I wouldn’t say I’m a master of matcha, but I would say that I’m a matcha connoisseur.
I say this because I’ve been practically addicted to it since my sophomore year of high school (I’m a freshman in college). I even got to the point where I started making my own, so yes, I am serious about my matcha intake.
If you’re into caffeine, you know it’s not something that should be tampered with – especially if you’re paying a good chunk of money for it. On UT Campus (and on Guad), there are a lot of coffee shops with matcha, but quantity doesn’t precisely equal quality. Sadly, it’s been a rollercoaster trying to find an affordable place for my usual dose since starting my time here last semester. Luckily, after some trial and error, I think I’ve figured it out.
- up and atom
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I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! :D This coffee place is one of the only coffee places located on campus that doesn’t exist anywhere else. I’m so glad it belongs to the students of UT and has become our little secret treasure. It’s located inside of Welch and is very convenient for me since I have class in the building on some days. The first time I went, I forgot to ask for my usual soy milk, and it ended up being the best mistake ever. It allowed me to taste the matcha by itself since I got regular milk, which didn’t affect the taste. I really enjoyed it! Their matcha, to me, tastes very smooth and sweet while still having an earthy touch. They also have, you probably guessed it, strawberry matcha!! Unlike Centro, Up and Atom uses a syrup. It does make it sweeter, though it doesn’t overpower the matcha. Also, it’s not too expensive and takes both Dine In Dollars and Bevo Pay. Compared to the rest, if you’re on a budget, like me, and want a good matcha, this is the perfect place. I’ve never paid over 6 dollars for their matcha, no matter what size I get or what I add in. It was the perfect discovery for me.
The prices are as follows: A small regular matcha is $4.25, a medium is $5.00, and a large is $5.25. Any syrup additions cost $0.50, and milk changes would cost $0.80.
When it comes down to it, everyone likes their matcha differently. It’s essential to go and try everything for yourself! Either way, I hope this provided a little info for you to support you on your journey. From one matcha lover to another, good luck!
- Medici
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When I think of good-vibe cafes, I think of Medici. The inside is so charming with its brick walls, natural lighting, and wooden tables. Plants are everywhere, and artists’ art and photography for sale are scattered across the walls, creating an artsy atmosphere. It’s right next to the Scientology building, but don’t let that deter you; it couldn’t be more different than whatever goes on there. I visited this coffee shop pretty early in my time at UT, and I was happy to have given it a chance! It’s rare to find myself savoring a drink, so I was shocked when Medici had me doing exactly that. The first time I went, they had their specialties on display, and one of them was a strawberry rose matcha with oat milk. Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to try it. For the rest of my time there, I had to remind myself not to drink it every second since I enjoyed it so much. I eventually tried other flavors, including blackberry matcha and raspberry, and neither disappointed me. The moral of the story for this is the complete opposite of the unlucky number 5: If the foundation is good, every addition would still make it good. They prepare it by mixing it with traditional bamboo whisks, which, according to the internet, is supposed to be the best way to prepare it! It’s also how I prepare, so it’s a personal preference. I found that using a bamboo whisk helps to ensure there are no chunks, it’s smooth, and it creates a nice foam layer on top. I know what you’re thinking: If it’s so good, why isn’t it first? I’ll tell you – it’s because of its price. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not super high, but it does make me think twice about going sometimes.
For some insight, my favorite drink from there, the strawberry rose matcha, costs $7.25 for a large (16 oz) with tax. A 12 oz matcha with whole milk would be $5.65, and a 16 oz would be $6.20 with additions (except for simple syrup, honey, cinnamon, raw sugar, and stevia) costing an extra 50 cents. If you want a different milk, aside from whole or skim milk, you will pay an extra dollar for most types of milk (Oatly, almond, coconut), 1.75 for pistachio milk, and 50 cents for Breve.
- Centro
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I never hear anyone talk about this place! It’s located on Guadalupe (right off of UT Campus). It’s easy to walk right past it; I only tried it because I was on the way to another coffee shop (lucky number 2) located further down the street. I was too lazy to walk the entire way to the initial coffee place I planned to go to … lol. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. I ordered their strawberry matcha, and not only was it beautiful, but the outside definitely reflected what was on the inside — in a good way. It tastes like strawberry milk! However, I don’t know how big of a role the matcha played in my experience because the strawberry overpowered the matcha. The way they make the drink is interesting because the top layer is strawberry cold foam, and the bottom layer is strawberry. I have never seen this around, but I like it! I’m able to mix the strawberry in instead of just having the strawberry flavor come from the foam alone. Although it may not appeal to someone who craves a strong matcha taste, I think strawberry lovers would enjoy this drink. Also, it’s $6.95 with tax! Sadly, I’ve never tried their regular matcha. Nonetheless, I think it’s worth checking out!
If you’re looking for a regular matcha, a standard 16 oz matcha would cost $5.50. Alterations to milk (oat or almond) would cost $0.45. Syrup additions all cost $0.75.
- places that aren’t named starbucks but serve it
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I don’t know if all colleges do this, but UT has so many coffee places on campus under so many different names that all serve Starbucks! It frustrates me! Like many other people, the first time I ever tried matcha was from Starbucks. I liked it at first. It’s not bad, it’s decent. Every “non-Starbucks that serves Starbucks” takes dine-in dollars on campus, which is very convenient! I usually get a grande matcha with soy milk. The matcha tastes good, and it’s also important to note that the taste of matcha is there. It’s not my favorite; I sometimes even find chunks in it, but it’s reasonably priced, and it’ll do, which is why it’s at number 4.
Prices are as follows: A tall regular matcha is $4.75, a grande is $4.95, and a venti is $5.25. Syrup additions cost $0.80 per pump, and non-dairy milk changes cost $0.80. When I order my usual iced grande soy milk matcha, it’s 5.36 with tax.These are their locations on campus: Union Coffee House (Texas Union), Jesta Java (Jester), Cypress Bend Cafe (San Jacinto Residence), LittleField Patio Cafe (next to Littlefield Hall), Prufrock’s (Perry-Castaneda Library)
- lucky lab
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Coming in last is Lucky Lab. There are multiple locations across UT under different names and even one right off campus on Guad, so I was begging myself to like this for convenience. As you can tell from its standing, that was not the case. I tried everything. I wasted a lot of money with all my failed attempts. At one point, I even tricked myself into liking it. First, I tried to get it plain by ordering a matcha with soy milk, just to get started with a blank slate. On the first sip, I immediately noticed the weird taste of the matcha. It’s original, for sure, and it’s not to my liking. After the first fail, I kept giving it multiple other chances by adding syrup and even trying lavender. The problem? The syrup was all I could taste. The double whammy was that I spent my real money. That’s right, no dining dollars, real money. Every time I’d add syrup or honey, that was an extra dollar. It was also an additional dollar to choose a different milk. I’d pay $7.50 for a 16 oz matcha with soy milk and vanilla that I didn’t even like! Recently, I saw they came out with a seasonal drink: Strawberry Cold Foam Matcha. As a strawberry matcha lover, I had hopes despite my past disappointments. Boy, was that a mistake as well. I couldn’t get through the matcha, so even though the strawberry foam was good, I couldn’t drink it. Moral of the story: if you hate the foundation, additions probably won’t help. At least, that was my experience.
These are the names of their locations on campus: Cappy’s Cafe (DMC), Woffe’s Cafe (CMA), Qualcomm Cafe (Gates-Dell Complex or GDC), Pangea Cafe (Jackson Geological Sciences Building or JGB)
When it comes down to it, everyone likes their matcha differently. It’s essential to go and try everything for yourself! Either way, I hope this provided a little info for you to support you on your journey. From one matcha lover to another, good luck!