Strolled in here and the tea here is soOoo good!!!! Iced Matcha is on par with matcha in Japan!!!!…read moreIced Cardamon tea is nothing like what I ever had!!! Inside is bright and just perfectly decorated!!! Stop by on your stroll toward Chinatown!

I've walked by this place many times and finally decided to go. I like the bright, spacious, simple…read moreinterior. I was interested in multiple teas so decided to book the tea flight. I didn't know much about it going in besides that I have to book in advance and can't request it on the spot. Summary is I like their teas but the service/operations were bad. It wasn't clear on their website but turns out tea flight lets you try shot glass sizes of 6 cold teas plus a pastry from their counter. Then you can pick a full size drink of anything from their menu (doesn't have to be limited to the 6 from the flight). I've had tea tasting at other places before where there's more interaction and educational aspect from the barista, but that wasn't the experience here. Nothing wrong with that, just setting expectations. The timing of things was what went wrong. The website says it's a 30 minute experience, so I booked 1:30pm in order to make it to a 2:00pm appointment down the street. I arrived ~1:19pm, and the barista asked for me to wait until 1:30pm. I know I was early so I was fine with sitting and waiting. The barista didn't start preparing my flight until ~1:33pm which already annoyed me because I had to leave at 2:00pm. There was constantly a stream of customers coming in which is understandable she needs to address them, but I don't understand why she can't make a cup for my flight here and there since there's 6 to prepare. While she was preparing I was finally allowed to pick my pastry, and by the time it came out of the oven it was ~1:40pm. By the time I got my tea flight it was ~1:48pm. I tried to give each tea a proper sip before chugging them. By the time I ordered my full size drink to go and leave it was ~1:08pm. I ended up being 10 minutes late to my next appointment and felt rushed during my experience....unpleasant. I don't know what 1:30pm appointment lasting 30 minutes means especially if it's not meant to be a guided session. Is it 30 minutes for the barista to make my flight? I can see how the tea tasting takes more time to prepare than a typical drink, but what's the point of requiring bookings beforehand if I'm not getting my experience at the time I requested, not like they reserved a seat for me at the bar either. I also don't appreciate the lack of attention during my tea tasting which is meant to require more service from the baristas. When I first arrived, barista A was the only one there and doing everything. As she was in the middle of preparing my flight, barista B and C arrived. B started working on non-customer order tasks, and C seemed newer with less awareness of how the tea tasting is supposed to work. B served me my flight and gave a brief intro but I didn't find it any more useful than reading the printout myself. A was busy the whole time but didn't check on me even when I finished my flight and tried to make eye contact to request my full size drink. I ended up getting the attention of C for the full size drink. I know the $22 tea tasting isn't any fancy luxurious experience, but it's still meant to be a bigger offering than a typical customer ordering a pastry and drink (let's say $15 tab). I was genuinely disappointed by the service from the lack of efficiency and getting tossed around. As for the actual teas, yes I like them all and would love to drink more. I ordered a matcha latte for the full size drink since it wasn't an option in the flight and I genuinely wanted it. My ranking is: 1. matcha latte, 2. sencha, 3. black tea latte, 4. black tea, 5. cardamom rose, 6. honey lemon, 7. white tea. White tea is last due to personal preference of not liking the stone fruit taste associated with it. Honey lemon is low due to the honey and lemon having bitter and undertones, not refreshing and tart enough. Black tea latte is slightly higher than black tea itself because it reminds me a bit of Hong Kong style milk tea (not the same tea blend but similar). Black tea is actually really good. It's smooth in flavor and texture. It's not too dry or overly bitter. Sencha is my favorite from my flight because even though it's not as deep and earthy as matcha, the one they use is so bright and refreshing with seaweed notes. Matcha latte is my favorite because it's properly strong (for cafes), nice green color, smooth, creamy, naturally sweet, and has umami aftertaste.

Great strawberry matcha with oatmilk! Friendly service. Not too much ice. Good quality matcha and I…read morelove the green. They cater!

A strawberry matcha latte with oatmilk was in the cards on a hot weekend afternoon, and I was here…read morefor it! I'll admit at first when I saw how much strawberry jam was drizzled around the sides of the cup, I was apprehensive as to how sweet it would be, having been burned at other spots in the past. However a couple sips proved me over-concerned, it was a little sweeter than I usually go for, but balanced with the matcha. Little chunks of natural strawberry were a nice touch. The drink was cool, grassy, slightly bitter in a good way that matcha can be, with a dry finish, like the way wine can be dry.* quenched my thirst for caffeine and helped keep me hydrated when it hit the high 80s that afternoon. Fun fact: matcha is considered "cooling" in eastern medicine's classification of foods, so great to drink when it's hot outside, though they do recommend to drink room temp or warm. The staff was busy on a weekend early evening since a steady stream of customers came in. Energy seemed to be flagging a bit, though it didn't really affect my brief interaction. Most of the seating was taken inside, and the storefront was also open to the warm temps outside, so I took my drink to go. Would come back if in the neighborhood! *Side note: I'm kinda stumped as to why some people refer to matcha as "earthy" or "like dirt"....earthy would be akin mushrooms, or quinoa, or root vegetables. Matcha tastes grassy, leafy, fragrant in a similar way to herbs and tea leaves. I wonder if it's certain consumers' unfamiliarity with this type of flavor that has a natural tad of bitterness?

New viral matcha spot in NYC serving matcha hand-whisked in front of you...It kind of reminded me…read moreof watching the matcha being whisked at 12 Matcha, but with a much shorter wait. I tried three different matcha drinks from Matcha 116. Every drink is made with 5g of first-harvest, ceremonial-grade matcha sourced from Uji, Japan. They keep the menu small and matcha-focused, with two additional seasonal drinks. Since every cup is hand-whisked to order, the line stretched out the door when I went, so definitely expect a bit of a wait. The cafe is a lot smaller than I expected and not quite as zen as I imagined. The space was a little messy when I visited with cardboard boxes around. But the baristas were super friendly and welcoming. ＊Orange Miso Matcha $8.75 ** Unlike many flavored matcha drinks, the matcha didn't get lost here. It was very rich, while the orange and miso complemented it without stealing the spotlight. The sweet citrus and umami miso worked really well for me, but I think this is one of those drinks you'll either love or not. ＊Shinrin Spritz $8.75 Sadly I'm not a fan of this seasonal matcha spritz. I usually love fizzy drinks in summer. The sparkling matcha was refreshing, but the forest pine flavor didn't pair as well with the matcha as I'd hoped. ＊Ice Uji Matcha $8.25 Got the iced matcha with no milk to appreciate the quality of the matcha. It was deeply earthy and very concentrated that I could feel my heartbeat after a few sips. We had a caffeine crush after this lol.

This was not great. Had high hopes for this banana matcha…read more It tasted grainy. The banana flavor was not that strong. Would probably not try again.

T who was serving when we went today was SO kind and attentive. Super chill, welcoming, and…read moreinformative. Some tea spots can be kinda stuffy when the quality is good. This place was not that. Amazing quality with chill vibes. Literally stumbled upon this tea spot while out with a friend and it was everything we didnt know we needed. Ordered koicha w. a mid grade matcha suggested by T and a hojicha latte w oat milk and a little of the Japanese syrup. We also tasted the confectionery. Will be back and thank you so much for our short but sweet tea experience.

Vibe/ambiance: modern trendy matcha shop Service: standard…read more Items ordered: matcha latte with macadamia milk: the macadamia milk makes the matcha taste soapy (no dairy milk)

Great place to sit and sip if you're waiting for a table at Golden Diner but also a great place to…read morechill or to grab coffee to go. There's not a lot of space, but the tables are pretty and the booths are comfy, perfect for escaping the summer heat or winter cold. We got the Guava Matcha and Salted Miso Caramel Latte, both of which are delicious and superbly balanced. We didn't get to stay long, but I remember this place very well. Would definitely come back for coffee!

more coffee shop reviews on Instagram @coffeehonglics !…read more Hot matcha latte - 7/10 first couple of sips were good! matcha was a bit grainy and a lot of it settled after a couple of minutes otherwise, matcha flavor was light loved the little heart latte art Overall - 7/10 This was the first cafe we hit up on our NY trip and we loved the interior and the atmosphere! We stumbled on this cafe after deciding not to wait 2 hours for Golden Diner , which was only a couple minutes away by foot . The stone interior and big windows were so aesthetic. We got hot matcha lattes that were a bit grainy but otherwise not bad. We didn't do any work this time but it seems like a chill place to get some stuff done. There's a big table and a couple smaller tables that may be a little small depending on your set up. We think we might have seen some outlets(?) Overall, we loved the vibes of this little cafe and we might come back during our next NY trip

Delicious drinks, great service and unique cafe ambience. We…read moreordered the peach cream top matcha, coconut matcha and a sourdough cookie. We loved our drinks. Matcha quality and taste were both great and I'm excited to try other items off the menu! I don't think I've been to another cafe with a similar darker lighting vibe, it was definitely different but super cool and I was pleased to be able to find a cafe with seats available in the area!

You could definitely miss the place if you're not paying attention. black exterior with one big…read morewindow is what you're looking for. Intrigued with the durian latte, as a person who grew up eating durians, I have to try it. Wonder how it would work, double espresso with durian flesh, coconut milk, who would've thought. It was surprisingly works! YUM! Super nice barista too, she asked if I want a shot of espresso instead of two cause it's 5pm, which i should've listen. Be back cause I'm still thinking about that latte !

On arrival I will admit I was confused but the cafe is located in the back past the pottery room…read more The actual cafe is rather small but there's more space to sit outside of the cafe area. I adore the vibe of the cafe as it feels pretty intimate and quiet. If you had work or studying to do I think this would be a good place. They have a wide variety of teas on their menu and specialty drinks. They also have small pastries that they offer. I decided on a sweet corn houjicha and a yuzu pistachio financier. Both were excellent and I felt like I devoured it quicker than I anticipated. The houjicha was deliciously creamy from the corn flavor and the warm financier to finish was perfect. They also hand whisk your matcha and houjicha which feels a bit rare now that people cut corners and use premade matches. The workers were quiet but super sweet if you needed help with anything. They were kind enough to give recommendations for other places to try while visiting NYC and for that I thank them plenty. :)

Very cute and asthestic cafe! It is tucked behind a pottery studio, requiring you to walk through…read morethe pottery studio and turn left once you get inside. There is plenty of seating and you can get your drink to go or sit there. I got the sweet corn matcha latte, which the barista told me was their most popular matcha. The flavor was very unique but I could not taste any matcha at all. It was a very pale matcha. For the price being on the more expensive side, i would not return again.

((4.75 stars)) if…read moreyou're in NoLita, have time, and in need of well-made coffee, then stop by % Arabica. i have been here a few times in the past and more often recently...it really depends on if i have things to do that involve traversing Prince Street. the airy coffee shop lets in a lot of natural light and has good lighting inside to keep the interior vibe bright, energetic, but not frenetic. the space exudes a clean modern aesthetic--off-white plus warm woods. a really good amount of seating in the forms of a large sofa area as well as the stools at the front windows. while the Arabica is often busy, the interior has that neat organized energy even with people milling about waiting for their coffee. while they do serve a small variety of baked items like croissants and brownies....the star is the menu of finely crafted coffee drinks. if you enjoy the flavor of coffee, order an espresso or Americano--the coffee doesn't miss. i believe it's a medium roast of Brazilian and Ethiopian coffee beans, but i think they have different bean choices or two if you prefer a different roast/blend. the Americanos, iced Americanos and espressos have a really satisfying flavorful coffee --kinda dark chocolatey, somewhat nutty, a low acidity, and almost a natural sweetness. really good stuff. the baristas here do not rush coffee drinks and that is a big reason why the drinks are consistently well-made beyond the talent of the staff. even when there is no line to the order counter, you'll often have a little wait because typically people sitting or standing around are all waiting for their orders. but the wait is worth it. trust. i will say the the folks typically taking orders feel a bit frosty and not authentic in interactions--just my read on the vibe. it's always a friendly veneer not a deep warmth especially if you have questions about the coffee roast or blend...maybe it's because lack of knowledge but often times it feels like they're distracted. but in their defense, everyone behind the counter seems to be doing 8 million things beyond a singular role which is a great and all, but I feel like this is why when i order let's say an "iced Americano"--the order will be inputted as a "hot Americano" as this happened the last time i was here. when i pointed this out, it still took a bit of time for my order to get corrected mainly because the counter person seemed to be doing too much or is tasked with doing too much. again, not a big deal but this is not the first time this happened. nonetheless, eventually i got my iced Americano and all was good. another snag ate % Arabica is the coffee condiment area. it's small and neatly arranged, but it ends up getting too crowded with people taking an exorbitant amount of time lallygagging while adding simple syrup or a lid to their coffees or the area is just too cramped because often the line to order snakes across this area which is only a couple of feet away. it's not the greatest placement for the condiments or lids imo. this can be (not always) be fairly frustrating when the shop is busy and you've already waited for you coffee and now you have to wait for someone to lacksadaisically pout a lid on their coffee, add sugar, their drink, etc. these are not reasons to avoid % Arabica, but to temper expectations when it comes to when it's busy or you want some down-to-earth hospitality along with your coffee. all that said, this is must for your morning or afternoon caffeine fix when you want a drink that is carefully made and represents that in the pleasant flavor of their coffee.

Some really solid coffee in New York. It's a great spot for a pick-me-up…read more I got an iced Kyoto Latte and my friend got a hot Americano. My palette isn't delicate enough to pick apart the tasting notes of the beans, but it went down smooth and it wasn't too sweet either. The interior was lively, service was quick. Drinks came out in a reasonable time, despite it being quite busy when we went. I've been recommended this place by friends in the past, and I will continue to recco this place to more friends in the future,