Matcha is everywhere right now. The go-to drink of the wellness set, and everyone’s favourite alternative to coffee, the bright green drink is having a moment. But this should hardly surprise you.

Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder typically whisked up with water or milk to create a silky green drink that’s packed with antioxidants and amino acids. The health benefits are myriad including cell preservation and increased energy, so naturally, people are swapping their go-to teas and coffees for this health-boosting beverage.

The antioxidants in matcha, particularly catechins like EGCG, can help protect the body from free radicals that cause inflammation. Combating oxidative stress can boost mood, improve skin, muscle and brain health and support your overall longevity. Matcha also contains chlorophyll, which, if you’ve been paying any attention to TikTok wellness trends, you might have seen people adding to water daily to support their skin health and energy levels.

And, unlike your morning coffee, matcha supposedly won’t leave you feeling jittery and unsettled, despite containing a welcome hit of caffeine. This is because it also contains L-theanine, which can improve mental focus and promote feelings of calmness.

What does matcha taste like?

Matcha has a verdant, earthy flavour. If you’ve ever enjoyed a loose-leaf green tea, imagine a more intense and flavourful version of that. Hate it or love it, there’s also a hint of umami to matcha, which lends it a slightly savoury quality. Of course, matcha comes from leaves, so the taste is incredibly fresh and natural. However, this changes depending on whether you mix it with water, cow’s milk or your favourite plant-based milk.

What is ceremonial grade and why does it matter?

There are various types of matcha. You might have seen the phrase ‘ceremonial grade’ while on the lookout for the best matcha to buy. This distinction is important because culinary-grade matcha and ceremonial-grade matcha are two different products.

Ceremonial grade matcha is generally considered to be higher quality than culinary grade. It’s made from younger tea leaves from the first tea harvest of the season, and these are softer and sweeter. These leaves also contain more chlorophyll and produce a more vivid green colour.

A traditional Japanese tea ceremony – a chanoyu – is a spiritual practice that revolves around mindfulness, health and intention, so using the carefully prepared high-grade leaves is an important part of this. For most people drinking matcha today, higher quality means more health benefits and a better-tasting drink.

Culinary grade matcha, though paler in colour and made from lower-grade tea leaves, still offers plenty of benefits for health and wellbeing, but it’s usually mixed with milk to make lattes instead of being drunk with hot water.

How do people serve and drink matcha?

There are a few ways to enjoy matcha, and if you’re starting from scratch with a powder, you’ll want to get the consistency right. Some people use a traditional handheld matcha whisk to mix water and matcha powder into a paste before adding more water. Others use an electric frother to get a creamy consistency.

Depending on your preference, you can add more water or milk to create a matcha latte and then either drink hot or add cubed ice for an ultra-refreshing version of the classic Japanese drink. If making matcha from scratch sounds like too much work, you can also find it pre-mixed and ready to drink, and some brands offer added fruit flavours and plant-milk mixes too.

Whether you’re a latte lover or after ceremonial grade green goodness, read on for the best matcha brands to get your fix in 2025.

How we tested

I tested pure matcha, matcha with added collagen and mushroom matcha to find the best (The Independent / Emilie Lavinia)

I tested every brand of matcha powder with water and milk, using handheld traditional matcha whisks, electric frothers and an electric matcha machine too. I assessed each type based on quality, whether it was ceremonial grade, its provenance and its flavour, along with packaging design, quantity and price. I also considered sustainability credentials, any accessories included and savings to be made on subscriptions and bundles.

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

Emilie Lavinia is The Independent’s fitness and wellbeing editor and she knows her stuff when it comes to health drinks like matcha. Having toured the matcha stores and cafes of Japan and tried every takeaway matcha in the UK, she knows what makes a quality emerald latte when it comes to flavour, texture and scent. Emilie reviews health products and wellness accessories for IndyBest every week and is an authority on ingredients and what makes a best buy.

The best matcha brands of 2025

• **Best pure ceremonial grade **– JP’s Orginals matcha supreme: £27.99, jpsoriginals.com
• Best collagen matcha – Reformed collagen matcha: £39.99, feelreformed.com
• Best flavoured matcha – Bird and blend honey bunny matcha: £20, birdandblendtea.com
• Best ready-to-drink matcha – Humanitea matcha oat milk green tea latte: £31.54, amazon.co.uk
• **Best mushroom matcha **– Dirtea matcha: £48, dirteaworld.com