Matcha lattes have grown in popularity, and many students often bring them to class. Although the area around campus lacks a dedicated matcha shop, several cafes offer matcha that is within walking distance of Redwood. I sampled matcha lattes from Starbucks, Peet’s, Teaspoon and Equator, evaluating each drink based on its quality, price and convenience. 

Starbucks: $5.45 for a grande (medium) 

Starbucks’ plain iced matcha latte delivered in quality and price. Their matcha contains a creamy foam and a perfect green color, with a satisfying “first sip feeling.” The latte was only slightly sweetened, and the classic matcha flavor wasn’t overpowered by the milk. Located in the Corte Madera Town Center, Starbucks is a convenient, reasonably priced and delicious matcha. 

Peet’s: $5.95 

Peet’s Iced Matcha Latte was visually appealing, since the milk and matcha were separated, allowing for a satisfying swirl. While only having a little bit of sweetness, Peet’s drink has an excellent proportion of milk to matcha, though it lacks Starbucks’ creamy foam. However, Peet’s is located farther from campus than any of the other options, making it not as convenient for access before or after school. There is only one size option for the iced latte. 

Teaspoon: $7.00

Also located near campus at the Town Center, Teaspoon’s Matcha Royale Classic is a solid option for those who like a milder matcha flavor. The sweetness level can be customized to taste—even at 50 percent sweetness, the drink was noticeably sweeter than the other matchas. However, the milk-to-matcha ratio is higher for the milk side as there is more milk in Teaspoon’s drink, which gives it a lighter green color but less matcha flavor, making this matcha perfect for those who don’t like matcha but want to fulfill their performative dreams. Not only is this matcha more expensive than the others, but its size options are limited to only one size.

Equator: $6.75 

Equator’s Iced Matcha Latte was probably the least sweet of the lattes, even if ordering the sweetened option. The drink was refreshing, yet not overly bitter, with a satisfyingly dark green color. At $6.75, Equator’s matcha is in the middle of the price range (no size customization available) and is a pretty basic, no-foam matcha. Located on Magnolia Avenue, it’s easily accessible to students before and after school. 

With so many matcha options available, choose the cafe most suited to your matcha preferences.