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Your Definitive Guide to the Best Matcha in Sydney
Don't leave it to chance. This edit of the best matcha in Sydney will take you to paradise.
Sydney’s best matcha runs from ceremonial purity to full dessert theatre, think Chubby Cubby Cafe’s hand-whisked, ceremonial-grade matcha turned into indulgent Biscoff and coconut foam versions, Noon in Manly keeping things grassy and unsweetened for purists, or San Java 2.0’s matchamisu and Bingsu, which push matcha into full dessert territory.
It takes an impressive drink to lure Sydneysiders away from their coffee, but matcha lattes are in hot pursuit as our city’s favourite morning order. Packed with health-boosting nutrients and a natural caffeine kick, the drink, commonly used in Japanese tea ceremonies, is made from ground green tea leaves that create a powder rich in antioxidants and chlorophyll, with amino acids that prompt a slower release of caffeine, so you get a hit without the post-coffee jitters. As the drink’s popularity grows, so do the variations, and we love seeing our favourite cafes joining the craze, Blackwood’s strawberry iced matcha, made with homemade jam, has become a genuine brunch order across Cronulla and Bondi. From strawberry matcha to lavender concoctions, our editors have tracked down the city’s best across every style, from clay-pot ceremony to iced-and-ready.
In This Guide:
Best Matcha for Ceremonial Purists
San Java 2.0
This new spot in the heart of Surry Hills will be tough to beat. Hand-whisking every matcha as they’re ordered and boasting a menu with so many specialty drinks and desserts – this is a true matcha-lovers heaven. Think matchamisu, banana pudding, mango, creamy coconut, cherry… the list goes on!
Plus, their pastries and desserts are also to die for! Our must try is the San Java Bingsu – a matcha shaved ice dessert. Whether you’re a true matcha fan looking for an authentic matcha, or after a sweet treat, San Java 2.0 is here for whatever you’re craving.
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Dessert bar
Best For: Group catch-ups, Weekend plans
Chubby Cubby Cafe
If you’re a true matcha lover, you know that finding matcha this bright and creamy is no easy feat. Lucky for us, Chubby Cubby Cafe in the CBD is hand-whisking every drink to order, using only the best ceremonial grade matcha to guarantee that smooth, creamy flavour every time.
Whether you’re a fan of the classics or after something more sweet and decadent, Chubby Cubby’s list of specialty drinks truly has something for everyone. Our favourites? We can’t go past the Biscoff Matcha for a sweet treat, and the Coconut Matcha Foam for something a little more refreshing. Trust us on this one – if you’re a matcha lover, this is a must-try.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe
Best For: Quick bite, Weekend plans
Need To Know: Hand-whisked to order using ceremonial-grade matcha
Noon
Manly’s minimalist café Noon has quietly become a go-to for matcha purists. Sourced with care and prepared with precision, their ceremonial-grade matcha is smooth, grassy and expertly balanced — never bitter, never sweetened to distraction. Whether you’re ordering it classic, iced or with milk, it’s the kind of brew that converts coffee loyalists and keeps matcha devotees coming back.
Suburb: Manly
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Cafe
Best For: Solo dining, Locals
Need To Know: Ceremonial-grade matcha available hot, iced or with milk
Mamuki Bake & Bar
While strawberry matcha lattes seem to be all the rage, this quiet cafe in the heart of Enmore is making a convincing case for the mango matcha smoothie.
The cosy Japanese venue makes every matcha order from scratch, so you know it’s going to be good. And with a menu offering everything from fruit flavoured varieties to the viral matcha cloud, and even a host of desserts including a matcha banana cream cheesecakef (drool), this is one spot matcha enthusiasts will love.
Suburb: Enmore
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Japanese, Dessert bar
Best For: Solo dining, Quick bite
Need To Know: Every matcha made to order from scratch
Best Iced Matcha
Harry’s
Once a hole-in-the-wall cafe churning out crowd-pleasing coffee, Harry’s has expanded into an ethical kiosk and bar, and their loyal following has stuck around for the journey.
There’s always a queue, but it’s not just for the delicious brunch offering – their aesthetically pleasing matcha and cold-drip coffee in cans are the order of the day. Grab an iced matcha to-go (plain, strawberry or mango), stroll to the beach, and post the pretty proof to the ‘gram.
Suburb: Bondi Beach
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Brunch
Best For: Quick bite, Locals
Need To Know: Iced matcha available to-go, expect a queue
Rushi
Being a Japanese-inspired cafe, Rushi know their Matcha. Their hot matcha is as good as you’ll find anywhere but the real star of the show is their iced coconut matcha topped with matcha cream. Made from coconut water, this beauty is lighter than it sounds and lovely on a hot day!
Suburb: Cronulla
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Japanese
Best For: Quick bite, Locals
Blackwood
Blackwood has always made quality matcha (and other fun drinks! – the Biscoff latte is phenom), and the latest addition to the menu – the strawberry iced matcha latte – has become a brunch sensation.
The secret recipe contains homemade strawberry jam, oat milk and matcha and is as smooth as silk. Dine in if you fancy a dramatic dining moment where you can enjoy watching the colours of your drink dance as you pour in your matcha shot.
Suburb: Cronulla and Bondi
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Brunch
Best For: Brunch, Weekend plans
Need To Know: Dine-in recommended to watch the drink being layered when poured
Makers Daily
The newest addition to Cronulla’s cafe scene, Makers Daily is bringing a little LA flair with its menu of smoothies and matcha concoctions that sound too tasty not to make the trip. Expect matcha flavours including peanut butter, white chocolate, mango, and the classic strawberry. But if you want to keep things simple, regular matcha, whisked to perfection is their speciality.
Also on the menu? Dupes for all those coveted Erewhon creations including the Glow Getter Smoothie, Marine Smoothie and even a Dragon fruit variation.
Suburb: Cronulla Beach
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Juice bar
Best For: Weekend plans, Group catch-ups
Outta Coffee
Tucked away in a quiet street in the hub of Chinatown, and just a stone’s throw from Central Station, this unassuming spot is quietly serving up some of the best-tasting matcha Sydney has to offer.
An IYKYK hole in the wall cafe perched beneath streetwear store Maillot, Outta Coffee sticks to a short menu of signature matcha (both hot and iced) alongside your typical coffee and specialty brews. Plus, they’ve teamed up with Bronte bakery, Iggy’s Bread to bring freshly baked croissants to the menu; great for your breakfast and coffee on the go.
Suburb: Haymarket
Price Guide:$
Cuisine: Cafe
Best For: Quick bite, Locals
Need To Know: Located beneath Maillot streetwear store, easy to miss if not looking for it
TenTo
If you like your matcha served in handcrafted pottery with a side of authentic Japanese cuisine, make your way to TenTo in Surry Hills. Serving brunch seven days a week, the traditional matcha drinks are served warm or over ice, and we recommend sitting in to enjoy the gorgeous TenTo clay pots they are served in.
If you are there for a lunch or dinner booking, order the Matcha Tini. It combines Tia Maria matcha, vodka, flower petals and oat milk to make one seriously delish drink.
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Japanese, Brunch
Best For: Date night, Group catch-ups
Need To Know: Brunch served seven days a week, Matcha Tini is a cocktail so best ordered at a lunch or dinner booking rather than breakfast
Sabah
We all agree that heading out for a matcha is a top-notch experience. Sabah set the tone from the get-go with some of the sleekest cafe interiors in Sydney. Thinks soft, neutral tones, layers of textures, curves and gentle lighting.
Still, the matcha remains the highlight here. Playing with flavours, you can expect all kinds of fun combos from coconut, mango and yuzu matcha to ube iced matcha.
Suburb: Silverwater
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe
Best For: Date night, Solo dining
Best Matcha Desserts
Cafe Oratnek
When former Bills Head Chef Kenny Takayama ventured out to create his venue focused on simplicity and quality, we knew it would lead to good things – and Cafe Oratnek has lived up to expectations. This Redfern eatery is cosy and creative, known for its Asian-inspired brunch – including epic matcha creations.
Sitchu Pick: Try their matcha lamington and matcha tiramisu! We can’t think of anything better than biting into these fluffy masterpieces that give classic desserts a modern flavour.
Suburb: Redfern
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Brunch, Asian fusion
Best For: Brunch, Date night
Matcha-Ya
This sweet cafe tucked down Steam Mill Lane is a wonderful place for a long overdue catch-up over a cup of the good stuff. Linger over a ceramic mug of hot or cold 100% pure matcha or houji-cha and choose from extras including marshmallow, honeycomb, sakura, red bean and chocolate.
Do you need something extra sweet? The parfait, topped with Matcha-Ya‘s incredible matcha or hojicha soft serves is a fan favourite. If you’ve got the space, delve deeper into the dessert menu which features traditional Japanese desserts like zenzai mochi, waffle sundaes and signature roll cakes – all available in our favourite matcha flavour.
These guys go to great lengths to source high-quality matcha so you can trust you’re in the safest hands.
Suburb: Haymarket
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Dessert bar, Japanese
Best For: Solo dining, Date night
Tokyo Lamington
Known for their incredibly soft lamingtons in limited-edition flavours, Tokyo Lamington also churns out some of the best matcha lattes in Sydney. There is sunny seating to enjoy your ideal combo outside which we recommend after snagging an onigiri or pie. The lavender matcha is our pick for something a little spesh, paired with a lamington for the ultimate sweet treat.
Suburb: Newtown & Marrickville
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Bakery
Best For: Solo dining, Quick bite
Need To Know: Outdoor seating available
Oh!Matcha
Oh!Matcha, based in the heart of the CBD at Regent Place Shopping Centre, sells a huge range of variations on the iconic matcha and hojicha flavours, from matcha and pistachio to Yakult floats and fruit-topped creations.
Choose from a range of sweet treats including frappes and iced drinks to lattes, cakes, desserts and matcha soft serve. Can’t get enough? You can also grab some matcha garlic chips with matcha mayo.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Dessert bar
Best For: Quick bite, Unique experiences
Need To Know: Located inside Regent Place Shopping Centre
Cafe Cre Asion
Taking a quick look at Cafe Cre Asion‘s Instagram will tell you all you need to know – these guys are serious about good matcha. Creating Japanese desserts and cakes and serving calm vibes from their minimalist cafes, the selection of matcha treats, including the famous Matcha Swiss Roll, keeps customers returning.
The drinks are just as good, with their simple iced matcha one of the best in town. Passionate about the art of slowing down and enjoying simple moments, this cafe makes a great stop when all you need is coffee, cake and matcha.
Suburb: Pyrmont & North Sydney
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Dessert bar, Japanese
Best For: Solo dining, Weekend plans
Cafe Kentaro
Kentaro‘s Asian-fusion menu features their signature matcha creations, with the beautifully brewed latte a popular menu choice for green tea fans. The new sister venue to Cafe Ontarek, this Surry Hills hotspot proves the matcha obsession isn’t going anywhere!
But don’t just stop at the latte, peruse the Japanese-inspired menu for their outrageous desserts (matcha mille feuille anyone?) and brunch with a twist – the signature crab omelette always hits the spot.
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Cafe, Japanese, Asian fusion, Brunch
Best For: Brunch, Group catch-ups
Need To Know: Sister venue to Cafe Oratnek
Frequently Asked Questions about Sydney’s Best Matcha
Sydney’s best matcha spans ceremonial purity to full dessert experiences. Chubby Cubby Cafe in the CBD hand-whisks ceremonial-grade matcha into both classic and indulgent flavours, while Noon in Manly is favoured by purists for its smooth, unsweetened brew. For dessert-driven matcha, San Java 2.0 in Surry Hills and Matcha-Ya in Haymarket both turn matcha into full sweets menus, from Bingsu to parfait. Blackwood’s strawberry iced matcha has also become a genuine Sydney brunch staple across its Cronulla and Bondi locations.
For matcha closer to its traditional preparation, Noon in Manly and Chubby Cubby Cafe in the CBD are strong picks, both hand-whisking every order rather than batching it. Cafe Kentaro and TenTo in Surry Hills also serve traditional preparations alongside their more playful menu items, including TenTo’s matcha served in handcrafted clay pots. These venues prioritise the grassy, balanced flavour of quality matcha over heavily sweetened variations, which is the clearest sign of ceremonial-grade sourcing.
Surry Hills has one of the strongest concentrations, with San Java 2.0, TenTo, and Cafe Kentaro all within close range of each other. The CBD is also well served, with Chubby Cubby Cafe and Oh!Matcha both operating from shopping centre locations. For those in the south, Cronulla has become a genuine matcha destination with Makers Daily, Blackwood and Rushi all nearby, making it worth a dedicated matcha crawl if you’re in the area.
Both start from the same whisked matcha base, but the preparation changes the flavour balance. Hot matcha, as served at Noon and TenTo, tends to showcase the tea’s natural grassiness more directly. Iced versions, like those at Harry’s and Blackwood, are often paired with flavoured syrups or fruit purees, such as Blackwood’s homemade strawberry jam, which mellows the more bitter, vegetal notes. Neither is more “authentic,” it comes down to how sweet or how traditional you want the drink to taste.
Yes, and several Sydney cafes have built their identity around matcha desserts rather than just the latte. San Java 2.0’s matchamisu and Bingsu, Matcha-Ya’s parfait and mochi, and Mamuki’s matcha banana cream cheesecake are all standout examples. Cafe Oratnek also does matcha versions of classic desserts, including a matcha lamington and matcha tiramisu. If dessert is the priority over the drink itself, these venues are worth seeking out specifically.
Loving this edit of the best matcha in Sydney and keen to explore the cafe scene further? Click through for Sydney’s best brunches and our favourite new cafes in Sydney.
