Ooika has the best matcha we've ever tasted. If it wasn't too far, we would come here way too often. The Princeton Ooika location is always busy. Although the place is bigger than the Lawrenceville location, but there's usually no place to sit because of how busy it is. We usually just look at the machines that show the matcha being freshly milled while we wait for our drinks. Service - workers there are friendly. We also see the owner / social media manager(?) there working as well so it's pretty neat. Food ... We usually get any that is highlighted. We got the chocolate matcha and the strawberry one recently. Always good... regardless if it's hot or cold...matcha alone or with other flavors. Recently, we found out that this location has Onigiri so we came here to try it. We got the sour plum, spicy tuna and mushrooms. We were surprised to find out they use real tuna...not the canned tuna! All the Onigiri tasted great. The mushroom was my favorite. There was also some event going on there that day. We bought cookies and cheese parfait. We loved the cookies - tastes like real ube, hojicha and sesame! My husband enjoyed the cheese parfait...I was disappointed because I was expecting a sweet tiramisu taste based on how it looked! However, if you don't care for sweetness, you'd enjoy it. It tastes like cheese, yogurt and berries. Def more of a parfait than the sweet type of tiramisu/cheesecake. read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Expect to spend around $9 for a 16 oz drink (milk + matcha + syrup). The matcha is very dense and flavorful. You can taste and smell the quality. The syrups have a casual sweetness but not too much flavor. I really like the sweetness balance because the matcha flavor comes through, but I'm not a fan of the lack of presence in the syrup. The Sakura and Mango drinks, for example, are very well-balanced, but you can hardly taste the fruit. For those who like sweet drinks, they have simple syrup to add, which I wouldn't personally recommend unless you really want to (by taste--try it first). However, there's no way to increase the fruit presence unless they did so in their in-house syrup. For a $9 latte, I would expect to taste the syrup a bit more. That being said, again, the matcha itself is very decent, smooth, fragrant and flavorful. I imagine I'd enjoy the hot, simple matcha a lot more than the lattes and would recommend matcha enjoyers to try those menu items instead. The in-house milling is also an interesting component. The interior feels industrial, partially due to the milling. The industrial pillars and concrete floor follow suit. I don't really know how I feel about that, but there's a decent amount of seating. They also have private WiFi, so it's a good place to come and wfh or study. Service is quick and the workers are very nice. All in all, I'd recommend. I'll stop by again if I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. read more

I've been meaning to visit Ooika off of the recommendations of my sister and cousin. I finally got a chance to go and was not disappointed. To preface, I'm not a huge matcha lover. That's not to say I dislike it, it's just not my go to drink. Given the choice between coffee and matcha I'll take the coffee the majority of the time. Ooika proudly serves matcha milled in house and you can actually see some of the process. There are big machines moving around the green powder and the place really has an industrial feel to it. It's not very colorful and there's a lot of concrete and metal services. Not exactly what I'd call cozy, but it works. I got the iced strawberry matcha latte with oat milk. I think I saw a sign in-store that said they only use oat milk because it pairs best with matcha. It was really good. Again, I'm no matcha expert so I won't lie and tell you I can distinguish between average matcha and elite matcha. But I've definitely had bad matcha and this is far from that. They also have a counter at the back that serves onigiri and other foods. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. If I were more of a matcha aficionado this would likely be a 5-star review. read more

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My cousin raved about Ooika, so we went to go visit while we were down in Princeton. It's a cafe dedicated to serving matcha. It's the only place I've seen where the matcha is milled in house. They even have humidifiers to keep everything at the right humidity. The space looks pretty industrial, bare concrete and minimalist furniture. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I ordered an Electric latte and black sesame. The matcha quality was very good, it did not taste burnt. I enjoyed sipping the electric latte in layers, since the blueberry layer was much sweeter than the matcha layer. I ended up mixing the black sesame and the whole thing tasted a bit earthy for me. I also tried my cousin's chocolate matcha latte and that was the best one of the 3. I would definitely get the one next time. Very cool spot if you're into matcha. read more

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This was one of the best matchas I've had! I got a hot matcha latte with milk and the matcha is strong! By itself, it's not sweet as it comes unsweetened but there is sweetener on the side for you to add yourself. As well, there is good foam at the top. The employees are all super nice as they greet you when you first come in. They hand whisk each drink and the store itself mills their own matcha which is super cool. They have the milling machine in store so you can look at the matcha being made. The store is small but cozy, perfect if you want to do some work. read more

Ooika - Hot matcha latte - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Lovee this place downnnn Very good very good Not sweet either It's clean inside And they're relatively quick read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

One of the best places to get matcha in NJ. Once you try their strawberry matcha, it will become the new standard! The perfect amount of real strawberry flavor without being syrup-y or overly sweet. Bonus is that all lattes come with oat milk! I love that they give you the option to add more pumps of simple syrup on your own so you can try it and add as you like. This location also has an onigiri bar at the back with multiple options (salmon, spicy tuna, chicken, vegan, etc.) and other food items. Limited seating but they have bar seats which open up pretty quickly as customers come in and out. Fast and friendly service. Wish they would open more locations in NJ! read more

Ooika - Iced dark chocolate matcha, hot strawberry matcha - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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If you are a matcha fan or curious and interested in understanding the matcha hype, Ooika is the place to go. I have never experienced a matcha cafe, tea house, or coffee shop that comes close to the Ooika experience. Everything is seeped in tradition; upon entering the store you are greeted in Japanese and immediately met with the smell of tencha (shade-grown green tea leaves) being ground in-house to become matcha (matcha = ground tencha). The employees are friendly, helpful, and available to educate you on all things matcha. I was so grateful they had the time to show me the stone mills that were making different variants of matcha. I opted for the iced dark chocolate matcha latte and was shocked that this flavor combination is not a viral sensation. The dark chocolate detracted from some of the matcha earthiness without making it sweet or sugary. The flavors were bold, balanced, and complex. Whether you like matcha straight up, as a specialty beverage, or want to try its less caffeinated, lesser-known cousin Houjicha, Ooika is worth the visit! read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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TLDR: amazing quality matcha in a modern spot Ooika is selective of all of their ingredients, especially the matcha. The matcha is freshly ground in the store and expertly prepared in front of you. It's mixed, dissolved and frothed for you to enjoy the optimal flavor of their matcha. They only serve lattes using oat milk to retain the health benefits of the matcha. It's obvious that Ooika loves matcha and makes every effort to share the ideal matcha experience with the customer. I can't think of a better place in NJ that does matcha as well as Ooika. The space is small but the stone walls and bar seating give make for a cool place to hangout while you sip. I'll definitely be coming by whenever I have the desire for matcha. read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

That feeling when you go out your way to go somewhere and it's totally worth the hype is just the best! Saw this place on TikTok and had it on my radar for a little while before making the trip. Truly loved the experience. The people who work there were very nice and everyone greets you when you come in. It was cool to see the matcha grinders at work. It is cozy and even has a rooftop seating area. I'm not a huge fan of matcha but my husband is getting into it so we went there for him. Since it was his first time trying it out he ordered an Iced Matcha Latte just to really judge. It was very good and he liked that you can adjust your own sweetness with the syrups. He said next time he would try the Strawberry Matcha Latte. Although I didn't get a drink this time around, I look forward to going to their other location in Lawrence and trying their Hojicha. You can also order some food here at the other kiosk in the back left corner. We tried two of the onigiri. We got the Ajituke Tamago (ramen egg) and Spicy Tuna. Both were quite delicious. We will be back and look forward to going to the other location. read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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This is some of the best matcha I have ever had, and I've been to Japan. They produce it in house and it's absolutely delicious. I have had both the strawberry matcha latte and the normal matcha latte and they were both wonderful. They also have hojicha on their menu. The staff are always really nice and will explain the menu to you if needed. The cafe itself can be quite crowded and small but it really depends on what time you go. read more

Ooika - Matcha Latte - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Honestly such a really cool experience (coming from someone who's a matcha enthusiast). I posted a video on my Instagram (@sincerely_matcha) that shows the machines and the whole process!!! You get to see the machines mill the matcha, as well as try the manual matcha crank on the table. They use 4g of matcha in their lattes, and the vibrant green and umami is literally so refreshing. There is little bitterness and astringency! They sift and whisk the matcha right in front of you, so you know that every time you order your matcha, it's freshly made and prepared. Would come back again. Staff was friendly and super sweet!! read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Ooika has been on my must-try list for so long and I'm so happy I finally had the chance to visit! It was so nice they had a parking lot so I didn't have to think about street parking in Princeton and the staff was so sweet! They are so welcoming and friendly from the moment you walk in. They offer authentic matcha that is milled in-house. You can taste the quality in the final product! I got their popular, strawberry matcha is it was so refreshing! They have a bottle of simple syrup if you like your matcha on the sweeter side, which I loved so you can control the sweetness level of your beverage. Honestly one of the best matchas I've had in awhile read more

Ooika - strawberry matcha - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Incredible matcha, which is freshly ground daily and made to order. For first timers, the strawberry matcha is a must-order - the slight natural bitterness of the matcha is perfectly balanced by their strawberry syrup, which tastes freshly made in-house and not artificial or overly sweet. I love that they offer oat milk as their standard milk option, and it complements their drinks (both hot and cold) perfectly. They also offer hojicha here, which has a nuttier and roasted flavor compared to matcha. Both are delicious! read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Extremely impressed with my first time at Ooika. Coming from SoCal, which has a plethora of incredibly impressive matcha offerings, Ooika really holds its ground. Their selection is phenomenal and the single origin okumidori was great. Looking forward to trying this place again next time. Props to Marc, the owner, for giving me an intro to the menu as a first timer, without making me feel rushed. He seems really passionate about it and it shows! read more

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Amazing matcha and drinks. We got the strawberry matcha latte and the military matcha latte. Both were very tasty. The place also has good, cool vibes and place to sit and work read more

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Cute industrial designed cafe in Princeton. Parking is restricted to one hour time slots, but plenty of street parking outside of the area as well. As soon as you walk in you wait in line to order - I got the chocolate hojicha latte and my friend the strawberry matcha. Both were SO good and super refreshing. Lots of seating inside too. Highly worth a visit! read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Ooika in Princeton delivers a REALLY GREAT cup of matcha . Freshly milled in-house and right inside their cafe. This is what a fresh, great cup should taste like and now this sets the bar up really high whenever I order at other places. We had the strawberry matcha latte with oatmilk- great balance of strawberry puree and matcha, not overpowering, not sickly sweet and not the strong grassy taste of your usual matcha. This is smooth and delicate. My son ordered the single origin matcha, which was delivered with a board to read all about that he ordered- info on the leaves, the season it was picked, the location, etc. , such a nice touch to appreciate the drink! It was prettily intense in taste, thick in consistency and enjoyed in small sips. After a while, one of our baristas came up to us and asked if we wanted her to transform his drink to a regular matcha cup-- I forgot the name of it-- so he can enjoy the cup more! Basically it's adding water and mixing it in LOL another nice touch to service and attention to detail. Continuous flow of customers, limited but comfortable seating. Friendly and knowledgeable baristas, price on point for the quality, and private lot. Would highly recommend! read more

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This place is a must visit for any lover of Matcha! I am obsessed. my friend told me about the Lawrenceville location, but I happened to be in the Princeton area so I decided to visit this place. It's located on the quieter side of Witherspoon Street. There is street parking, but it has a large parking lot and there are other small businesses there. The café has an open layout, and you are greeted in Japanese by the baristas when you walk into the café. There are some tables and seats. There were a lot of people working and enjoying their Matcha. They offer a military discount, a discount if you bring your own cup, and another discount, if you bring your own milk! They also have a rewards program which is a nice touch. The milk that they use in their lattes is oat milk, so if that's not your thing or you're allergic, definitely bring your own. This is definitely a legit Matcha place. You won't find any coffee on the menu. They do have seasonal drinks on their menu and they also have Houjicha if that's more your thing. If you're new to Matcha, the baristas are really helpful and they'll guide you in the right direction. I've been there twice and I've ordered their Ube latte, strawberry latte, and houjicha latte. The oat milk does bring out the wonderful taste of the Matcha, which is freshly milled there. And I like that the lattes weren't too overly sweet. The houjicha latte was different, but tasted better after adding a little sweetener to it. I bought their barista Matcha to make at home. They vacuum sealed the bag and carefully packaged it to maintain its freshness. They also provide directions on how to make Matcha at home. I met the owner on my last visit and chatted with him a bit. He was lovely and I plan to attend one of the classes in the near future. They really honor the Japanese tradition of Matcha. I appreciate that they provide a lot of education on how they source their Matcha, how it's made, and how to enjoy it at home. Can't wait to visit again! Don't forget your reusable cup! read more

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Absolutely GREAT matcha place! FYI, they do also have coffee too! Really nice environment. The servers really know their stuff and do their mixing / blending in a very beautiful aesthetic manner. Fun to watch! They make their own matcha daily with machines that they have in store . They do have a few food items as well. Really worth going here if you at all like matcha OR if you want to try it for the first time. GO. read more

Ooika - Inside - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Delicious authentic matcha. When we first came in, we were trying to figure out where to order, there were a few people standing around the register (waiting for their drinks). One of the women behind the counter asked if it was our first time and took the time to show us the menu and what she recommends. She was sooo friendly. We knew we wanted to try the strawberry latte already. As we waited, we sat on the couch and the vibe was super chill. Will definitely come back to try another flavor. read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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I visited this shop w/ my friend on a Wednesday afternoon, and there was no wait and plenty of seating. I tried the iced strawberry matcha drink, which was delicious! The matcha flavor was strong (which I like), and the strawberry puree wasn't too sweet. I thought the ambiance could've been a little nicer though. It was very cold (literally), and the lighting was pretty dim. But overall, I'd come again to try another drink and/or dessert. read more

Ooika - Strawberry matcha - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Wow, amazing quality matcha!! I got two Oishii strawberry matchas and they were both so good. The strawberry taste was so robust. I love that they don't sweeten your drink because you're in control of how it tastes. I added 2 pumps of simple syrup in my drink and that really brought out the depth of the matcha and the sweetness of the Oishii berries. Definitely recommend read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

been seeing this all over social media and I was super excited to try it and I think it was def worth the hype. The oishii berry collab especially did not disappoint. The military latte was a lot of caffeine, but they warn you about it, and as someone who doesn't rlly drink coffee, that drink wasn't my cup of tea. But the matcha is def as good as they say read more

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Thanks fellow yelpers for the great recommendations. I stopped by after work to try my first matcha. The ladies working walked us through the whole menu and the process. I tried the dark chocolate and wow! Delicious! Everything is made fresh, in house. read more

Ooika - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Visiting a friend in Princeton and I'm so glad I found this place. They grind their matcha at the cafe where you can actually see the big machines spinning. The fresh grind must make a difference because the matcha was strong like I like. I ordered the matcha latte (hot) and 30 minutes later ordered the strawberry matcha (iced), both were great. I've been to a lot of matcha cafes A LOT and I have never seen a set-up like this. read more

Great drink options especially if you're a matcha lover. Very cozy vibe and there's plenty of seats. My personal fav was the strawberry matcha. read more

Found this gem on Instagram and decided to check this place out. The interior was very cozy and had a nice vibe. The workers were very kind and very helpful with the explanation. I have been to many different stores with matcha and this one is up there. The matcha had a rich, earthy flavor without being too bitter, and it was perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sweetness. read more

Ooika - Matcha Latte Matcha Strawberry Latte - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

I come all the way from Rockland County,NY for the best in matcha. I love the ambience and the quality of the products offered. We always have a wonderful time and experience and is grateful to share great matcha conversations with the owner Marc when he's around. Also, we love his food concept with Honzu, serving freshly prepared onigiri's. I always look forward to our weekend road trip to Princeton/Lawrenceville. read more

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I ordered the matcha and it came unsweetened which is fine because they have a pump, so you can add sweeteness as needed, which I thought would be nice. That was until I added like 5 pumps of syrup and I realized I could've just made this at home.... I wanted to love this. I want to give it another shot and try the strawberry matcha though. Inside is pretty small and has a few tables. They have the matcha mill which is pretty cool to see too! The baristas were really friendly and helpful. read more

Ooika - Matcha latte - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

There are tables for people to sit and enjoy their matcha/hojicha and to do some work or catch up with friends. The matcha and hojicha are delicious!! read more

Ooika - Chocolate hojicha Seasonal matcha - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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I'd give this place a solid five stars for its drinks and service. They greeted us as we entered the place. The exterior was quite confusing since it was just the logo. And small print on the door. The only downside is the parking. I mentioned to the staff that it was my first time there, and she went above and beyond to explain the menu and recommend a few drinks. I can't recall the exact name of my drink, but it was a delightful combination of chocolate I ordered hot (iced, if you prefer). It was just right, with the perfect balance of chocolate and rich flavors from the matcha. My husband ordered regular matcha and he said the same exact thing. Drove 54 minutes just to try this place, and I'm already planning my next visit to try more of their drinks. read more

Best matcha in NJ! Ooika boasts the ability to in-house mill their matcha. I'm not even the biggest fan of matcha, but whatever they're doing, it's magic. Ooika has a variety of regular and seasonal matcha drinks, as well as mini desserts. There's also a kitchen in the back to order hot food. Shoutout to Max for always making us feel welcome with his kind attitude! Good amount of comfortable seating, clean bathrooms, and tons of parking outside. Highly recommend Ooika! read more

The matcha tasted very rich, almost butty, and was quite strong- very good quality in my opinion. The milk is oat milk, so friendly to lactose-intolerant matcha enjoyers. The inside is a bit austere, although with surprisingly more space than it looks like from the outside. Good drinks here (I got the matcha latte), but it's a bit pricier given the higher quality of matcha. I'd say it's worth it as a semi-occasional treat. read more

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Bigger space to hang out in here than their other location. The matcha was delicious as usual. No matcha soft serve here but they did serve food items. I didn't realize that until we were leaving. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

Friendly Staff who always great with a Japanese welcome. Love coming here. Freshly ground and delicious matcha ! read more

Ooika - Strawberry iced matcha - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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The smell of matcha hits your nose right as you enter! The matcha leaves being milled right in front of you adds to the authentic experience. The baristas were very nice and friendly, and well-versed in the culture and richness of the whole menu! Their menu is limited but great quality. I got an iced strawberry matcha for about $9. They whisk the matcha right in front of you, and I believe they use 4 g of powder (milled in store!). The quality was incredible! It was rich, but not bitter and not very sweet. I usually hate oatmilk but the one they use is not overpowering at all. There was plenty of indoor seating available on a Monday morning. I would love to come back and try the onigiri. read more

Ooika - matcha mill - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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In my humble opinion, I'd say this is the best matcha cafe in NJ! My friend and I ordered the military matcha and strawberry matcha. Both drinks were divine; the matcha was rich and smooth, pairing nicely with the oat milk. Will be back! read more

Ooika - Military matcha and strawberry matcha latte - Tea Rooms Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Love the matcha at Ooika! I've been to both locations in Lawrenceville and Princeton and was pleased every single time not only with the drinks, but the service as well. I love their strawberry matcha, so I decided to try the blueberry lavender matcha and loved it! It had a subtle floral taste and wasn't overwhelming the blueberry or matcha flavor. read more

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Great taste, carefully crafted, excellent service. Barista was excellent: friendly and obviously very knowledgeable and passionate about tea! read more

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