Zen Cha Matcha — Restaurant in Darien

Zen Cha Matcha is a matcha lover's paradise. As soon as you step in the door, you will feel as though you've been transported to a trendy Kyoto Cafe. The people who run this place are lovely, and their passion for matcha and Japanese culture shines through everything they do.

I ordered a coconut milk matcha latte (not on the menu, but they kindly made it for me anyway) and a matcha doughnut, which was heavenly. It was gluten free and made without dairy so as not to interfere with the antioxidants in the matcha. This is the level of thought they put into composing the menu. I normally don't enjoy food that is vegan or gluten free, but this was probably one of the most incredible cake doughnuts I've ever had. Period.

As for the matcha, it's everything you could possibly want. It's a vibrant green color and fresher than fresh. You could easily use this matcha on its own for usucha or even koicha. If you don't live near Zen Cha, I highly suggest buying a bag of their matcha to take home. They source this matcha from Kyoto Prefecture, and I can confidently say that it rivals some of the best matchas from Japanese brands like Tezumi or Ippodo. The powder has a delicate balance of floral notes and even some chocolate notes.

If you follow Zen Cha on Instagram, they host events on topics like tea ceremony and ikebana. They bring in people who are masters of their craft, so you definitely don't want...

My husband and I had the pleasure of attending a private tea ceremony at Zen Cha Matcha, an experience that was both enlightening and intimate. It provided a wonderful opportunity to explore the nuances of matcha and the art of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Having enjoyed matcha for years and having sampled ceremonial-grade teas from several esteemed brands, I can confidently say that I have discovered my favorite! Zen Cha’s matcha is not only ceremonial grade and shade-grown, but it is single origin and first harvest from Kyoto Japan. The matcha strikes a sublime balance of umami flavor.

The shop features a beautifully curated selection of Japanese-inspired snacks and treats, including gluten-free matcha, tahini brownies, matcha tiramisu, matcha cheesecake and matcha donuts. The atmosphere is stunning and feels authentically Japanese, enhanced by the most exquisite matcha accessories I have encountered in a store. The mixed drinks are creative and feature flavors including lavender, miso, and vegan caramel. If you prefer you can just order a regular matcha, but you would be missing out on...

I cannot express how amazing Zen Cha is!! When we arrived, we were immediately impressed with the atmosphere. It's so tranquil and beautiful! You can tell the owners really designed the space with a lot of attention to detail as everything flows perfectly well together.

When we went to order our drinks, the customer service was fantastic. They were happy, welcoming, and willing to walk us through the menu and answer any questions we had. They were also extremely knowledgeable and helped us narrow in on the right drinks for us. Additionally, pricing was extremely reasonable for the high quality of the drinks!

We ordered the Sakura Salted Honey, Purple Haze, Black Sugar, and went back for a seasonal special! They were simply incredible. Not only is the quality of their matcha so high, the way they've constructed their drinks is just delicious. The flavors are unexpected, fit perfectly together and have so much depth. If you haven't been, it's...