What better way to celebrate Matcha Day than with matcha drinks and soft serve! Zen Cha Matcha was…read moreobserving this wonderful holiday. So naturally had to take advantage of the free matcha they were offering with purchase. There was a bit of a line but worth the wait. I ordered the strawberry matcha and received a free small matcha soft serve. Winner winner chicken dinner! There are a few tables along the walls where patrons were sitting and enjoying the drinks. Some working, some chatting. They also have a very cool tatami area to relax and enjoy your purchased items. Please remember, no shoes on the tatami. Keep on Yelp'n!

Finally made it over to Zen Cha Matcha at Darien Commons, and it's a solid addition to the…read moreneighborhood. The space itself is beautiful--very minimal with white floors, high vaulted ceilings, and a really open feel. They have a retail wall on the left with some gorgeous ceremonial tea sets imported from Japan that I spent way too much time looking at. As for the drinks, you can tell they aren't cutting corners. They use ceremonial grade matcha from the Mizoguchi family (who apparently have 400 years of history in Kumamoto), and everything is organic. I tried two different vibes: * Golden Hour: This was a standout. It's a mix of coconut, turmeric, ginger, and some warming spices like nutmeg and cardamom. It had a nice little kick from the peppercorn. * Kokuta Hojita Latte: I got this with almond milk. The Japanese black sugar gives it a really deep, toasted sweetness that isn't cloying. The staff was super friendly and nailed the order. Also, side note: they have a modern touchless POS system, which made paying quick and easy. My only gripe--and it has nothing to do with the shop itself--was the seating. It's pretty limited to begin with (a sofa, some small tables, and one Japanese Ceremonial Table). Unfortunately, the "Zen" vibe was a bit ruined by someone hogging the entire ceremonial table with her laptop and books while other people were literally standing around waiting for a spot. Definitely not very zen behavior! Overall, it's a cool spot for a high-quality matcha fix. Just maybe don't expect to lounge for hours if it's busy.