The station also has free water in paper cups, napkins, sugar, stir sticks, and plastic takeaway containers and utensils.

There is one unisex bathroom in the back by the busing station. It is clean and relatively dry with a fold out baby station.

All of the food we got was very good. The matcha ice cream was delicious and sweet. I was excited to try the hojicha ice cream, which is basically roasted matcha. It was very tea like, and you could really taste the roasted part. It wasn't bitter at all; a bit sweet, but I think the matcha tasted sweeter. The black sesame ice cream had a surprisingly strong black sesame flavor, and I can see why the black sesame pints are usually sold out. Note the black sesame pints are more likely to be available at the Seattle location. I recommend ordering it online.

The Matcha Mochi Parfait is particularly recommended by my sister. The mochi are chewy and a good texture, and the red bean paste is also good. The matcha jelly doesn't have much taste, but the whole parfait is delicious.

The croissants were very flakey but not buttery, which was a pleasant surprise. Usually croissants are buttery but not flakey, which is fine, but I like Nana's croissants better. The black sesame cream and matcha cream inside the croissants are very yummy and not too sweet. The Matcha Red Bean Roll was good. The Yuzu Cheesecake was very citrusy.

Overall, would...

I have been to Nana's for years - to both its Japanese and North American locations. This Bellevue location is a good addition to the local culinary scene, but it is nothing special. It is understandably overpriced, and mediocre in quality - well, isn't that most of the time here in the US? So not particularly complaining about that. People here should visit Nana's home country locations in Japan - you will immediately tell the huge difference in quality (and price, duh...)

OK - here comes my complaint today. Nana's runs a rewards program here (in the Seattle area at least) where you will accumulate points from purchases and redeem for credits towards future purchases. Standard stuff, nothing special. I have not been to this Nana's location for a few weeks, so today I was astonished to find that the rewards program was discontinued, and my over $20 worth of credit was automatically voided. So excuse me? Does Nana's management have anything to say about literally stealing from me?

This shows bad character of a business owner - shocking for a business with its Japanese origin, where the highest standard of ethics are expected. I understand that business plans change and they need to evaluate the worthiness of maintaining a rewards program. But this is something different, isn't it? A good business would have informed the consumers about the change and offered a reasonable process to cash out the rewards credit balance. Silently stealing from the consumers is NOT okay.

In fact this is stealing from the most loyal customers who by definition accumulate the most amount of credit. Is it smart (let alone ethical) to piss off the most loyal customers? I would like to hear what the management has to say about this shady and...