Review of UK Chain Matcha Hype with Blank Street Coffee and others

Matcha, that vibrant Japanese powder, is everywhere. But is the UK chain cafe hype real? I ventured out to find out. Prepare yourselves, it wasn't pretty.

The Matcha Mission: Who's In, Who's Out?

Here are the most common coffe chain you can find in the UK

1. Blank Street Coffee

2. Caffee Nero

3. Costa

4. Gregg (not sure its right to classify it as cafe)

5. Pret-a-manger

6. Starbucks

Not everyone's jumped on the matcha bandwagon. Costa and Greggs? Zero matcha. Sticking to their usual, and honestly, probably for the best.

Cafe Nero: The Strawberry & Vanilla Sweet Bomb

Strawberry & Vanilla Iced Matcha Latte, Image from Caffee Nero

Caffee Nero went bold with "Strawberry &/or Vanilla Iced Matcha Latte." My philosophy: less is more with matcha. Theirs? More is a lot. It was overwhelmingly sweet, even after asking for less syrup. Strawberry and vanilla just clashed with the delicate matcha. Confused taste buds, not zen at all.
Rating: 2.5/5. Too sweet, wrong match.

Starbucks: The Original, But Bland

Its matcha green tea, does that mean it has green tea on top of matcha?

Starbucks, the pioneer. Their "Matcha Latte" is simple. No frills. But "simple" also meant "bland." Barely any matcha fragrance or taste. Mostly milk. Drinkable if you need a green fix, but don't expect a revelation.
Rating: 3.5/5. Fine. Exists. Is Starbucks.

Pret A Manger: The Other Bland Contender

Similar to Starbucks

Similar to Starbucks: no fancy extra. Also similar: lacking matcha personality. Mild flavour, nno aroma. Like a sparklers when you want fireworks instead. Inoffensive, but that's it.
Rating: 3.5/5. Same as Starbucks

Blank Street Coffee: The Green Mystery

Looks good, taste terrible. Google Image

High hopes for Blank Street Coffee, as matcha is a "signature." Hopes dashed. No matcha flavour whatsoever. Just tasted weird. Like a confused, green fruit drink. If it wasn't green, I wouldn't know it was supposed to be matcha. The hype for this? Don't get it.
Rating: 2/5. Green liquid, definitely not matcha.

Verdict

The current UK chain matcha hype simply isn't for me. They mostly drown the subtle matcha in overpowering sweetness. Unlike coffee, matcha is delicate. Finding that balance is clearly a challenge for these chains.

For a more proper matcha, I hit independent bubble tea shops. Better quality, better balance. But if you fancy a heavily syruped, vaguely green "trend" drink, Blank Street Coffee is your spot.

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