Matcha Review: San Diego

Over winter break I spent two weeks in San Diego. While I was there, I made it my goal to explore the insane number of cafes and coffee shops in the area. Now, I am not a big coffee drinker, but I love an ice cold matcha latte. I decided to record my opinions on each matcha latte to share with you all because if you ever find yourself in San Diego, I encourage you to explore the cafe scene. The overall quality of cafe drinks is much better in San Diego than it is here in Chicago. Cafes seem to be a bigger part of people's daily lives, not just as a midday pick-me-up, but as a place for gathering and community. Almost every cafe I went to was a local owned, small business. The people working these places were friendly and I could tell each place had a lot of care put into creating an inviting and unique environment. Their passion for community and hospitality seems to pour into the drinks as I had some of the best matcha lattes of my life here.

*I do not add any modifications to my matcha lattes. I order them with whole milk and unsweetened unless the matcha powder is pre-sweetened.

Garden Coffee, Old Town

2/5

I don't have an image of the matcha latte I got from Garden Coffee, but the actual cafe itself is super cool as it also functions as an outdoor plant shop. The employees were very friendly, and my drink was ready within five minutes. I did not get this latte sweetened and I wish I did because it was quite milky. However, the less flavorful a matcha is, the longer it lasts me. It quenched my thirst and provided me with a light energy boost.

Holy Matcha, North Park

1/5

For a place that specializes in matcha, I was disappointed. This place is very "health food" based, so they didn't have typical syrups and only use dairy free milk. I got the OG Matcha Latte, and it tasted like straight up lawn clippings. Which usually is the appeal of matcha for me, but this was way too thick and bitter and the almond milk really warped the flavor. They do use fresh, high quality matcha but there was too much powder used in this small serving.

chance's coffee, University Heights

4/5

This was the first matcha of my trip and one of the best. I visited during their soft opening, so their recipes and menu may have changed since. Only the owner was working which may have influenced how good this matcha was. It was not too sweet, more on the bitter side and very creamy but not too rich. This drink is close to a 5/5 but it could've been richer, as it was just a bit watery. It was fresh and the quality of matcha was very good. Also, this cafe is dog friendly and specializes in Vietnamese coffee, so I am excited to go back now that they are officially open!

Coffee & Tea Collective, North Park

4/5

This was a spontaneous matcha that was much needed as my sister and I had been stuck at the laundromat for an hour. It was sweet and refreshing and not too milky. It was also a beautiful rich green color, but it was a bit too sweet.

Cafe Madeleine, North Park

1/5

I think this cafe just mixed matcha powder into cold milk and called it a day. It was basically green milk that tasted like a singular blade of grass fell into it.

Inspired Coffee Roasters, University Heights

4/5

This coffee shop is inside an apartment building and was staffed by some very cheerful, friendly people. There's nowhere to sit inside so I was hesitant to try it, but I was impressed by this drink. It was rich and a little sweet but a very small portion for how much I paid. It was the perfect refreshment, but I finished it in about four sips.

Better Buzz Coffee, Hillcrest

3/5

This drink is the only one I tried from a chain; Better Buzz Coffee having locations throughout the Southwest. I think it is most comparable to a Dunkin matcha; hearty, but at what cost? A lot of milk. The matcha flavor, however, was there and it wasn't too sweet and not too bitter.

Saigon Coffee, North Park

5/5

This matcha was from a Vietnamese coffee place that makes all of their drinks with condensed milk so this matcha was super rich and creamy. Despite being sweet, the bitter matcha flavor still cut through making this taste like melted green tea ice cream. The only downside was this drink came with so much ice, and it was so good that I finished it in five minutes and got a stomachache. I highly recommend Saigon Coffee; I got their Famous Saigon Coffee with salted cream cheese foam and was blown away by the flavors. There is usually a line at this cafe, but I implore you, the wait is worth it!