Matcha 108 — Restaurant in New York

Matcha 108 is a new specialty matcha / hojicha cafe 🍵 matcha is taking over the world right now. there has been a shortage everywhere, even in Japan. still, matcha cafes are popping up in nyc 🤍 many of these use their own powder, sourced directly from Japan. 🍵 this one is a small cafe on the lower east side. they offer matcha and hojicha menu with oat milk as a default. they also have koicha, which is matcha served in traditional ceramic cup. i wanna try something new, so i got banana hojicha latte ($7.25) ☕️ it is hojicha with oat milk and caramelized banana syrup. i prefer hojicha over matcha lately because it is less in caffeine but nuttier in taste. this drink really satisfied my craving for new flavor. this feels like nutty chocolate & banana drink 🫶🏻
they have 6-8 seats with 2 outdoor ones. the vibe is really cozy. the staff is accommodating if you want to film / take pictures. they have a rack of discounted clothing if you feel like shopping 🛍️ this is a perfect spot to rest in a calming space. a few blocks away is chinatown. so you can grab some cheap and good eats...

I came here twice and ordered their uji matcha latte the first time. The matcha was very high quality with reasonable pricing and I really liked the length of their straws. The cafe was still under construction during the time and had an odd smell with incense coming out of a corner. Tried their Lavender matcha latte the second time, drink itself was unexpected and rather unique. However, I noticed the drink started dripping from the side when the barista handed it to me but didn’t think much. Turns out, there was a straight crack on the side of the cup that cause all the liquid to start dripping as you hold the drink. My fingers were then stained with droplets on my shirt. The dripping started to get worse the more I drank, until it reached below the cut. The experience was rather messy and there was somewhere I was planning to go right after. I hope the staff can be more careful and check for defective...

I was really disappointed with my experience at Matcha 108. My partner has a severe oat allergy (anaphylactic), and since their standard drinks come with oat milk, we kindly asked if they could substitute with any other milk. Almond was the only other option. The cashier seemed annoyed with the situation and insisted we pay extra per drink for the substitution “per store policy”— even though it was a matter of avoiding a serious medical reaction, not just a preference. We didn’t want to make a scene so just paid the $18 for our 2 drinks and left.

Most places are understanding about allergies and will accommodate substitutions free of charge. It felt frustrating and dismissive that Matcha 108 wouldn’t make this simple adjustment without penalizing us. With how common food allergies are, I expected more flexibility and basic care for...