Matcha Latte: Chalait, New York NY

Gustatory: strong, grassy, frothy

I’m in New York! Matcha latte drinkers are pretty spoiled here. Though it was hard to decide where to go for an afternoon matcha, I ended at Chalait on 1216 Broadway. The cafe is small with only about 5 seats – really more of a matcha bar than a sit-down place – but the space is bright and welcoming and the staff is so helpful and friendly. You’ll find coffee, tea, and Chalait’s own line of matcha (both whisked into beverages and sold in tins) here, as well as snacks and larger bites to eat. The matcha menu is impressive – they’ve got everything from ceremonial-grade shots of matcha to matcha hot chocolate (match mixed with chocolate and milk).

I had a hard time choosing between the matcha Americano (a matcha shot with additional hot water), the matcha cappuccino (a matcha shot with a bit of milk), and the matcha latte (essentially a matcha cappuccino but with more milk), but ended up going with the latter as it’s my go-to way of having matcha.

I got my latte sugar-free (I was asked if I wanted to add any sugar) and topped with house-made almond cashew milk (for an extra $1). The milk was rich and smooth, and the matcha vigorously whisked, frothy, and quite strong. I had my beverage alongside an avocado toast. So many delicious green things!

The only downside is that my afternoon stop ended up being pretty expensive: $17. But I guess that’s NYC prices? They do have a reward program though. Buy 8 drinks and the 9th is free.

Happy matcha drinking!

#matcha #matchalatte #chalaitnyc