12 Matcha — Restaurant in New York

12matcha always has a line on the weekends but I finally found time with a friend to go try it. Although waiting on line took about 30 mins, I didn’t mind the wait. After we got our drinks and cakes, my friend and I sat by the window seats at the door. The table there is only for 2.

Unfortunately this group of 6 girls randomly started putting their food and belongings next to me and on our table while we were trying to enjoy our food. Mind you, my friend and I were just minding our own business and talking amongst ourselves (not loudly either). Their bags and arms elbowed the back of my head and back- the first floor of the cafe is already tight enough, and it didn’t make sense for people to be putting their stuff on the table we were seated at.

Again this was a seat by the window (tiny table for two), when there’s more room on the other sides of the cafe. It felt like the big group was upset that they didn’t get the seats by the window and they wanted to pressure us into eating/drinking faster so they could split up and sit there instead. For some context we had already been seated 15-20 minutes prior, they had only just gotten into the cafe, ordered and picked up their drinks. My friend and I would see the doorman/employee lock eyes with us and see the situation at hand, but he didn’t do anything like ask them to move (I didn’t want to start an altercation when we were outnumbered). He would go back and forth around us as if it wasn’t an issue.

Eventually the girls started making snarky statements like “I hope we weren’t being rude…”, while constantly still hitting my back with their elbows and with their bags. At this point I realized it was on purpose and definitely to try to pressure us to get up. But being the bigger people, my friend and I just continued our conversation and they finally left. In this case I wish other customers had better spatial awareness and respect for others sharing the same communal space.

Moving forward, it would be great if the employees see an uncomfortable situation unfolding for their customers as such, to enforce a better guideline because the group of girls could’ve easily knocked over our drinks and caused accidents as well. Maybe the workers can help direct bigger groups elsewhere if there is really no room, because who’s to say a worse altercation couldn’t have occurred had it escalated further?

To be fair, I think it should also be common sense that it’s obviously rude and ill mannered to put their belongings on a table that others are using when it’s not their turn. As a native New Yorker it is not uncommon to see tourists like that group without that spatial awareness in a popular cafe setting (let alone just anywhere), but it’s not something I feel that anyone should have to deal with. While the cafe has done a better job at managing the line outside, they haven’t done enough to manage the inside of the space to make it safe and accessible for all customers.

To sum it up, it was an accident waiting to happen but I’m glad it was avoided. Otherwise I’d still recommend coming to the cafe to try their...

I went to 12 Matcha for the first time. I enjoyed the food but a 'Karen’ ruined my experience. I was sitting on the small table (~12 inches in diameter) next to the baristas and the woman placed her things on the table without uttering a word to me. Not only did she put her things on the table, she put it close to my plate and glass and sat so close to me on the sofa that we were making body contact. I was so confused given that (1) she didn’t say a word to me (2) there were empty seats in the restaurant including an empty seat across from the sofa. The size of the table and the seating suggests that it's designed for two people who know each other. When I looked at her sort of questioning what she was doing, her response was aggressive; insisting that she comes to 12 matcha all the time and that the tables are shareable/to be shared. She sat so close to me that when she had all her stuff on the table; her plates and bowls were hitting mine; to the point, where she almost placed her ice cream bowl on my plate of cheesecake. Again, zero words uttered to me. No 'excuse me' or 'sorry'. Even if it is okay to share a small table with people you don't know, the polite thing to do is ask if it is okay before proceeding to place your things on the table. It would still have been weird for her to practically sit on top of me (especially when the other half of the table was empty). If she had asked, I would have said "sure". But, she clearly likes that seating (sofa side with the small table near the barista) and insisted on sitting there even if that meant making me uncomfortable. What upset me also was that when I flagged staff to ask if the table was indeed to be shared like a communal table (which it's obviously not); they did not adequately address the situation and make sure I was comfortable. Granted it was hard to assess what was happening from the outside. Anyway,12 Matcha needs to clarify their table sharing policy and do a better job of ensuring all customers are comfortable. In addition, they need to keep an eye...

Where Matcha Gets Serious — and the Line Proves It

This is a trendy spot my friend invited me to. There was a huge line outside — it looked endless, but we were chatting and time went by fast. In the end, we waited just over 30 minutes.

The menu is interesting — desserts are created by a former Noma pastry chef. I tried the Basque cheesecake with Philadelphia cream cheese and matcha. It wasn’t too sweet, very light and clean in flavor.

The ice cream was great — both hojicha and matcha flavors. Hard to say which one is better, but I think I liked the hojicha a little more — really warm and subtle.

You can order matcha hot or iced, with any kind of alternative milk (everything except macadamia). The matcha they use comes from Japanese families who have been growing it for generations. They use a lot of it — which is why the color is so deep. One sip — and you get this real, bold bitterness. Not like the sugary matcha drinks you usually find. Once you taste it like this, it’s hard to go back to the sweet versions.

The space is beautiful — lots of wood, modern furniture, a dark green marble counter. Three baristas are making matcha in front of you. Because it gets really busy (and maybe the team is still learning), the counters and tables can get a bit messy — matcha powder everywhere. It’s a funny contrast between the Japanese tea ceremony and the fast New York café vibe.

There are also big cones hanging above, where they filter the water through charcoal. It looks cool and the water in drinks really does taste good.

It’s pretty easy to find a table. The crowd is mixed — some taking photos, some chatting, some having quiet conversations.

Downstairs, there’s a private event room, another seating area, and a restroom that smells amazing (hello, sage!).

Would I go back? For sure. Would I stand in line again? Not so sure. But for this kind of matcha...