Photo by Morgan Wujkowski
Matcha is an obsession, especially with the youthful foodies of Tampa Bay. For those unfamiliar, matcha is a powdered green tea made from finely ground, shade-grown tea leaves. While originally used for exquisite Japanese tea ceremonies, it now appears on just about any coffee shop menu. Known for having alert yet calming effects, this neon green bevy is a global phenomenon.
The taste is earthy and deeply vegetal — picture licking the bottom of a lawnmower. But Gen Z swear by it. For this edition of The Gabber’s Top Tastes, we sampled matcha at three different West St. Pete and Gulfport locales; these are our favorites.
Best Matcha Latte: SumitrA Espresso Lounge+ ($6.25)
Photo by Morgan Wujkowski
SumitrA carries high-quality imported matcha, and you can immediately taste the difference compared to some other locations. Their matcha is clean, vibrant, and has the least grassy flavor of everything we sampled. I ordered a matcha latte with almond milk and agave, and was pleasantly surprised at its creamy mouthfeel. It almost had a broth-like depth with each sip, while it still had a subtle grass-like flavor, it was as if someone dumped a Zen garden into latte — smooth and luscious. Plus, the Gulfport vibe at SumitrA is unmatched.
SumitrA Espresso Lounge+, 2838 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport. Sun.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 8 a.m.-9 p.m. 813-220-4533.
Best Strawberry Matcha: Bean Wandering ($8)
Photo by Morgan Wujkowski
When my editor raved about Bean Wandering‘s iced strawberry matcha, I had to check it out. I’ll admit, the thought of combining strawberry into something that is already so earthy made me apprehensive. But wow, she’s onto something with this frothy concoction. Bean Wandering infuses strawberry purée and freshly muddled strawberries with their matcha to create a drink that’s almost like a smoothie. Served over ice and canned in-house, the strawberry matcha is definitely worth a trip up Central Avenue.
Bean Wandering, 3950 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Open daily, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. beanwanderingevents.com.
Best Earthy Brew: Craft Kafé ($6.25)
Photo by Morgan Wujkowski
If you dig that traditional grassy, umami-esque matcha flavor, you need to visit Craft Kafé. It was the most bitter of all the matcha we sampled. I ordered a matcha latte with almond milk and honey, and even though my drink had sweetener, it was still overpowering with earthy flavor. Craft Kafé does get a shoutout for having the quickest service and for making foam designs on their drinks. If you’re a die-hard matcha lover, you must visit.
Craft Kafé, 6653 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. craftkafe.com; 727-914-7443.
In the end, the “best” matcha in West St. Pete and Gulfport comes down to what you want in your cup — pure ceremonial green, sweet creamy comfort, or something a little weird, yet wonderful.
