Best Chain Coffee Shops for (Iced) Matcha Lattes in London

Best (Iced) Matcha Lattes in London

While many people can’t go a hot minute without reaching for a cup of joe, Matcha Lattes are slowly sneaking up to become one of the go-to hot or cold beverages to get your daily caffeine fix. Some people find matcha can be a bit less intense than a coffee or espresso, and there’s also the mindfulness from making and slowly stirring it at home. But if you’re on the go, you’ll want to know the top chains where you can get the best Matcha Latte.

The Black Penny – this cafe/restaurant chain is the place to be for brunch in London, but if you’re not already stuffing your face on their moreish meals, give their Matcha Latte a shot. It’s pretty damn fantastic, with a strong taste, but not overwhelming, and a good choice of alternative milks to accompany that don’t overpower the flavour.

Joe & The Juice – They may pre-mix their matcha at this hip Danish chain – you’ll see it poured out from a squeeze bottle before they add the milk – but that doesn’t stop this green delight being one of the best matcha lattes from a chain you’ll get in London. They only serve Matcha Latte with Oat milk (Oatly Barista) hot or iced, and also offer a vanilla option.

Arabica – Known for their Spanish Latte, this designer Japanese chain produces one of the best Matcha Lattes in the capital, with a range of milks available. They also pre-mix the matcha tea in advance and use a squeezy bottle, before adding the milk. It does have a bit of a kick, so be prepared. They offer a ‘sweetened’ option if it’s a bit strong. For oat milk aficionados, they use Oatly Barista.

Blank Street – This NYC chain, famous for its slick design philosophy, merch, and automated coffee machines, does a pretty mean Matcha Latte. It’s quite subtle, but has a great aftertaste. If you want a sweeter option, try out their Blueberry Matcha Latte for a sugary twist on the standard matcha flavour. Blank Street also have Golden (Turmeric) Matcha and White Chocolate Matcha on their Spring 2024 menu. They use California Farms Oat Barista milk if you’re interested.

WA Cafe – One of London’s best Japanese patisseries, with branches in Covent Garden and Ealing Broadway, WA Café is a hidden gem for Matcha Latte lovers, but does some of the most impressive fresh Japanese style cakes and pastries you’ll ever lay your eyes upon. They use premium Matchaeologist matcha powder, so you know you’ll be in for a real treat, with its subtle aromatic tones.

Arome Bakery – Not quite a chain, with two branches, one in Covent Garden, the other in Mayfair next to Selfridges, this place has pastries to die for, but also does an incredible Matcha Latte. Not pre-sweetened, it has a nice mixture of strength and subtlety.

Grind – This fashionable cafe/bar group may dazzle with their neon signs, pastel pink aesthetics and cult cocktails, but are their Matcha Lattes up to scratch? Well, this is the perfect starter Matcha Latte, with strong undertones but an overall subtle flavour for the newcomer palate. On the oat milk front, they use Oatly Barista.

The Gentlemen Baristas – Is a fast-growing chain with outlets across London, though I first encountered them at a pop-up in my office when I worked in East London a few years back. Their Matcha Latte is pretty decent, more on the subtle end of the spectrum in terms of strong taste, but not one to be sniffed at. And as for their oat milk, they use Minor Figures Barista.

Irene – This friendly, independent cafe and bakery chain serves up the lightest, fluffiest pastries and some of the best fresh sourdough loaves you’ll ever have the chance to bite into, but their matcha is not to be sniffed at either. A soft, subtle flavour, unsweetened with just the right amount of kick, plus their oat milk is Oatly Barista. Find them in Camberwell, Marylebone and Brixton.

Notes – The central London artisan-styled cafe/bar chain might not scream Matcha Latte, but they produce a pretty decent offering, which tends to err on the sweet side.  

Jenki – Jenki, which has a store in Spitalfields and one in Selfridges, is a bit of a renegade in the Matcha world. Aside from offering great Matchas and Matcha Lattes, this place can also satisfy your soft-serve cravings with their Matcha Soft Serve, an inspired combination of subtle Oatly soft-serve sweetness and bitter matcha goodness. On top of that, they offer Matcha mashups with offerings like Lavender CBD Matcha for a more relaxed, floral Matcha experience.

Pret a Manger – The office lunchtime go-to chain serves up iced and hot Matcha Lattes with a variety of milks. Their matcha seems sweetened, and coupled with their milks, it’s reasonable, but rather on the bland side of things.

Starbucks – The US chain uses pre-sweetened matcha powder in their Matcha Lattes, giving their latte’s quite the sugary taste. If you’re not quite the fan of the slight bitterness of matcha, this might be a good place to start, but if you’re not a big sucker for sugar, you may want to avoid.

Costa – The UK’s biggest coffee shop chain may have one of the largest drink menus on offer, but it sadly does not include Matcha Latte on it yet.

Cafe Nero – The Italian-styled chain understandably focuses on its coffee, with no Matcha Latte available here at present.