Matcha Zanmai
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I became obsessed with matcha after I came to Matcha Zanmai for the first time. I tried their latte and cakes, but the Signature Zanmai is in my opinion the best item on their menu. Not only does it come with matcha ice cream, it has red beans, chunks of matcha cake, matcha jelly, and some rice crispies inside. It's texture heaven for people who like a little bit of everything. Though the rice crispies do get a bit soggy because they are on the bottom, so if I suggest trying to get to the rice crispies sooner rather than later! It's a pretty small store so it's not a hangout spot, but more of a place to pop in to grab a treat and go walk around the city. I miss this spot and wish they had a location in the US.
Stumbled upon this place and got the matcha brownie parfait and it was super refreshing! I liked that the matcha was soft and creamy and wasn't too overpowering. Once you eat it, though, the matcha flavour kicks in a few seconds later. The matcha brownies were okay and not too sweet, but I think I'd just get the matcha soft serve on its own next time. It also came with a scoop of red bean paste, which I found to be sweeter than the ice cream. I went on a Saturday afternoon, so there was quite a bit of a lineup, but the service was pretty fast and I didn't have to wait too long. So far, this is my spot whenever I'm craving matcha ice cream. I haven't come across many places that do it this well!
Craving real matcha desserts? This place delivers. We tried the Glacé Pilée Zanmai (shaved ice), Parfait Zanmai Signature, and Parfait Gâteau Matcha. Each one was delicious, showcasing rich, smooth matcha that isn't overly sweet or bitter. Definitely a spot for true matcha lovers. Asian desserts are usually not sweet so this is expected and well executed. The place itself is small with very limited seating, and there were only two people working behind the counter who looked understandably exhausted. Parking is street only, and it gets busy, so expect a line. Overall, a great spot for high‑quality Asian matcha desserts and well worth the wait.
I got the mixed parfait with all the toppings . My favourite was the matcha cake if I had to pick one. The mochi ball was a little dense, chewy. Red bean paste was not too sweet! The matcha jelly was also a unique, not too sweet addition. The price was very fair too!!
They know a thing or two about matcha. My latte was nice and strong, definitely could taste my earthy grassy matcha! Desserts looked and tasted amazing. The line moved fast and we enjoyed our dessert inside at a few tables they had available. Matcha soft serve was good, but I have had better :-)
TLDR: Delicious chewy mochi filled with airy whipped cream and fruit. Like eating a cloud, lol. I love fresh Mochi/Daifuku so I had to go to Matcha Zanmai on my most recent trip to Montreal. They had so many flavours it was hard to decide. The Blueberry Yuzu Cheesecake one was tempting but I eventually decided on the Peach. It was $5.25 and roughly the size of my palm. The mochi part was so soft and chewy and the filling was airy whipped cream with bits of fragrant peach. It tasted heavenly. I loved every single bite. I just wished it was bigger, or less expensive, haha. They had lots of other desserts like cakes and soft serve ice cream, as well as drinks. Service was pleasant. There's some indoor seating to dine in and random stools without tables in front, lol. Street parking only, as is the norm for businesses in this part of town. Luckily I just walked over from our hotel. (121)
Spontaneously came across this cafe, and it was the best find of my Montreal trip! I came here twice during my weekend in the city. The pastries/desserts are always freshly made and stocked in the morning. The matcha they used was good quality and the drinks were perfectly balanced. I really enjoyed their: -MATCHA YUZU DRINK (perfect blend of sweet yuzu and the earthy and deep matcha) -MATCHA MILLIE CREPE CAKE (even crepe layers with rich matcha cream in between) - YUZU MOCHI (super soft mochi with light whipped cream infused with lightly sweet yuzu pulp)
This place is actually Japanese with real Japanese flavours and quality. Really an exceptional dessert place.
I can never say no to a matcha place! Stopped by after seeing their cute signs on display and also a huge group of people holding matcha ice cream. I opted for a classic matcha latte, and my sister got a matcha mochi cookie. The latte was actually really good and refreshing! I can taste the quality matcha, and it wasn't overly sweet. My sister was also a fan of her mochi cookie too. Definitely would come back here the next time I'm back in Montreal!
Found this spot while exploring and had to try it out since there are few places that actually do matcha 'right'. It is a small but welcoming shop filled with matcha soft serve and desserts to choose from. As we weren't heading back to our hotel, we didn't try to cakes but next time I will definitely keep it in mind. I got the matcha soft serve with a waffle cone. Most places that offer a waffle cone, it is usually stale or not fresh. In this case, it was fresh and matcha had good strong flavours to my liking. I highly recommend this spot and people here are very friendly. Overall, I would come back here if I'm in Montreal. It is a quiet shop that has minimal seating but excellent quality matcha. Give this place a try if you're in the area -thumbs up-
Solid choice for match and desserts! I got the vanilla soft serve it was good. It was a little icy but not bad. There were also a lot of mochi flavors to choose from. I got the yuzu mochi and it was a really soft mochi filled with a whipped cream yuzu flavor. The yuzu cut through all the creaminess and was delicious. You could also tell it wasn't just sitting there all day as it was super soft.
Excellent matcha shop. The combination of their matcha drinks and cakes, along with a comfortable environment, makes it a perfect place for tired individuals to sit down, relax, and enjoy some food. 好出色嘅抹茶店。佢serve嘅抹茶加埋個cake，配搭舒服嘅環境，非常適合行到攰嘅人，坐低休息唞吓，食吓嘢嘅地方。
after dinner, we took a short walk over to rue mackay and somehow decided we still had room for dessert. apparently, there is always a second stomach when dessert is involved. we ended up at matcha zanmai, a small japanese dessert spot specializing in matcha based treats. even on a wednesday night after 9:00 pm, there was still a lineup stretching out the door, a pretty good indication that we weren't the only ones looking for a late night sugar fix. the setup is pretty straightforward: line up, order and pay first, then find a table and wait for your number to be called. the space is definitely on the cozy side, tight quarters, limited seating and not much room to maneuver when it's busy. we got lucky and snagged a table just as another party got up, then waited for our numbers to be called before heading over to pick up our orders. there was plenty to choose from on the matcha heavy menu, including parfaits, soft serve, shakes, floats and other japanese inspired desserts. i went with the shiratama parfait, while the others in our party opted for the matcha soft serve and a matcha float. my parfait came layered with soft serve matcha, chewy shiratama mochi and red bean paste. the shiratama itself had a pleasant, chewy texture, but i wasn't a fan of the red bean paste, wish they had black sesame instead. i also found myself wishing there was something crunchy in the parfait, like corn flakes, to break up all the softer textures. the matcha flavour was surprisingly subtle too, more earthy and delicate than a strong green tea hit. the matcha soft serve looked smooth and creamy, while the float added another fun take on the classic matcha and ice cream combination. between the three orders, we got a pretty good sampling of what matcha zanmai does best. the concept is refreshingly focused: matcha is the star of the show, whether it's in a parfait, soft serve, float or drink. and judging by the lineup still stretching out the door after 9:00 pm on a wednesday, there's clearly no shortage of people willing to make room for it. the tiny dining room and late night lineup may require a little patience, but when you're already committed to dessert, you might as well embrace the wait. after a full dinner, somehow we still managed to make room. apparently, the second stomach is real, especially when matcha is involved. read more
The matcha flavor in the soft serve is super strong and flavorful. Other ice cream places I've tried in Montreal that offer matcha have very subtle green tea flavors rather than matcha but this is the pure stuff. The price is totally worth it with all of the toppings (red bean, mochi, kinako, matcha brownie, Rice Krispies). It's comparable to matcha maiko in the states, but much more reasonably priced. read more
One of the best matcha soft serve I've had (and I've had a lot!). Completely comparable to Japan, better than most places in the United States. The matcha flavor is strong and dense, the soft serve is not overly sweet, and best of all, it doesn't melt super easily. The soft serve holds up very well against a spoon. I find that too often soft serve is toooo soft and liquidy. This was not the case here! Also tried the yuzu slushie which was delicious and perfectly made too. Not overly sweet or bitter. Consistency excellent for a slushie. Great for a hot day if you don't want matcha here! Wish I had time to come back again before leaving Montreal! read more
I became obsessed with matcha after I came to Matcha Zanmai for the first time. I tried their latte and cakes, but the Signature Zanmai is in my opinion the best item on their menu. Not only does it come with matcha ice cream, it has red beans, chunks of matcha cake, matcha jelly, and some rice crispies inside. It's texture heaven for people who like a little bit of everything. Though the rice crispies do get a bit soggy because they are on the bottom, so if I suggest trying to get to the rice crispies sooner rather than later! It's a pretty small store so it's not a hangout spot, but more of a place to pop in to grab a treat and go walk around the city. I miss this spot and wish they had a location in the US. read more
2 months ago
Stumbled upon this place and got the matcha brownie parfait and it was super refreshing! I liked that the matcha was soft and creamy and wasn't too overpowering. Once you eat it, though, the matcha flavour kicks in a few seconds later. The matcha brownies were okay and not too sweet, but I think I'd just get the matcha soft serve on its own next time. It also came with a scoop of red bean paste, which I found to be sweeter than the ice cream. I went on a Saturday afternoon, so there was quite a bit of a lineup, but the service was pretty fast and I didn't have to wait too long. So far, this is my spot whenever I'm craving matcha ice cream. I haven't come across many places that do it this well! read more
Craving real matcha desserts? This place delivers. We tried the Glacé Pilée Zanmai (shaved ice), Parfait Zanmai Signature, and Parfait Gâteau Matcha. Each one was delicious, showcasing rich, smooth matcha that isn't overly sweet or bitter. Definitely a spot for true matcha lovers. Asian desserts are usually not sweet so this is expected and well executed. The place itself is small with very limited seating, and there were only two people working behind the counter who looked understandably exhausted. Parking is street only, and it gets busy, so expect a line. Overall, a great spot for high‑quality Asian matcha desserts and well worth the wait. read more
1 year ago
I got the mixed parfait with all the toppings . My favourite was the matcha cake if I had to pick one. The mochi ball was a little dense, chewy. Red bean paste was not too sweet! The matcha jelly was also a unique, not too sweet addition. The price was very fair too!! read more
1 year ago
They know a thing or two about matcha. My latte was nice and strong, definitely could taste my earthy grassy matcha! Desserts looked and tasted amazing. The line moved fast and we enjoyed our dessert inside at a few tables they had available. Matcha soft serve was good, but I have had better :-) read more
2 years ago
TLDR: Delicious chewy mochi filled with airy whipped cream and fruit. Like eating a cloud, lol. I love fresh Mochi/Daifuku so I had to go to Matcha Zanmai on my most recent trip to Montreal. They had so many flavours it was hard to decide. The Blueberry Yuzu Cheesecake one was tempting but I eventually decided on the Peach. It was $5.25 and roughly the size of my palm. The mochi part was so soft and chewy and the filling was airy whipped cream with bits of fragrant peach. It tasted heavenly. I loved every single bite. I just wished it was bigger, or less expensive, haha. They had lots of other desserts like cakes and soft serve ice cream, as well as drinks. Service was pleasant. There's some indoor seating to dine in and random stools without tables in front, lol. Street parking only, as is the norm for businesses in this part of town. Luckily I just walked over from our hotel. (121) read more
4 months ago
Very kind, absolutely in love with the matcha itself, its great and the yuzu drink was savory as well read more
2 years ago
Spontaneously came across this cafe, and it was the best find of my Montreal trip! I came here twice during my weekend in the city. The pastries/desserts are always freshly made and stocked in the morning. The matcha they used was good quality and the drinks were perfectly balanced. I really enjoyed their: -MATCHA YUZU DRINK (perfect blend of sweet yuzu and the earthy and deep matcha) -MATCHA MILLIE CREPE CAKE (even crepe layers with rich matcha cream in between) - YUZU MOCHI (super soft mochi with light whipped cream infused with lightly sweet yuzu pulp) read more
1 year ago
This place is actually Japanese with real Japanese flavours and quality. Really an exceptional dessert place. read more
2 years ago
I can never say no to a matcha place! Stopped by after seeing their cute signs on display and also a huge group of people holding matcha ice cream. I opted for a classic matcha latte, and my sister got a matcha mochi cookie. The latte was actually really good and refreshing! I can taste the quality matcha, and it wasn't overly sweet. My sister was also a fan of her mochi cookie too. Definitely would come back here the next time I'm back in Montreal! read more
Found this spot while exploring and had to try it out since there are few places that actually do matcha 'right'. It is a small but welcoming shop filled with matcha soft serve and desserts to choose from. As we weren't heading back to our hotel, we didn't try to cakes but next time I will definitely keep it in mind. I got the matcha soft serve with a waffle cone. Most places that offer a waffle cone, it is usually stale or not fresh. In this case, it was fresh and matcha had good strong flavours to my liking. I highly recommend this spot and people here are very friendly. Overall, I would come back here if I'm in Montreal. It is a quiet shop that has minimal seating but excellent quality matcha. Give this place a try if you're in the area -thumbs up- read more
7 months ago
Solid choice for match and desserts! I got the vanilla soft serve it was good. It was a little icy but not bad. There were also a lot of mochi flavors to choose from. I got the yuzu mochi and it was a really soft mochi filled with a whipped cream yuzu flavor. The yuzu cut through all the creaminess and was delicious. You could also tell it wasn't just sitting there all day as it was super soft. read more
Excellent matcha shop. The combination of their matcha drinks and cakes, along with a comfortable environment, makes it a perfect place for tired individuals to sit down, relax, and enjoy some food. 好出色嘅抹茶店。佢serve嘅抹茶加埋個cake，配搭舒服嘅環境，非常適合行到攰嘅人，坐低休息唞吓，食吓嘢嘅地方。 read more
Craving some matcha on a particularly warm autumn day. Stumbled upon this place and there were so many different matcha desserts (matcha/tea/yuzu). There are three main categories on their menu: soft serve, drinks, and cake. Decided to get their yuzu matcha cake after some thought and it did not disappoint. The layers were beautifully set and cohesive and the bottom cookie layer had a nice crunch. The yuzu later was tart and sweet which balanced the more earthy matcha notes. Tables were clean and the space, while small, felt airy. There were only two employees but service was pretty quick. read more
Nice matcha desserts - very tasty and plenty of interesting options on the menu including ceremonial matcha, lattes, Japanese tea, parfaits, cones/cups, shaved ice, floats and frappes/slushes. Nice clean space but not much seating if you want to eat in. Service was outstanding and fast! Really liked their matcha soft serve and cake! read more
2 years ago
All things matcha exquisitely prepared. We had the matcha infused doriyaki (red bean , matcha cream, fresh strawberries) and Mont Blanc (puréed chestnuts, whip cream, matcha cream), oh yum. The Hojicha latte over was perfect as well. We want to live next to this place. read more
2 years ago
Matcha desserts to die for! Loved the strong matcha swirled with the sweet vanilla. Sundaes were great too! Especially like the ones with matcha cake in there. However, the place got a little bit cramped during a busy time. Didn't outshine the delightful dessert, though. read more
4 years ago
Got #17 parfait which was matcha ice cream and matcha cake. The matcha ice cream was very creamy and generous with matcha flavour. There were four pieces of matcha cake and they were pretty fudgey - I would have preferred if it was lighter and more airy. Service was nice and it was a nice treat on a warm day! read more
All matcha everything? Sign me up!! Mixed soft serve ice cream ($6.60) The matcha flavor is really strong but not too bitter at all! The cream flavor isn't very strong. I was expecting it to be like vanilla. The soft serve is really light and tasted more like froyo which I didn't mind at all. It was the perfect light dessert after dinner. read more
3 years ago
If you love matcha that's the spot. The places is definitely unique as I've never seen anything like it. Loved the cake and the ice cream. Really can't go wrong if you stop by for some dessert. read more
I love Japanese dessert places! My favorite item is the Zanmai signature because it has all the toppings and I get a taste of everything. My favorite topping is the matcha jelly. The bottom of the cup has what seems like all-bran buds. I like the combination of textures when it's mixed with the ice cream. I would like to come back and try their other desserts. Whenever I have matcha, it keeps me sleepless. Still, I love the green color of matcha and a green matcha soft serve looks as good as it taste! read more
Matcha Zanmai is a cute small dessert shop just to the left of the Concordia University (if you take the corridor leading you to Mackay St)! They offer a great variety of matcha, hojicha and other tea based treats. The staff there is friendly and will greet you in Japanese. I tried their Hojicha Frappé with the matcha/vanilla flotter - the cup is not huge but it was just enough ice cream and frappé on a hot summer day. The ice cream was smooth and tasted like the one from Gazo, and not overly sweet. Considering the serving size, prices are on the expensive side, my frappé was 8-9$, and I remember one cupcake being about 5$. Would recommend trying it once, if you are nearby. read more
7 years ago
I love this place. The staff is nice, it's clean and comfortable, the choices are creative and look really good. I just think I'm not a huge fan of matcha. I've tried matcha latte, matcha ice cream, matcha mochi and I just don't enjoy it that much. But that doesn't take away from how good the ice cream was. I got the soft serve and the cone and ice cream tasted fine, I just couldn't tell if you if the matcha was actually good or just ok based on other matcha places. Total was $6.90 for the cone. Not bad but a bit pricey for soft serve. Although, I don't know many other places that offer matcha soft serve so could be a really great deal. I think this place is a great addition to the Concordia options! I'll probably give matcha another try by tasting one of their drinks. read more
What a joy!! This place has intense matcha desserts, made with care and quality ingredients. We stopped by for a refreshing treat this week and ordered their Zanmai Signature, which is a medley of pretty much all I wanted to try. My boyfriend got matcha slushie with soft serve on top. The prices weren't cheap but the servings were generous. The matcha soft serve was delicious - the texture was so light, and the flavour was perfect. The shaved ice was so refreshing, and the condensed milk in the middle of the cup added sweetness and creaminess to the mix. The chunk of matcha brownie was dense and tasty. The glutinous rice dumplings added a fun texture. The red bean paste went hand-in-hand with all that matcha. It was such a pleasant treat - we'll be back for sure! Note: their paper straws are really cute! read more
I love matcha desserts and was very excited and eager to try this place as it reminded me of Tsujiri and Nona's Green Tea. I came here on a Tuesday evening (after visiting this place on Monday and realizing that they are closed on Mondays). The interior was simple and small, and it perfectly complimented the needs of this restaurant as people would constantly flow in and out. Service was quick and efficient and got my parfait within 2 minutes of ordering it. I got the Signature Zanmai Parfait ($8.50). Overall, I enjoyed the parfait. The matcha flavour stood out in the soft serve, and it went really well with all the toppings (matcha cake, red bean paste, matcha jelly). I especially loved the matcha cake with the matcha soft serve and will probably choose the Matcha Cake Parfait if I were to return! However, I did notice that their matcha soft serve was not as creamy and strong when compared to my experience at Tsujiri and Nona's Green Tea. Nonethless, the parfait at Matcha Zanmai was still very enjoyable and they have a great selection of matcha items to choose from! read more
7 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
Very cute place! An excellent spot to go to if you enjoy the taste of matcha On the left: Matcha icecream with red bean paste and mochis (8.75$) On the right: Soft serve matcha icecream with a cone (approximately 6$) read more
Great matcha soft serve with a very strong matcha flavor. We got the signature which came with all the different toppings - mochi, matcha jelly, matcha cake, red bean, and some crunchy topping. The toppings were good, but I think getting just the soft serve by itself would have been a better value since ours was $8.50. I also got a hot sencha fukamushi tea and had some qualms with their brewing technique. They used water that was way too hot (burns the tea) and then they squeezed the tea leaves using the plunger in the french press, which makes the bitterness come out. Their staff needs to be better trained since they are a tea place. read more
Delicious matcha place! They have a menu similar to the ones in japan such as the soft serve, drinks, parfait, etc. We had matcha latte with yuzu and matcha jelly as well as the soda and they are all refreshing and delicious. The service is fast, you get your item very quickly. I was very sad they didn't have soft ice cream anymore but the staff made an effort to scoop out the remaining bit of ice cream to give it to me so I can have a try!!! The matcha taste was rich and the sweetness level was perfect. Would definitely recommend! Update: finally got to try the matcha parfait. The combination with mochi, red bean, cake and the jelly is perfect. It's not overly sweet and it's very creamy and rich. Also tried the matcha yuzu: delicious summerish drink. read more
I don't know if my expectations we're too high or what, but completely not impressed. The wait time was about 20 minutes, because it was really crowded. When it was our turn to order, the cashier just decided to help at the bar and let us wait at least a 3-5 minutes before greeting us. We ordered the Zanmai Parfait and the Hojicha frappe with greentea soft serve as topping. The barista comes and let the cashier know that the Hojicha is oos, asked if we would like to replace it by something else. By this time, everything was paid already. We were hesitant, so he suggested the Yuzu frappe + greentea soft serve. He was looking at the menu and probably saw/know there's a 25 cents difference in the price. He never mentioned about paying us back the difference or whatsoever. I know it's only 25 cents but you have to be honest! Can at least mention it and I'm sure most people will say its fine for 25 cents! The taste now! The soft serve is good! Has a relatively strong taste of matcha. However, the toppings in the Zanmai special are disappointing. It has all their toppings: mochi, cake, red bean, jelly. The mochi tasted like nothing, though very chewy. The texture was good, but they need to work on the taste of it. The jelly tasted like diluted matcha jello. The red bean was ok. And the cake had a slight taste of matcha. Overall, I think it lacks flavours for the toppings! It might be that the soft serve's taste is too strong compared to those, so it makes them less enjoyable. My friend had the Yuzu drink with matcha soft serve on top. I didn't try it. To me it sounded like a weird mix. And she confirmed that it tasted weird together as well. I eventually will go back to give their drink a try! read more
7 years ago
If you've been to TSUJIRI in Toronto, this is basically the Montreal equivalent. This matcha drink and dessert is a go-to for matcha lovers like me! I decided to try their Hojicha (roasted green tea) float with Matcha soft serve and it did not disappoint! The matcha ice cream was sweet and creamy, while the hojicha slush had a great roasted tea taste that complimented the ice cream. If I had to compare it to TSUJIRI, the quality and flavour are on par! Overall, they have a great selection of tasty drinks and desserts for decent prices as well as a very pleasant staff! I would definitely recommend trying this place out if you want to satisfy your matcha craving. read more
7 years ago
Wow! It is a real green tea ice cream flavor! If you love green tea, you must try it! Even the cake has green tea flavor. Those little white dough has no taste by itself but mixing with ice cream taste much better. We were disappointed that they did not have vanilla nor mix flavor available when we were there. The portion size looks good but because of the toppings, I find the ice cream portion could be a little bigger. Overall, if you are a matcha fan, must try this place! read more
3 years ago
I love their drinks and their cakes are good. It's tasty and it's not super sweet. Perfect on my taste buds. read more
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More info about Matcha Zanmai
1428 Rue Mackay
Montreal, QC H3G 2H9
Canada
Golden Square Mile, Centre-Ville, Ville-Marie
Directions
(514) 937-0252
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