Matcha in Toronto isn't exclusive to the ceremonial hot tea. This city has officially hopped on the matcha bandwagon, and cafes and restaurants everywhere are getting crafty with the Japanese mega-trend, infusing the finely ground green tea leaves into desserts, specialty drinks and other tasty things.
Here are my picks for the top matcha-infused food and drinks in Toronto.
Matcha crepe cake at Millie Patisserie & Creamery
Millie is famous for its French-inspired pastries with Asian flavours, and this fluffy cake is a must-try. 20 to 25 layers of thin, matcha-infused crepes and pastry cream stack on top of each other to create a super delicate, divine dessert. Their house-made matcha gelato is also perfection.
Classic matcha latte at RSquared
Matcha connoisseurs won't be disappointed with this one. RSquared does their matcha latte right - it's flawlessly smooth every time, never clumpy or too bitter. If you're new to matcha, add a dollop of honey and you'll be in heaven. Side note: latte art looks even cooler in green.
Matcha-infused truffles at Maisonette
Local chocolate artist Laura Slack makes some mean matcha-filled milk chocolate truffles and sells them at her shop in the Distillery. They're a sweet little indulgence that won't make you feel quite as guilty as, say, a Mars bar. (All those antioxidants, right?!)
Vanilla and matcha soft serve at Woofles & Cream
Even in cooler months this delicacy is worthy of year-round enjoyment. The earthiness of the matcha balances with soft serve's typical overly-sweetness, making it a refreshing pick-me-up. Try it with their Hong Kong-style waffles.
Matcha milk tea at Easy Drink Easy Go
This is by far the most interesting item on the menu at this bubble tea joint, but in a good way. The natural bitterness of the matcha balances perfectly with the salty, creamy topping, creating a flavour that's weird and great at the same time. Note: this drink is actually dairy-free.
Matcha macarons at Butter Avenue
Butter Avenue imports their matcha straight from Shizuoka, Japan, and use it to create these little treats. You should also try the matcha and red bean flavour. And for the record, they make some mean matcha marshmallows and matcha chocolate bouffée, too.
Matcha aduki at Neo Coffee Bar
Roll cakes are famous in Japan, and this cafe serves up an incredibly moist matcha roll cake with a red bean centre, pairing two Japanese delicacies in one. You can buy a whole roll to take home or purchase by the slice.
Matcha crème brûlée at Hapa Izakya
So, this is a thing. Hapa Izakya is known for its authentic Japanese cuisine, and their matcha-infused crème brûlée is no exception. It'll impress even those who don't know what matcha is. Savour it post-dinner with their Sake Bomb.
Matcha madeleines at Uncle Tetsu's Matcha Café
Fluffy and the perfect amount of sweet, these sponge cakes are a nice, mild way to enjoy matcha in a baked good. Ask for the ones filled with red bean paste (red bean and matcha go together like Oreos and milk). Their matcha slushies are also worth trying, if you're in the mood for an interesting flavoured brain freeze.
Mango matcha green tea smoothie at Bac-Ky
OJ and matcha make for an unexpectedly awesome pair: this smoothie blends matcha green tea extract with orange juice, mango and unsweetened almond milk for a juicier take on the usually earthy flavour.
What did I miss? Add more matcha food and drinks to the comments.
by Amanda Storey via blogTO
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