RANKING MATCHAS
a drinkscussion.
The search for the best matcha in Providence has been a toilsome one. Everyone you speak to has a different coffee-shop loyalty, milk-choice hot take, and very passionate reaction to whatever yours is. In a city so rife with contestation and deliberation, I had no choice but to consult a professional…
MEET: SOPHIE BUGS
A matcha maker, a matcha taster and a true matcha connoisseur.
“When I think of Sophie Bugs I think of matcha. She has that light-green calm to her.” – Tony Bugs.
Due to a strong caffeine addiction and a stronger dislike of coffee, the international expert has developed an extremely dependent, long term relationship with matcha. She has coffee-shopped far and wide —from London to Jordan to New York— but swears, “Nothing will compare to Providence matcha. Not to the top three…” To conduct this investigation, the tea-master and I tested 9 local shops and have come up with a definitive ranking.
[To ensure the results of these findings are honest, Bugs has had the same order for years:“Matcha latté with oatmilk and honey.”
“None of this syrups, flavors, pumpkin-spice shit.” – interjection from Tony Bugs.
LET US BEGIN:
1.BOLT
(Bolt, the Benefit St café in the RISD museum, sometimes goes by Café Pearl.)
“I really don’t think it’s a hot take” Bugs begins with confidence, explaining how its smooth texture, sweetness-level, and overall flavor is unrivaled. “There’s just something about the Bolt baristas’ hands. They craft it.”
She also insists that the serene atmosphere of the café seeps into its matcha.
“It’s just such a nice seating area. The tables and vibes are perfect to study, and it all ties into the matcha.”
“What do you say to those who complain it’s too milky?” I feel obliged to ask due to strong opinions in TheLookingGlass’s instagram DMs.
“Like I get that, but it’s because they use very little water when they’re actually mixing the matcha, which makes it more concentrated. So it’s more milky but it's less watery. And they put the perfect amount of honey in.”
“Now the interesting thing is,” –she leans in- “Bolt and The Underground both use Ceremony’s Matcha powder.” But their water content, milk ratio, and whisking methods differentiate their tastes. This is where the Bolt hands excel.
“It’s life changing really. I’ve never had another matcha without comparing it to Bolt.”
2. BROWN BEE
“Brown Bee’s matcha is really really good. It’s the only one I’ve had and been like: Oh this is almost as good as Bolt’s.”
(This author must interject that Brown Bee also has more variety in milk and syrup options.)
“I also love the owners of Brown Bee. They’re really involved in Brown, like they do a lot of events and discounts etc. They’re a good vibe.” (and we know that a café’s vibe osmosis-es into its drinks)
No one will ever be displeased by a Brown Bee matcha. It offers consistent quality alongside a wide array of delightful pastries (and full loaves of bread?) Yet, it won’t quite ever reach that transcendent elevated taste of a Bolt matcha.
3. (controversially) THE UNDERGROUND
“Okay hear me out. Have you had The Underground matcha this year?” Bugs asks.
“No.” I reply. “I had it once before and ran the other way.”
“Okay exactly. Last year The Undergound matcha was so bad. Like you would only have it when it was like absolute necessity. But this year I had it because I was studying in the Blue Room and needed some caffeine and — it was actually so so good.”
“This is your 3rd place?”
“I promise you it was like Bolt level.”
“No.”
“Maybe because they use the same fucking powder or whatever, but I’m telling you something has changed this year and it’s amazing.”
In disbelief, this author went to go test The Underground’s evolution out for herself. I report back now with full integrity that it was in fact: fire.
Plus, unlike most proper coffee shops, you can add honey and other extras yourself, so you can adjust the sweetness to your liking.
Now that we have addressed the master’s top three. We must acknowledge their subpar contenders…
Trigger Warning: Some opinions may offend.
4. CEREMONY
“Hot take: it’s really not that good.”
Some vocal people on Reddit will tell you passionately that Ceremony is the top place to get matcha in Providence. “It just CANNOT BE BEAT” claims user aabbcc401. But Sophie Bugs says otherwise.
“It’s just too sour and sometimes quite grainy and watery.” “It feels thin, you know?”
Ceremony is probably the most popular matcha spot around these parts, due to its close vicinity to the green and fast order-online option, but if you are looking for quality over convenience, stick to the holy trinity above.
(NOTE: apparently the Ceremony matcha can be redeemed through by coconut milk.)
5.COFFEE EXCHANGE: We disagreed.
The master claimed that it was too milky and too grainy, but after an anonymous tip from an Instagram source, I went to try it against her advice and have to say I really liked it. THIS AUTHOR WOULD PUT THE COFFEE EXCHANGE ICED MATCHA LATTÉ AS HER THIRD PICK. There are also plenty of flavors and funky additions available there that high-brow places like Bolt are too cool to offer.
6. ROSEMART
While preparing for this interview, Bugs went exploring around Foxpoint and developed a soft spot for this new small café.
“The matcha was good. I wouldn’t say great – it was good. But the owner was so so nice.”
6. NITRO BAR
Good, but not worth the distance when you have better options so close.
7. SYDNEY: Awful. Like don’t even try it.
“If you look at the bottom of your Sydney cup right now and see how it’s a lot darker at the bottom? That shows it's too grainy.” Bugs educated me as we tested it together.“That’s a swampy green. You want a sage green.”
A matcha should be a SAGE BFDAA4 HEX color, according to Bugs.
8. HAZEL ORIGIN
Just don’t go. Lumpy and thick.
9. DAVE’S
Vile.
THE L00KING GLASS’S READERS POLL RESULTS:
48% voted for Bolt
33% voted for Ceremony
19% voted for Brown Bee
AFTER THE INTERVIEW Bugs confirmed her expertise by making me one of her very own matchas.
“Her matcha is fire.” – Tony Bugs
As I conclude this article I realize we haven’t considered hot matchas on this list, which would be a whole other drinkscussion. Perhaps when it gets colder outside we'll do a part 2…
by Miss R. Sélavy